W’s mum asked for slippers at christmas. I had knitted her partner D, a pair last winter, since he tends to have cold feet, and since she has started to borrow them for herself she asked if she could have her own pair.  no problem!

The fuzzyfeet pattern from knitty is great and i’ve made numerous pairs over the last couple of years. in fact the first non-felted socks i made were also based on the same pattern, using double knit wool and 4mm needles.  It taught me everything i needed to know about knitting socks and is a great starting place. i pimp it to lots of people.

Anyways i decided to use maya, since it’s great yarn (and – it turns out, fair trade, which is another reason not to discontinue it!) and it turned out lovely.  i needed about 1 1/2 skeins, knitted up like a dream, and once it was felted kind of looped, a bit like Cashmerino astrakhan.

And now i find out they’re discontinuing Maya. 🙁   so buy it up folks while you can.

In other knitting news i finally finished my long sleeve picovoli (which i started in september, and put on hold because of our wedding and then christmas.)  when it finishes drying i’ll take photos, but even pre-blocked i’m really happy with it.  

I have a stack of projects to show (though sadly, i never managed to photograph all of them in the rush up to christmas day.)  But since i seem to be procrastinating getting all of them together I thought i’d start the ball rolling with one right now, just before bed.

This is the brewing apron i made for my husband, W as part of his christmas present.  Unfortunately the photograph isn’t great – the pocket is denim. actually the whole other side is also denim, and the apron is totally reversable (with a pocket on that side and everything) so it can suit his mood. He is a very good, and very enthusiastic home brewer, and has just shifted over to full mash brewing, rather than kits, which takes alot longer, and is alot messier (hence the need for an apron), but allows him greater control, and the option to make his brew sugar free, and thus lower in alcohol.

he didn’t have a clue about it until he opened it, and then he proceeded to wear it every day during our time away over the holidays.  i think this means it’s a hit!

I’ve been really awol recently due to the mad rush of getting everything finished for christmas.  And now i’m off to see our families so i’ll be even more awol, probably till the new year.

but then everyone will have their presents i can i start sharing what i actually made. 🙂

I hope everyone has a great christmas, and a very happy new year!

see you in 2006. 🙂

xxxx