Elving

Yes, it's true, I'm just now getting around to posting the Christmas presents that I made. I don't have a good excuse, everything was sent out in time and opened on the big day so really I could have posted this two weeks ago. Better late than never eh?

For two of my best friends, who both happen to also have December birthday's, I made quick chunky cowls. Using this pattern exactly for the first one and altering it slightly for the second.  The one following the pattern is pictured on the left; it's nice and it did knit up quite quickly. Not quite the one night that the pattern indicates but then again I do have a toddler. The cowl on the left is the one that I made with closer to two skeins and cast on over double the stitches so that it would be a bit looser and loop over itself. Personally I like it better, so much so that I made one for myself too. My alterations are on Raverly here.

For my sister I also made a cowl. Turns out that cowls were totally my go-to gift this year. I have been swooning over the Honey Cowl for a while now and finally decided to do it for her. Turns out that it's super easy, despite the stitch looking a little complicated, and makes the Madelinetosh yarn even more beautiful (as if that's somehow possible).  The colorway is Earl Gray which is extra fitting since it's one of Brooke's favorite teas and is raveled here.

Last but not least was my nephew. I knew that I wanted to make him a sweater. I feel like an aunt only has a small window of time to make things that they think are cute for their nephews (and nieces) before they start to form opinions of their own about handmade goods. So I wanted to make him something simple and red. Luckily I found something that I loved and ultimately am making a second one for N in yellow. E.E's came out a good size although the neck is a little stiffer than I would have liked. I was hoping that it would be a bit more relaxed and not so turtlenecky. But N looks pretty darn cute modeling it, even if you can't really see the details in the sweater. It's also on raverly, here. 

So that's it. Well, kind of. I still have N's sweater to finish with a sleeve and half to go. I was also hoping to get a handknit hat into C's stocking which didn't happen but is still on the needles. There were some canned goodies and lots of baked goodies that we gave away to family and friends but I wasn't on top of my game to get photos of any of that so I won't bore you with a written account without photos.
Despite the lag in this post I do already have some things up my sleeve for 2013 with something already finished and waiting in the wings! I do have hopes to work down some of my stash; that's what we all say at the beginning of the year isn't is? But we also have some house plans that will probably take some time away from crafting throughout the year.