December is one of my favoite months. Not because of Christmas, or the long break from schoo, but because it is a festive, colorful break from the drab bleakness of November. In accordance, the theme for December is:

Knit something C O L O R F U L

Do you need some inspiration?
December 1st is the day of many celebrations, both nation- and world-wide. Today, we celebrate World AIDS Day, Eat a Red Apple Day and Rosa Parks Day; already, on the first day, we have a theme of RED

The flower for December is the Narcissus---delicate white, which also matches the 5 inches of snow I woke up to this morning for the first time this season.

The December stone is Blue Topaz or Turquoise; Hanukkah is associated with Blue and White because they are the colors of the Israeli flag.

Celebrate Kwanza--family, community and culture-- with Red, Black and Green.

My favorite Holiday Song--Silver and Gold! Wouldn't that make a fabulous Fun Fur capelet or scarf to wear to those holiday paarties and new year's eve!

Pointsettia Day is Dec. 12th ... I prefer the pink ones, myself.

Celebrate all those pine needles on your floor by knitting something green!


This is a GREAT challenge for those of you who want to try your first colorwork project--using more than one color in a row! OR, if you're already knitting SOMETHING, and it's a COLOR (as opposed to clear!) you get to participate too!!!! Remember, you can participate in the challenge without starting a brand new project--work it into those presents you'll be furiously knitting over the next few weeks!

Happy Knitting :-)

:cheering: YAYYYYYYYYYY!!! :cheering:

Everything on my to-do list has a color! GREAT one, Hild!!!

Great idea Hildie! Every holiday gift can be included in one way or another, and it's an opportunity for people to do the "some day I'm gonna try that color work." :cheering:

Hmm, so the cream colored NEBB I'm working on probably doesn't qualify. :thinking:

But I AM getting ready to try my first adult hat, and it'll be in a Manos colorway - that counts right? :happydance: (my first KAL!)

Everything I'm knitting is a color! Yay for me! :roflhard:
I think I'm going to use this as a sign that I need to finish my self-"striping" socks. :rollseyes:

How fun!

Does black or white count as a color? How about puke green? :roflhard: :roflhard: :roflhard:


(unfortunately, I am not kidding. Those are the lovely colors I have on the needles right now!)

Fun fun fun. I'm knitting some yellow and blue slipper socks so I guess that counts :D

YAY!!! I'm partcipating too! I'm working on a black and red striped winter set for 3 yo DS... I've got three other sets to complete, one striped, two in wild varis. Then I've got a ton of camo yarn to make into socks.
Gonna be a colourful month here too {esp with my words if I keep making all the mistakes I have been lately!}. :roflhard:

Thanks for making this an easy-but-festive one, Hildie!

Woo hoo!! :cheering: I'm participating:

FT clogs (starting this weekend) in cherry blossom...

booga in carrot & chestnut (thought I'd ordered pumpkin and maple syrup...I think I was hungry)

socks in green, socks in Simple Stripes Autumn

hat in red

....More color to come!

What an excellent transition from last month! I felted my mittens (a first for me!) last night and today I will be making my first attempt at colorwork. The brim of my hat will have a band of diagonal stripes. I'm making it to match my moebius that was made with Manos "Prairie" colorway. I found a much less expensive yarn in matching colors. The mittens and most of the hat are dark brown, the band will be brown, light rust and maroon. I'm so happy!!

I guess I am in too. (As long as self striping yarn counts!) I am doing fingerless mittens in KP Sock Landscape. And a cape for my dd in Noro Kurieyon.

um, do the four simple ponchos in self-striping foliage that I'm making for gifts count? 'Cause I'm all over this challenge if they're eligible!

um, do the four simple ponchos in self-striping foliage that I'm making for gifts count? 'Cause I'm all over this challenge if they're eligible!

Yeah! I've got some self striping colorful yarn for socks, and some colorful WOTA for my bag! Great idea for a simple KA for the holidays!

:happydance: :happydance: YAY I'm in...I cast on yesterday for Backyard Leaves scarf using WOTA in fern...my only color projects this month will be this ensemble....then I go to tan & gray shawls ;)
Oh...and, give ME all of your projects bc my bday is this month...Hilde should have added that, but forgot :thumbsup:

YAY!!!!

