Bitten

My busyness last week came back to bite me this week, as Wednesday in the wee hours I was stricken with a cold -- the coughing, sneezing, barking kind.  I rested much of Wednesday in bed, but had enough presence of mind to knit in between naps, and thus got a good handle on the last of the Christmas knitting.

Thursday I managed to work in The Shop...and finish a Christmas Cowl.

Friday...trying to conserve energy, I nonetheless managed lunch (soup) with a friend (her treat; we even drove to the Whistle Stop, which is usually an easy walk)...and following  lunch my afternoon nap, I got some sewing done.

One project finished:

The Annual Christmas Boxer Shorts

Another underway

Yesterday...another friend, another soup lunch...and back for more napping and knitting.  The first sock of the Second Wild Pair is now finished, and the second is cast on...

Yarn: ONline Supersock 4-fache Neon-Color
Colour #01717

The "other sewing project" was completed...

And last night I even had enough energy to print off Clue 4 of the Grand Illusion Mystery, and to make a start at the units for Clue 3:

Stack of 10 units, and more strips ready to go

Today?

More knitting.

More napping.

And a bit of a tour around Nina-Marie's Off the Wall Friday to see what others are up to while I count down to Christmas...

While over all, Miss Pookie supervises...

What?  You mean you're gonna use this fabric?

Easy-peasy Gift

My sis has a little house in a nearby resort town, which I love to visit. A few weeks back, in my LQS, I found a gorgeous panel composed of six large squares, each depicting a stylized flowers. (Turns out they're from Thimbleberries! Who knew?) Three were in colours that suited perfectly the decor of her place -- and 3 suited mine. What's not to like?

So....I cut out the three for sis, and quilted each against a background of plain, unbleached muslin. I then backed the squares in a dark olive green cotton, overlapped at the centre to make an envelope, et voila! Cushion covers! I found 3 small cushions (the finished covers were about 17" square) at my local Big Box Store, and I had a gift for her when I went for Easter Dinner last week.

Note: The three flowers are a dahlia, a daisy (both of which grown in sis' garden) and hibiscus (not shown, but which I included because sis likes to vacation in tropical places.) The ones I've saved for me? Peony, poppy and lily -- all of which grow in my garden. Happy Spring!

Of Shorts, Socks and Smoke Rings

But first...some excitement! My 12" square actually sold at the SAQA auction yesterday! What a thrill -- my first donation, and my first sale. What's even more delightful is that the buyer made a comment about it on her blog as well as leaving me a note here. I'm so tickled, I can't stop grinning!

Back to business! For the moment, I've put off new art projects to focus on Pre-Christmas Construction. I've finished one gift for my son, and am close to finishing two others, as the photo shows:

The boxer shorts are in "Monkey N Around", by Erin Michael for Moda, purchased through Hamel's Fabrics in Chilliwack, British Columbia -- one of my favourite on-line fabric sources. A couple of years back I made M a quilt in this fabric -- in the flannel version -- and when it became available to me in cotton, I couldn't resist. I think I have enough left over for a pillowcase...**

The 'smoke ring' (isn't that a lovely name for a neckwarmer?!) is the
Wavy Feathers Wimple(!), from Caryll Designs -- a free pattern on the site. I'm making it in Elann's Peruvian Baby Silk, which I've had in my stash for some time, just waiting for this pattern. My sis has fair colouring and is very fond of orange; I'm just hoping this isn't too pink.

Finally, the socks are my Basic Sock Recipe, adjusted for 72 stitches (the yarn is very fine) and longer than usual, as they are for an elderly cousin of mine in Montreal. In his youth, he was at least six foot five; now in his eighties, he's shrunk somewhat, but he still has really long feet! The yarn is (again) from stash -- some Pingouin 3-Ply that I picked up at a donation table some time back. The only one in the group that was a sock-knitter, I was encouraged to take it all, and have enough for at least 2 more pair of socks, or maybe some gloves. It's 100% wool, but I'm not worried; my cousin is now in a wheel chair, so won't be walking his socks off!

Christmas cards are calling me; I need to get some more done before I head out to the Post Office...

Happy Thanksgiving to all who are celebrating this weekend. Have a lovely holiday!

**P.S. I did! :-)