Friday, December 14, 2012

Random Catching Up

(photo and design by Carrie Bostick Hoge for Quince & Co.) 


Hi, Knitters,
Today's post is just a big hodge-podge of happenings all lumped together. I hope you are all doing well during this busy time of year.

The photos above are of my newest cardigan project. It is the Belfast Hoodie cardigan by Carrie Bostick Hoge. It's a great pattern. The yarn is Quince & Co. Lark in the pomegranate colorway. Oh, is it ever squishy and awesome. I can't wait to be done and wearing this one. I am finished with the body and I have a good start on the first sleeve. It is a bottom-up seamless design which I enjoy knitting.

I have about four more cardigans lined up and waiting after this one..... what are my odds of getting those done this winter? Probably not good but it is always fun to dream big about your knitting.


I hadn't posted a photo of the fingerless version of my mitten pattern called, Waiting for Winter Mittens and Fingerless Mitts. This is one of the pairs I've completed. I held two strands of Noro sock yarn together to get a worsted weight yarn. I love the tweedy look of the fabric.

Did you know that 2 strands of sock or fingering weight yarn held together usually make a perfect worsted weight yarn? Look to your sock yarn for these mittens and mitts! It works great.


These mitts are mismatched and I love that, always. I think I have enough of the doubled sock yarn to make a third mitt. Then I can really mix and match or even lose one without worry.

The Waiting for Winter Mitt-along is chugging along on Ravelry. I think there are already around 50 completed pairs with many more on the way. The variety of mitts being posted is so interesting and exciting. There is even a pair of Nemo mitts you just have to see (click here to see the Nemo and Dory mittens). These were knit by Debbie4 on Ravelry.

You can join in the knitalong anytime up until January 5th if you are interested. Everyone is welcome.


TC came home all excited about a new 3-D snowflake she learned how to make at school yesterday. She whipped this one out in a flash while teaching me at the same time. She wants to make different sized snowflakes in Christmas paper (with glitter, of course!) this weekend. I'll keep you posted on that.


Board games around the fire are all the rage at the Anderson home right now. We've been playing tons of Monopoly and Life and even some matching games. I have a small collection of matching games that are really unique and some are quite challenging. 

The game playing has been really fun. What board games does your family play? I'd love to hear about it.

On tap I have Password and of course, Scrabble. Yahtzee is always a staple. We even love a game of good old Candyland and Chutes and Ladders at times. 


My sweet firstborn turned 21 years old recently. We had a couple of simple family gatherings to celebrate his birthday. He is a gentle, quiet and understated soul who never likes to be the center of attention. We love and appreciate him so much. Isn't he sweet looking? 



We hiked out a long, long ways at a local tree farm to get our Christmas tree this year. The selection was either picked over or just very slim this year. The lack of snow has been strange, too. We prevailed and got a big and fun tree. I am thrilled with it. It was hard to be missing one of our sons (he is away at college this year) for the annual tree cutting. He is always so involved with our family activities that we really notice that he is gone. It is what it is and it makes us appreciate our kids at home even more if that's possible.

The tree is fantastic and looks so good all decorated and lit up. It has some crazy branches that stick out randomly here and there. I love it.


When I posted about my Agnes steeking adventure. I forgot to add my favorite photo of the new cardigan version. I have since added it to the original post about the steeking but I wanted to share it again today so you could get a good view. All of the information is right here.


My son who just had a birthday had an interesting fall here on campus at the UW-Madison. He actually got to see the President twice. This is a photo of the last time he saw him as he was campaigning last fall. He shared this photo with me and I couldn't believe how close he was to President Obama. He waited from the early morning and stood all day on Bascom Hill until the President arrived to speak.

I thought that was all really cool stuff.


Here is the other photo I failed to post where it should have been posted. This is the double-marl singles on the bobbin from the Dyeabolical roving I posted about a couple of days ago. I had a photo of a bobbin in the post but I am not sure it was the correct one. This is the correct one. Click here to see the post on this beautiful handspun yarn.

The photo above is at my dear sister's house. The photos around her dining room table are always so golden and glow-y looking due to her lighting and wallpaper and of course, the company. Here is my son with his cute girlfriend celebrating his birthday with a leftover Thanksgiving pie with candles.

