I’ve been a bad blogger. During the month of November, I was involved in National Novel Writing Month (NanoWrimo) and wrote so much on other things that I neglected the Castoffs blog. Sorry! I’ll try to catch up now that December is here. Nothing going on in this month, right?

We met at the church in front of the cozy fireplace again, and a good thing. It was below zero outside, but the Castoffs were warm and dry inside. Aah. There’s a lot to be said for warmth. Don’t know how the human race survived open fires during an Ice Age. Must’ve been all that mammoth meat.

Marylane has stepped outside the knitting box lately with needle point pictures and silk screening classes. She took an awesome class in Lakeside with artist Julie Wolf and silk-screened a beautiful scarf. I love the little snowmen!

Marylane is almost finished with the needlepoint picture for her brother and his new wife. It’s very unlike the old-fashioned chair covers that are traditionally seen in needlepoint. I love it.

Julie is ready to felt a hat for her mother. Here is the pre-felted shot. Uh, it’s amazing what a little hot water and agitation will do to wool. Hopefully, we’ll see the finished result, but it could be winging its way to Wisconsin by our meeting time.

Julie was knitting a baby sweater – very cute – for a co-worker. Seems like she knits a lot of baby gifts for co-workers. This one is a pattern similar to the one that Linda knit for her great-niece last year. Very sweet. I love the self-striping yarn.

I finally finished the afghan that I have been working on since last Christmas! Yay! I started it last fall, but realized that it wasn’t going to be done by Christmas, so I put it away until this fall. It is knit with two strands of worsted yarn held together, so very heavy. Hope it will keep my brother-in-law warm. It kept me warm while I was working on it.

Jim’s afghan.

Mary is knitting a skirt for her daughter, Larissa. It’s the same pattern that several Castoffs have knit for daughters or friends with lace around the hem and then stockinette for the rest of the skirt. Very pretty and looks better on thin girls – ha.

Hard to see the intricate lace, but it’s very pretty.

Mary had finished the owl hat for her granddaughter, Aurora, and sent me a photo to include in the blog. So adorable! Both the hat and the girly.

Francy is knitting a hat for her youngest grandson, Owen.

And Linda begged me not to put another photo of this scarf on the blog, but I’m doing it anyway. So there.

The final two snaps I have are of Castoffs in action – knitting, knitting, talking and knitting. Two things we do very well.

Not sure what point Deb was making, but it was emphatic!

Serenity.

We meet one more time at the church, and then it’s the Christmas party at my house! Yay! Appetizers and wine, white elephant exchange and perhaps some more wine. ‘Tis the season, Castoffs. Keep those needles blazing and wear your snow boots. It’s getting deep out there.