Thank you so much for all the gingerbread love! You are all so kind! After SweetiePie read my post, she noted that I forgot to show you the inside of her house. She and TheFirstChild very carefully created two little workers folding up parachutes and placed them inside of their Jump School. I hadn’t even noticed them! So, here for SweetiePie (and you) is a picture of one of the little workers. Can you see him back there with the big parachute on the ground?
I’m so sad that the holidays are over — even sadder that I have to go back to work tomorrow. BooHoo. I spent most of the weekend cleaning up around here. The house is all nice and clean now — too bad I can’t have a few more days off to enjoy it. By the time I’m off work again, it will be messy again. {Sigh.} When I was cleaning up this weekend, I couldn’t quite bring myself to throw the gingerbread houses away, so I put them out in the snow on the patio table. Maybe one of the seven little squirrels that were chasing each other around the patio a week ago would like a sugar high. Or maybe not. In any case, it made me smile every time I looked out the window while I was cleaning.
Normally, about now, I’d show you all the homemade gifts I made this year. Only I didn’t really make any. On December 22nd, I read this post from Jessica and was inspired by those beanies. I saw them on A Friend to Knit With when they were originally posted, but seeing them on Jessica’s blog too, gave me an idea. I called up my oldest niece and suggested we have a knit night and make some for the girls in the family.
She came over that night, and we had a fun time knitting in front of the warm, cozy fire and watching old episodes of The Office. By the next day we had six hats all knit and packaged up to give to the ladies when we all went bowling. There really are six — four in the picture above, one on me behind the camera and one for MeMum who wasn’t with us. We had lots of fun looking dorky together! (And ahem. I like them much better hugging the head — some of us were a little worried about our bangs!)
I love this pattern and will definitely be making it again. It’s very comfy and knits up just as quickly as Leslie promised. Thanks for a great pattern Leslie!
And one other note: I’ve tried to change my header and background — the holiday look really should go, don’t you think? The new header is drab for winter, but I can’t get it to appear. (Maybe it’s a sign?) I was on the phone with tech support for too long and they’re blaming it on WordPress. (Gee, funny, I was able to change the clock back from red to blue….) I’m not buying it, but don’t really know what to do at this point. So, we may be enjoying peppermint for Easter.
XOXO,
Anna
The guage is two stitches per inch?? Sorry Anna, that would allow way too much freezing air to whistle through the stitches and freeze my ears off. IF I lived in Indiana! Since I don’t I’ll just stand in awe of how you get an idea and straightaway DO it! Wish I could bypass the whole procrastination process the way you seem able to! They sure look cute, I have to admit!
LOVE LOVE LOVE the new header girl!
Great hats and thanks for the link. I love the details in the gingerbread houses and I wonder how on earth that could be topped next Christmas. I hope the squirrels don’t get diabetes, lol. They look cute in the snow.
The new header looks great to me. I love the polka dots. Very nice hats. How fun to have someone to knit with!
Oh I adore the new header.. I am giggling here though, thinking of all these sugared up squirrels.. they may start pounding on your door demanding more sugar!
Lissa
The new header looks good! Is it now the one that you wanted? I am still off work today but have to go back tomorrow. I too took down all the decorations yesterday and the house looks kind of bare – it’s certainly not tidy though – LOL!
Let’s hear it for parachute-packers! I once heard a touching inspirational speech called “Who Packs your Parachute?” by a pilot who was shot down (in Korea? Vietnam? can’t remember..) and held captive, but was grateful to survive, credited the one who carefully packed his parachute. (I think his name was Charlie Plum?)
Loved the idea of sharing the ging. houses w/the squirrels! They do look so sweet out there.
Got your banner straightened out, I see. I like it. I, with you am off to work. Sigh…
WendyBee
Wow, Anna, I guess the holidays were busy for me. I certainly missed some great posts by you. I just adore the gingerbread houses. Always wonderful to see your families interpretation of this wonderful holiday tradition. I think the squirrels will definitely have a holiday sugar high (not that squirrels really need any excess sugar). The knitted caps are just so fun! Great to have someone to sit by the fire and knit with. I think your banner looks great, but I don’t see peppermint, you must have figured that one out. Have a great day at work. Oh and by the way, Happy New Year!!
