FO and a Great Holiday Season so Far

Well, the holiday season has given me lots of blog fodder with good times, great gifts, FO's and more which I'll spread out over a few posts. I hope that everyone else had as good of a season with family and friends as I did!

We normally have Christmas at my parents house in WV...though the traveling is never pleasant, it's one time of year I know I get to go 'home'...and I love being at that house, with my family and with my very good friend who lives there that I so rarely see any more. But this year, my family took pity on me being stressed, busy, and wanting to just be in my house that they came to me. It was a great time and I so appreciate them altering plans for me (even though I did very much miss seeing 'V and R').

So I have some posts I'll pile up over the next couple of weeks of gifts finished (too many are still in progress but are getting close!) and gifts received (cuz they are handmade and just so amazing I have to share!).

For this post...

My first big FO in what seems like ages. This is the shawl I busted to get done for my mom. This took me one week of knitting (I had started earlier but had to rip out due to a couple issues I was having) and I love how it turned out.
Pattern: Tuscany from No Sheep For You by Amy Singer
Yarn: Merino Laceweight from The Woolen Rabbit; color way Rosemary and Thyme
Modifications: I did use wool and I went up to a size 7 needle for gauge
Finished dimensions: ~71 inches by ~26 inches
Time to knit: After messing up and ripping once in October, I started and finished this in about 7 days. Long days!
Recipient: Mom
Comments: I love this pattern. It's not complicated and so it made for easy knitting that I could do in front of a television (which was needed to get this done in a week). I am considering putting another of these on my 'To knit' list because I enjoyed it so much.

Some modeling shots of the recipient...who made me promise that only the back of her head be visible!

And to top it off, I attached a handmade item from a designer whose blog I read...A lovely shawl pin from DesignsbyRomi. Beautiful!More to come...

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To borrow an idea from Mel (and to pay her back for introducing me to some great music recently)...
Song playing: 'I Love the Rain the Most' by Joe Purdy