New fun things I'm knitting

I've gotten a little further in The Glorious Money Tree Trilogy, but this Thanksgiving week I didn't get very far with it because of the laptop sacrificing with Julia!  But, boy did I get excited yesterday when Sean said that her new laptop is hiding out in the basement!!!!!!!!  Double yay!!!!!!!

So, where are we?  32 days left?  I lost count.  I know some of my FB friends are keeping track!!!  One of my cousin's daughters I do believe must have most of her Christmas shopping done.

About two or three weeks ago, she was telling us who she had left to buy for and I laughed and commented that she probably won't need to go shopping on Black Friday!  And then she said she is going!!!

One of these years, I will need to go on this day.  I haven't been seriously out shopping that day probably for about seven or more years.  The last time I remember was shopping with my sister in Maine, and I can't recall the year it was so long ago.  That was when my kids were little.

I just don't want to be out shopping on that day.  I sometimes might find myself shopping online, but I try to stay away from the stores if I can help it.

So, I did get three new chapters handwritten last week, and I was able to type the first one in yesterday.  The other two I am going to do today and then work on getting some new ones written.

Anyway, over the Thanksgiving week, I started some new knitting projects.  I wanted to start on another skirt for me, but at the time, I couldn't find the right needle.  I had the maroon yarn picked out, and my thoughts of adding some bobble stitches in a lime green color.  I opted for making legwarmers instead.

And wouldn't you know, later on I did find my right needle as I decided to organize all my needles and have them all in one place.

The legwarmers are quite easy.

I used a size 4 or size 5 circular needle for my size.  Cast on 64 sts.  The picture had a kids legs with ballet slippers, but 64 sts are not for kids.  It fits me and even then, it is a little big and tends to slump down.

I'm thinking for the next pair I make myself, I will cast on 44 or 54 sts.  I made a pair for each of the girls and for them I did 44 sts.  Double stranded with finger weight yarn.

It depends on the yarn you use too.

And I have a sneaking feeling that they aren't going to end up wearing theirs much.  I'm going to make a pair for each of my nieces too.  My sister said their coats are gray this year and I've got lots of gray yarn.  Cotton cone yarn.

I might add a cool speckled black.

I finished one fingerless glove for me.  Of course I decided not to attach the fingers and I can use it as smaller legwarmers too.  I cast on 36 sts for these and knit in the round on I think size 5 needles.  I've got to make the match for it.  But I tried it on my foot and it fits!

Yesterday, I started a pretty green lacy shawl.  This will be my bigger project.  For this, I started out with 3 sts and every right side row, you add a stitch at the beginning and end of each row.  You could simply do stockinette stitch or make up your own pattern.  I made up my own.

I will knit a little in a bit, but first I should devote myself to getting the chapters typed up.  I will have plenty of time to knit once the girls get back from school.

For my shawl I am double stranding finger weight cone yarn.  It's probably the type for crochet work.  Very thin.  I think I am going to have plenty for other projects too.

Sometime I want to try making those ballet slippers or even a pair of socks would be cool.  And the legwarmers are nice.

We had our first snowfall yesterday and I wore the first pair I made for me.  I don't like wearing boots so will be wearing a bunch of these with my skid proof shoes.

Jennifer Jo Fay

November 27, 2012

Darn it.  I wanted to put the legwarmer pictures in, but it looks like I ran out of room in my photo storage space.  I'm going to have to figure out how to delete some old pictures or figure out something else.  Looks like you can also upgrade, but I'm not sure if I am ready to do that.