What great hats and such a lovely project to do together. I have a feeling I may have some suitable wool upstairs so may have to get one made right now!
I see snowy thimbles, BTW.
Now I think I am going to put our gingerbread house outside. Except this house doesnt have nearly as many squirrels as the old house. (THANK GOD!)
Cute hats and I love the picture of the group. Very fun!
well, you must have figured it out cuz the candy canes are gone … i love the new header, too … cute hats! thank you for the link – maybe it’s time here for a sit-down-by-the-non-fire-in-the-not-working-wood-stove-and-knit evening
The jump school vignette is adorable, I love the creativeness behind the annual gingerbread challenge y’all do.
Those hats are great and I want to make one right away. Thank you so much, I’ve been looking for a new knitting pattern that is something I can settle into my chair and work on while watching a movie with my husband.
The banner I see on your blog is thimbles bedecked with snow. It’s a lovely photo and so perfect for your blog during winter. Is that the one you wanted to be seen now?
I’m sure that giving squirrels sugar is akin to playing with fire. Next thing you know, they’ll be ripping up your deck furniture or wanting a ride in your car. LOL!
Your new header is up there for my viewing pleasure. Those little thimbles look cold and cute.
Take care,
Cassie
Love the hats! I’m back at work after a long New Year’s weekend. Boo…
I hope 2010 is great for you!
Jennifer :)
See? The gingerbread contest WAS rigged, I mean, SP even decorated the INSIDE. Next year, the winners don’t 47 people on their team!
I LOVE YOUR HATS! They look so so so much better than the one i knit last year for my neighbor that had cancer. I give her big kudos for not busting into spontaneous laughter when she saw it.
I’m busy knitting something else, and I have to keep knitting them until I’m good at hit, but I see that hat down the road for me.
My youngest LOVES beanies. Lives in them. He is, at this very moment, wearing a lavender and black striped beanie with a big pom pom on the top. No, it’s not terribly embarrassing, why do you ask?
:waves madly
Happy New Year, Anna! OMGosh your annual GBH competition keeps getting better. And love the comment from Cassie which reminded me of how the squirrels treated your outdoor cushions last year and now you are rewarding them. Or are they holding something at ransom? LOL!
Hi Thimbleanna! I love that you put your gingerbread houses out for the squirrels …. I’m sure they will love playing (and eating) with them!!!! Thanks for the beanie pattern. I haven’t knitted a beanie since high school.
I am still seeing the peppermints… I think they can work for easter.. hehehe…
Those hats are too cute and I love how you took the pic!
Peppermint HUGS!
I love the new header! It’s beautiful. I just printed off the pattern to make the beanie. Cute, cute, cute! I don’t wear hats often but, for this one, I might make an exception.
Hope your sugared-up squirrels don’t get hooked on gingerbread houses.;)
Hi Anna! I can see the new banner, yay! Its fantastic, I love it! I have a bit of after holiday blues myself. I read somewhere over the holidays, “Christmas is a spirit not a season” so I’m trying very much to take that to heart. Your hats are simply divine. I saw a really great pattern for this very lovely Icelandic sweater in Interweave Knits Winter 2009 – size 6 needles! Here is the URL in case you want to check it out:
http://www.interweaveknits.com/galleries/bonus/winter-2009/Icelandic-Star.asp
I like the header. I say leave it. And those knit caps are great.
Well I love this kind of randomness. Yes I do!
Lovely woolly hats? Oh yes. Snowy thimbles? Tick. Mini gingerbread hamlet in the snow? Check. Smiles? Mais oui.
