theraineysisters knitting and so much more

Anyone who knows me well knows that I have a thing for Paris and the Eiffel Tower. So when I saw a pattern for Paris mittens featuring the Eiffel Tower, I had to make them. I decided that they’d make a perfect Christmas gift for my daughter, who lives in snowy Colorado. Her now husband proposed to her at the Eiffel Tower several years ago.

I experimented with several yarn combinations for the mittens, finally settling on Classic Elite Fresco in cream and a mystery yarn from a period when I was doing a lot of glove designing. I am fairly certain that the mystery yarn is Dream in Color Smooshy with Cashmere, but I don’t know the color name. It’s a gray with lavender overtones. The last photo — with Nora wearing the mittens — is the truest in showing the color.

I love the mittens, especially the bi-plane that pulls the Paris banner, but they were a pain to knit. That’s on me; I don’t like knitting fair isle on double points. I do like the results, though! (A fun design by Andrea Arbour with just a few modifications by yours truly.) The glass desk ornament in the first two photos was a Christmas gift from Nora this year — how fitting that we “exchanged” Eiffel Towers.

Ack!  My Christmas knitting is down to the very last possible moment!  I was knitting a sweater for my great niece (great in so many ways!!), and put off the sleeves for way too long.  You know.  Sleeve syndrome.  Then my dad suggested that I knit a hat for his girlfriend.  Yes, they are in their 80’s and he has a “girlfriend.”  This was on Sunday night while I was still knitting furiously to finish a sleeve!!

So here are my last minute gifts, all ready to wrap:

The Sweater

Erika insisted on red for the color.  I used Berroco Vintage in color 5150 (4 skeins).  The pattern is Peachick Eyes — a child’s version of Justyna Lorkowska’s adult cardigan Peacock Eyes.  I was using worsted instead of fingering weight yarn (!!) so I used the stitch counts for the size 2 version and lengths for the size 12.  I had Erika’s measurements and now can only hope it fits!!  I also substituted garter for the 1×1 ribbing.

The Hat
I thought if I used really big yarn and a simple hat I could knit it in one night and wetblock it in time for Christmas day.  I had to wake up at 5 am on Tuesday to finish it, soak it and block it before leaving for work so it would dry in time!

I used my own One Day Hat pattern and held two yarns together.  I used Maulbeerseide Schurwolle (a dk weight merino and silk blend) and held it with Kidsilk Aura (like Kidsilk Haze only heavier).

It took a bit longer to knit because I wanted longer ribbing to fold double.  The pom pom is adjustable and removable but I thought looked cuter as a gift.  It will be super warm!!

Are the rest of you ready??  Tick tock!!!

Addendum
In today’s paper they had an article with people sharing special ornaments and their meaning to their families.  I thought, wow – how could I have missed that opportunity!!  So, I will share the story of the little blue chicken here.  When John  and I got married it was a week before Christmas (as you know from Sally’s post!).  So it was not until the following year we started collecting ornaments for our first real Christmas together.

We went to an international boutique on the West Bank called the Global Village  (thanks, Susan, for providing the name!!) and bought a bunch of brass and fabric ornaments from India.  One was a tiny blue chicken, about an inch tall.   The little blue chicken was a riot.  So tiny you could never find it on a tree!  As a joke, we placed it at the top instead of a star or angel.  Even though it started as a joke, we have done it every year since.  The Little Blue Chicken stands big and proud atop the tree.  A light is strategically placed beneath, casting a large chicken shadow on the ceiling above.

We love our little blue chicken. 

Another addendum — here is Santa’s Helper in her new sweater!!

“I’d like Sally to knit me a cream colored scarf for Christmas.” This was the message from my mother-in-law to my husband. She’s 92 years old; her wish was my command. (Even the song says Christmas is for kids from one to 92.)

I rummaged around in my stash and found some cream cashmere I bought at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival from Hunt Valley Yarns. Then I looked for a simple but elegant pattern and settled on Dorchester designed by Donna Brooks.

This was a nice, easy pattern that I hope she’ll find wearable. She lives in Minnesota and so she needed a scarf that would be warm; that’s one reason I steered away from something overly lacy or open.

In other news, it’s Susan’s wedding anniversary today. Happy Anniversary!

Tis the season for “detour knitting.”  In other words, knitting for others!  I made a hat for hubby this weekend that he is sure to love.  Have any of you seen the Garter Ear Flap Hat, free from Purl Soho?  Well, it is adorable and I thought perfect for my husband, the cross country skier.  My hubby is not a pixie, but is as cute as one!

Garter Ear Flap Hat from Purl Soho

I made a few mods on this one to make it more of a ski cap.  I see him throwing this on after a race when his race hat is cold and wet.  The earflaps are amazing!  They hug the ears perfectly – this hat is really comfortable!!

Susan’s Garter Ear Flap Ski Hat

I definitely see more of these in my future, for people big and small!