Completed

Well, the stocking went well. I have been given rave reviews and lavish praise, which is great for my ego, but honestly I am just glad that my sister liked it. My niece won't care for a few years yet.

I guess I just want what all aunties and knitters who create things for children want. To create something that a child feels is special. Maybe they drag the blanket you knit around forever, or maybe the toy you make is the one that makes car rides go smoothly. To knit comfort into an object. In a way I have jumped that hurdle with this project and again in the new year when I knit the matching one for my nephew. It's a Christmas stocking, you only get one, and you know what it means when every year it gets pulled out of the decoration box. On that thought, I guess I should give her something to keep critters away. I would hate to see it ruined by little moth mouths.

A note on the pattern. The toe notes I found on ravelry I mentioned last post, but I didn't see any notes on the finishing method. This pattern calls for a turnover row and hem edge. Not a problem, except it wants you to continue in the box colours so there is a bit of a scalloped effect if you are not careful (I thought I was, but apparently not enough) and it asks that you fold it inside and tack down the live stitches. Not really possible using DPN's. So I turned the stocking out and tacked down the stitches that way. I felt that this was a good solution to the finishing, but that tacking down live stitches left a bit of waver in the end result...... so I may try to cast off then tack next time, that way I can pin it into position and hopefully eliminate any bunching.

 I don't think the scalloping of the edge is really any worry, at least not for me, I like it. If I hadn't told you it was an oops, the only way to know would be to find other projects. Any how, to finish it off before I gave it away, I rolled up a towel, stuffed it inside and gave it a good steaming with my iron. Worked like a charm. Hope your Christmas projects turned out well. I will have more next post. Happy New Year!