On to the holidays

Yes it is time to start getting our crafting vibe on for the holidays. I went to the local book store and purchased the new issue of 'just cross stitch' magazine that featured halloween projects (really cute) and the clerk bemoaned that fact that already halloween was being touted. I told her that when you craft you have to think ahead and she agreed. I did too remembering the back to school items in the stores the day after school was out and now seeing them pushing away the school stuff in the drug store in order to make way for the halloween candy. School hasn't even started yet here. (tomorrow).

So this is the second in my quick holiday card cross stitch designs. I liked the look of this one a lot but would try a different gold thread on the next one. At this rate only close, close family will receive on of these as I anticipate an extremely limited series.
This is the first of a 4 part project. There are three other dogs needing stitching and then they will transform into a usable and useful object for the house. Fun and fast to stitch.
The first mitt from the book 'knitting for him', a requested project. I should have looked closer at the pattern before starting but no, I didn't. It called for knitting in the flat, I changed to knitting in the round. The pattern wanted a left and a right mitt, mine knit in the round will be exactly alike and work wonderfully. The pattern called for small needles for the cuff and larger needles for the hand. I stuck with small needles throughout. I think I could have even cast on less stitches for the cuff to make it tighter in the cuff area and increased in the first round of hand stitches. In reality I could have used my favorite 4 needle mitten pattern from the 'jack frost' pamphlet. It's so old but just like my favorite sock pattern from 'yankee knitters' they work every time and I can't count how many pairs I've made from it. The second mitt though will be done the same as the first so as to keep them the same. I'll send them off for testing in the field and then if another pair is needed so the changes anticipated.

I believe that there is a reason why knitters have been making basic garments the same way over the centuries. It works. It's that simple. Knitters don't want to waste their time doing something the hard way. I know in some cases the pattern writers have a great idea but do the knitting in their own style. Case in point: the mitts. No one likes mittens with seams down the sides, they are clunky and bulky. DPN's eliminate the seam and when you are doing 2-color patterns you are always just knitting, no purling at all. No carrying the yarn in the front, awkwardly. Time to get off my soap box and back to work. Those bags of projects won't magically get done, I am the elf.