Christmas Knitting And A New Ring

There is, of course, a large entry I need to write about our trip home to Calgary for Christmas. First, though, I must show shitty photos of the Christmas knitting I did. (I neglected to get good photos - too busy having Christmas. Oops.)

I knit only four gifts this year, for my father, mother, sister, and brother. Here we all are together.


From left to right:

Sadly, my sister Shawn is very allergic to any yarn made of animal fiber. For her, I made the Triangle Shawl from the Interweave Crochet 2004 issue, in Butterfly Super 10 Cotton. I love this pattern, and I'm very happy with how it turned out in this yarn! I must make more of them...



My brother Dan specifically asked for a new earflap hat when I asked him what he wanted me to knit for him. I made him one with a flame pattern the first Christmas I was knitting, and he still wears it - but I'm glad he wanted a new one, because I have a much better idea what I'm doing now, and I use much better yarn! This one is made with 2 colours of Lamb's Pride Worsted, and some Kureyon (the brown/black sections). It was a design-as-you-go thing, using the same skull chart I always use (from Enchanted Knitting). I love knitting for my brother. Of the people I have knit stuff for, he may be the most appreciative, and the one most inclined to say "my sister made it for me!"



Here's a photo I took right after the knitting, before the steam blocking and weaving-in of ends.



My Dad's scarf is the one that you really, really can't see at all in this photo. I worked a nice, angular cable pattern in Rowanspun DK, one of my very favourite yarns, though I find it very slow to work with. I really wish I'd taken some better photos of this scarf, it is very beautiful and suits my Dad well. I was proudest of this gift, since my Dad has particular taste and is very hard to knit for.



Last but not least, for my beautiful mother, this entrelac scarf in Silk Garden. This was the gift that inspired the others. Though I love living in Vancouver, I miss my family terribly, and I loved the way knitting this scarf for my Mom made me feel close to her. The scarf suits her perfectly and exactly fits her personal style. It was an unqualified success!! :)



Here's a shot I took before I blocked it. This scarf was so fun to make, and I was stunned at how beautiful it looked.



Finally, can't resist showing this photo. Shawn and her boyfriend, Jeff, got engaged the day before our family's yearly pre-Christmas brunch, at the club my Dad golfs at. Jeff is a very old friend of Zak's, so I knew him before he started dating Shawn, and I have always liked him. I'm so happy for them!! :) (...and I think Shawn looks beautiful in this photo.) Click to make big.