Handmade Holiday

Way back in October, I made a pact with myself that I would make as many of our holiday gifts as possible. I wanted to save some money, but mostly, as a crafter, I feel that something I put thought, time, and energy into is so much more meaningful that something I can pick up at the mall. Sometimes an effort like this can be really stressful, but because I started planning for it several months in advance, this didn't add to any holiday stress for me. If anything, it was calming to spend more hours during the season behind the sewing machine or knitting needles.

First up...Sadie needed a new winter hat. So I finally finished the Duchess Cabled Hat. Ravelry details here.
For a holiday party hostess gift, I made this fun "Question Jar".

For my out-of-town girlfriends, wall organizers!

And for my sisters-in-law, Mari and Suzie, aprons...

And my crowning glory (that means it was the most difficult...) for the season was a table runner that I made for my mom.

Thank you to all the crafters out there for the inspiration, patterns, and tutorials. For a beginning sewer, it was certainly a comedy of errors. I'm sure anyone who knows anything about sewing would be utterly horrified watching me over the past couple months. I'm truly figuring this out as I go. But I'm having so much fun, and I'm so proud of the results!

Adventures in Knitting

One of my very favorite things about this time of year, when the holiday craziness is over, our favorite TV shows and movies are making their way into our evenings, and the weather is cold outside....knitting of course! Oooh, I've been getting lots of knitting done lately (relatively speaking), and have to show off some of my recently completed projects.

Baby booties lovingly knit and sent halfway around the world for Baby Westwood (now we know her as Evelyn Moana Westwood, born January 7, 2010 in New Zealand). They are the Saartje Booties, found here. I used some random Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino I had left over in my stash. SO CUTE and so much fun to make. I can't wait to knit these for all the new babies that will be born to friends in the coming year. Congratulations Wendy and Nick and give that baby some kisses from her Aunt Rachel!

I'm still diligently working on these socks, knit with Noro Kureyon sock yarn. I've about had it with this yarn, but the colors are divine when they knit up, so I'm persevering. They are the Jaywalker socks designed by Grumperina and are available as a free Ravelry download.

I've recently become distracted by this project: the Shifting Sands scarf, also designed by Grumperina, which I'm knitting using Berroco's Lustra yarn. LAAAAHV! The yarn splits somewhat and takes a little getting used to, but it is so gorgeous! As its name suggests, it has the slightest hint of shine and shimmer to it. The second picture here shows the color a bit better; it's a beautiful deep berry color that I'm loving.

Just last night I was so happy to gift this hat to my dear friend Marjorie for her birthday. It's the Who? hat, which is available as a free Ravelry download, and was a fast, easy project that was fun to knit and I love the outcome. Notice the owl eyes?

And probably my very favorite project I've completed in recent months are these Bella's mittens, for which I used Berroco Peruvia. They keep my hands so warm and make me very happy.

I Still Knit Sometimes

...but not much.

Full-time mama duty doesn't leave a lot of time for knitting. And when I do finally collapse on the couch at night after putting Sadie to bed around 8:30 or 9:00 p.m., I just don't seem to have the energy for starting a new knitting project.

But...I have finished a couple things since Sadie was born. This cute hat doesn't fit Sadie anymore, but I can't wait to pass it along to the next little girl in our midst.

(for you knitters....It's the Upside-Down Daisy hat from Itty Bitty Hats by Susan B. Anderson.)

Aside from the pure joy I get from creating something handmade, my favorite thing about knitting is giving knit items away. I rarely keep anything I knit...I probably own less than 5 items from a 10+ year knitting career. But one of the great pleasures in my life is knowing that the people I love own and (hopefully) wear the handknit pieces that I have lovingly made for them.

One of the most influential people in my life during the past year (and maybe my life) is the woman who was my doula during Sadie's birth. I've spoken before on my blog about what an amazing childbirth educator Brandy was and how important her support was during my very long labor. here and here

During my first few weeks at home post-partum I spent a lot of time trying to think of what I could give Brandy to try and express the amazing sense of gratitude I was feeling for her services and support. Nothing I thought of seemed to fit the bill. Socks, scarves, a hat, maybe a hat/mitten/scarf set? While these are gifts I love to give, none of them seemed suitable for Brandy's thank you gift.

I finally settled on a shawl. I had never knit a shawl, and my mom's shawl project had inspired to me try. A shawl can be a work of art, and an heirloom. It seemed like the perfect choice. I had been saving my Kauni Rainbow yarn for a special project. And I had my eye on the Revontuli pattern (Revontuli means Northern Lights in Finnish).

I was so happy with how this shawl turned out! It was every bit as beautiful as I'd hoped for. I showed it off to everyone that came to my house...I don't think I've ever been so proud of anything I've knit.

It was wonderful to be able to give this to Brandy as a small token of my appreciation for everything she has done for me as a woman and as a mother.

Thank you Brandy!!