OK...back to regularly scheduled programing...

Our son has returned to New Mexico. DH will return to work on Monday. The holidays are officially over at our house. Life for Sofee and I returns to normal tomorrow. With a few changes...

First off, my New Year's resolution....to knit more charity items this year. Monthly, I vow at least one item. Not much of a challenge really. So, yesterday during a road trip, I started a pair of child's mittens to be felted, with a "fun fur" cuff. Totally out of my normal realm. Will post when they are completed. I also want to make a pair of WW socks in January. I joined SAM-5 again, and my personal goal is to fulfill this KAL commitment with charity socks.

My morning reads are a little more comfy these days, thanks to the finished fingerless mitts. This was actually my first 2008 project. Nice and warm. They are made from Tuir of Dale of Norway. They are 60% mohair. Need I say more??
Remember the huge clogs I made for DH? Success! Well, sort of. My plan to use the "two buckets and a plunger" method worked well - for the most part. I got them felted and decreased in size, but not quite small enough - I could not get them to shrink that final inch in length. All of the shedding was completed in the buckets, however. That was good. Out of desperation, I threw them in a lingerie bag and ran them through a Hotwash/coldrinse cycle in my front loading washing machine. At the last minute, I threw in a pair of tennis shoes for agitation. I left them for the complete time, and figured what will be will be. Well, to my great surprise, they had shrank down that final inch....and fit perfectly! He is very happy, I might add!
My usual practice of NOT reading through a pattern prior to starting it did not serve me well this time. A few days ago, I started a Debbie Bliss baby sweater for our "Baby". The pattern called for needles, size 2 and 3. I was surprised to find that I did not have any long needles that size, so I purchased some locally, but I bought straights assuming that the sweater was knit in pieces and pieced. DUH!! Well, I now realize that I need circs, as the pieces are joined from the armhole opening to the yoke. So, I have all the pieces knit to the armholes, and a KnitPicks order on way. Patient I must be. Lesson learned also....read through those patterns first. Perhaps another New Year's resolution. OK - so I pick easy ones!!