Giving Time

The weekend may have held 80 degree temperatures and short sleeve shirts but the spirit of the season was well and truly celebrated by me and mine.

Saturday was the meet up of my lovely L.A. knitting friends, we had exchanged Secret Santas with the guidelines being something simple and hand made. These exchanges always make me giddy because 1) they all have amazing taste and 2) making for others just makes me giddy. I was super excited to get Shan because I just love her and she has a little one that I knew I had to make for too.


For Shan I chose to make the quick coasters from Last Minute Patchwork Gifts. I love all the Joelle Hoverson books because they hold simple projects that you can really make.

Her aesthetic is flawless and the coasters were a snap. It is always nice to use lots of pretty fabrics and play with the color palette. I also had to make Shan the little Inchworm from Wee Wonderfuls Doll book. This little betty was too sweet and kinda' hard to give up. And the book with 24 projects? I am thinking of doing them all ... just sew them one by one until I am done. That is how good her book is.

Miss Bean got Ellie the Elephant, another project in LMPG.

I have wanted to make this toy forever and it seemed perfect for a sweet toddler girl to squeeze and love. My boys thought she was pretty lovable too so she went to Bean with some good happy love imbued in her stuffed body. The pattern was simple enough and I finally have confidence in sewing curves. The only thing was the stuffing. Man, that round little elephant took a load of stuffing, it seemed like I just had to keep adding and adding and still her legs were not firm enough to support her weight. Pudgy thing, isn't she?

I am so glad I made it because Shan told me that Bean's favorite thing ever is elephants. Which I did not know when I chose the project. Talk about being spot on, right?

We had a great time talking and eating and exchanging and squealing at each others gifts and looking at patterns and doing what we do. We also decided that we are bringing the L.A. Group to Rhinebeck 2011, right ladies? And the knitalong, right?

My SS was MJ and she made me a freaking fantastic pillow cover. Beyond fantastic, actually. Of her own design, of course. She is such an amazing designer so I want to be sure all knitters who still read here know about her latest hat design over at Twist. Look at this hat. Look at it!


Photo by Twist Collective :

Here is the pattern link. We are going to do a knitalong on Ravelry, so come and join us if you will. I have a feeling I am going to be knitting more than one version of this. There is just too much cabled goodness. Now buy the pattern, get some yarn and let's get on it. And thanks, MJ, for the beautiful gift and lighting my knitting fire again.

All in all, it was a wonderful afternoon with wonderful women that I do not see nearly enough. Until next time, friends.