Post Christmas Post

The basic routine for Christmas was the same this year as in past years, but there were a few differences.  The most notable for me was that it was the first year without my mom.  I've been missing her a lot lately.  I'm sure it is because of the holidays.  I catch myself having little conversations in my head like we used to do over the phone.  Her voice isn't really there.  I just imagine what she would say or ask.  She always wanted to know how the kids were doing and she always told me about the birds or deer she'd see in her yard.  

Other differences this Christmas are harbingers of things to come.  Kristin has a boyfriend and she divided her break between home and his place.  Trisha's job at a hospital means that she will have to work holidays occasionally.  Blake is more social now that he is in college and didn't spend as much time at home with us, and when he did he was usually asleep on the couch.  Ed and I are going to have to get used to the quiet of just the two of us.

Last year I was able to get everything on my Christmas To Do list checked off.  This year not so much.  The reason is that I am back to working full time.  I didn't bake all the cookies I had planned, which is alright though because we have way too many leftover.  I didn't send out cards but I'm contemplating sending out New Year's greetings.  I didn't knit anything for my family.  Kristin's boyfriend got a hat but that was as much as I got done.

The boyfriend's hat was Bankhead using a skein of yarn that a friend gave me.  I didn't realize that I had this was the second time I make this pattern until I created the Ravelry project.  It works up very nicely.  It will be my Go To hat pattern.

I have hats in the works for the girls.

Kristin is getting the 21 Color Slouch.  I am going to have a hard time parting with this but she needs something for on her head while walking to class.  The only downside of this pattern is all the ends to weave in.

I am thinking about making another hat like this but pre-joining the yarn using Russian joins.  I have a lot of worsted weight in the basement that I can use.

I am haven't touched the hat for Trisha in a while.  I'll post pictures once there is progress.

Finally, I cast on something for myself.  It is a lightweight scarf knit with Habu.  A sample which caught my eye was hanging at my LYS.  Once I saw the name of the pattern I knew I had to make it:  Charlotte.  Charlotte was my mom's name.

First Snowfall for the Season

The first snowfall of the season arrived overnight.  There isn't a lot of accumulation.  It is enough, though, to make it feel a bit like Christmas.

Feeling the Christmas spirit has been a bit tough for me this year.  I've always heard that after losing someone you love, the first year is always the hardest.  It is very true.  I am missing my mom terribly and can't get motivated to prepare for Christmas.  I know I have to get moving because Christmas is two weeks from today.  Fortunately my children are old enough to help with decorations and baking.

I am trying to knit something for each of them for Christmas.  I may end up wrapping the yarn with an IOU for their hats.  This is the start of a hat for Trisha.  Thinking about it now, I should have started with Kristin's, then did Blake's and finished with Trisha's.  Kristin will be leaving first after Christmas followed by Blake.  

Now that I got a few other projects done, I can focus on these hats.

Here are the (almost) finished projects.  All that is left is a bit of sewing and blocking.

This cowl was the class project for the Craftsy stranded knitting class I took.  I really love the way it turned out.  I used Jeny's super stretchy bind off for the top.  It looks a bit puckered but hopefully will block out nicely.  It will take a soak later today after I weave in the ends of yarn on the inside.  This may become a Christmas gift for a friend.  I'm still trying to decide between this and the next project.

The Tunisian cowl is still waiting to have the buttons sewn on, ends woven in and to be blocked.  This is the other candidate for my friend's Christmas gift.

I also finished the Fall Run cowl.  It has a few ends to weave in and also needs to take a soak.  This will go to my niece/Goddaughter.  Since the variegated colorway is called Shark Infested Waters, and my niece loves Shark Week, I thought it would be an appropriate gift for her.

Now I'm off to get my day started.  Enjoy your day!