"R" is for "Rib-Eye"

"R" is for "Rib-Eye"


I have a special lady in my life who never had children of her own, but who "adopted" my brother and I as her special kids, and showered her love on us.  For this amazing woman, I have knit some "Rib-Eye" socks for Christmas.  They are a beautiful deep purple colour, and made with soft Wendy Happy Yarn - the "eye"s in the pattern should help the sock breath well - good for air circulation around the foot.  Here is the link to the FREE PATTERN.

"Q" is for "Quill"

"Q" is for "Quill"


These dainty, pretty socks are a Christmas gift for a young lady who is the daughter of co-workers.  She is sweet and my children enjoy spending time with her.  Her mother is a knitter, so I know the time and effort gone into making these will be understood!  I'm sure, by now, you're not surprised to know that this is a FREE PATTERN!  Here is the link to it.

"P" is for "Presto"

"P" is for "Presto"


I knew I was in trouble when I came down the stairs this morning to see my hubby trying on the newly completed socks I had left on the coffee table (not for him). They stayed on, all day. I reminded him that he has told me numerous times that he didn’t want me to knit him socks. His response? “But these are a PERFECT fit, and feel so wonderful!” I think, after 14 years of seeing me wear knitted socks, he’s finally been converted!!


So, they have been adopted - not their intended owner, but that's just fine!  I'm happy they are going to be loved.  Here is the FREE PATTERN.

"O" is for "Overkill"

"O" is for "Overkill"


These socks, a FREE PATTERN, were a lot of fun to knit!  I have a friend from India who always seems to be larger then life, or over-the-top, and these seemed to be perfect for her Christmas gift!  I haven't used the crazy colours that are used in the example, but they are still pretty funky!  (I'm sorry the photo didn't turn out very well to show them off)

"N" is for "Nasturtium"

"N" is for "Nasturtium"


I have been saving this yarn for a special pair of socks because I love the way the colours blend.  It was chosen for this FREE PATTERN, as a gift for a special co-worker who has been a real blessing to our family - especially as we try to figure out Lady R's diet!  Since she has a similar condition, she was able to give me some hints and tips to handle every-day things.  She often complains that her feet are cold, so I hope these will be blessing to keep her feet warm this Christmas!

"M" is for "My Petticoat"

"M" is for "My Petticoat"


What better pattern could there be for a young lady who loves all things Jane Austin?  For this lover-of-lace, I made this lovely FREE PATTERN.  The yarn is called "Wendy Happy" and I think the name is very appropriate!  These are tiny socks, as she has very small feet.

"L" is for "Lancaster"

"L" is for "Lancaster"


A Special pink and purple blend of wool went into making this FREE PATTERN.  These socks have turned out to be very soft and cozy - a Christmas gift for my niece "A"!  

"K" is for "Knitmore Girl"

"K" is for "Knitmore"


Here is a simple FREE PATTERN.  I like the hues in the blue yarn, so I've chosen a simple pattern so that the colour is shown off a little.  These socks are a Christmas gift for my Sister-in-law (my brother's wife).  I've never made her socks before, so I hope they fit her well.  They will keep her feet cozy on her hardwood floors!

"J" is for "Jaywalker"

"J" is for "Jaywalker"


I have knitted this pattern before, and really like it, so I'm tackling it again for this challenge.  It is a FREE PATTERN, and here is the link!  These will go to Jeff's Grandma - a beautiful knitter herself, so I'd better get them right!  

"I" is for "Impressionnisme"

"I" is for "Impressionnisme"


Impressionnisme, a FREE PATTERN, is based on an old, traditional "vintage" pattern.  One of my co-workers and her husband collect antiques and all things vintage, so I thought this would be the perfect pattern for her Christmas gift - knit in a traditional colour.  It has taken a lot of plugging along, as it seems that this is a very slow knit - or perhaps I just wasn't very focused on it.  Either way, they are complete, and I hope she likes them!

"H" is for "Hearts Abound"

I started on my "H" socks tonight - I'm following the "Hearts Abound" pattern from Knit Picks (yup, another free pattern!)  It is a toe-up sock, so a little different in construction then the patterns I usually use, but it's always good to learn something new, right?  I've really enjoyed making them, and I think I'll use this construction again in the future.  These are a Christmas gift for a friend of mine from Canada who also lives in the UK.  

"G" is for "Girlie Anklet Socks"

"G" is for "Girlie Anklet Socks"!

They have turned out very well, and I think my wee lady R will be pleased with them as a Christmas gift this year - they are very girly!  I did make them a little on the big side so that they will fit her for a while - nothing more discouraging then working hard on a project, only to realize that they will only fit their recipient for a week!  Here is a link to the FREE PATTERN!

"F" is for "Froot Loop"

My "F" pattern is "Froot Loop" - it's a free pattern!  I've been eyeing this one for a while, I love the way it looks - pretty, but subtle.  I've chosen a solid purple colour...   These are for my niece "C".

"E" is for "Escalator"

"E" is for "Escalator"

I'm quite pleased with how these socks have turned out!  (free pattern!)  They will be  a Christmas gift for my niece "L".  I have dyed this yarn myself, featuring her two favourite colours -- blue and purple.  On the up side, if she doesn't like them, they will probably fit her mom!  She's only a young teen, but already has big feet!

