For Christmas I wish you cables and coziness and warmth.

And I give you the pattern to create your own, so you’re recipient can be as happy as mine was.

Inspired Scarf

After making The Yarn Harlot’s Unoriginal Hat, I needed a scarf to go with it. This pattern isn’t exactly like the hat, more of a variation on the theme. Hence inspired; I was inspired by her hat to create this scarf.

The first part of the pattern is based on the more open cable on the hat but with more length to work with, I was able to play with the cables and build a bigger repeat with a little more variation to it. Enjoy!

Yarn: Bulky weight, I used Malabrigo chunky for mine, ~ 3 skeins. (I used the leftovers from the hat and had to break into the 4th skein for the last 4 rows of the scarf.)

Needles: US Size 10 ½, 6.5 mm

Gauge: It’s a scarf, shouldn’t really matter. My finished piece was ~ 5 ½ feet long with 5 repeats + 16 rows.

Instructions:

CO 30 stitches

Row 1: *p3, k4, p3, repeat from * twice more

Row 2: *k3, p4, k3, repeat from * twice more

Row 3: *p2, T3R, T3L, p2, repeat from * twice more

Row 4: *k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, repeat from * twice more

Row 5: *p1, T3R, p2, T3L, p1, repeat from * twice more

Row 6: *k1, p2, k4, p2, k1, repeat from * twice more

Row 7: *p1, k2, p4, k2, p1, repeat from * twice more

Row 8: *k1, p2, k4, p2, k1, repeat from * twice more

Row 9: *p1, k2, p4, k2, p1, repeat from * twice more

Row 10: *k1, p2, k4, p2, k1, repeat from * twice more

Row 11: *p1, k2, p4, k2, p1, repeat from * twice more

Row 12: *k1, p2, k4, p2, k1, repeat from * twice more

Row 13: *p1, T3L, P2, T3R, p1, repeat from * twice more

Row 14: *k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, repeat from * twice more

Row 15: *p2, T3L, T3R, p2, repeat from * twice more

Row 16: *k3, p4, k3, repeat from * twice more

Row 17: *p3, C4B, p3, repeat from * twice more

Row 18: *k3, p4, k3, repeat from * twice more

Row 19: *p3, k4, p3, repeat from * twice more

Row 20: *k3, p4, k3, repeat from * twice more

Row 21: *p3, C4B, p3, repeat from * twice more

Row 22: *k3, p4, k3, repeat from * twice more

Row 23: *p3, k4, p3, repeat from * twice more

Row 24: *k3, p4, k3, repeat from * twice more

Row 25: *p2, T3R, T3L, p2, repeat from * twice more

Row 26: *k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, repeat from * twice more

Row 27: *p1, T3R, p2, T3L, p1, repeat from * twice more

Row 28: *k1, p2, k4, p2, k1, repeat from * twice more

Row 29: *T3R, p4, T3L, repeat from * twice more

Row 30: *p2, k6, p2, repeat from * twice more

Row 31: *k2, p6, k2, repeat from * twice more

Row 32: *p2, k6, p2, repeat from * twice more

Row 33: k2, [p6, C4F] 2 times, p6, k2

Row 34: *p2, k6, p2, repeat from * twice more

Row 35: *k2, p6, k2, repeat from * twice more

Row 36: *p2, k6, p2, repeat from * twice more

Row 37: k2, [p6, C4F] 2 times, p6, k2

Row 38: *p2, k6, p2, repeat from * twice more

Row 39: *k2, p6, k2, repeat from * twice more

Row 40: *p2, k6, p2, repeat from * twice more

Row 41: *T3L, p4, T3R, repeat from * twice more

Row 42: *k1, p2, k4, p2, k1, repeat from * twice more

Row 43: *p1, T3L, p2, T3R, p1, repeat from * twice more

Row 44: *k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, repeat from * twice more

Row 45: *p2, T3L, T3R, p2, repeat from * twice more

Row 46: *k3, p4, k3, repeat from * twice more

Row 47: *p3, C4B, p3, repeat from * twice more

Row 48: *k3, p4, k3, repeat from * twice more

Row 49: *p3, k4, p3, repeat from * twice more

Row 50: *k3, p4, k3, repeat from * twice more

Row 51: *p3, C4B, p3, repeat from * twice more

Row 52: *k3, p4, k3, repeat from * twice more

Repeat until scarf reaches desired length, I repeated 5 x, each pattern repeat yielded about a foot of scarf.

begin another repeat ending on row 16 of the chart.

Bind off in pattern. Add fringe if desired.

The Christmas knits are slowly coming off the needles. Last night I finished mom’s scarf gave it a quick soak and hung it to dry which was enough to uncurl it and open up the stitches a little bit. It’s gorgeous; I think she’s going to love it and it should look great with her purple winter coat.

