Ohhh, and a knit gift I gave - I knit Branching Out for my mother-in-law, my first lace. It turned out beautifully!
That’s one of the things I’m going to miss about Pushing Daisies. Emerson Cod, the PI, is a knitter, and one episode he had an absolutely gorgeous automatic ball winder in his office and I squeeed so much I missed the dialogue.
Actually, the murder victim in that episode invented that ball winder.
Oh, I know, which is why the client was able to tell Emerson about his “tight balls” and get away with it (the facts were these…)
But we have a TV show with a private investigator who knits! That doesn’t happen very often.
You are correct - hardanger is beautiful. I made some of these for the elderly ladies of church and they loved them. Most of the parishoners are Scandahoovian and remember doing hardanger from when they were young.
I also made some snowflakes for little gifts. I used a silver pearl floss on grey cloth - they turned out very pretty.
But darn it, I want to make myself a scarf.
That is gorgeous!
Nothing remotely yarnie or needles or books. A gift certificate to Joanns ( a nice safe bet on my husband’s part, though I told the children and friends to tell him that a KNIT PICKS gift certificate would being me spasms of joy.) any whoooo.
I also received a non traditional knitting bag. It met all my requirements: sits flat on the floor without flopping over. Inside pockets. Shoulder strap if I need it. Sturdy carry handles. Under $20. When I win the lottery, I am so commissioning Martha to make me my very own Green Mountian Knitting Bag. No, not the snow pond. Until then, I’ll look a little butchy. Feh.
Your needle work for the Scandahoovians My new favorite Ethnic group… is fantastic! How long does it take you to make and what material do you use? Is this tatting?
Yes, you do
Oh, no. Such an evil, seductive place. I can’t look anymore. I’ll stop in just a minute…
Yep, that’s a little butchy. Yup.
No other knitter would ever steal it, though. And when I finally do win that lottery and have a bag custom made for me, I am can easily give this bag to my husband.
What are you looking for? My friend at knittin’ nights has this round baskety sort of thing that would fit your bill. Namaste bags also probably have a model for you.
I just use whatever bag I have handy. I pick up big tote-style bags at thrift stores.
I have a bunch of tote bags, but my Namaste bag is similar to that one (only not so butch, obviously 
). I have their messenger bag also, but I need to figure a way to lengthen the strap. Being tall means it hits me high enough to bug me, even when I have the strap at it’s longest.
Each one took a few hours. Well, the first one took around four hours, then I figured out what I was doing. I used ivory 28 count jobelan even weave fabric and ivory floss.
Hardanger is kinda similar to cross stitch - but you work in blocks of 5 over 4 then snip out threads and (in the crosses) you weave in the empty spaces. It was very odd, the first hardanger project I ever completed. You get so used to sewing every square, but then not only to leave some open but to cut them out?
(But I still want to learn how to crochet or knit and make myself a damn scarf!)
I got a skein of Red Heart in my stocking from FIL> 
In his defense, he does not “get” crafts at all. He got me some kitchen cotton too which I will use for dishclothes or doll clothes (makes awesome doll clothing for american girl or barbie dolls).
My husband got me the page-a-day knitting calendar, as he does every year, and there are some nice patterns. AND I am going to get a Vogue Knitting subscription too so that will be very nice.
My mom is good at buying me very specific knitting-related items – though she doesn’t knit, she did crochet and knows her way around craft stores/yarn stores, so if I send her a list she will follow it to the letter.
I have a bag problem, according to my husband. I hit the Salvation Army’s of life and always come home with My New Knitting Bag. Only they end up being too small or crowded or (fill in blank) leaving me on the Quest For The Ultimate Bag.
Actually, my LLBean boat tote is my favorite, but it doesn’t close on top and has no outside/inside pockets. Everything just goes to the mosh pit at the bottom of the purse. And the straps are not long enough to go over the shoulder. This thing has been dragged around the world and still looks awesome.
I’ve decided that, until they come out with a TARDIS knitting bag (and a TARDIS purse!), I’m just going to have to keep searching for the perfect bag. I’m afraid it doesn’t exist on this plane.
Nothing knitty for Christmas here. Although Husband said to “go crazy” at Knit Picks. G I’m trying to balance my love for yarn with my obsession with Indie Perfumes. (i.e. black phoenix alchemy lab, Blooddrop and Happy Housewife.)
Kae
I received Knit Picks Harmony Options as well. Funny enough, I got them from my mom, and I bought them for my mom, too! 
I also got “Big Girl Knits” even though I’m not quite a big girl (I can probably use the first size of the patterns, though, or scale 'em down a bit). I got it because I had heard they had great information on how to do bust darts and waist shaping, and by golly, they do!
I’m loving the Options so far. I’m using them on my first sweater ever! Sweaters terrify the living bejebus* out of me. Funny, since I made a circular intricate lace shawl for my second non-garter stitch project ever.
*I have big boobs and a small ribcage and smaller waist with wide shoulders. I’m scared of spending time making a sweater that would look like crap. That’s why I got the Big Girl Knits book; that way I can feel more confident in reading a sweater pattern and making sure it fits me.
Haven’t been around - I’m trying to churn out a pair of socks I promised my father-in-law. Christmas morning, I knit a few rows of the ribbing and tossed it into a gift bag, still on the needles, with the yarn attached. I’m a bad knitter.
Oh! And I used my new skein winder and ball winder on some beautiful stuff from a yarn store up in jayjay’s neck of the woods. Teal variegated sock yarn, beautiful luxurious stuff ($20/skein). I don’t know what the place is called, a girlfriend of mine picked it up. I keep threatening to go up to visit the boys, but it’s really only a ruse to get to that LYS.
There’s one in Rohrerstown called “Oh, Susannah!” and one in Willow Street, the name of which I don’t remember at the moment.