"D" is for "Dunn's River"

"D" is for "Dunn's River"

I've always loved the look of ripples, and this pattern is no exception!  I'm very pleased with how these have turned out, and I'm certain my mother will like them as her Christmas gift this year.  Even the colour seems to pop nicely!  This is a free pattern, too!

"C" is for "Charade"

"C" is for "Charade"


I'm glad I used a lighter colour for this free pattern - I think it would have gotten lost on something darker.  I am pleased with these, tho, and I think my sister-in-law "M" will be pleased with them for Christmas.   The yarn is deliciously soft, so should feel lovely on her feet.  

"B" is for "Baudelaire"

"B" is for "Baudelaire"

This free pattern is from Knitty, created by Cookie A -- both my favourite sources for patterns!  I was a little intimidated by the chart of lace, but it was easy to follow, and has turned out beautifully!  They are scheaduled to go to one of my best friends for Christmas, but I am tempted to keep them!

"A" is for "Air Raid"

"A" is for "Air Raid"

Well, here we go!  The first of (hopefully) 26 pairs of socks to be completed this year!  I'm quite pleased that I managed to complete these before casting on for "B"!  This free pattern knitted up very quickly, and look great!  They are for my mother-in-law for Christmas, so I hope she likes them. The lacy holes should help the socks breathe well.

I Might Just be Crazy....

I've joined a challenge this year - to knit socks through the alphabet!  The group is on Ravelry.  I've had a real lack of focus with knitting lately, but lots of sock yarn in my stash, so I think this will be the perfect way to get started early on some Christmas gifts, and use some of my treasured stash yarns.  I am going to take the challenge one step further and attempt to use only FREE PATTERNS for my socks - tho that might prove to be more difficult as the more uncommon letters come up -- "Q" "X" and "Z"!  Follow along with me as I progress, and see my success (or failure!)  


Or, even better, why not JOIN me????  We can be crazy together!

Secret SPY Socks

I made my eldest son a pair of SPY socks a year ago, and recently he brought them to me, with large holes in the bottoms of each sock, and asked me to repair them.  He loves them and wore them all the time - what a gift to a knitter to see her handiwork worn and appreciated!  I didn't think they were worth repairing, so I set a date with him, and went for a visit to our local wool shop.  He picked out a multi-toned green yarn, and I set about re-creating the pattern for a new pair of SPY socks.  I seem to have lost the photo of the completed socks, but I will say the moment they jumped off the needles, they were on his feet!  I'm hoping they will last a bit longer this time, since I've used REAL sock yarn instead of DK yarn as I did for the other pair.  Each sock has a secret pocket in it - the perfect place for a magnifying glass, and other treasures!  He is quite thrilled, and has already commented on how much more comfortable they are then the previous pair was.  Now he has asked for seven black pairs so he has enough to wear to school every day - I'm not convinced yet, I think with all the running he does at break time would result in very hot feet!

Baby Sleep Sack

Baby Sleep Sack for baby coming

I’m not thrilled with the colour sequence - perhaps even stripes would have been a better choice?

I’m also quite disappointed with how narrow this has turned out. Baby is a chubby 10.3 pounds, and there is no way he’s fitting in it. This has been donated to my daughter’s dolls, much to her delight - but personally, I am sad to spend the money on an outfit for her doll… (usually I use project leftovers) ah well.  At least it has found a home where it will be loved and used.

Flowers for the Hair

My daughter loves to wander through a blog called "The Story of a Princess and her Hair".  Often she chooses hair styles to try out for school or church - she loves having beautiful hair!  Tonight she decided that tomorrow she would like to try "Flower Girl Hair"...  there was only one problem.  She decided at 8pm, just before she headed to bed -- I don't have any flowers like that, nor can I run out tonight and buy some with the children in bed.  What was I to do, so my princess is not disappointed tomorrow?  MAKE the flowers, of course!  I found a free crocheting pattern, and set to work.  It didn't take long to finish 6 flowers -- that should be perfect for the hairstyle.  I hope she's pleased in the morning!

Baby Hammock and Cocoon

I love photos of little babies in hammocks and cocoons!  Since I have a friend who is a photographer, I thought I'd make up some accessories and see if he will take some pictures of my new little man...  He wasn't terribly co-operative while I tried to photograph him myself!  Either way, I'm pleased at how these have turned out!  


I do have to admit something, tho.  I did not buy the wool for these.   I had the idea, and wasn't up to going out, so I asked my husband to take a look for it.  I gave him a description, including some colour suggestions...  and he picked up exactly what I was looking for!  What an amazing man!  Not every husband would go feeling yarn for his wife.

Pergola Nursing Wrap

Pergola Nursing Wrap

I took on the challenge of a Knit-A-Long for the beautiful PERGOLA Lace Wrap.  It is a beautiful lace-weight shawl, but I decided to do it in DK yarn so that it would be a little heavier weight to be used as a nursing shawl.  My goal was to complete the wrap before baby arrived - and I have!  One beautifully knitted and blocked shawl.... and no baby yet!  I'm looking forward to using this elegant cover-up this winter, and I am so pleased with how it's turned out!  It was a great deal of fun to follow along with the other ladies, and do this together!  I will certainly consider a KAL again.

Bits for Baby

Well, baby is coming soon, so I've been working on a few bits for baby - not too much, but just some little things.  Since we don't know if baby will be a boy or a girl, it's hard to know what colours will be suitable, so I've chosen a beautiful red and a milk chocolate brown to make some jumpers (sweaters)  An October baby will certainly need the warmth!