Pattern: The same chevron scarf variation I used for mine this summer

Yarns: Colinette Jitterbug in Marble, Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Lightweight in Scottish Highlands

I ended it early enough that I have plenty of yarn leftover. I doubt I’ll have time before Christmas with the other projects I need to wrap up, but she’ll likely get a matching pair of gloves for her birthday next month.

Lots of photos, I had a fun little interlude between loads of laundry and cleaning tonight playing with the camera around the tree and my snowball candles centerpiece on my coffee table. That said, the apartment is in decent shape now and all set for Mike to arrive tomorrow night.

I will say, it’s been nice to step away from the blog for a while after all the daily stuff, but I do still have a bunch of posts whipping around in my head waiting to emerge. Also, in case they got lost in the shuffle, I have a Pay it Forward post and a Christmas Card post just begging for commenters.

Right now though, I’m facing a reality check.

I am making progress, just not as quickly as I’d like. The list has pared down dramatically and I’ve jotted down a zillion projects as potential gifts for later holidays and birthdays since I don’t have time to make all the great gift idea gifts that are popping into my head right now. Mom’s scarf is nearing the end and I should have it finished and blocking tomorrow night. Both pair of man socks still need a mate. And the sari silk scarf hasn’t been touched in a while.

I also made a run to Threadbear this weekend and picked up enough chunky malabrigo for two hat and scarf sets and whipped up a Yarn Harlot Unoriginal Hat so far. I’ve also made some decent progress on sort of a variation on the theme cabled scarf to match. If I like the results, I’ll probably publish the pattern to my blog after gift stress out time. I’m still debating making both sets the same, or doing the second set with a Foliage hat and doing a bulky leafy scarf to match.

The days are counting down quickly though, and my time is spreading thin. I got an awesome early present, my boyfriend is coming to visit this weekend. Fortunately, he gave me more than a week’s notice. Unfortunately, I’m losing a lot of knitting time to making sure my place is clean enough before he gets here.

I did sacrifice some knitting time this weekend to getting my tree up and my other decorations out and I was bit with a baking bug which resulted in a great big pile of cookies for the potluck at work tomorrow. I made sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, and pebber nodders.

So, I have a photo tonight. And I apologize in advance if my brother decides to read this and I “ruin Christmas” for him. But, this is too massive a project and had dominated so much of my week, that I have to show it off. So, Adam, you’ve been warned. And you should be used to it, I’ve been ruining the surprises at Christmas our whole lives.  I’ve always been a “peeker” when it comes to holidays and as a kid we would usually find an afternoon home alone to go scrounging through closets and get a preview.

Anyway, back to the massive time-dominating project that will only ruin my Christmas gift for my brother from me and not any of the other things he’ll be getting…
(even if he doesn’t read this, I think he already knows that I’m attempting these, the “surprise” will be if I actually pull it off and finish them in time).

My brother is about the furthest thing from a little guy around. He’s tall. Very very tall. And with his brand of tall, he also has tree trunks for feet. So, I’m knitting the largest pair of handknit socks ever. 80 stitches, on size 2 needles. And after two attempts that were larger, now I’m worried that they may be too narrow. This third attempt was cast on on Thanksgiving, so I’ve knit the better part of one sock in about a week. I still have about 5 inches to knit including the toe for the first sock to come off the needles. Fortunately, they’re a mindless knit in straight stockinette, so they’re actually going along reasonably fast. Still, massive socks. I’ll have to get some better photos once the first one is done to give a better scale representation but if it helps represent it any, the photo above it is sitting on and covering most of the armrest on my couch. The cuff fits around my bicep. Yup, I’m insane.

Are you a card person or not? I’ve skipped a few years, but I generally enjoy sending holiday cards. I don’t do a big huge letter or any sort of newsletter and some years the cards barely get signed, but it’s one of those little traditional things I like to do every year.

It gets me onto some of the family card lists that my cousins aren’t necessarily included on. It makes me feel like a grown up (as often as I try to deny my adulthood, I still have that little kid-ish need to prove that I’m grown up in random silly ways and holiday cards are one of my random ways). It connects me to friends who have moved away or with whom I don’t keep in as close of contact as I should. And since I know that my mom can’t necessarily get her cards out every year, it feels like I’m helping to fill in when she can’t finish as many cards as she’d like to. So, every year I find and/or make cards and send to about 50 households. And this year I’m planning on getting myself some moo cards to put in the envelopes and (scary thought) bring this blog into the general consciousness of the people with whom I share some holiday cheer.
I went through and updated my recipient list this week and I always have to limit myself when I get to adding names to my list. That got me thinking about bloggers (doesn’t every thought lead back to bloggers, or is it just me?) I love my blog and while I’m starting to forge acquaintances and friendships with some of you through comments and contests and exchanges, the whole comment & reply conversations always seem a little fragmented to me. I’m not sure who I would or would not automagically add to my holiday card list. So, I’m going to throw this idea out there and see if there’s any interest and follow the model of the Pay it Forward post from yesterday and let you all decide for me.

