Some knitting in spite of everything

This past Christmas was low budget. Without the Curmudgeon's income, there was/is no extra $$ for much of anything. So I did what frugal knitters do. DS and DD and I agreed that we wouldn't spend any money on each other and that we would just focus on the two grandchildren. I found yarn in my stash (oh, thank heaven for little stashes!) to knit hats for each of the girls and also knit a "shawlette" for the youngest one. Actually it was supposed to be for The Bean (oldest), but in spite of all my efforts it turned out too small, so I gave it to Pookie (youngest). When she comes to stay with us next weekend, I'll try to remember to have her Dad pack it with her stuff so I can get a picture. I did start another shawlette for The Bean and am a little over half way done, but I've been working on other projects...I'm so easily lured away from WIPs to start other WIPs. Anyway, here are a few pics of hats.

The Bean's Hat, Side View

Same Girl, Same Hat, Front

(By the way, I have no idea why the date stamp on the pics says January 6 of '06... these pics were taken just the other day...why is my camera smarter than I am?)

The Bean had seen a pic of a similar hat in a catalog from Limited Too (?) or some other tweenie catalog and wanted one just like it. This one isn't "just like it", but similar enough that The Bean was very pleased.

And here's Pookie's hat.

Back to the shawlette for just a second. I don't know what to call it - maybe it's a shrug? I don't know. Basically it's a shawl with sleeves. (I've sewn the one sleeve so maybe you can see what the heck I'm talking about...You start at the wrist, knitting flat (not in the round),

then increase a few stitches along the arms to make the sleeve,

and knit across the back

and then reverse the process for the other arm. (I haven't gotten that far yet.) After you're done knitting, you sew seams from each wrist (end) of the shawl up the arm to create sleeves, leaving the portion from the upper arms and across the back open so it acts and feels like a shawl. Again, The Bean had seen a picture in a (knitting) catalog and thought it was really cute, hence my attempt at knitting one for her.

And what has lured me away? (Bad Grandma!) Socks, of course.

I'm working them toe-up, using Judy's Magic Cast on and following Wendy's generic toe-up sock with gusset, but making the socks my own by incorporating Fountain Lace and Double Eyelet Cable (from Barbara Walker's books). This is only my second time knitting this type of toe-up sock...I swore I wouldn't use this type of construction again as I sweated through the first pair - but then when they were finished and I wore them, I fell in love with the fit and comfort. So, I've used it again with these purple socks (and still had problems along the way) but I persevered and am now past the heel and working on the leg of the second sock. The problems, by the way are because of ME, not Wendy's pattern. It is superb, as all her patterns are. It's the "knitting the stitch together with the stitch that wraps it" that seems to be my big challenge. Don't know what my problem is...