So it begins

So it begins. Christmas crafting!!

My list is smaller this year. Last year I decided to make every single person in my immediate family a hat for Christmas. The kiddies got cardigans. And my brother and his gf got mittens. It doesn't sound like a lot, but trust me. Ten hats, three cardigans and two sets of mitts (all different patterns) took me a long time!

This year? Well, I just don't have time to do all that. But I'm still going to make the kiddies their cardigans. I gotta! It's tradition! And if I'm lucky I've got a few other things I'd like to make and gift as well.

And this is the first one! Isn't this crochet hook the best? I don't know why, but I love love love how it says it's worth 10c. I have no idea which relative I inherited this specific hook from, but I love the fact it comes a different era. I wonder what this crochet hook made before it came to me. And I wonder what I'll make now that it's in my possession.

Only one way to find out. Keep crocheting!

Autumn!

Is anyone else out there wondering what happened to summer? I swear, two weeks ago I was wearing tank tops and shorts. Now? Today I had to look through my sweaters to figure out which one I wanted to wear! And last weekend it was so cold that I wore a toque on my run. (Seriously. I did. But maybe that's just cause 6 years in Cali made me a wimp...)

But I can't say I mind the cooler temperatures. I'm looking forward to fall! I haven't had a real fall in sooo long! I'm looking forward to the changing of the leaves. And fall veggies! (I already made pumpkin muffins this weekend!)

And! I'm looking forward to fall/winter wearing my wardrobe. Including new hats!

Like this one I crocheted over the weekend. I got the pattern from here. I've made a few of her hats. Not surprisingly this one was just as well written and understandable. I just had to make them into an adult size!

Those mods?

1) I did double crochets rather than half double crochets. (This was more by accident than on purpose, but I think it helped.)

2) I did an extra row of increasing for the crown of the hat.

3) I did 10 repeats of the shell pattern

(Another great thing about fall? I feel like I can spend all day curled up with a good book.)

All in all, I'm pretty happy with this hat. Now I just need it to drop one or two more degrees and I'll be wearing it all of the time.

For Grandma

I have an awesome Grandma. Seriously. I love her. She turned 95 this summer and she still lives on her own. Sure, she has help. She's never driven a car, so my aunt takes her to do groceries and other errands. But my Grandma still does all her other housekeeping tasks. She cooks for herself. Cleans. Gets up on chairs to get her good teacups down. (Giving all of US heart attacks meanwhile.)

So when I was knitting this dishcloth at my parents a while ago and my mom mentioned Grandma would love one, it wasn't a hard sell. I was doing it to use up the yarn anyways, and pretty much anything I can do for my Grandma, I'm there.

I mean, considering my knitting love probably does mainly stem from my afghan love - an afghan my grandma made me by the way. So, I kinda owe the woman my life and my love of knitting. Two very important things. Right?

Thus Grandma, next time I see you, expect this to be coming your way!

I gots me some AMAZING jam!

It's no secret that I love bread. Toast in particular is a favourite of mine. Well, the toast I had this morning for breakfast was the best I've had in a long while. Why? Cause it was topped with some *awesome* jam exchange jam!

Thank you Steve for sending me so much amazing looking jam! I think he even said most (all?) of the fruit comes out of his So-Cal backyard garden. How cool is that?

I love the jars and I love the labels! And they all look so tasty! I had a hard time trying to decide which one to open first!!

I mean, don't they all sound amazing?? Green Fig Preserves, Apple jelly, Mulberry & Cranberry and Ginger-Plum. Which one would you open first?

In the end, I went for the Ginger-Plum. I have a crazy love for ginger so that tipped the scales. And while I didn't find it overly ginger-y (Um... maybe because I could probably eat ginger raw...) I did *love* the taste of this jam. I immediately went back for seconds. :)

So thank you Steve for sending such amazing jam! I'm so happy we got paired up. I can't wait to try the rest. I'm sure they will be just as great!!