Happy 2006!

Remember me?!  I know I've been an awful blogger since, oh, Thanksgiving, but that will be my first New Year's resolution - blog more.  I do however have some Christmas knitting to show for my time.  I spent the holidays in Colorado, and here is my lovely mom in her Clapotis of Claudia's Hand Painted, Fingering Weight, in the Chocolate Cherry colorway.

It's really a wonder that this made it under the tree in one piece - in addition to knitting the decreases frantically until 12:30 Christmas morning, I had taken this on the plane with me.  Having not slept the night before my 6 am flight, I fell asleep while picking out the dropped stitches and jolted awake to find myself violently jabbing at the innocent shawl.  A true knitter can even continue while unconscious...

To my sister, who learned to knit in a brief Thanksgiving tutorial, I gave Stitch 'n' Bitch, along with the promise to make her a hat while home.  She'd picked out the yarn at The Point when she was here in July, and it went through a couple incarnations since then.  At one point - September I think - I fortunately forgot the pattern I'd started and decided to begin again.  When I took the hat off the needles, I realized I'd sized it for Hagrid.  Cast on fewer, and this was done in about 4 hours.

And here's a close-up of the top.

My dad and brother (although I threatened to make him a jumper with a big "J" on it - brownie points if you catch the reference) didn't get any yarn-y gifts, I'm going to start much earlier.  Resolution two:  learn to crochet, as I feel it would be a better match for the future gift I'm planning for my dad.

Being on the superstitious side, I didn't knit anything for my new-ish boyfriend.  But as further proof that this one's a keeper, he bought me a book of knit patterns that he picked out on his own.  I know...

Now that I'm back in NYC, I've had more time to knit for myself again and have made progress on Lara.  I've even done more since this photo; I now have around 12 more straight rows before the sleeve.  She's becoming quite cumbersome to lug around but the end is in sight, and I want to seam her up by the end of January.

In honor of the new year, a few reflections and projections.  2005 was an overwhelmingly exciting year:  moved to New York, got the job I wanted that actually uses my English degree (it is possible!), started knitting again and became a Spider, made wonderful friends,  and met my boyfriend.  Now I feel I can truly enjoy all that I have here.  Happy New Year!

Comments

[gleek]

you and your mom have the SAME eyes!! does your dad have light colored eyes as well? the clapotis turned out really lovely.. and lara is looking quite dapper in all that stripey goodness!

[Katie]

Yea! your back in the blog world. We're going to hold you to that resolution. It's good that you woke up only stabbing your clapotis and not a fellow plane passenger!

[amanda]

He is definitely a keeper! Your holiday knitting is fantastic... you and your mom are twinkies!

[Veronique]

That Clapotis is gorgeous! The progress you've made on Lara is quite impressive.

[Virginia]

New York kicks ass and so you do. You made it!