Felting and other adventures

A while back I ran into my boss and his wife out shopping. She was wearing a gorgeous felt hat. I told her that I liked her hat. She told me how much she loved it and that she wished she had thought to buy more in different colours. I told her that I could make a very similar hat and asked what colour she would like. 

I’ve worked for this man and his family for over 20 years now and no one has ever asked me to knit anything. I was happy to make something for his wife (it helps that she’s a total sweetheart and really appreciates hand knitting). 

I finished the knitting. The hat was huge but thankfully it felted down to the correct size. I’m always pleased and surprised when I get such great results using my front loading washer. But looking at the plain grey hat, I realized that it needed something. Needles felting was the answer! 

I’m very happy with the final result!! My bosses wife was thrilled. And now I’m debating making one for myself   

Christmas Traditions

This is the fourth year that I’ve made Christmas ornaments for my four grandsons. This year I made them each a little knit bird. 

From left to right - Cooper’s red bird. Reagan’s light blue bird. Morgan’s bright blue bird. And Max’s charcoal grey bird. They really liked them!  It always surprises me when they like something so much that they will fight over it. You’d think I’d learn after four years that I should make them EXACTLY the same so there would be no one ornament that is better (in their eyes) than the others. 

Here is a reminder of the ornaments from previous years. 

Year 1 

Year 2

Year 3 

Looks pretty great seeing them all together. My original goal is that by the time my grandsons are grown and move out on their own, they will have a bunch of handknit ornaments made by their Nan that they can start their own Christmas traditions with. And of course they will always have a tangible reminder of how much their Nan loves them. Four years in and it’s looking pretty good. I’ve already got ideas for next year. 

In other Christmas knitting traditions - I’ve knit my annual socks for my daughter’s boyfriend. I started doing this the first Christmas that he came to visit. So this is his fourth pair of socks.  

Max loves knitted socks. He loves them so much that he wears them year round. He wears them so much that the first pairs are developing holes. He wears them so much that he only wants to wear handknit socks and because he only has the four pairs or so that I’ve given him - he’s decided to knit his own!! How amazing is that?  I knew this kid was a keeper.