THANK YOU , LIZZIES !

You're the Bestest!

SO SWEET !

Oh my, I don't think it can get much sweeter than this!  This lovely little lavender sweater (left over yarn from another granddaughter's sweater a couple years ago) is about as sweet as it gets.  I'm having so much fun imagining the little girl (our 13th grandchild, due in June) who will wear it.  

I don't have enough more yarn to do a hat and I wasn't even sure about booties.  (I'd hate to get one bootie done, only to learn there's not enough yarn for the second.)  But I did find a pattern for "Mary Jane slippers" which I will have plenty of yarn for.  In fact, I might just be able to make them in two sizes.  

IS IT SPRING YET ?

For my friends considering the tulip block for a spring block exchange:

This is the quilt I made using that block.

A COUPLE MORE BIRTHDAY SWEATERS

Well, I have finally gotten around to showing you the birthday sweater that I gave our oldest granddaughter for Christmas.  (Well a little after Christmas; we saw her last Saturday.)  I decided to give it to her for Christmas instead of her birthday later this month as she will be back at college then.  I was holding off on showing it here 'cause I think she sometimes reads my blog.  Although it was the very one she chose from one of my Interweave magazines, I still wanted to "keep it under wraps".

     I've also got a couple new hats -- the one that I finished to go with the scarf I showed you last week and the other a gift from my daughter.    She was a little concerned that it would not fit.  The ribbing band was a little large, so I just cut a piece of fabric to fit my head, seamed it, and hand sewed it to the band.  I think that I might do the same thing with the hat that I made.  It's also just a tad too big and since it is wool, it will be more comfortable to wear with a nice cotton band against my skin.

And I've managed to get yet another birthday sweater finished!  This one went really fast since it's just stockinette stitch and a vest (so not the extra time involved with sleeves).  And I'm really ahead of myself; this little guy's 4th birthday isn't' until May.

AND I think there just might be enough yarn left to make a pair of booties for his new little sibling  who will arrive in June.  Since it's white, I can even start before I find out the gender!
Yep, that will be our 13th grandchild.  What a blessing!

ON & OFF THE NEEDLES

Thanks to my daughter and son-in-law cooking Christmas dinner for me, I managed to finish this FOR MYSELF on Christmas Day.  I was weaving in the ends while they were cooking dinner!

This is the most beautiful, vibrant yarn -- a gift from three dear friends.  When I saw the yarn, it just spoke to me and said "ripple scarf".  So I went on line and found the pattern.

There was quite a bit of yarn left over once the scarf was at a good length, so I decided to make myself a hat as well.  I've never done Fair Isle type knitting before and have really never been interested in it.  But this pattern seemed just right for the colors I had left (+ another stash yarn).  And I must say, I'm finding the multi-color knitting to be fun!
 Interesting how the colors don't look quite as vibrant with the beige worked in, but it will make a great ensemble all the same, I think.

Better work on getting it done; we've got some cold weather predicted!

MERRY CHRISTMAS . . .

. . . from our house to yours.

An oldie, but goody.  (photo that is!)

HERE I AM !

It's been a while again since I've let you in on my sewing / knitting activities.  You saw the PJs for the NY grandchildren.  These are for the others.  I took the photos a couple weeks ago before I wrapped them.  Main question now is just how we are going to get them to the recipients.  We were hoping to be able to see them over the holidays, but it looks like that is not going to happen.  Perhaps "snail mail".

 For the southern girls:

and the southern boys:

And just off the knitting needles for me.  

A cap for whatever mood happens to strike my fancy on any particular day!

I'm working on a really pretty tri-color ripple scarf for myself right now.  Pretty soon I'll start on the next birthday sweater -- not needed 'til May.  I guess I've got plenty of time for that!