I really tried to make it as EASY to participate as possible. I guess if what you're knitting has a holiday color theme (red, green, blue) it can count as extra special :cheering:

And yes, cream, puke green, white and black are colors. :roflhard: CLEAR is not a color :-) Self-striping yarn counts!

I would like to see some colorwork going on... spread your wings, people! Venture into the the realm of discovery! hey the anniversary of the Pilgrims landing on Plymouth Rock is in December--follow in their foorsteps and explore new (knitting) territory!

I would like to see some colorwork going on... spread your wings, people! Venture into the the realm of discovery! hey the anniversary of the Pilgrims landing on Plymouth Rock is in December--follow in their foorsteps and explore new (knitting) territory!

That is really something I am dying to try however I am going to have to wait until after Christmas. Too many projects still to do for Christmas.

And yes, cream, puke green, white and black are colors. Rolling On Floor Laughing Hard CLEAR is not a color Smiling Self-striping yarn counts!


So what you're saying is pretty much anything goes. ;)

I've never seen clear yarn.. might make an interesting sweater and it would certainly draw attention. ;) :roflhard: :roflhard:

And yes, cream, puke green, white and black are colors. Rolling On Floor Laughing Hard CLEAR is not a color Smiling Self-striping yarn counts!


So what you're saying is pretty much anything goes. ;)

I've never seen clear yarn.. might make an interesting sweater and it would certainly draw attention. ;) :roflhard: :roflhard:

You can buy some at www.emperor'stailors.com ;)

I JUST picked out a REALLY RED color to use on a project I am knitting for a friend. YAY! I'm in! My first KAL.

[You can buy some at www.emperor'stailors.com ;)

HAHAHAHA I always wondered how they made his new clothes!

;) That was a good one, Ingrid :D !!
I, too, have all sorts of color (mosaic, fairisle, intarsia, u name it) work & other things planned ..... for after I finish my current project list.... BUT I did cast on in a color that I've never used before :happydance: :happydance: I say that & when my new A Knitting Glossary DVD (http://www.knitpicks.com/books/books_display.aspx?itemid=80250) that my :inlove: sweetums :inlove: ordered for my for my bday gets here...there's no telling what I will do!! 4 hours of EZ on dvd...just WOW!!! And a friend of mine that is a good friend of Meg Swansen tells me that all of EZ's videos are going to be put on dvd in 2006 :cheering: :cheering: :cheering: :cheering:

I am making scarves with 5 strands of eyelash yarn (each a different color) and using size 17 needles. They will be my "Fiesta" Long and Skinny scarves.

I also just started my Rogue Hoodie in KP Merino Honey colored yarn. :cheering:

Ok this is cheating, so don't worry, I'll work on something else for this KAL....but here's a green hat I just finished!!! It fits in November's KAL too, b/c it was the first time I knitted using the stranding method for the different colors. I learned how to knit English style with this hat.

And yes, cream, puke green, white and black are colors. Rolling On Floor Laughing Hard CLEAR is not a color Smiling Self-striping yarn counts!


So what you're saying is pretty much anything goes. ;)

I've never seen clear yarn.. might make an interesting sweater and it would certainly draw attention. ;) :roflhard: :roflhard:

You can buy some at www.emperor'stailors.com ;)

:roflhard: :roflhard: :roflhard: :roflhard:

Hmm.. I'll participate. :)

I'm double knitting a off white and an olive green hot pad for my mom. :D

And knitting everyone in my family something... will have to take pictures of my neices booties that I am going to make for her :)


ahhh such fun knitting :XX:

I've been meaning to learn how to add color with a technique such as using a color chart, and your color challenge seems like a good time to try! Anybody have a suggestion for a first, easier project for learning how to knit with color? A hat maybe? Hmmm :thinking:

Holly

The flower for December is the Narcissus---delicate white, which also matches the 5 inches of snow I woke up to this morning for the first time this season.



Gosh, you are so fortunate! It's only like in the 70s here...

I really want to get in on this challenge... I only hope I have the time :shock:

And Holly, try doing a mosaic knitted hat, it's a really simple technique with hardly any weaving in of the ends! I'm going to try this technique again soon.

I'm in if I can combine last month's challenge with this month's challenge. The hat I am knitting (for me for the first time) is black with chunks of bright color. Beautiful!! I chose the perfect yarn for it since I haven't ever found any yarn that was me before! (see 2 firsts :D )

I cast on for socks last night using Knitpicks Simple Stripes in Tropics. That's probably the most colorful yarn I've used, not that it's very wintery.

