YOP Week #5

Finally, I was able to upload pictures...not sure what the problem was before but all is good now.  I sent 'feedback' and within seconds it was working....magic!
I have a finish this week............my Christmas Eve cast on socks worked on size 2.75 mm DPNs (my standard size as I tend to knit tightly).  The yarn is West Yorkshire Spinner's 75% wool, 25% nylon signature 4-ply.  It has 35% Bluefaced Leicester in it and I love this yarn!  I was able to get it through Deramore's.  They have not been blocked yet but they are done.  I'm in no rush...with the temps here it will be quite awhile before I will be wearing any wool socks! LOL!  I used Susan B. Anderson's free pattern "How I Make My Socks" on Ravelry.  The only thing I changed was instead of the Kitchner toe I did a rounded toe.  This is my go to pattern for most of my socks.

Remember my poor little bird last week where I evidently did not understand the WT (wrap and turn) like I thought I did?  Well, my next socks were going to be toe-up as I have wanted to learn new techniques this year.  I had a free pattern on Ravelry by Wendy Johnson (?) and started out with those but once again there was a WT and/or German Short Row which I thought I knew but evidently not so "when the student is ready the teacher will appear".  I looked on You Tube for a tutorial and lo and behold up came Very Pink with a class for toe up socks including German Short Rows.  I had come full circle since Very Pink is the tutorial I  used to learn to knit socks in the very beginning!
So, I just started the class...it cost $8 and she is such a great teacher with her videos.  Hopefully, I will have a bit more to show you next week.  So far I have learned the provisional cast on though...that's more than I knew last week! LOL!  This pattern calls for DK or Sport  weight yarn so I am not using my Paton's Kroy Sock Yarn.....yet. 

 I basically finished my Kitty Blanket as I ran out of the yellow so it will be for a table or the back of a chair.  I still need to put an edging around it and weave in ends.  I will be trying Becki's edging that she showed on hers last week.  Thanks, Becki!  I love how yours turned out!  

Here's  a close up of the 'kitties'...............

I did get some work done on Ms. Frosty....the pumpkin cross stitch I've been doing......most of the dark orange thread on the right hand side was from this week.............

I'm hoping to gather my Mother Bear project materials this week and get working on that for charity, the pumpkin is for me and the socks and then I need to work on a gift......
Oh, I almost forgot my Christmas in July Gift List...........so in addition to YOP here are the gifts I will be making for Christmas..........

C H R I S T M A S    G I F T    L I S T

On Maker's Haven podcast Amber mentioned the following little poem for a guide to buying for your children which she wanted to utilize this year as she and her family are trying to simplify their life....I shared it with my daughter and will try to use it for the grands also..........
"Something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read"....and Amber from Maker's Haven added "and something homemade".  I love it!  In this vein, I have decided to make Christmas Eve boxes.  Here's an example from Pinterest..........if you search on Christmas Eve Boxes for Kids on Pinterest there are all sorts of them............there are adult ones too.......

I am hoping to make these for the 3 grands and it will include a pair of pajamas (hopefully handmade), hot chocolate mix, a Christmas movie, some homemade Christmas cookies, their annual ornament, a book and a homemade I Spy quilt with instructions for the I Spy game to play with it.
As for "the rest of the gang"....there is the Frida Kahlo basket with some Frida Kahlo stitch markers and stationary, my sons will probably all get hats and fingerless mitts and the family canines with get homemade treats and the family felines will get little crocheted mice filled with catnip.  That's all for now but it is plenty to keep me busy from now until the holidays! LOL!  Watch this space!
Happy Trails!!!