All I want for Christmas...

...is knitting supplies!

You would think I have enough knitting books, paraphernalia and yarn by now, but there is always more to acquire.

Equipment

I still don't have that most essential pair of tools, an ball winder and swift. If I'm lucky maybe I'll get one for Christmas and the other for my birthday.

Loop carries a Royal Wool Winder - from Japan, so it must be good.

And a ball winder is not much use without a swift, or yarn skeiner. Here's a nice wooden umbrella swift available through amazon from the Little Knitting Company.

This equipment is really useful if you knit with a lot of lace, sock weight and/or hand-dyed yarn. This kind of yarn usually comes in a skein, so you have to wind it into a ball before you start knitting. It takes forever by hand, and in my house can only be done while the cat is asleep. We'll see how she reacts to the twirling equipment.

Books

There are only two knitting books on my list because I try not to buy too many knitting books (I end up hardly ever using them, and then I just feel guilty). But these two are essentials.

Vogue Knitting: Classic Patterns from the World's Most Celebrated Knitting Magazine
I don't even know what patterns are in this book because it doesn't seem to be catalogued on Ravelry (why??), but I'm still sure I want it. You can't go wrong with Vogue knitting patterns. Occassionally they'll do something perhaps a little bit too experimental, but at least they never look like all the other patterns out there. I am always knitting vogue patterns, so I'm sure there would something among the 80 patterns from 1982 to the present that I would like.

55 Christmas Balls to Knit: Colourful Festive Ornaments
I just learned about this book, from the most recent issue of Vogue Knitting, as it happens. I wish I had known about it earlier so I could have knit quick and easy Christmas ornaments for everyone instead of stressing myself out with jackets and doll families! The patterns are inspired by Norwegian designs and customs. I'm always in the mood for a little holiday-themed fair isle around this time of year, so I'll look forward to decorating my whole tree with red and white knit ornaments next year. And maybe I'll even find some time after Christmas to whip up a few for friends and family at home.

Needles

I already got a set of Addi clicks a few Christmases ago, so you would think I would be set for knitting needles, but in fact 10 sizes of circular needles with 3 cord lengths is just not sufficient. Addi clicks are great for knitting most garments, but they are no good for lace because the tips are not sharp enough. Also, I usually work on quite a few projects at the same time, so often need duplicate needle sizes. Hence I really could use a set of Lace Addi Click or KnitPro interchangeable needles. And some more DPNs wouldn't hurt, while we're at it.

Yarn

There is actually no yarn on my Christmas list, mainly because I hope to visit lots of knitting shops while I'm back in the States over Christmas. Namely: Threadbender in Grand Rapids, Purl Soho and Habu in New York, Fibre Space in Alexandria VA, and Looped Yarn Works in DC. And any others I can find.

And just in case you're wondering, I plan to pack an empty bag so I can bring back all my lovely knitting loot!

Knitting countdown to Christmas

Once again I am eschewing the horror of Christmas shopping by knitting Christmas presents. I won't be able to make something for everyone, but I'm not too far from my goal (and would be closer, if I didn't keep appropriating gifts that were meant for someone else).

The gift I'm most excited about is a family of dolls for my niece. She discovered a doll book in my mother's craft library that was my favourite as a child - Eva's Dolls and Puppets, published in the 1970s.

First published in Danish in 1969, and in English in 1972

The dolls are adorable, but even better, the book includes instructions and patterns for a whole wardrobe of knit, crochet and sewn clothes. And there is even a little story to go along. I yearned for this doll family as a child, so I'm delighted to be able to bring them to life. I'm going to knit the dolls, my mother will embroider the faces and attach the hair, and then we'll leave it up to my niece, a budding crafter, to make the clothes. (Though I might contribute a few knitted items).

Happy Christmas from the doll family

I've finished the mother and baby already, and should be able to whip up dad and son in a couple of days. They are knit from the toes up in the round, so require minimal finishing. I was particularly impressed with the feet of the adults, which incorporate a bit of short row shaping to create the heels. So you have a place to put the cute boots and shoes you make them.

Another project I'm extremely pleased with is my Tess slippers. This is my first steeking project, and I'm pleased to announce that the first slipper was a success, and the second is well on it's way.

The steek (or cut) is done between the stripes at the ankle 

This pattern is a great way to practice steeking if you've never done it before. They are a quick knit, so there is less fear of destroying a vast expanse of knitting. But anyway, if you use shetland wool there is hardly any danger of unraveling. I'm doing mine in red and white (very Christmassy) and I'm so impressed with how well they fit. Unfortunately I won't be able to appropriate these for myself because my kitten finds Shetland wool absolutely irresistable - I'm afraid she would ferociously attack my feet every time I wore them.

Attack cat

I can't share too much about the biggest Christmas knitting project, because it's for my mother and she occassionally reads my blog. I'll just say it's a jacket from Vogue Knitting magazine. I've finished the body and all (!) that remains is the arms and a large fold over shawl collar. I figure if I manage to finish up the arms before I travel back to the States on the 19th of December (or more likely, on the flight over), I'll have just enough time before Christmas to whip up the collar.

That should be enough to keep me busy in the run up to Christmas. Then after Christmas I have to try to finish a pair of gloves for my husband (one is done, I'm just suffering from second glove syndrome) and knit up a pair of socks for my father's birthday in January. And then I can get back to selfish knitting until next Christmas.

Has anyone else succumbed to Christmas knitting mania, and is so, what are you making?