Getting Down to the Wire

It's only 7 days until Christmas and I haven't finished hardly any of my gift knitting. I will definitely be late again this year.

I'm currently working on a pair of socks for my niece. They are the cutest socks I've made so far:



I Heart Toe Up Socks by Wendy D. Johnson

My list includes this year:

Washington:
Sister - hasn't decided what she wants & Boyfriend - purple beanie
Nephew - black hat and scarf
Niece - socks (above)

Maryland:
Sister - cowl
2 Nieces - maybe socks or slippers
2 Nephews - hats

New York:
Sister - scarf
Nephew & Girlfriend - stockings (personalized with names)
Grandniece - matching stocking
Grandnephew - matching stocking

Virginia
Brother & Girlfriend - matching stockings (personalized)

Texas:
Sister & Husband - socks
2 Nephews - Texas Longhorn headband and socks

As you can see my list is long and I've only started on a pair of socks for my niece last weekend.

I did see this cool wrapping paper of a knitted Santa, that is being shared on Facebook which is only sold in the UK. I liked it so much I made my own chart from it and I'm sharing it with all of you. I hope you can get some use from it. I think I will be making some stockings with it.

 

I'm jealous of all of you who have finished your gift knitting, for those of you who are still knitting, good luck, I hope you get done in time!

Happy knitting, and if you get a chance come share your gift knitting here or on my Facebook page.

Got socks?

There are only 11 days until Christmas! How are your knitting projects coming along? I just finished the second pair of matching socks for the family our office adopted this year.  They came out so cute, the two year old can look just like her older six year old sister. It was great knitting two-at-a-time - so both socks got done simultaneously - which for those of you still doing one at a time - this is the way to go!

Check out this site that has videos for you to view KnittingHelp.com that teaches several methods including double pointed needle (dpn) - the one at a time method.

They came out really great - again they remind
me of Pippi Longstocking!

Some really great books that also include the two-at-a-time method are:

2-At-a-Time Socks: The Secret of Knitting Two at Once on One Circular Needle by Melissa Morgan-Oakes

Knitting More Circles Around Socks: Two at a Time, Toe Up or Cuff Down  by Antje Gillingham

 

Two books that I own from Wendy D. Johnson include: Socks from the Toe Up: Essential Techniques and Patterns from Wendy Knits and Toe-Up Socks for Every Body: Adventurous Lace, Cables, and Colorwork from Wendy Knits

Socks always make a great gift and you have so many different fibers and colors to choose from.  The self-striping are my favorite - they are so cool.  I am always amazed when I'm done at how the stripes come out. I like to use Trekking XXL, they have a large selection of colors especially some great self-striping, and is what I used to make the socks above for the sisters.

So if you haven't started already with your gift making, you better get a move on! I've completed two-at-a-time socks in a weekend depending on the size of the foot, but you don't have much time so get knitting!