A Knitters Night before Christmas

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all around me was unfinished knitting not under the tree. The stockings weren’t hung by the chimney with care ‘cause the heels and toes had not a stitch there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, but I had not finished the caps for their heads. Dad was asleep; he was no help at all, and the sweater for him was six inches too small.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I put down my needles to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, tripped over my yarn and fell with a crash.

The tangle of yarn that lay deep as the snow reminded me how much I still had to go. Out on my lawn, I heard such a noise, I thought it would wake both Dad and the boys.

And although I was tired, my brain a bit thick, I knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick!

What I heard then left me somewhat perplexed-ed, for not a name I heard was what I expected. “Move Ashford; move Lopi; move Addie & Clover; move Reynolds; move Starmore; and Noro – move over!”

“Paton, don’t circle round, stay in the line. Come now, you sheep, you’ll work out just fine! I know this is hard being just your first year, I’d hate to go back to eight tiny reindeer.”

I peered over the sill; what I saw was amazing, eight woolly sheep on my lawn all a’grazing.

And then, in a twinkle, I heard at my door Santa’s coming across the porch floor. I rose from my knees and got back on my feet, and as I turned round, Saint Nick I did meet.

He was dressed all in wool from his head to his toes and his cloths were hand knit from above to below.

A bright Fairisle sweater he wore on his back, and his toys were all stuffed in a aran knit sack. His cap was a wonder of bobbles and lace, a beautiful frame for his rosy red face.

The scarf round his neck could have stretched for a mile, and the socks peeking over his boots were Argyle. The backs of his mittens bore an intricate cable, and suddenly on one I spied a small label.

SC was the duplicate stitch on the cuff, and I asked “Hay Nick, did you knit all this stuff?”

He proudly replied “Ho-ho-ho, yes I did. I learned how to knit when I was a kid.”

He was chubby and plump, a quite well-dressed old man, and I laughed to myself for I’d thought of a plan.

I flashed him a grin and jumped in the air, the next thing he knew he was tied to a chair. He spoke not a word, but looked in his lap where I’d laid my needles and yarn for a cap.

He quickly began knitting, first one cap then two; for the first time I thought I might really get through. He put heels on the stockings and toes on some socks while I sat back drinking scotch on the rocks!!

So quickly, like magic his needles they flew, that he was all finished by quarter to two. He sprang for his sleigh when I let him go free, and over his shoulder he looked back at me.

And I heard him exclaim as he sailed past the moon “Next year start your knitting sometime around June!”

- Author Unknown

Purling is the exact opposite of the knit stitch.  I hope this video helps you, if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

If you haven’t checked out Raverly yet it’s a wonderful knitting/crochet community.

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Our first video is the long tail cast on method.  It is my favorite cast on.  Very easy to do and knit from, makes a nice looking and stretchy cast on edge.

I finished another balaclava, this one is for my uncle.  It’s an umm quite late Christmas present.  LOL!  I have two  more to make now.  I’m going to cast on 1 today.  But knitting with all this black is driving me nuts.  It’s plain and boring and hard to see to!  So I’m going to start another project as well.  Maybe I’ll start on the fingerless gloves for next Christmas…Or maybe I’ll start on some longies, although I have some nice blue yarn calling me to make a shawl to…Oh the choices….

I’m about half done the balaclava for my Uncle now.  Just an inch away from making the face opening.  I love the pattern, but the 2 x 2 ribbing goes slow!  I have two more to make from this pattern, then I may try making some changes.  I would like to see how it looks in stockinette.  That would be a much faster knit!

The pattern is Easy Balaclava and you can find it here on Ravelry or on Knitting in Color’s blog.

The only change I made to the pattern was to use a bulky weight yarn.  This gave me a men’s large size and it fits great.  Yarn used Cascades Eco +.

]]> http://homestead-acres.com/blog/crafts/fo-knit-balaclava/feed/ 5 http://homestead-acres.com/blog/crafts/knitting-crafts/baby-hat-finished/ http://homestead-acres.com/blog/crafts/knitting-crafts/baby-hat-finished/#comments Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:21:18 +0000 Kim http://www.homestead-acres.com/blog/?p=693 I finished this had a few days ago.  Its made from the Drops Hat pattern.  I like it, it was an easy knit.  My first time using DPN’s and I don’t like them.  lol I much prefer circular needles!
Unfortunately the hat turned out way to big.  It does fit dd2 though.