it’s all about reworking the list

Posted on Posted in designing, projects

i got these in the mail today from heifer, intl., an organization i support with spare cash whenever i can (along with others). finally, mailing labels i love. and LOOK: instead of just mailing labels, they added gift tags. now that’s clev-ah.
(BTW, our friend rachel has created a heifer giving fund this holiday season; please check it out!).

now is the time in fact, when i look at my funds and figure out how much extra i can pass along to others, based on sales in the knitspot shop (and other serendipitous fortune). we have a monthly giving program, but at year’s end, we like to find something extra for a special christmas offering. it’s more important than christmas knitting, even (ok, that could be an excuse for procrastinating).

and i can tell you that this year, because you all have been so very very supportive of my work, we will be able to give much more than before, which makes me happier than you can guess.

in december i like to give whatever extra i can to a most favorite cause: knitters without borders. stephanie has, from her bottomless well of humanity, created a venue for knitters everywhere to gather as a force and do the money talk together, for the good of our brothers and sisters everywhere. it’s a great, great thing to see the power of all of us work in this way—so, even if you will not be able to contribute cash, i hope you will cheer on the fund growth generously during december and send all good vibes toward a great new goal.

thank you for the lovely emails and comments about my Lighthouse Gansey Socks which appear in the just-released winter issue of knitty. as you can see here, they are much loved by their recipient, and have been worn and washed several times this fall.
david loves the yarn, BTW; an alpaca/merino blend from dicentra designs, it is sturdy, soft, and warm—great for wearing with boots.

i bet you all are WAY ahead of me on your christmas knitting . . because i know where i’m at, and it ain’t so good.

that’s about the extent of what i’ve accomplished in moving toward my goals. he-he.
a mitt cuff.

in the process of re-reviewing my christmas knitting list and looking for a misplaced project, i did come across many WIPs which might just be able to fill in for a gift or two. at least, they should take care of anyone i might need a last-minute gift for. just look at all this stuff i almost forgot about (and that is so unlike me).

snow on cedar mitts; one down, one to go. that is about one evening’s work to finish this project off and put it on the gift pile. i don’t know who they might be for, but if they don’t go to anyone else, i can always use them myself.

lady cardigan socks, one done, one to go . . . and i actually know just the person who would appreciate these. and BTW, still lovin’ the lambswool yarn from woolen rabbit; it’s toasty warm.

ooops, another cardigan sock. i’ve been working on the second sock for this pair, but slowly. so i’ve stepped things up a notch and am now past the heel and onto the foot, always a good place for me. these should be done in plenty of time for someone’s stocking (he’s sitting right here behind me, so i won’t say it out loud). and as noted above, in a favorite yarn to boot.
it might make up for the fact that there probably will not be new clogs under the tree (maybe for new year’s, but probably not for christmas).

now let me be clear about this next one—this is NOT a christmas gift. or at least, it is not a gift for anyone else.

my everyday cashmere mitts, which is what i was hunting for in the first place. must get these finished. . it’s cold and my hands are furious with me (thee has been more shoveling to do and much cold). this is only the first one though . . . these are not going as quickly as i’d like because i have been distracted (in a good way!).

so lots of potential there on everything but the black and gray parade. but i swear, i will make a dent in that stuff starting tonight.

meanwhile, in design news, looks like the bee sock is nearing its release date. i have finished my first one and it’s a gem i think.

(i call this shot sock floating on scepter)
these knit up so fast that we all marveled at ourselves . . . the pattern looks complex, but apparently that is a deception; kim and jocelyn flew through it.
kim is offering a kit that includes yarn and pattern.

i even got right to work on sock 2.

i worked on my top edging while i taught a brand new knitter in class last night. let’s just say that this woman, for whom the concept of hand-dyed yarn has never entered the remotest regions of thought, is now—thanks to kim—a certified yarn ho.

i finally had to tell her to back off, or at least wash her hands before doing that to my yarn
(kim r., you missed so much last night).
she WILL be back next week.

oh! canada is coming right along and i even have the pattern written up. i’ll show pictures tomorrow; the ones from today all turned out blurry. blech.

