As I Sit and Ponder..........................

Here I sit---trying to write a letter to my 99 year old mother and what am I doing instead?

Procrastinating Yes, that's right!  I'm procrastinating--browsing through the internet for snowflake patterns--something I'd like to knit/crochet again--years ago, our tree was decorated with all my handknit/crocheted snowflakes--where did they all go?  Doesn't matter--I'm thinking I should be writing that letter, but here I am.........................................
And I don't even need snowflakes for this year--I'm thinking about 2020!  What gives??

Oh well, I found many patterns so that satisfied my searching--for the time being.  

-----why am I writing a letter to my mother when we'll see her in tomorrow?  Because, she can't hear a darn thing but she can read!  This way she is getting the news without repeating "What did you say?"  after every word I say!

There is a luncheon at her assisted living facility and we are invited to attend--there will be Santa Clause, some gift giving, many Christmas songs along with some readings.  It is a time to rejoice with my mother as she has lived another year to experience Christmas season. 

Merry Christmas Mother!

Gansey, Guernsey, Jersey?

I've been knitting Advent Scarf 2019 which features Gansey patterns--this scarves always teach something about history in a way--if you bother to look up the patterns and reason why it's called what it's called............................. after reading the description and what yarn should be used for this scarf--I completely disregarded that and used my handspun yarn instead--fine, multi-colored yarn--

Well, that's not going to work--back to stash diving!

and reworking all the patterns to bring it up to date and here's

what I'm knitting now:

Now, I can clearly see the patterns pop!

A gansey (or guernsey) is a hardwearing, hand knitted, woollen jumper which has been worn by fishermen around the coast of Britain for many years.

A tough weatherproof garment, usually navy blue, its purpose was more than just to keep the fishermen warm and dry.

• Take a walk through historic Scarborough >

Each gansey has a unique pattern which varied from village to village and from family to family. If there was a shipwreck or accident the bodies washed up on the shore could be identified by their gansey as being from a particular village and family. In this way the fisherman could be returned to their family for burial.

It takes around six weeks to knit a gansey by hand. They were usually made by mothers, wives and sweethearts and the patterns were passed down the generations via word of mouth - they weren't written down.

The ganseys are knitted without seams, all in one piece on five or more small needles using very fine, hardwearing four or five ply wool. They are knitted very tightly to make them weather proof. The tighter the knitting, the more water and weatherproof it is.

• Trawlerman's tales >

Detail from a Filey gansey.

The pattern is concentrated round the upper body for extra warmth and thickness. The stitch patterns, such as anchors, diamonds, cables, lightning, ropes and ladders, symbolised the everyday things in the fisherfolks' lives. Telling of their tools, harvest and the weather. It became traditional for the knitter to put in a number of 'mistakes' so the sweaters were personal to each member of the family.

Weaving of the Past!

We've been unpacking Christmas decorations and memories of the past

come flooding back as I pull out each item.

When I look at these memories, I'm always amazed that I really

made it!!

This little Santa was woven about 35 years ago--

I wove tartan fabric and then decided to make Santas

for each of the family members--this one was made

for my side of the family--the only reason I have this one

is because that family member passed away and Santa

was returned to me--I was happy to have it as I didn't make

one for our family.

This is the Bailey Tartan--loved the colors!

This was during my tartan phase that I was weaving

tartan fabric!

Each Santa carried in his stocking the Tartan information

This is the first weaving I did for Christmas--about 40 years ago--surprised I

still have it!  It is double weave, woven right after I learned to

weave!  Unbelievable that I tried double weave as a new

weaver--but, I remember I was weaving from Big Book of Weaving

and did each 'recipe' step by step!

\

Here is his backside--I'm thrilled I have these memories from

past weavings--not often I keep anything for my collection.

Guess I'd better write up some description of Santa and 

attach to him for years future.

Cookie Exchange

I love cookie exchanges!  

You invite 11 of your friends and ask each to bake a dozen cookies--

it can be all the same dozen or variety.

Then you set up a party where you serve cookies, coffee and 

when each person leaves, they take home 12 dozen cookies!!

hopefully, not everyone used the same recipe :-)

But, it's all good! and delicious time with your friends

and your family will devour the goodies.

Picky Palate has a list of the best cookie exchange recipes!

Now, that we are 'dieting'--ugh!  no

cookie exchanges for us

BUT, 

I found this Virtual Cookie Exchange!

This began yesterday--just jump on the wagon

and gather all the calorie free goodies you can!

So many friends participating all week long:

December 2^nd

• Creatin’ in the Sticks
• Ms P Designs USA
• Home Sewn By Us 
• Vroomans Quilts
• Cathie’s Craftworks
• Sew Many Yarns
• Just Because Quilts

December 3^rd

• MooseStash Quilting
• Stitchin At Home
• Barb – Hosted by Just Let Me Quilt
• Hill Valley Quilter
• Little Penguin Quilts
• Everyone Deserves a Quilt
• Selina Quilts
• Count it *all* JOY!
• Purring Cottage

December 4^th

• Made By Marney
• Homespun Hannah’s Blog
• Beaquilter
• Cynthia’s Creating Ark
• Life in the Scrapatch
• DesertSky Quilting
• Sunlight in Winter Quilts

December 5^th

• Quilt Doodle Designs
• Ridge Top Quilt
• Pumpkin Patch Patterns & Quilting
• Websterquilt
• Bumbleberry Stitches
• Kathy’s Kwilts and More

 December 6^th

• Just Let Me Quilt
• Kris Loves Fabric
• Domestic Felicity
• Karrin’s Crazy World
• Songbird Designs
• Melva Loves Scraps
• Brenda’s Quilt Blog

Let's Read or Listen..............

Here we go--the last 2019 Agatha read!

you can read it for free here

or listen free here

Since I'm working two Advent projects for the month,

that will be my Agatha knit along--

Advent Knitting

I love knitting for Advent!  It is a daily evening event

for me as we prepare for the joyous celebration of 

Christmas.  This Advent knit along is designed by Julie

Kubitsky in the group For the Love of Haps

This is 3/4 circle shawl with 42" wingspan and 21" depth.

You can either use one solid or low contrast multi yarn,

or 4 coordinating colors of 50 grams each; long color block yarns

or scraps with random color switches. 

First clue is released daily beginning today through December 24

An Advent scarf designed by Tricia Weatherstone--one of my

favorite things to knit this time of year--

This scarf is based on Gansey stitch patterns with lots of knits

and purls and simple cables.  You can find the free pattern on

Ravelry, either in Sock Madness Forever or Mountain Knits and 

Pearls groups.

Black Friday Shopping.........NOT! But Sewing Instead...........

While others are planning their shopping strategy today, I'm enjoying a nice

cozy day in my studio working on Christmas projects--oh yes!

it's time to sew!

This quilt is named "Simpler Times", featuring twenty-five 8" blocks; will

finish at 70" square.  A block pattern will be posted once a day, 

beginning December 1st @ AQSblog.com--today I'll be gathering

my fabrics.  You can also join their facebook group--AQS Christmas

Countdown--lots of clever ideas. 

And of course--the first clue for this mystery was released today!

how exciting to be sewing something so colorful.

This is from Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville

Thermoweb is hosted a Joy Sew Along with patterns

that are quick to assemble--the grouping will make a small

wall hanging 50" x 58"--Here are a view of some of the

patterns: