Is it feeling like Fall where you are? Because it’s going to be 88 degrees here today. That is most definitely not “Fall” in my book. However, my house is starting to look Fall-ish. Isn’t this character cute in an ugly sort of way? I tend to find “so ugly it’s cute” characters. I have a Christmas “Muffin Man” that is downright scarey looking, but I felt sorry for him so I bought him anyway. (Who else was going to take him home?) I also love decorating with Bittersweet Berries (although I have yet to plant them in my backyard like I keep saying I’m going to do) and Japanese Lanterns.
Knitting Daughter and I had a fun long weekend! We knitted, caught up on some DVD’s (Heroes, The Office, etc.) and went out to eat. It was fun to spend the time with her and fun to be off from work for a few days. (You know, when you work out of the house, work is always there.) I knitted up a pair of fingerless gloves from Holiday Knits, just in time for my trip to Colorado this week (where it will be in the 20’s and 30’s at night.) I haven’t done gloves with fingers before. While I like this pattern and love how they turned out, boy is that ever a pain in the behind to do all of those knitted fingers. The yarn is from one of our new indie dyer lines that will be coming soon. 
Allen is one of our Loopy Groupies and it was so fun to find out that she has been selling her beautiful yarn to a couple of her local yarn shops and was now ready to sell online through The Loopy Ewe. I love the way the yarn subtly stripes, and it was soft and wonderful to work with. We’ll have this in stock in a few weeks. I also am a new fan of BellaModen – another new indie line that will be here soon. Rebecca is also a Loopy customer and has great taste in colors and yarn! This sportweight of hers knit up so quickly, and I really like the method she used for handpainting this skein. It almost looks marbeled, to me. She calls it a Batik style of painting. It’s sock #1 of a pair that will be a gift for someone for Christmas. A start on my gift-knitting! I’ll fill you in on some more new lines that are on their way to us, soon. (As well as some other fun Loopy news next week!)
So has anyone else started gift-knitting? And what are you making for people this year? Is anyone else into fingerless gloves? We have two gorgeous fingerless glove patterns coming from new pattern designer Monica Jines that I can’t wait to make. This has been a fun way to use some of my sock yarn. I also got this book over the weekend and there are several pretty patterns in there that have now made it onto my “must knit” list. (And here I thought I was over scarves. Apparently not.)
Sheri bytheway,we’rere-stockingInterlacementsandDreaminColorthisafternoon!
Oh, Sheri, I was delighted to see the picture of the Bittersweet Berries. I love these and have been collecting them from the local park each fall for years to decorate our house, but I didn’t know what they were called. They’re so bright and autumnal. Thanks!
Nice fingerless gloves. At first I thought they were made from Glacier Silver Pine (what’s up with Cider Moon, anyway? Are they out of business? Their yarn is so amazing.)
I’m on my third pair of Christmas socks, so I’ve got a good head start this year. Not like last year when I made all five pairs in December.
Glad you had a fun weekend with KD!
I started knitting a throw for DH. It was the only way I could justify buying the yarn at a local fiber festival. I am planning on knitting the cover socks from Favorite Socks in a couple of colors of Smooshy if I can fit them in for one of my daughters and a daughter-in-law. And I bought stuff to do Cookie A. Kneesocks for another daughter-in-law and another daughter. It’s hard to know if I will actually get any knitting time. Why the heck did I register for composition lessons this fall????
Over here we have zig-zagged from cool rainy days to almost-as-hot-as-summer—doesn’t seem to have made up its mine yet as to whether it’s fall or not, although the leaves are starting to turn. Good sign!
I like fingerless gloves and am always on the lookout for new patterns—can’t wait! And the yarn! Can’t wait for the new indie dyers, either! That marbling effect is so pretty.
My husband’s cousin just had a baby so the Christmas knitting has been pre-empted by baby knitting for the moment.
Glad to hear that you and KD had such a good weekend. You really deserve the time off from all of us crazy Loopies (is that redundant?)!
Started? One more pair of socks, some fingerless mitts and finishing the tank I’m working on and I’m done! 🙂 But I do knit holiday gifts all year long, I confess!
