Jolly Old St. Nick

This is a Santa that I knit for my mother several years ago.



Even though I had been knitting on and off for a long time, I didn't know how to do a lot of things. I know in this pattern, I couldn't figure out how to P2tog so I did all my decreases on the knit rows. But I finished him before Christmas and was very proud of what I had done.

The pattern is from Leisure Arts, The Magazine December 1988. I subscribed to this magazine because it was mainly counted cross-stitch. Every issue had at least one or two knit or crocheted patterns in it.

I used Bernat Berella 4 for the body and Lion Brand Wool Ease for the robe and his hands and feet. He's at my house right now because I had to repair his beard. The original one was rather skimpy. Tomorrow I'm giving him back to Mom.

And here we have another cowl. It's the Stacked Eyelet Cowl by Ami Madison.



It's done in Claudia Hand Painted Fingering weight yarn "Eat Your Veggies" colorway on size US 5 needles. It hasn't been blocked yet. I wasn't a big fan of the eyelet pattern but I did like knitting the cowl. And I like the way it fits. The next one I might make with a different stitch in place of the eyelets.

Over Thanksgiving weekend, several online knitting stores had sales. I ended up buying 5 skeins of Malabrigo Worsted in 5 different colors (Cypress, Jewel Blue, Lettuce, Damask Rose, and Sunset), 2 skeins of Lorna's Laces Shepard Sport in "Black Watch", 2 skeins of Rowan Tapestry in browns, and 2 skeins of Lambs Pride Superwash sport in White and Dark green.

The Malabrigo is destined for more cowls. The 2 skeins of Rowan Tapestry will be combined with 2 skeins of blue Rowan Tapestry to make a Noro Striped Scarf by Jared Flood. I hope to use the Lambs Pride Sport to make stranded mittens or gloves and the Lorna's Laces Shepard Sport doesn't have a specific project yet.

But, as usual, I shouldn't start any of these projects until I finish the earflap hat I'm making for Scott's nephew for Christmas. It's the only gift I'm knitting. The hat part is done. Now I just have to pick up and knit the earflaps.

And I have to make Scott's alpaca mittens. They have been started but I haven't worked on them in a couple of weeks.



So far one cuff has been knit and the first increase for the thumb gusset has been done. I guess I should get working on them so I can play with all my new yarns.