Yarnalong: Strangling Vines Scarf and more

Joining Ginny today at Small Things blog for Yarnalong:

Hmm, all three pictures are of the same scarf but clearly I have some things to learn about my camera. Anyhoo, I finished the Strangling Vines scarf on December 23rd, blocked it at 11pm and gifted it Christmas Eve. Thank goodness for the light yarn that it dried fast! The wool is Woodland by Classic Elite Yarns and is a combination of wool and nettles. My mother in law was the lucky recipient and when I found the wool I knew it was perfect for her. She used to cook up nettles for family dinners which I thought was a bit strange being as how they STING and all. The stinging part goes away when you cook them and what you're left with is spinach-like vegetation that she usually finely chops and mixes into mashed potatoes. I write this having been in this family for 15 years and it is still strange to me!!

3 pairs of these mittens have knit themselves off my needles this holiday. This pair went to my good friend in London, the second pair wound up on my son's hands by request and the third pair is destined for my Etsy shop in the next couple of days. 

I do need your help though, readers. I need a name for these guys. The best I can come up with is sock mittens because they look like an old-fashioned wool work sock and kind of like a sock monkey mitten without, well, the monkey parts. If you have any suggestions or you think "sock mittens" describes them just fine please leave a comment. To sweeten the deal, if your suggestion speaks to me I'll pop a pair in the mail just for you!

Sock Mittens

The other day (last week?) I mentioned I was working on some sock mittens. Here is the finished product finally. I intended these for a friend but am so tempted to keep them for myself. I just love how they look and feel. Then my son saw them and put in an order for a pair. I might be onto something. I think the next pair I make I'll use cream coloured wool for the cuff instead of white. 

Keep an eye on the Etsy shop if you'd like a pair for yourself.

We are easing into the holiday spirit this year and the pace feels just right. Today the kids and I baked gingerbread cookies and the house smells so good. The last of the presents have been bought and I just have one more project on the needles to finish. It has to be done tonight so I can block it and have it ready to give tomorrow night. It's pretty holey so I'm thinking it should be dry in time. Pictures to follow.

Tomorrow I'm going to send the kids around to the neighbours with Christmas cards to keep them busy and get them outside. It's so hard to get them outside when there isn't any snow to play in but it's too cold for biking/roller-blading/hanging out or any of the usual things these 2 enjoy outside. They're fighting like cats and dogs right now with the anticipation of Christmas, boredom, lack of their regular routine and other assorted issues. I bet your kidlets are struggling a bit too.

Here's hoping you're able to savour these last days until Christmas and are finding the "pause moments" to soak in all the goodness of this season whatever your beliefs.

Gratitude Sunday-Light

Joining Taryn today at Wooly Moss Roots blog for Gratitude Sunday:

This Sunday of Solstice I am feeling grateful for:

:: a new car, brought home in the dense fog on Monday. I love this car. It looks like a little mini-van but drives like our old car. 

:: That all the hoopla and hassle from our car accident is finally sorted out and over.

:: finally we are letting in the Christmas season. The tree is up, there is elving happening and our house is full of good food for the holidays. Not sure what the weather is going to do but we're ready for anything.

:: using my pottery lamp. My sister in law gave it to me when I was baptized (at the tender age of 29). I love it's simplicity and beauty. 

:: marking solstice with candles and lamp. Our family of 4 ate dinner together by candlelight and it was lovely.

:: my dishwasher. I am so grateful for my dishwasher. 

:: walking to the grocery store with my daughter this afternoon and being reminded to stop being in a hurry and to let her climb trees and check out what's going on at the pond.

Yarnalong: Sock Mittens?

Joining Ginny today at Small Things blog for Yarnalong:

The custom orders for Yarnnygirl (my Etsy shop) are now 95% done so in a wild fit of rebellion I cast on a pair of mittens JUST FOR FUN this morning. I know...crazy girl that I am.

This mitten practically flew off the needles. I just finished sewing them up and weaving in the ends. You'll have to wait until tomorrow to see the finished product as I'm too tired to dig out the camera, take a photo and wait an eternity for my prehistoric computer to upload it.

I call them sock mittens because they look like a work sock and remind me of a sock monkey. The white wool is Vanna's choice. I'm assuming the colour is called white as I can't immediately locate the ball band. Might be "Coconut meringue in January", you never know with yarn companies. The grey and red wools are Paton's Classic Wool Worsted in Dark Grey Marl and Bright Red. I used a #4 needle and my favourite mitten pattern. 

So, that's what I'm knitting.

As far as reading goes, I haven't really had time to read much this week. Between car shopping and filling Etsy orders I've been falling into bed at 11. When I have had 5 minutes I've turned to Mitten Strings for God . The author and I believe in the same things when it comes to parenting. It's so nice to know I'm not alone in our society of scheduling every minute of your child's time, of instilling the value of family beliefs and traditions. 

Gratitude Sunday-Mittens and Cars

Joining Taryn today at Wooly Moss Roots for Gratitude Sunday:

Playing on our devices (photo credit: The Boy)

Chicken Mittens

This week I have been so very grateful for:

:: a fancy rental car to drive while we waited to find out what was happening with our car after last week's car accident

:: meeting with a doctor who will assess The Em-ster for the best ways to help her succeed in school. It was such a relief to speak to a sympathetic person who did not suggest our struggles were only the result of our parenting. 

:: lots of mitten sales through my Etsy shop. So appreciated this time of year.

:: connecting with Lynda who posted about my shop on an Autism Forum. Bless her heart! When I have time over Christmas I'm going to check out this forum for my own Autism questions.

:: frivolous new black boots. I try not to buy too many things new but sometimes I splurge when there's something I really want that I've worked hard for.

This Moment-Mom, Can you teach me how to knit again?

Joining Amanda today at Soule Mama for This Moment:

{this moment} ~ A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember

Yarnalong: Mittens, Mitten-strings

Joining Ginny at Small Things blog for Yarnalong:

I know, I've been very quiet here this week. It's just been so very busy the last few weeks. First the water heater and water softener died (they were a matched set apparently), then we had a car accident and everything that's needed to be looked after from that. We're all fine thankfully but the car, not so much. I've been madly knitting away at mittens. This week it was Minecraft Creeper mittens for a customer and a pair of minions for another one. So much fun to make and I learned how to add different coloured yarns into my knitting. I've done stripes before but this was a different animal all together. It feels so good to expand your mind and learn something new. If you are in need of creeper or minion mittens (or cat, mouse, chicken, owl, sock monkey mittens) please check out my Etsy shop in the side bar ---->

As far as reading goes, I'm still working on Mitten Strings for God . It's been hard to find more than a few minutes every night to read. It's a good book to read like in fits and starts though as the author organized each chapter to be a different essay. 

I'm going to try to make a concerted effort to be more present here each week as I do enjoy sharing the ins and outs of our life with you.