Thursday, December 26, 2013

The Day After


Hi, Knitters,
I hope you had a great Christmas yesterday if you celebrate. It was a wonderful day around here. We had Christmas Eve and morning with our own little family. After that we headed over to my sister's house for a delicious Christmas feast. A great time was had by all.

I am happy to report that the sweater I knit for my son fit beautifully. He wore it the rest of the day and it looked fantastic on him. I actually got a bit teary-eyed when he tried it on and it fit, such a relief. I will get some photos later with him in the sweater to share with you. It looks good!

I also knit this same son the Windschief Hat. He loved his new hat as well and he wore it much of Christmas day along with his sweater. I did add length to the Windschief Hat to make sure it covered his ears and I am glad because as written it would have been too short. He got a new apron (he is a cooker) as a gift and was wearing the new hat while doing some chopping in the kitchen so I quickly snapped his photo.


On another making front, TC went to town on ornament making this year. She spent hours and hours at the kitchen table making her ornaments. Every night we had to clear the table to eat our dinner together, and then she would load it right back up with her ornaments in progress. I loved that she was so absorbed and had so much fun.

After her flurry of ornament making was done, she packed up little gift sets full of ornaments for a few relatives. We got to keep a bunch for our own tree, too. Most of these ornaments were kits we purchased at the Wisconsin Craft Market, one of our favorite craft supply shops in town. She just loved the kits and started making the ornaments right after Thanksgiving. Some of the ornaments were quite complicated, others were easier. She packed the sets up in brown hexagon shaped boxes and I helped her tie a big Christmas-themed ribbon on each. They were impressive looking.

My favorite thing about her making the ornaments was when she said to me, "It makes you feel good to make things, doesn't it." Well, she was speaking to the right person. Yes!

Below is a series of photos of her beautiful creations:











I will leave you today with my freshly washed and stacked wool socks. I did a second round of sock washing after these so I have a couple more stacks to put back in my sock drawers. I hand wash my socks and lay them flat to dry whether or not the wool is superwash. Every once in awhile I will throw a pair in the dryer for a few minutes, with superwash wool only, right at the end of the drying. This just tightens up the stitches a bit more.

There is nothing much better than freshly washed socks. They feel and look like new again. I finished another colorwork hat I'll share with you next. I think you'll really love it and may want to knit one for yourself or a loved one.

It's good to be back on the other side.
best, susie

15 comments:

margothayes said...

The ornaments are absolutely lovely. I have rarely seen such a pretty display.

Trina said...

Love your son's hat. The color is wonderful!

Renee Anne said...

Here's a question for you: do you throw all your socks in one big pot, even if they bleed, and not worry about the bleeding? I'm always scared to throw my stuff in a wash together because some still bleed.

Also, I love all those ornaments. Little Man and I got halfway through two (we need to find a photo to use to finish them). They didn't make it to our tree this year. Oh well :)

chmurka said...

Thank You so much for showing the hat it's great! I'm knitting Rippenschal Ribbed Scarf, and I will knit a hat, to wear with this scarf, I need a similar pattern, and You just gave me it today :)

Emily S said...

Those ornaments are beautiful! Merry Christmas from Colorado!

Stefanie said...

The Windschief pattern is a great one. I'm still waiting to gift it to my friend's boyfriend as she's still creating my biz card. Can't wait to see your son's sweater. TC's ornaments are awesome. What fun kits they are. Art is practically petered out as kids get older. If everybody crafted, we would be living in a happier world.

susiek said...

The ornaments almost look good enough to eat - so pretty and sparkly! I am insanely jealous of your socks. I need to take the plunge and just do it!

Barb said...

I love to read your blog - it is so positive and fun! Love your don's hat, can't wait to see his sweater and TC's ornaments are wonderful! Lucky recipients!!

And the. There are your socks - I'm jealous of them too. I just finished my first sock and I'm working on the second one - then I'll have my very first pair to wear - I can't wait!! Then I'm gonna make another pair.

Happy holidays to you!

Sam I Am...... said...

Your daughter's ornaments are gorgeous! She did a great job and what a lovely gift to give. I am proud to day that after 2 years of knitting I finally felt good enough to give a knitted gift. I made an ear flap hat for my grandson with the i-cord ties and fringe on ends. It turned out so well I still can't believe I knitted it! LOL! Thanks for all your inspiration. Best of the new year to you.

Bonny said...

What a lovely post! It does my knitter's heart good to hear that your son's sweater and hat fit and are well-loved. TC's creations look like they will be wonderfully treasured family ornaments. She's got it right; it certainly does make you feel good to make things!

Creative Design said...

Susan, lovely post today! I love the Stephen West hat and thanks for the tip on making it longer. Love the ornaments too.

Happy New Year,
Sheila
http://sheilazachariae.blogspot.com/2013/12/yarny-goodness.html

Motherdragon's Musings said...

Love your son's hat, both the colour and the pattern.

The decorations your daughter made are lovely.

Nancy Walker said...

Happy Holidays to you Susan. That is a Handsome hat you made for you son and those are Beautiful ornaments!I see your son and daughter are talented makers too!

Hind DP said...

The ornaments are beautiful, I can tell she put in a lot of hours to make those.

I'm inspired by your stack of socks. I've only made myself a couple of pairs, but I love wearing them even though we live in warm southern California.

Anonymous said...

I am really impressed with your daughter's ornaments. It DOES feel good to make something and she outdid herself. I still have a few ornaments my children made through he years and they are treasured.

I just finished the first happy sad mouse from Topsy Turvy. It is so cute. I am now officially obsessed. I just started the Alligator Egg. Happy New Year!