I'd love to hear about your busy activities this time of year. I just packed up and shipped off three new adorable projects for the Knit Simple Spring Issue 2013. I've also just taken on two new projects for a couple of different companies which will be really fun and interesting. Lots going on as usual around here.

I'll be back on Monday with an exciting bit of news to share. Have a great weekend and I'll see you on Monday.
best, susie

19 comments:

Tiphanie said...

Loved reading about the simple little things going on. Happy 21st Birthday to your son! Hope you have a wonderful weekend, Susan!

linda said...

life is good Susan B.

Gudrun Johnston said...

That cardigan of Carrie's is on my list of knits...love it!
Board games we are currently enjoying are Settler's of Catan and Balderdash!

Unknown said...

You´re not old enough to have a 21 year old! LOL. Mom has 6 kids and decided that when she had me, her last born, that she had quit having birthdays so she was 36 for a very long time.

What great sweaters! Hope you have a beautiful holiday season!

http://www.knittingwitholof.com/

Cambria said...

You don't look old enough to have a 21 year old, and i'm not just saying that, lol. (Oh look! I'm also not the first to say it).

Elaine said...

Your great blogs are like sitting across the kitchen table from a good friend.

Anonymous said...

Susan, your family and mine seem to be on parallel paths this week! Lots of game playing here, too. Candy Land, Sorry, and Hello Kitty matching are our favorites, and we may even break out the Chinese Checkers. And, we got our tree, too, after searching for quite a while in limited stock. Lastly, that Belfast hoodie has been on my list of things to knit for quite some time. Have a wonderful weekend!

Wanda said...

Yes, your son looks like a real sweetie. I'm glad you're having such a good time leading up to Christmas, and envious too. All my children but one have left the nest. Take lots of pictures while they are still home with you. Yay for digital cameras!

Chris said...

You seem to have such a fun family! We love Settlers of Catan and Ticket To Ride. You have to check those out!

isabel said...

love the kureyon sock yarn mitts. It is exactly what I've been wanting to do without having been able to come up with it myself! Thank you.

Apples to Apples is hands down my family's favorite game and when they have a friend to join in it really mixes it up!

Chris said...

You have such a fun family! We love Settlers of Catan and Ticket To Ride.

Dorothy said...

You sure have a handsome son! I'm jealous of his proximity to the President on campus last fall; I had lots of great times in school in Madison but not that! Merry Christmas to you all.

Maureen said...

Happy Birthday to your very handsome son! I love the mitts - I have more sock yarn than I know what to do with - hello mitts! Is there any way you can post the directions for the star? I love it and would like to make some with my class! Many thanks - Merry Christmas!

Desiree said...

I love your blog. Its always so fun to hear all the fun things going on!
Happy birthday to your son!

knitwittknitter.blogspot.com

Maureen said...

Happy Birthday to your handsome son - you're very blessed! LOVE the mitts - have tons of sock yarn to use for these - beautiful!
Could you please share the directions for the star? I would like to make some of these with my students - hopefully they may be a bit therapeutic after this horrific weekend in CT.
Many thanks - Merry Christmas!

idiosyncratic eye said...

I thought that double fingering/4 ply made DK/8 ply weight and that worsted was aran (10 ply)? Squabble is the family game here. ;)

Renee Anne said...

We just got back from Wisconsin last night (well, this morning, really) and the lack of snow was kind of...odd. I mean, we didn't mind that we didn't have to deal with the snow but it was odd to know that it was December and there was no snow and, in fact, it rained and was foggy. We were also quite glad that it was warm enough to not freeze because driving home from the wedding we were at in Deforest at 1am in the fog was not the most fun we've had recently.

With that said, we're in the midst of making new holiday traditions. This will be our first Christmas away from our family/friends in Wisconsin. And there won't be a chance of snow where we are.

::sigh:: Oh well.

Debbie said...

Thank you for mentioning my mittens! I can't wait to give them to my godson!

Debbie

Speattle said...

Mine just turned 21 on Halloween. He came home from the fall semester at his out of state university also sporting a beard! I guess it makes them feel grown up even when they are always our "babies" in our hearts!