First (& Quite Possibly LAST) Intarsia

My knitting pals elected me as the perfect person to help a fellow citizen of our fair town in her quest to find someone who could knit matching Christmas stockings for her grandkids so that everyone in their family would have the same stockings hanging this year.

It seemed innocent enough.

And they hit the hamartia on the head: knitting hubris.

I received the package of yarns, needles, bobbins, and pattern in June.

I started attempt number one in June.

I set it aside by July 1.

I thought, "I'll take it on vacation."

It got left behind at home.

School started, work projects piled up, the seasons changed.

The bag sitting in my stash room mocked me.

The commissioner phoned me. "How's the project coming along?"

November rolled around. I started again.

I frogged it.

I started again.

Frogged.

Tried again.

Frogged.

(Sensing the pattern here???????)

Finally, after an intense two weekends (and a few intense week nights between),
this is the result.




I had an inkling before I began that there was a reason I'd avoided intarsia prior to this. All my suspicions were confirmed.

It's time consuming. It makes me anxious rather than helping to relieve my stresses and anxieties. It's fiddly.

Basically, it's a very HIGH MAINTENANCE kind of knitting.

I'm not very likely to repeat the experience any time soon.

I deliver said stockings on Wednesday.

I hope she likes them!

Cute Kids

I drove over to my brother's house, about 2 hours away, on Saturday in order to take some photos of his adorable kids. They are so cute and such sweethearts! I thought I'd share my favorites from the photoshoot.

This is my niece who will be five years old in January.




And this is her brother who is 18 months old.




I had fun doing it and my sister-in-law made delicious spaghetti for lunch! My niece wanted me to stay longer and watch a movie with her, but we needed to head home again. I also enjoyed spending time with my own son coming and going and he enjoyed playing with cousins.

Happy Days Are Here Again!

Well, election day is FINALLY behind us.

Thank God Obama was elected!!!!!!!

Even though it is supposed to be rainy and stormy and grey today,
something about the potential, the hope, the promise of change to come
makes the air just a bit easier to breathe this morning.

Looks like I can hold off on learning verse 2 of the Canadian National Anthem.
(Although if we don't do something about healthcare in this country, you never know!)