fo: Unanticipated Christmas Stocking, and Another Oops

Folks, I hate all things Christmas when it's still October.  Or honestly, before Remembrance Day on Nov. 11th (do you have that in the States?  Elsewhere?).  But I've unfortunately learned that when you're in retail, especially in yarn-related retail, you kind of need to start thinking Christmas earlier than that.  Mostly because smart knitters and crocheters have started their Christmas creating by now.

Ugh.

So this year (unlike last year), I dived in early and I got a Christmas sample made up.

AND IT'S SO CUTE I COULD DIE.

Okay, so it's not very traditional for Christmas, but whatever I knit a Christmas stocking.  And do I know my customers?  Yes I do, because I had a lady with her friend come in just as I hung this sucker up and promptly freaked out about the adorable little sheep and decided to make one herself.

Though we had a good laugh because she loved my colour choices but didn't want to copy me.  Oh my dear, it's not like we'll be wearing these stockings out and get all embarrassed because OH NO WE HAVE IDENTICAL CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS YOU HORRIBLE COPY CAT YOU.  :)

Seriously though, who can resist that sheep?!  I couldn't - the sheep is precisely why I knit a stupid Christmas thing in October.  Stupid cute sheep.

Pattern: Christmas Stocking #103, by Briggs & Little
Yarn: Briggs & Little Heritage (with a bit of Custom Woolen Mills 2 ply Mulespinner, because I had a bit of cream and brown on hand for the sheep)
Mods: Only did 3 sections on the leg; changed up the heel flap for my standard heel flap method; lengthened foot of sock; did contrast heel/toe.

I loved working with this pattern, and B&L yarn permanently lives in my yarny heart.  The pattern was great because it has multiple charts you can choose from on the leg, so you have mix and match to your hearts content.  I kind of want to knit another one in blue with a snowflake theme!

Though not right away because I have way too much else to do.  For every project I show here, there's at least 3 that I've finished that I never blog about.  Certain bits of owning and operating a shop is getting easier, which frees up more time to deal with all the other stuff I never realized I should've been doing!  Haha oops.

That doesn't meant that I'm not making time for personal project though.  For instance, winter is officially here in Whitehorse, and that means that the floors of my basement suite is getting DAMN COLD.  Being a knitter, that means that I have to knit myself new thick woolen socks.  Obviously.  And when Custom Woolen Mill's CMW 4 ply sock yarn arrived, I knew immediately that they were the One.

And despite telling myself I couldn't start it until I finished a different store project and 2 repair jobs, tonight my hands conspired with my cold feet, said screw that, and I got the cuff of an ankle sock knit.

Oops.