Cheers. Three cheers.
xxx
i love your header , but then again I always do — I’ve made a couple of those hats too — very easy , but I always get Milo to model mine lol
Anna you are so productive. I was just thinking about the Kirbster and I going bowling. To funny. Love all the hats. We need a knit nite. xoxo
I love the header – did you put those thimbles in the snow to photograph them or do they grow on trees where you are? :oD
I also love the hats – and the idea of feeding gingerbread houses to squirrels!
Love the colors. Everything always is more beautiful in Thimbleanna land.
Love the header, and love those gingerbread houses in the snow!
Love the header…Very cleaver they are. I eyed up that pattern awhile back but decided on a crocheted one that is still not on the hook yet.
Those hats look warm & cosy! I see snowy thimbles- is that what you wanted? I must think about a new pic for header…decisions decisions..
Oh and Joy for 2010, Hope all your dreams come true!!XX
Grey and drab?! Kind of like the Indiana landscape right now? Don’t go sticking your tongue on one of those thimbles or you will be in trouble! Your header is quite seasonal and lovely.
I’m smiling picturing squirrels on a sugar high!
Those are darling hats! With our 70 degree weather, it’s a bit hard to be thinking I should knit one, however. *sigh*
Oh no! Lesley told me about this hat and now I’m trying to knit it too – but it seems to big……. I’ll cast on again! Lucy x
Ok, so I meant “too” big and I’m sad enough to have to leave another comment to correct it!!!
Love the hats…they look lovely and warm.
I bet the squirrels will think they hit the jackpot when they feast on those houses. They look very at home in the snow.
Aww Anna, those little houses look so cute on the table in the snow…I always feel sad after the Happy Holidays. I need to make something to boost my happy buttons!
I am so laughing at your squirrels being on a sugar high *roflmao*… I can picture them all bug-eyed and hyperactive! Love the beanies! toni xxx
Those two gingerbread houses look lovely sitting on the table in the snow, what a good idea to put them out there. Love those beanies, I’ve printed off the pattern so I can make a couple as well:)
Gorgeous hats and gorgeous pics!!! I love the new header too..
Hugs
Jodie :)
So now you lot are entering into the world of interior design too! Looking forward to seeing inside all your beautiful gingerbread homes next year – will you be making some patchwork icing quilts?
Kimx
Love those hats, could do with one of them today, we have thick snow here.
Love your new banner Anna, it is just perfect for this time of year. And oh I feel so much better now, I too can’t bear to throw away my gingerbread houses for a couple months, so I put them outside and they look great. I thought maybe the birds would eat them, but they didn’t. Our squirrels don’t dare get to close to the house with the dogs around. I’ll be curious to know if the squirrels do nibble on yours, better than eating the patio furniture!! My houses lasted a long time outside, they were as hard as concrete… oh that royal icing.
Hey sister!! Sorry I’ve been a quiet stinker lately, trying to get more computer time. :) I am in love with your gingerbread houses and the knitted hats. And I want to go bowling with you girls too!! I promise to be good and take on some extra hubby time, I’m sure I can find a way to manage…hehe xoxo
now that looks like a knit even I could do Anna! What do you think about some socks out of this yarn? Maybe I should do a trial run!
Does knitting and The Office really go together? Funny!!! Love the beanies.
Jody
The new header is gorgeous!!
WordPress sometimes gives me a headache when I want to upload a new blogheader picture.
Love the beanies. It’s a shame I don’t understand English knitting patterns and my head is too big…LOL!
LOVE LOVE LOVE the hats. I swear I’m finding me a group and I’m gonna learn to do that this year.
I’ll never be good like you but I’ll give it a whirl. Can I crochet one of those???
Love your header/banner. I say leave it.
Great hats, I will add them to my long list of knitting ideas. Right now I am knitting 5 differnt projects xoxoxo Clarice
I know what you mean about the holidays being over too quickly – and having a tidy house (that you know won’t last). But hey I’m sure the snow will go soon and we can all get warm again.
Totally cute toques. I sure could use a warm one here – it was -26C today. Brrrr.