let’s end with something yummy for dinner

pretty much the last of the garden tomatoes. i still have some cherry ones ripening in there (they indulged me with a surprise run for full redness just now after 2 months sitting as green as can be), but what you see here is the very last of the bigger tomatoes. i roasted them up with garlic and oil and i think i will made some curry or other with them. mmmm

25 thoughts on “it’s all about reworking the list

  1. Oh my, all those knits. All that yarn. Certified yarn ho indeed. “Here, student, just try a little. It’s okay, just a little, no big deal, I can get you more if you like it.” A pusher, you are. 😀

  2. YUM! those tomatoes look divine! Ok, how do you manage to knit so much? Please share your secrets. I love the bee sock and can’t wait for it. Great find re all the WIP, excellent. You will make the christmas deadline. I hope you manage to get your mitts done, you need them, and cashmere ones, Ooo La la!

  3. And again…lemme just say…..SHOW ME THE MONEY HONEY!!!! And yes Anne….kindly blur out the address on the tags please. I would REALLY hate to have to stand guard at your door to beat off cashmere thiefs and slutty yarn seekers…oh wait, that last one sure defines someone I know (me thinks it resembles ME)!!

  4. Oh Oh Oh,,, I love that photo of those lovely Lighthouse Gansey Socks, Perfect! and the tomatoes make me hungry and all those half knits,,,, hmmmm,,,,

  5. Wait! Wait! You shovel snow in cashmere mitts???? Get out!! Surely, you jest! I love them, though. The labels are awesome, and the cause to support is worthwhile. You can whip through your Christmas knitting in no time!

  6. Considering how many slippers you knit last year, I’ve been hoping that your relatives would not need more this Christmas! Surely it’s okay not to give knitted gifts to everyone, given that your knitting time has necessarily been devoted to your designing business in recent months.

  7. You found all kinds of goodies-I know where my aging UFOs are, but I’m pretending to be too busy with, um, Christmas knitting, yeah! The bee sock looks lovely, and I really think you should model it, it’s hard to tell what it will look like stretched out:)

  8. Ann someday I will have to come to one of your classes if only to learn to knit with double pointed needles. I have been knitting for 30 years and have never mastered the skill. It prevents me from buying all of the wonderful sock and mitten patterns you design! =)

  9. Wow look at all those lovely knits. I can not wait to get my sock kit!!! I am so excited. This might be the pattern that I need to get my mojo going again.

  10. I love your cashmere mitts! The design is great, and the yarn makes it look so comfy! These will be so cozy… I think I need some for myself!
    And what a yummy-looking batch of roasted tomatoes! Is it bad that I covet these as well? But until I get to move to a place where I’ll be able to grow tomatoes, cashmere mitts will be easier to make happen!

  11. I only wish my UFOs were so elegant—no wonder I hide them! The tomatoes look so good—those are going to be delicious.

  12. Thank you for pointing out Heifer, this might just make a nice gift to someone too !
    The socks on Knitty and Kim’s are very pretty, I just bought a tutorial on how to make socks a few weeks ago so maybe, just maybe I might be able to make these in the future too 🙂
    Go and finish your mitts soon, you need them ! I am tempted to make you some myself….

  13. I must finish some more christmas knitting before you publish the bee sock pattern because I have to knit those, they are simply gorgeous.
    Nice looking dinner ingredients too :0)

  14. So many beautiful things in this post….and yes, I am always happy to enable someone…grin!

    Christmas knitting….eeek! My daughter has been glaring at me for days to finish her mittens, which have now become her Christmas mittens…LOL

  15. ack… mumble mumble knew I forgot something, how could that be mumble…
    The Lighthouse Gansey socks were the very first I printed out from the winter edition… love’em.
    Thank you!

  16. Thanks for the plug for my Heifer donation contest – good luck with the Christmas projects, I’m a bit deep in that as well…

  17. Anne- You’re one of my favorite people to “give” money to!

    What did I miss? What’s Oh Canada? Is that the winter shawl?

    **what planet am I on**?

  18. Congrats on the Lighthouse Gansey sock pattern being published. That is really nice! Lots of great projects on the needles too.

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