Friday, November 6, 2020, Issue 173: It is seven weeks until Christmas!

• Posted on 6 November 2020
• By Susan Wong-Tsang
• Posted in Fall Knitting, Gift Knitting, KAL, knit-along, November 2020, sweater weather
• 0

Christmas is going to be here before we know it even though it will be different this year...Have you started your gift knitting? Quick and bulky or intricate and fine, there are hundreds of patterns available for us to make...

Jólaskjól by Védís Jónsdóttir is a tree skirt for your holiday tree! Designed with Nordic homes in mind celebrating life, winter solstice and Christmas! The tree skirt is worked in the round. Each round begins and ends with a purl stitch for the steek. The opening is cut open after securing the steek. It is designed to be knit using Istex Alafosslopi. Kits are available HERE (only two) but I can order more.

I knit my Jólaskjól last year! Isn't it a beautiful heirloom piece? My version is slightly different though...

I added one of the charts from my Birkin pattern, eliminated those rows and played yarn chicken because instead of seven skeins of red, I only had six skeins for me to use for my sample tree skirt! Mine has a finished diameter of 62 inches.

I like traditional...Terry Morris’s Mix-it-Up Christmas Stocking Stranded Colorwork which includes a variety of charts and options to make it your own especially if you add your own additions are wonderful! These are all done using only two colours. Knit them using worsted weight yarn for a gauge of 22 stitches = 4 inches. The finished stockings are 5.5 inches wide by 18 inches tall. Suggested yarns include Cascade 220 Solids or Heathers or Berroco Vintage.

Josie913’s Mix-it-Up Christmas Stockings uses many more colours and with duplicate stitch used for the names.

Thicksgiving Socks by Summer Lee would make wonderful cozy gifts! The pattern includes vanilla, ribbed and cabled versions knit marled holding two strands of fingering or with a single strand of worsted weight yarn!

Summer Lee’s Thicksgiving Socks in their vanilla, ribbed or cabled glory!

THE THICKSGIVING SOCKS ARE A CELEBRATION
of winter, of cozy twilights by the fire, the smell of woodsmoke in the air, hot drinks steaming beside an open book resting on the bedside table. There is an introductory 15% discount until midnight November 10th at midnight EST.

This pattern set includes tips and tricks for working worsted socks by marling two strands of fingering weight yarn together. There are three different variations of socks to knit, including vanilla, ribbed, and cabled. Each variation has its own sizing and gauge information. I hope you enjoy knitting them as much as I did, and perhaps gifting a few pairs to loved ones (or keeping all that squishy goodness for your own cold feet!).

The Sidewinder Beanie by Aspen Leaf Knits features a chunky, swirling texture that knits up quickly! The finished hat does not require a pom pom since the design is incorporated up through the crown. The pattern includes written instructions for an adult sized hat (US standard knitting terms) and is an advanced beginner project that requires a basic knowledge of knitting terminology and knitting in the round, special stitches are explained in the pattern. Pattern includes instructions for 2 different yarn weights. The sample hat by the designer is knit using one skein of Malabrigo Rasta in Indiecita using 9.0 mm (US 13) needles.

When I posted my Facebook and Instagram post on November 4th for my GIVEAWAY...To celebrate 5 years of Sue2Knits being open, I had a GIVEAWAY post on Facebook and Instagram for a chance to win a skein of Malabrigo Rasta in this gorgeous colour and this pompom between November 3 and 3pm EST on November 5! Amazingly coincidence, wouldn't you say to find this pattern today?

Congratulations to Natalie Abramovich for winning the draw!

By November 1st, I had one sleeve of my Koivua by Caitlin Hunter off my needles! The second sleeve took longer than the first because of course, I had to look at each section of the remaining yarn to find sections to match my first sleeve.

Except for the upper arms being a little snug, I am very happy with how my Koivua turned out! So happy that I can now wear it!

For the body, I repeated rounds 39-51 three times for added length. For the sleeves, I repeated rounds 26-34 six times instead of five times. I did not change to the smaller needle size for the i-cord bind off.

I worked on my Ashes by Joji Locatelli again! It has been sitting in a time out since I spilled coffee on it and had to wait for it to dry from the Eucalan bath I gave it but did not remove the stains! I am getting close to the mid point I think and then I need to knit the second side before joining the two sides together! Fingers crossed that OxiClean will remove the coffee I got all over my wip!

KNIT GROUP AND GALLERY

The current Knit-Alongs are the Any Sweater / Shawl KAL and the Knit Your Project: the everlasting knit-along to encourage and support you to knit is running from October 1 to December 31, 2020.

Don’t forget to post a pic to the finished object (FO) thread whenever you finish a project during the Knit-Along so that you will be included in the next draw! We will also add the option of posting your finished project to Instagram using the #sue2knitskal so that I can find them!

Jen (zjewell) finished her Calla sweater by Natasja Hornby (@moonstruck-knits) which had been waiting since spring on sleeve island! Now it is blocked and she is rocking it in the photo above! Yarn is Hikoo Rylie.

Jean (jean091) just finished this! The pattern is Falling Stars by Expression Fiber Arts.

Angela’s sweater is awesome! She used her own design based on tincanknits Strange Brew.

Sonia (@soniabknits) has knit two Post by Julie Hoover (@juliehoover_design), one of which is for herself!

It isn’t a sweater...It’s a Cozy Celtic Kerchief (Dickie) by Knitatude / Chantal Miyagishima knit by Christina (@christina_bouchard)!

Jenny (JChan8) test knit this beauty which went live October 27th! Pattern is Heartwood Cowl by Amy van de Laar (@baroquepurls).

Patti (@patnelann) finished her second Choose Love Shawl by ForestCityKG using Malabrigo Arroyo. Shawl cuff by Knox Mountain Knit Co!

Diane (@boujeeknits) just finished this Katie's Kep by Wilma Malcolmson using Jamieson & Smith 2 Ply Jumper Weight. The official 2020 Shetland Wool Week knitting pattern ‘Katie’s Kep’ has been exclusively designed by Wool Week Patron Wilma Malcolmson and it will be free until the 2021 official pattern is released.

Here is the top of the hat!

Jen (@seaturtlecraftco) finished a pair of Vanilla Slouchie Socks - her own design!

15% OFF 5th Anniversary Sale!! From November 3 to 9, 2020 using code HAPPY5YEARS on almost everything!

VIRTUAL SOCIAL KNITTING

Virtual social knitting using the Zoom app! It has been a great way to knit together through social distancing! Join in with us either Tuesday afternoon from 2 - 4 pm or Thursday nights from 7 - 9 pm. We are continuing to hold our Zoom meetings each week until we can meet again in person. Clicking on the link will take you to our Zoom meeting.

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting
 
Meeting ID: 407820804

Happy Friday. Happy Knitting, Crocheting and Crafting! Keep calm and keep on knitting and making!