Emptyknitster

Adult Sweaters:  1 Socks:  27 pairs  Afghan:  1 Baby Blankets:   3 Baby Booties:   3 Baby hats:   2 Baby Sweaters:  3 Toys:   2 Christmas Ornaments:   8 Cowls:   2 Mittens:   4 pairs Grand Total Of Knitted Items In 2019: 58  Favorite knitted item:     I love making the Leftover Stash Blankets.  Favorite photo prop for knitted item:     The mountains in Iceland. Favorite hand dyed item:     I bought this yarn on Vancouver Island at my dream yarn shop , Knotty By Nature . Craziest thing knitted this year:     Eight pairs of long underwear! New skill learned this year:    Double thumbed Icelandic Mittens?!?!

After the second group of house guests left, Hubby and I were able to regroup for the third and final wave of guests of the year. House cleaning, washing, resting, and a Christmas tree were completed in the week before their arrival. The Chick took the initiative  and got a menu plan set up for when all the immediate family were going to be here. It was a GREAT help! We filled the week with an activity almost everyday, movies, hatched throwing, sledding, card games ("Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza"), a family photo shoot, an extended family pub crawl, and a shot at the escape room. It was so nice to have everyone here for Christmas. This year I bought the grandkids a puzzle box with some cash in each box. Rather than open them from youngest to oldest as we usually do, I had them open their gift from us all at once, after ten minutes of trying to open the boxes we moved on to the next person and as the gift opening came around to each grand kid they could opt for 10 m

Pattern: Show-off Stranded Socks by Anne Campbell Yarn: Hand Dyed by Emptyknitster Colorway: Mint Needle Size: US Size 1

This evening we had an absolutely beautiful first sunset of winter! I took this at 4:48 pm...

Over Thanksgiving the NorDak Purl Girl requested a pair of mittens for the cold winter ahead. I had her look through the mitten book, Votteboka, I'd bought while in Iceland and she found these lovely mitts... They are called Nursery Mittens and have a sweet little story behind them. “One day the windows in the nursery were covered with ice roses the children had cut from paper. The white roses stood beautifully with the blue winter sky behind, and so the idea of the mittens was conceived.” After translating the story the only color they could be knit in was blue and white, right? Pattern: Isrosen from Votteboka Yarn: Rauma Finullgarn Colorway: 400 White and 4505 Blue Needle Size: US Size 1 More and more I'm enjoying smaller items to knit. I love the intricacy of the Norwegian mittens and wish they were used as much as socks I knit!

I had been struggling to make a cute little boy's quilt. Unhappy with the one I was working on, I laid it aside and consequently hadn't completed a quilt this year. In early December I finally abandoned the original one and I again searched the quilt book for a new pattern, went to the store and bought new fabric. I'm very pleased with the result...  and Michael seems content with it as well.   With leftover quilt pieces I made a doll quilt for a baby doll I hope Anna will care for as her Momma cares for Michael.

The Monday after Thanksgiving brought more family. Hubby's nephew and little family were awaiting the arrival of their second child. They live hours away from the hospital and so we all began waiting for the arrival of our grand nephew who was on his own schedule.  It was so nice to see a little one once again playing with the Little People! Anna loved the squirrel family who lives in the tree stump her Great Grandmother Maida gave the kiddos many years ago!  Momma spend many hours walking trying to get things going. Anna enjoyed the Christmas decorations.  Finally, Michael made his appearance!

This Thanksgiving the family had a lovely week together. It was filled with relaxing and Christmas shopping. Both NorDak grandkids decided to partake in the craziness of Black Friday Sales. When all bargains were bought and picked up at various stores, we were lucky to have a place in the car to squeeze into!   We were able to spend an hour at the local escape room. Sadly, we didn't solve the mystery but each time we try a new room we get just a little closer to a solution. Maybe next time!  The weatherman predicted the weather would turn cold, snowy and icy Friday afternoon. The travelers decided to cut the festivities short a couple days head home early. It proved to be a wise decision and everyone arrived home before the worst of the storm hit.