I LOVE Japanese lanterns!! They mean fall to me…my favorite aunt used to grow them, bittersweet and pussy willows and decorate her home with them….I miss fall in the north and my aunt’s house!
IMy holiday knitting this year w/b limited to throw pillows for 4 friends (a pair for each, to go with their living rooms), which will need 4 6″ squares per side per pillow, plus picking up sts & knitting borders all around for each side. My goal is to have at least one pillow for each done by Christmas with the others in the works. Bought the yarn back in July & have pretty much figured out the design for each. Guess I’d better get started, but all I want to knit are SOCKS! Speaking of socks, I also need to knit a pair for a good friend’s mid-January b’day. (Need to find some nice sock yarn consisting only of cotton & nylon/elastic for her! Any suggestions?) I’m with Kristin (10/01/07, 4:42pm post), though, as far as the whole *work* thing!
I haven’t started the actual knitting, but I have some plans. Does that count? Probably not. I need to buckle down and cast on. However, I’ve got upcoming baby knitting to finish too. I love this time of year, but it does make me anxious!
Asiatic Bittersweet (celastrus orbiculatus) is on the Federal List of Invasive Garden Plants – (I’m a horticulturist…), for Missouri and many other states.
BUT there is a native bittersweet, celastrus scandens, that can be used as a great substitute. I like the berries too – and use the silk replicas. Just check the tag before you plant to make sure you have the native variety – or breathe a sigh of relief that you haven’t bothered yet.
And it’s been hot here in Massachusetts too – in the 90s last week! Ugh. Nice cool week this week though.
It is fall here. The heater has been turned on. It started raining Friday and only stopped long enough for the wind storm going on outside.
I am almost finished with holiday knitting. Lots of socks, of course. A coupole pairs of flap top mittens. I am finihsing up the last pair of socks, then there is a Dragon Scarf and a Jayne Hat and I am done. Woo Hoo!
Hmmm…. I posted a comment yesterday. Must have been eaten by the computer gremlins in residence.
Anyway, not like fall here yet, either. Still a little warm, though we do have cool nights/chilly mornings. And the leaves are happily turning colors and bombarding my house with acorns, which makes the squirrels happy.
I love your little guy, by the way! He’d have a place in my house, too!
As for the Christmas knitting, haven’t started yet, but I’ve gone through the stash and gotten it listed and set aside. I just need one or two more things and I’m golden (assuming I have time to actually knit it up)! People are getting mostly socks, hats, scarves. There are a few cotton bath things in there, too. But mostly small stuff. I do the big stuff for birthdays or housewarmings. And I’ve got one thing to finish before I can start, so I need to find more time to knit. Perhaps more caffeine would help with that…..
I’m knitting toeless/pedicure socks for my girlfirends. I have lots of babies arriving in my circle of family/friends so I’m knitting baby stuff too.!
I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s started the Christmas knitting already! DH thinks I’m kinda crazy, knitting holiday gifts in September. 🙂 I finished one pair of gift socks and have another on the needles–this year should be much easier than last year when I tried to knit three sweaters as gifts! (I got two done in time, but I still have to finish the third one. Aren’t I horrible? It’s my second most shameful UFO. 🙂 )
hi Sheri
It may be fall but not in DC. High 70’s to high 80’s. 60’s at night and no rain. At this point I don’t expect to see any fall colors.
I’m onto my second Hakui sweater for my second new Grand niece. I’m working on one with your Crystal Palace Marino 5. Love the yarn and the sweater is really looking great.
Thanks Sheri.
Hi Sheri!!
I went out of town for a few days and was not near a computer for 6 days!!! I was way behind with your blog, so it was fun to catch up. You’ve been busy too.
I have started my Christmas knitting. I finished a pair of socks for my son and have a pair for my husband half way done.
Hi! Sheri,
Have a fun trip to Colorado…I love the look of the BellaModen yarn and look forward to seeing the colors from the new dyers!
I WISH it felt like fall here….temps are still in the upper 80s here!
PS. I LOVE your “so ugly he’s cute” Halloween guy! 🙂
I love the colors of that sock!!!!!!!