Stockings, Apples and Llamas

Jackie guessed it!!!



I am making 4 Christmas/Holiday stockings for my family. I am pretty sure I won't be done with them by the Winter Solstice or Christmas, but I'm starting them now....in hopes that I might. I got the wonderful pattern for these stockings at the Knit and Crochet Show a few months ago.

This pattern, called Judy's Colors Candy Cane Stockings, is only ONE of many beautiful stocking patterns. I'm also thinking about getting the "Mark","St. Nick" and "Mrs. Claus". Scroll down the page to see the adorable "Racecar" stocking! Such clever patterns.

I'm using the 100% wool yarn, Tove for the pattern. (You can buy some of patterns, this yarn and kits at the Yarn and Fiber Co. store I work at!) The yarn is pretty scratchy, but perfect for stocking and what GREAT colors!

Here are my plans:

Ben: light and dark blue for the candy stripes with the lime green for the cuff/ankle/toe
Tim: light and dark red for stripes, pine green for c/a/t
Me: light and dark pink for the stripes, lilac for the c/a/t
Ian: light and dark green for the stripes, bark brown for the c/a/t

(all our favorite colors!)

Jackie has been gifted the 5 skeins of Merino Style in Cornflower and the second prize winner for the most creative guess goes to.....

CAYLI!!!!

Cayli guessed the "Color on Color" scarf from the Scarf Style book which, strangely enough, I thought on the same day I bought the yarn that it would be perfect for that scarf. (I actually tried knitting that scarf once, but the construction was so complicated that I just quit. It's very unique, though) Cayli, make sure ot pick out what yarn you want!! (I'll email you...)

Thanks to everyone who guessed! All of your guesses were so original and fitting for each of the projects you suggested....like the Log Cabin Blanket (which I love) and the adult Tulips sweater or the Composed Mittens from IK. I also liked Glyn's idea of the knitted Babette and Sonya's idea of the Elizabeth Zimmerman Baby Surprise Jacket.

I also wanted to share my current spinning project: spinning laceweight llama down.



I bought 8 oz of llama down at the NH Sheep and Wool festival in May from the interesting Lars of West Mountain Farm and it is Soooooo soft. It's almost as soft as cashmere or merino. I've been spinning it off and on for a week, whenever I get a chance, and it's almost spinning itself. I was hoping to spin enough to make a laceweight shawl...which I think I might come close...but I don't think it's thin enough for a 2 ply laceweight. Either I use it as a single or ply it...in which case it will be more like fingering. Anyone have any other ideas?

Last Sunday, the guys and I went to Mack's Apples in Londonderry to pick apples...my favorite place. It was such a beautiful day...and extremely busy!

Here are the guys posing in the apple orchard...this is the pic I got after 5 tries.... crazy pics of them all making funny faces.



Ben loves eating apples! (although I spent half my time taking pics and the other half of the time eating all the skin off the apples for Ben...he kept saying..."Mommy, eat the skin off FASTER!")



And, finally, everyone running ahead of me (trying to hold apples and the camera) back to the car. It was so much fun. And the apples....delicious!!!!



Tonight is work again...and the Friday Night Knitting Club....remember to come and visit us if you're free! (5-9:30 pm, Windham, NH) Have a great weekend!!! : )