Loose Ends

Finally, tying up all the loose ends for Christmas giving. I forget how much I hate color work knitting, until I enthusiastically embark on yet another Christmas stocking. These are very close copies of the stockings someone made for my siblings when we were little, 30 years ago. I think the original design must be from the fifties; my pattern is from a long forgotten internet source (but I will look again when I have more time). After an exhaustive search for pure wool yarn in the colors of the original, I ended up using some nasty polyester yarn, that is sticky to work with, but matches perfectly. I've made 8, and have two more I should make before the family grows any further. The original knitter made many more, for my extended family, all perfectly executed, inside and out.

Mine are not nearly as technically correct, but when I look at the inside of my first attempt, where I was so focused  on following the pattern that I forgot to twist in the carry over colors, I do feel a sense of accomplishment. Granted, when I'm knitting the Santa row, making a tangled web of yarn that pins me to the couch, I'm thinking more about giving old Santa a knuckle sandwich, than Christmas cheer. Still, well worth the effort.

Looking forward to some cozy knitting in the new year. 

Merry Christmas!