A little holiday cheer

Well we are one last weekend away from the big day over here so I thought I would share a little Christmas cheer with you all. This video has been around for ages and I may be a bit behind the times in just now finding them but here is a fun song. Happy Holidays!

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Almost done with my Christmas crafting

I am not a huge Christmas crafter for presents.  Once I add a deadline for a project all the fun is sucked right from it and I approach finishing it with the same dread as I approached finals deadlines in school.  This project was a bit different though. 

First it only took a couple of hours to finish a pair.  Second I knew they would get lots of use and third I quickly memorized the pattern so they were a fantastic mindless knit for watching Christmas movies over the weekend. 

Five pairs of mitts for 5 happy children, a mitt that has a little flap top to quickly cover up cold hands. 

The pattern is free and has sizing for a child size mitt, a woman size mitt, and one for men.  As far as I'm concerned everyone should have a pair and now that I know it so well....maybe everyone will :)

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A quick mitt knit

These were a fairly quick knit and I love them!!  I personally think they would make a perfect gift for someone.  Especially if you have a more expensive yarn in your stash, maybe a cashmere.  I love how long they are because they tuck in beautifully underneath my coat sleeves and the gray means I can wear them with anything.

I used Knit Picks Capra cashmere yarn and I really like it.  It has held up beautifully and is very warm and soft.  The pattern is free and has a version with or without partial fingers.  A few years ago I would have laughed at the idea that I would have a pair of fingerless mitts let alone multiple pairs but I find them quite addicting and perfect when I have a lot of things I want to do out of doors.  Friday we cut down our Christmas tree and of course it was cold and snowy and I had pictures I wanted to take and children that needed helping and lunch that needed to be packed and unpacked and these mitts stayed on all day.  It isn't to late to cast on a pair for yourself or maybe a gift for someone.....just 18 more days till Christmas :)

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Our Christmas counter-downer

A couple of years ago I made an advent calendar of sorts and while I loved it there was a little too much of it.  Trying to hang the looonnngg string and find an attractive and easy way to get the mittens, hats, and stockings off was a little too much.  So this year I made another one that is a bit more compact and very easy for little fingers to remove each little hat day by day to count down to Christmas.

I have 24 little white hats with alternating pom-poms in green and red and alternating colored numbers to get us to the big day.

Inside each little hat is a little something for the kids.  Candy, Christmas erasers, Christmas stamps, and in some of them I just have an activity written down, one night I have watching the Polar Express, making hot chocolate and peppermint whip cream (make whip cream as normal and then fold in candy canes that have been crushed in food processor-minty and colorful).

I made a little quilt of sorts  and sewed clear buttons on each square to hang our little hats on.  I'm really pleased with how it turned out.  The kids are more than excited to take turns pulling down each hat and of course I love that it is completely original.  

Now I'm off to make some more treats and finish some cowls for my kids because tomorrow we are heading up into the forest to cut down our Christmas tree with some friends. Have a wonderful weekend friends!

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