Potentially the World's Largest Christmas Stocking

I've decided this year that since Lola-Frog will need a Christmas Stocking for her First Christmas, I should knit and felt one for her, rather than buy a cheap one from Target or Big W with the thought that "... one day I'll replace it with a nicer one", just like I've thought I would for WonderBoy. Which I haven't. Yet.

So I got started on Lola-Frog's this week, with some Lincraft Cosy Wool (it's DK weight. I'd've preferred to be using 10 or 12-ply, but you use what you've got access to - especially when it's cheap!), and I know it felts well. KnitNight's Franee has made a fantastic 'Team Swiss' (That's a Twilight reference, apparently!) felted bag with this stuff that is gorgeous.

I cast on twice for this stocking - the first time, realising that I was going to need to make it that much bigger to compensate for the felting process... the second time, making it ridiculously big. This kind of ridiculous:I'm pleased with the fair isle bands, and on one hand, I'm really excited to see what they'll look like once felted... ... but on the other hand, I'm nervous as hell about felting this bugger! I know that felted knitting usually shrinks lengthwise, rather than widthwise, and I know that the fair isle bands will shrink entirely differently compared to the plain stockinette, but... well, we'll see! On the up side, if it looks a bit weird, I don't see it being an issue - after all, it's for Santa Claus to pop presents in, not to be worn...

... unless it ends up being large enough to actually FIT Lola-Frog entirely into!

In the meantime, there's the small matter of actually completing the knitting part before it can be felted!

Seeing stars...

You would think, wouldn't you, that after having read nearly three years' worth of Yarn Harlot, including three Christmases worth of witnessing a star knitter succumb to the stress and pressure of "planning too many knitted gifts", that I might have learned a lesson and been able to avoid this particular knitting pitfall myself.

You would think that, wouldn't you?

I thought I had it nailed. I would knit three of the lace Christmas stars that I'd already tried first, as gifts for my coworkers: the one I had already tried had a little stuff up, agreed, but I was certain that I could work that out easily and then knock over one a night for three nights, no problem. I must have spent an entire evening just trying to figure out what I was doing wrong - and even when I had worked it out (adding a 'yarn over' at the end of the round), I couldn't for the life of me work out how the hell to do it. Ugh.

So I bailed on the lace Christmas stars and searched Ravelry for free snowflake or star ornament patterns, of which there are not many. I did eventually find this one, bought appropriate cotton, and started work on the first of three stars to be embellished with little gold beads...

<= Christmas in Australia - we love our mangoes!

I have to say, I'm pleased with the way they've turned out, but... oh - my - goodness, my hands are aching after a solid week and a half of 2mm needles! I have these strange indentations on my fourth fingers, just under the top joint, where these needles have been resting for the last ten days or so. The Preschool Christmas party is tomorrow night, so I have just enough time to starch and iron them before I sling 'em over some little piccolo bottles of sparkling wine, ready for gifting.





...And now, back to the 'fuzzy feet' (on 7mm dpns, thank goodness!) that need to be finished, felted, blocked and dry by next Saturday. The fun never stops around here!!!