Let's not count the days......

As usual I'm juggling the items that I'll have completed for Christmas. I had planned to do several items, but they've been changed to other things. I've also postponed receipt for a couple people until January. I may get them done in time, but I don't need the pressure. 

I did complete both of the reindeer socks for my BIL:

 

I was finally able to get over to JoAnn's to look through their button selection. Found some shell buttons in a pack that work perfectly. They are a mother of pearl, but I put the outer shell out. Sewed them onto Cole's Cardigan:

Last Friday it took a couple of attempts but I was successful in making a batch of Divinity before the humidity came back to our area. Divinity fails this time of the year usually, so this was a first attempt in twenty years. I forgot to tell William though that he couldn't just eat all he wanted so I have half of what I hoped to have for dividing up for family. ;-)

(sorry about the flash, but the only way to get the picture to come out.)

I've started the Thorpe hat series. Keefe's is done and I've started Garrett's, his will be the stranded version. I'll do ones for Adam and Logan that will be the 'plain' version - possible stripes like Keefe's. I also have yarn for one for William's friend Luke. He may have to wait until after Christmas to get his though. ;-)

Keefe's minus the braids:

Last week we the really cold weather and Friday morning I was able to get a rare picture of Norbert and Nessa sleeping close together. They sleep on the same couch, on the same bed, but rarely next to each other without a body part of mine between. 
(The hair on Norbert's left ear is slowly growing back out, but makes him look lopsided.)

More hats in my future for the next couple days, cookie baking at Judy's on Saturday. How is your race for the holidays coming along? Have you negotiated mentally gifts to be given? Putting in late hours to get the ones planned done? Are we all insane? ;-)

Kind of done

I finished up the sleeve this afternoon, then wove in all the sleeve ends and any other ends that needed it. Then took pictures:

Then I promptly put it in a nice hot water bath to balance things out. Switching from knitting flat for everything but the end sleeves, I noticed I knit tighter, evener in the round. No matter how consistent I tried to stay with the purl rows.

It's still cute and I may pull out the bear to put the complete outfit on. I'll need to take a trip to JoAnn's for a button or buttons. I'm leaning towards brown buttons, because I know the mom likes brown. Regular buttons or cutesy ones?

The cardi and a scarf that I had washed and pinned out are drying in the den. Why redo the scarf? Cause I didn't have blocking wires and was wimpy about it earlier in the year.  I was a little more aggressive with the blocking after a second soak this morning. I'll possibly post new pics tomorrow.

Off to cast on Bailey's leggings. I'm going to have to do some modifications of the intended pattern - Mosey from the Spring 2008 Knitty. She's an eight year old and as such doesn't have a calf like an adult.

Oh! For those who are curious. Norbert is doing MUCH better. The hair is growing back nicely on his ear so he doesn't look so lopsided. He's perky, pulling out toys from the toy basket and leaving them all over the place after playing with them for a few minutes, soliciting ball throwing and actively interested in food. Since the squirrel incident, he's checking every morning and periodic checks during the day for the stupid critter to put toes in his yard again.

Brandon says he showed this to me eight months ago, a friend has it on her blog and I thought it shows Portland nicely, for those who aren't local:

WIP - Cole's Baby Cardigan

I moved beyond the neck ribbing with Cole's baby cardigan. Started the raglan increases and have them to the point of moving the sleeves off to holders. All while working with a migraine, because due to what I'd like to get done for gift giving, no time off for pain.

There was the mindless playing of FarmTown and succumbing to the lure of buying a second farm and setting it up. Moved things from the first farm over to the second farm. Silly time wasting things. Along with trying to get the wish lists off to family so they can do their shopping.

Tomorrow is for making some Cranberry Chutney to include with gift bags. I'm not going to include the pecans though because nuts are not always safe. Might even get lucky and finish Cole's cardigan.