Spread some holiday cheer

I will send a holiday card during the month of December to the first 5 people who leave a comment on this post requesting to receive a holiday card. I would love to get a card in return but that’s not necessary. However, I would ask that you make the same offer on your blog, spread some holiday cheer and send cards to a few of your readers as well.  I don’t intend for this to be some extravagant gift exchange. My crafty resources are spread thin this time of year but I can definitely put a few extra cards in the mail and share some of my abundance of holiday spirit. 

Also as an aside (beyond the scope of the snippet above), I’ll probably be ordering more than the 5 extra of my cards, so if there are already 5 comments here and you’re still interested feel free to comment anyway. I’d like to see the ‘5′ number work it’s way through the blog-world if by some miracle of blogginess this actually catches on, but I’ll send as many cards as I have to exhaust my supply. I may not always write a lot in my cards, but I do try to be a bit matchy-matchy and send all the same card each year and exhaust that year’s supply so I don’t have to worry about sending a repeat card to the same person the next year. That’s about as close to tricking myself into being organized as I can get. The holiday season has a bit of that mystical fantasy charm to it, so if I can trick myself into pretending that I’m an organized person for one month out of the year it just adds to the fantasy. Fortunately, I have a couple more days before that month begins so I can finish the prep work necessary to fool myself into that belief.

The sick isn’t going away still, but I am happy to have others around to help take care of me this weekend. I’ve mostly been all about the sleeping today, but I have found a little time to knit and have the third start (that is measuring closer to realistic than the first two attempts) on the impossible socks. I’ll put the progress photo over on Ravelry since the recipient reads here.

Here’s where my list stands.Dad’s Socks:  Almost halfway done. I’m slowly progressing down the foot of the first sock, looks pretty much like it did the last time.

Brother’s Socks: Haven’t cast on again yet, they’ll get their place OTN soon.

3 pair of women’s socks (recipients deliberately kept nondescript):

Pink Monkey Socks: done, just finished today.

The other two pair haven’t been designated yet but will shortly.

Mom’s scarf: same as before

Sari silk scarf: same as before

At least one or two more scarves to be determined.

A couple hats that haven’t been started yet.

Undetermined pairs of gloves/fingerless mitts/mittens: One pair finished a month ago. Others not yet started, may be made to match the scarves.

Well, full disclosure is a good way to start the month, so here’s what’s on my needles right now and what’s coming onto the needles in the very near future.

Gift Knits

Socks for my dad are started and progressing slowly a little bit here and there. I’ve got a little longer to go on the cuff before turning the heel and completing sock number one. These are slow going due to the size 0 needles but at least they aren’t boring. I’m still working out the fine balance between sock size and yarn conservancy. I’d prefer to not have to do an alternate color for the toes, but I’m prepared to face that if necessary. I’m knitting these out of Knit Picks Essential in navy in the Gentleman’s Sock with Lozenge Pattern from Nancy Bush’s Knitting Vintage Socks book.

I’ve also got a My So Called Scarf in Sari Silk in progress. Everything I’ve heard about this yarn and seen of this yarn is true. It’s pretty and looks really nice in a ball, but it doesn’t lend itself to many patterns. It crimps and over twists itself and I’ve pulled out a few tufts of fuzz so far in knitting it up. However, this pattern seems to be taming it fairly well and I think the relative that will get it for Christmas will appreciate the scarf and the story behind how the yarn is made.

Selfish Knits

These will be hibernating, but I do have a handful of selfish projects still on the needles.

My Norwegian mittens are still in progress. These may not hibernate as it shouldn’t take too much to wrap up the second mitten now that I’ve got a better handle on the two-handed knitting. There’s really not even enough new to show off. The second one has a cuff and it looks just like the other one did.

Pomotomous Socks - the first sock has been long for so long waiting on a mate, it won’t hurt too much waiting for another couple months for the second. It’s at least got a cuff started now. Again, not enough to bother with a photo.

Cable Down Raglan - I’ve made it one cable repeat into the body of the sweater and it’s gorgeous so far. The color is a deeper burgundy than is showing in the photo. It’ll be ok hibernating and will be rewarding to return to after the holidays. It’ll also be good insentive to try to knock off as much of the Christmas crafting as soon as possible on the off chance I could have it finished in time to wear at the holidays  But I’m not holding my breath on that one.

On the deck, I’ve got plenty of socks, hats, scarves, and more gloves, mitts and mittens. If I’m truly giving full disclosure, I also cast on a length-wise bulky garter stitch scarf last night that I haven’t fully decided if it gets to stay OTN yet or not. That one will go in the potential gift pile if I decide to keep it around.