FO Nieces' Headband Earwarmers Christmas Gift

Christmas is always a hectic time for a knitter. Especially one who is running a business AND has like 100 people in their immediate family. This year I had more things to do for Adaly Myles Place, which was unexpected. I was also only able to start Christmas gifts AFTER Thanksgiving. For a knitter, that's not a lot of time.

FO Grandma's Blanket

My grandmother is a woman who is very opinionated. She has no problem stating her mind. Finding something to knit her for Christmas was a challenge. Last year she went on and on about how she loved the blankets I had made my sisters. I knew that I had to make her one.

I tried being sneaky about what colors to use so they would match her living room furniture. I feel I did a pretty good job. She loved it! I was so glad she liked it and that the colors were the right choices.

 

FO American Girl Doll Outfit #3

Knitting these American Girl doll clothes was a little challenging. Due to the fact that I procrastinated, I had to make things up as I went in some aspects. For example, in outfit number 2 the back was supposed to have buttons along the entire back for closure. I didn't have small enough buttons, so I simply made a "V" in the back of the neck so the neck would fit over her head. In outfit number 1, the cardigan was supposed to have buttons along the front for closure and I skipped them all together.

Championship Bound Notre Dame!

One thing that I have held onto since my childhood is my love for the Fighting Irish. My grandpa, being the Irish Catholic that he is, LOVES Notre Dame. He has instilled this love in each of his children and grandchildren. And we all love the navy and gold. I thought today, being BCS bowl day, would be an appropriate day to share this creation.

FO Word Blocks for Christmas

Yes, I procrastinate. An issue that is getting better with owning a business and school. I was pretty backed up for Christmas. I spent both Christmas Eve and Christmas night finishing gifts for people. I even started a few on those nights! On Christmas night I started (and finished) my mother-in-law and Allyson's gifts. I had bought blocks for their gifts back in August, but got overwhelmingly busy with orders that the first chance I got to work on them was Christmas night.

FO American Girl Doll Outfit #2

One of the most fun things to knit are tiny doll clothes. They are cute, easy, and super quick. With one outfit down, I had to make another. This time for Kali. The shirt was knitted and the skirt was from the leftover fabric that I had from the doll bed (which I actually used to make 2 skirts, for Kali and Scarlet).

2 Day Christmas Whirlwind

This year, our Christmas was a little less than traditional. The biggest tradition broken was that Santa came the day after Christmas because daddy had to work on Christmas. However, with a one and a half and a two and a half year old who would really know the difference.

 

FO Throw Pillows and Tutorial

Although I can't share all of my Christmas gifts on here, I am sharing a few. I decided not to knit everything this year, and this has proven to be a lot easier to handle. Some of the gifts I am making actually called for my sewing machine. Last night I put my machine to work!

 

FO Baby Doll Bed and Tutorial

The little miss that I babysit, Scarlet, while her mom is in school is one of the cutest little things ever. She has amazing hair and such a feisty personality. She loves being the mommy and would spend a lot of the time at my house either playing with Ryenn's babies or playing mommy to Ryenn.

FO American Girl Doll Outfit #1

My nieces are so cute when they ask for things. They mention how much they would like something and how cool it would be if someone could make them that certain thing. When this adorable attempt at getting me to make them clothes for their American Girl Dolls was tried last April, I knew exactly what they were getting for Christmas.

Saddest Carousel Ride EVER

I was thinking about not blogging about this experience, but decided that Ryenn looks too sad but cute to not share. After visiting Santa on Friday, Nolan wanted to do nothing more than to ride the carousel.

Visiting Santa: Take 2

When we went to Robinettes two weeks ago, I blamed the lack of a nap for the uncooperative kids we had that day. Both were a bit uneasy to sit with Santa. Well,we went to Rivertown to try again. And it got worse!

Christmas Tree 2012

My mother has always had the most gorgeous Christmas trees. The ornaments each match one another, all her decorations throughout her house, and even match her living room decor. She has vaulted ceilings so she has always gotten gigantic trees that she needs a ladder to decorate it. I have yet to see hers from this year, but every year she does an amazing job.

My mom's tree in 2011

WIP Mom's Christmas Gift

My mom has never specifically asked me for anything. So when she does, I know that she REALLY likes it. When I wore my Summer Lace sweater over to her house one day, she told me a few times how much she liked it. Then one day on the phone, she told me if I wanted to knit her something, she would buy me the yarn and everything. When she told me it was a sweater like mine, but with long sleeves, I knew right then what I would be knitting her for Christmas.

Unblocked lace

Visiting Santa: Take 1

Every year we have visited Santa, except for Nolan's first Christmas, has been a challenge. For Nolan's first Christmas, he was too young to be "scared" of Santa. Last year was Ryenn's first Christmas so she was too young to know the difference either. However, Nolan was at the age last year where they can be a little scared. He didn't want to sit on his lap and would only take a picture if daddy was holding him and cried when he set him down (check out my very first blog post to see pictures). This year a little different, but not by much.

Christmas Festivities Begin

Last night we ventured out to downtown Grand Rapids to see the official lighting of the Christmas tree at the Grand Rapids Art Museum and Rosa Parks Circle. There were free carriage rides, ice skating, the Christmas tree, and you could check out the museum. It was so much fun to get out and show the kids some of the fun things to do. It has even made us decide to take both the kids ice skating next weekend! Ryenn kept wanting to climb right onto the ice. Nolan had fallen asleep in the car so it was a lot for him to take in. The only time he seemed really interested was when the horses were around.

Black Thursday Thanksgiving

With two toddlers, nothing is ever easy. Especially holidays. When we are at other people's houses, our kids turn into mini Godzilla's and have to get into everything they aren't supposed to. At both Adam's parents' and my parents' houses, they have open stairways to their upstairs. This proves to be the most hectic area of the house for me. Both Nolan and Ryenn spend the majority of their time here trying to get up those stairways. They must think there are these hidden treasures up there or something.

Nolan's 1st Thanksgiving

FO Stockings

I finished the stockings this past Friday. They turned out really great! Adding the names completed them so much more than I thought they would. I am mailing them out tomorrow, and can't wait to hear how she likes them! Check them out!

WIP Stockings

Although the title of this post is work in progress stockings, I have finished four of the five stockings. I still need to stitch on the names for each one AND finish the fifth one. They look better than I anticipated though. I always seem to expect them to turn out looking very amateurish even though I have been knitting for almost three years now.

Stockings

Nonetheless, they are nearing completion. The weight of this project is lifting of my shoulders. I started this project a while back but put them aside numerous times, but finally made progress near the end of July.

Christmas in July?!

I was commissioned a little bit ago to knit up five stockings for a relative of Allyson's boyfriend, PT, and have had the yarn on stand by for quite some time. She sent my the schematics she wanted and the colors she preferred. I went out and bought the yarn about a month and a half ago. I must say that these colors make me want to knit a Christmas sweater or myself.

Yarn

Anyway, I bought Loops and Thread Impeccable in three different shades; cherry, soft fern, and white. She asked for her and her husband's stockings to be the same and her three kids' stockings to be the same. I have decided to follow her schematic to the letter with her and her husband's. However, I am inverting the colors with the three kids'. These will be stripes that vary in size. I got started this week and have struggled with the heel of the stocking. Not due to the difficulty, but because I am not liking the look. I had to knit up the heel part three times before I was happy with the way it looked. Progress is being made, though. And at a faster rate than expected (even with the delays).

After starting heel for a third time