Sunday, January 04, 2009

Christmas knitting!

For the winter holidays this year, I knitted for three special women in my family. I felt especially proud that all three garments were my own designs.

For my mother, I knit a Storm Cloud Shawlette in rich, wintry purples. Doesn't she wear it magnificently?


The yarn is Mountain Colors Mountain Goat, colorway 'mountain twilight.' It's a mohair and wool blend with a gorgeous luster. I think the deep purples lend a glamorous touch to the gloominess of midwinter.


For my sister, I knit a Woodland Collar in Malabrigo Worsted, color 'hollyhock.' This may well be my favorite yarn for this pattern. It's lusciously soft and shows cables beautifully. The collar is a bit smaller in Malabrigo than in some of the sturdier yarns that I've used, but I think it nestles so sweetly around the neck.


I was particularly pleased with the button, which is an amazing mother-of-pearl with pink and purple understones. I made a special trip to Windsor Button for it when I was in Cambridge before Christmas. It's really the icing on the cake! And I was so happy to make my sister so happy.


And for my mother-in-law, I knit a pair of delicate gloves in Hand Maiden Casbah, color 'peacock.' This was the first pair of gloves I'd ever knit. And though they came out very well indeed, I think it will be the last pair I'll ever knit!!

Gloves turn out to be quite fiddly things to make if you're trying to get an exact fit. For example, I spent five hours knitting and re-knitting the couple of inches from the thumb to the base of the fingers to get the proportions right.


It's a good thing that the yarn, which came to me via One Planet Yarn and Fiber, was such a delight to knit. It's a super lux wool and cashmere blend, with a touch of nylon for durability. The colors are a work of art.


And in the end, I was very proud to give these to Mountain Man's mother! It was worth all the difficulty to make a pair of gloves that could bring her such a smile.

8 comments:

cksknitter said...

All of your knits are beautiful. I especially like the gloves and the yarn you used to knit them!

Unknown said...

Lovely knits! I recently fiddled with part fingers for convertible mitts. I understand your frustration. The yarn is lovely!
Also, lovely models! The knits seem like perfect fits for each!

Veronique said...

While glancing through your photos (yes, I look at the pretty pictures first, and then I read the text), I thought you made gloves with bows at the end! :) Hee hee!
They are gorgeous by the way!

Anonymous said...

beautiful gifts - much nicer than any of the things I made.... quite jealous now!

Aidan said...

I was hoping we'd see a post like this from you. Glad your recipients enjoyed their gifts so much--makes the knitting of them so much more worth it. Oh, and your mother is SO elegant. Wow. She needs to be your official shawlette model!

kathy b said...

Your mom does wear that magnificently. Great yarn color choice. Im loving purples lately. Your sisters shoulder warmer is lovely. But those gloves, deserve an award. I adore them. I know how much hard work goes into gloves. Hence I cheat and make fingerless. WOW you are such a great knitter!

Turtle said...

you've been busy!! everything looks so nice.

yarnivorous said...

Lovely knitted presents! So pretty.
Thanks for advertising my contest on your contest page.
I used to rock climb but a thrice dislocated shoulder put paid to that!