Zeneedle...needleart as life

To Review

I just can't finish the year without a review of the 2010 knits.

How is it in 2009 I knit 11 sweaters and this year only one?  The beautiful Henley (not shown) should be finished within days.  Hopefully, I'll make my self imposed deadline (which shan't be reveal, so as not to jinx the deal).

Please check MY Ravelry page if you have questions about yarn or any of the projects pictured.
From top to bottom:

1. Mystery Socks by Kirsten of Through the Loops

2. Monkey Socks by the fabulous CookieA

3. Wool Peddler's Shawl by Cheryl Oberle (this shawl was knit in secret, so no, you didn't miss my posts) - for a friend

4. Leafy Mitts  by Ruth Stewart (Impulse of Delight) - for Suzy

5. Community Gardens from the Twist Collective Fall 2010

6. Traveling Woman Shawl by Liz Abinante  - for a friend

7. Fountain Pen Shawl by Susan Lawrence - for a family member

8. Sprossling  by Anne Hanson  - my only sweater for 2010

9. Carole's Picot Edge Socks - by Carole Julius

10. Nutkin Socks - Beth LaPensee

11. Milkweed Shawl by Laura Chau

12. My own Frida Kahlo Craziness Shawl

13. Another Leafy Mitts (for me) by Ruth Stewart

14. Surprise! This Fog Lifter has been in process for a long time and it's so nice to have one last finished project for 2010.   Details next week.

Now, onto 2011!! 

Happy New Year, friends!!

Daily Report

There has been very little knitting going on the last week, but there has been a noteworthy event every day.  Thursday we stopped by the garden to feed the chickengrrls and, while Smith poured a can of coffee grounds on the garden, I found a lovely surprise. 

A bunch of tasty and beautiful radishes were popping from the ground, along with a few beets, and bunches of lettuce. Score!

On Christmas Eve we had a few minutes of bright sun in a sharp blue sky. Blue sky was short lived this weekend, but so was the snow and fog. 

Christmas day Suzy and I played Scrabble, but enjoyed some yapping about yarn, too.  We, Smith, Suzy and I, ate too much (drank too much), but had just the right amount of fun and laughter.  The day was a blast.

The day after Christmas I ran stumbled through the house in search of a camera to capture a sunrise the color of fire.  Wow!

To finish off the Holiday weekend...we fed our chickengrrls, gave them extra treats of lettuce and bread, which they repaid with hugs and pets (and eggs).

How was your Holiday weekend?

Have a Very Beary Christmas

Ho, Ho, HO! Beary Christmas to one and all!

'Tis the Eve

And yes, you are seeing double.  Is it the eggnog you've enbibed in (a little early isn't it) or is there really two Santa's!?

A few years ago Radko offered some of their exquisite glass ornaments with a matching needlepoint canvas. It was so much fun to recreate what I saw as a flying beard of curls. I've never counted each and every curl I stitched, but there must be well over a hundred (or maybe two!).  His happy face is topped with a simple hat of velvet. His beard would give any of the other Santa hats a run for their money, don't you think?

May you have a wonderful evening, and a delightful Christmas, full of joy, love and celebration.

Jestering

Thank you for giving me the pleasure of sharing my Christmas past ornaments with you and thank you for your comments of delight and joy.  

Every time I see this Santa I think of elegance.  Unfortunately, the lighting did not allow the technique in the hat to show.  The hat is satin stitched and the gold braid stitched over the top to create a quilted fabric look.

The tassels are elegantly stitched with both silk and glittering threads. The little Jester Santa has a fun beard created with knots.

I appreciate and enjoy every single comment you've shared with me over the course of my Advent Santa Parade. May your season be Merry and Bright!!

What's With the Fancy Hats!

The Santa's seem to be trying to out do each other with their fancy hats (and beards!)  This Santa not only has a Christmas tree on his hat, each section was created with a technique call "laid filling".  It's very likely you'll have no idea what that is, but isn't his hat rather charming in color and pattern?   His very curly beard is full of French knots stitched with a sparkling ribbon thread. He's quite well decked out and ready for Holiday Cheer!!

(Can you believe there are still more Santa's to come? I was a very prolific stitcher in the 1990s.  Today I am a knitter and spinner, but maybe someday I'll stitch another Santa, or two. I've enjoy this parade, too!)

Garden Dreaming

The return of the sun puts us in the gardening frame of mind!  Smith has started laying out the garden and making list of the seeds and plants we'll need.  We're foregoing rows this year (yes!) in order to create a more eclectic space. Planning, plotting and working together has made for a very exciting and enjoyable (non-fiber) project.

Mr. Garden Santa would like to share a couple of very important announcements.

The second issue of the Ennea Collective is now available and the patterns are fabulously unique.  Ennea has been just what I need to get my spin on. The wheels, Emmylou and Corrina, are now easily available (after the massive clean up of my fiber room) and to celebrate I've been spinning!  Details to come.  ( I've also been knitting, do not fret).

The second announcement is very important as this is the season of love, hope, and giving.   Squishy (aka Stacey) is doing all she can to raise funds for NMO.  The reason is a very sweet little boy, Collin, and he puts a face on this neurological disorder. If you let Stacey know you've donated she'll put your name in for one of the many beautifully blue prizes.

Happy Solstice!!

Vanity, Thy Name is Santa!

 

Mr. Fancy Santa proudly wear his colorful cap and is also quite enamored with his curly mustache.  He uses both to great advantage, as few Santa's are this fashionable.  His unique chapeau was created with sections of differenting stitch techniques, divided by padded gold satin ribbon.  He can sometimes be seen combing the curls of his beard into place but, in truth, they rarely move. Regardless, it's easy to see how very vain he is.  Maybe he's the guy in Carly Simon's song!

Peaceful Sunrise

Several mornings last week the sunrise was gloriously golden and breath taking, but Monday was the only day I had my camera at hand.  The sky fills with color about the time I leave for work and it starts the day out right.

Today's ornament is a simple, small cross-stitch design, my own, from 2002.

Take a Snooze

This Santa is a big advocate of naps and he advises you to take a snooze and relax a bit this weekend!