I've started a tradition that every Christmas a few family members will get something hand knit. I'm lucky that I come from a family that understands the value of handmade objects and appreciates the time and effort that went into them. Usually the family member is my dad, sister or brother (my mom is a knitter so she gets yarn) but this year it my cousins' turn. Last year one of them wanted a hat but by the time I found out, I was swamped in Christmas knitting and it could not be done, so this year I made their gifts a priority. I have a lot of cousins but these three grew up nearby and we have celebrated many holidays together. The eldest is the receiver of the book boxes, the boxes full of whatever books I finished recently keeping my bookshelves manageable.
With help from the eldest cousin who I drafted as an elf, because all older siblings are elves at Christmas, I came up with these projects.
The first I am calling the Hat for the Boy Cousin. I would embarrass him if I described him in the same silly flowery language I use for the girls but I don't want to share his name so I am simply calling him Boy Cousin M. This hat I actually made ages ago, with him in mind, but it was waiting until I made things for the other two. It is made out of some buttery Karabella Aurora 8, that stuff is sooo nice to knit with.
The second hat is for Sweet Cousin M. She wanted a slouchy blue and silver or white hat. I ended up using a single ply bulky Cascade yarn (I have no idea what it is called) with my Starflower Flake pattern. Then I encrusted the starflower flakes (the white part) with size 6 Swarovski heat set transmission rhinestones. In normal human terms, those are teeny tiny, I think the smallest, crystal rhinestones you can get that have the heat set glue on the back. Transmission means they are clear, no foil on the back, with an iridescent finish. The size is so small you do not really see the rhinestones themselves from a few feet away, but you certainly see sparkle. I would say this has close to 500 rhinestones on it.
Extreme Close-up shot!
It might be one of my favorite projects. In person it just sparkles like freshly fallen snow. It would have been really difficult to gift had it fit my enormous head, luckily it was made for her much smaller head.
Finally, this is the cowl I made for my Dearest Cousin D. I decided she needed a cowl instead of a hat. I worked up a cowl variation of the Pop Blossoms Hat. I failed to get any sort of gauge or measurements from the finished product so this pattern is waiting while I knit another sample. The red was supposed to be more maroon but that was the closest I could get so it looks a bit Gryffindor. The red/maroon is Cascade Eco+ and the gold is three strands of Vanna's Glamour yarn from Lion Brand. This stuff is great for sparkly colorwork.
I was compelled to stop stalling and write this post because this week two of them were in a bad car accident. They are both fine, a little sore since seat belts save lives and leave bruises and welts doing so. I am so thankful they are ok. I talked to one of them yesterday and it was all I could do not to cry into the phone out of relief. It has not been a good winter for several of my friends so I am all too aware how lucky we are. Anyway, I was thinking about them so much I thought I would blog about them.
