Christmas gifts

I went to Mary & Eugene's sons house for Christmas Day dinner.  I took yarn with me and asked each person there which yarn they wanted a pair of socks made out of.   I had purchased 25 skeins of yarn at a big discount, so I had 5 100 gram balls of 5 different colorways.  They all chose their yarn.

It took awhile for me to make the socks, but they are all done.  I made Mary's socks on the 72 cylinder and then switched to the 60 cylinder for the balance of the socks.  They all turned out great.  Six pairs of socks + one pair of tube socks (on the 72) for Mary.  I've learned that you really shouldn't save up socks, made on the CSM, for kitchner!  CSM socks have 3 times the number of stitches to kitchner as a hand knit sock!  It took me forever!

I've hardly been out of the house, other than doctor's appointments, since the first of the year.  What with the weather and my being so tired, I've been staying home.  The CSM knitting has had a temporary set back.  I just don't have the energy to sit down and knit a sock on the CSM, since finishing the Christmas gift socks.

 I have knit 3 squares from the booklet The Great American Aran Afghan.  I have decided on the 4th square, but don't quite feel like starting it yet.  My goal, at first, was one square a month; I think that will continue to be my goal.

 I started a shawl called Circles Within Circles from the Cast On magazine.  I found errors within the chart for the CWC so I redid the graph in Stitch & Motif Maker.  Once I get all the way through the 28 row repeat it should go faster, but it is a long rectangular shawl.  I'm using my Elsebeth Lavold yarn, Silky Wool, for the shawl.  I'm getting gauge, so mine will be the same width of about 2 feet, but I don't have enough yarn to make mine 91" long, which is fine!  I don't want one that long!  Mine should end up at about 5 feet long (60") because of the amount of yarn I have available.  That is the approximate length I had planned on anyway.  The one in the magazine is made using a natural color linen, which would not be all that warm.  I want mine warm and am using a rust tone color.  The pattern is showing up beautifully.  If a person wanted to make it using crochet cotton it would make a beautiful curtain.  I keep eyeing my short, but wide, bathroom window!  I must be out of my mind!  Anyway you look at it, although this is not a quick knit, it is good for sitting back, relaxing and knitting to keep the hands busy.