"It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

...everywhere you go." -- all 'round my house, anyway!

Of course, when November opens with a snowstorm -- and when another happens two weeks later -- and then the temps drop below -20 C (-26 C with the Wind Chill)...I've been hunkered down with my kitties, and Christmas handwork has begun in earnest.

One of my cousins "back East" is expecting his first grand-baby sometime in December, so a crib quilt is under construction.  When I asked Grandma-to-be what colours Mom-and-Dad-to-be would like, she replied, "Well, S is rather fond of black.  In fact, it took some persuading to keep her from wearing it to her wedding!"

Ahem.  Well.  "So..." I replied, "How about black and white with a touch of red?" G-to-be smiled.  Good!

I turned to a favourite "old" (not vintage) pattern: Magic Tiles from Kathleen Bissett.  When I first began to quilt almost twenty years ago now (!), this pattern was all the rage for a while.  I believe it was the fore-runner of 'Stack 'n' Whack' and that sort of thing -- where you slice and dice your fabric and re-arrange it to come up with wonderful combinations of colour and shape.  I made a good half-dozen of these, and it remains a staple in my pattern repertoire.  This time I am making it a bit smaller -- nine blocks instead of twelve, and I haven't decided on a border yet.  This is in part due to the fact that it's been a bit tougher to find enough variety in fabric -- and no, I didn't have much BW&R in my stash!

So...nine blocks it is, with grey sashing ("grout"), thanks to my friend C for that inspiration.  Here's the stack of 'em on my cutting table, awaiting the last cut and shift:

It wouldn't be Christmas around here without some knitting.  In addition to the mittens under construction, there will be a pair of thick-and-quick neck warmers for my neighbours (who keep my sidewalks and driveway blown out every winter, often more than once!) and a hat for a Certain Young Lady who's fond of my son.  Then there's a ruffle scarf that's been requested by my dear Sis...and perhaps some slippers...

So Pookie's been helping me decide patterns and yarns:

I won't say any more that that, because some of the recipients actually read this blog!

With all these starts, there have been a few finishes.  "Posh Poppies" goes in the mail today.  All three aprons for the Dec. 1 Open House and Tea at the Mirror & District Museum have been assembled; there's just a wee bit of hand-stitching to do at each waistband.  And my 15" x 15" piece for the current theme, "Connected", needs just a bit of tacking at the edging, plus a label and sleeve.  All will be revealed on that front at the deadline, November 30.

With Hanukkah just over a week away, I also managed to finish the wee "Gelt Bag" -- a free pattern from DMC, using their Metallics Light Effects floss.  This floss is a bit tricky to work with, but as long as you keep the lengths short, you can tame it!  The pattern calls for a pre-made bag, but not having time to mail order one (this is a shop sample and it's late as it is!) I made my own from 14-count Aida cloth, a wee it of lace and some ribbon.  If I were to make another, I'd do the design before assembly, as it's rather a challenge to stitch with your hand inside a little sack!

In other finishes, there were two Mont Blanc hats completed for the store last week -- but that darned Bravo Mezzo yarn wouldn't quit, so I made up these:

Maine Morning Mitts
Clara Parkes
The Knitter's Book of Yarn

And this preemie-sized cap -- with still a bit of the white left over -- a "loaves and fishes" moment!

And that's all my news for this WIP Wednesday.  I'm hooking up with The Needle and Thread Network...and going off to finish those Magic Tiles blocks!