This will be a FIRST for me. I'm going to do a RED APPLE dishcloth. :)
Susie

great! all the projects sound fantastic!

I lost the ******ing cord to connect my *******ing camera to the ******* computer, so I can't take a picture of my nephew's uber-ugly hat! But it's done, in 5 hideous colors of WOTA. (colors that look nice in general, just not together! but he picked them!)

well, no that's a lie. I can take the picture, I just can't show it to you all. yet!

Hmm... would using a multi-colored yarn be allowed? Or do we have to do color changes?

This will be a FIRST for me. I'm going to do a RED APPLE dishcloth. :)
Susie

I changed my mind already. LOL, I MIGHT make the three crosses dishcloth in red for the blood of Christ and white trim for his purity http://www.knittingknonsense.com/3crossescloth.html OR do a dishcloth with musical notes on it for all the great Christmas music. http://www.knittingknonsense.com/musicnotes.html OR maybe a fish for Christ feeding the fish in green. http://www.crochetnmore.com/betsythebass.htm
I really don't know what I'm doing. LOL,
Susie

Here's some more inspiration for you...
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/multidirectional/

This is the Y! group of Iris Schreier, the author of Modular Knits. If you subscribe, you can find all of her tutorials in the files section of the group, and you'll also get tutorials in your e-mail.

I think I'm going to try the Bulls Eye Square today at the YA-YA meeting.

Ok I am annoyed. I finished the hat. (November-December project?) It was made with smaller yarn than I used on my mother's, but it is bigger :?? The ribbing is also not stretchy. I have never had this problem before. I am going to try sewing the ribbing with elastic thread to make it stretchy and I will let you know if it came out better. :thinking:

Well, I finally bit the bullet and did colorwork that required more than two colors. :shock: I'm skeered of weaving in all those freakin' ends...but it's off the needles!

The bottom pattern was supposed to be repeated above the hearts but that would have mede for one freakishly tall hat. And I really wish I'd done a roll-brim instead of ribbing...but oh well...all in all it wasn't that painful, and I'll let it out of the house. ;)

Ok the hat is now a ball of yarn. My youngest daughter said that it looked like a shower cap (pretty much echoing my thoughts). I am going to reknit it into a different kind of hat/scarf combination thing. I will keep you posted.

Well, I finally bit the bullet and did colorwork that required more than two colors. :shock: I'm skeered of weaving in all those freakin' ends...but it's off the needles!

The bottom pattern was supposed to be repeated above the hearts but that would have mede for one freakishly tall hat. And I really wish I'd done a roll-brim instead of ribbing...but oh well...all in all it wasn't that painful, and I'll let it out of the house. ;)

It looks wonderful the way it is! Great job!!

Okay, I think I combined the November/December KAL's into one- I originally said that I was going to try socks for the November KAL. I realized that it wasn't going to happen, and did my first hat instead. For December, I did manage my first sock, and it is colorful!!

Julie, beautiful hat!!!

Margie, great socks!!

Love the hat AND the socks!!!!

My birthday is tomorrow, do I get stuff too? :D

I'm working on a red scarf in Sidar Snowflake for my mother in law. Hopefully I get it done. This is one hard yarn to use! It's so soft though, that I think it will be worth it. I hope! ;)

My birthday is tomorrow, do I get stuff too? :D


Hey, mine is tomorrow, too! Great day for a birthday! ;)

Wow, no kidding...blocking colorwork does really make all the difference. I just finished and it feels like a different hat! :D

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Jan and Ilikesoup!! :cheering: :cheering:

I'm almost finished with my KAL project - a hat I started on Friday night, done in a Manos colorway (my first adult hat!). Problem is this - I'm knitting along :XX: , totally enjoying the yumminess of the manos wool :heart: , and suddenly it occurs to me :doh: . The person I'm making this for (dh's ds) is a vegan :shock: . Does this mean he doesn't wear wool? :thinking: I'm afraid it does. :( The only way to find out if he wears wool or not is to kind of blow the surprise of a knitted Christmas gift. So I'm in a bit of a conundrum. :??

Oh well. DH really likes the hat and wants it if his son won't have it. I guess I need to decide if I'm willing to go ahead and knit another hat in a non-animal fiber, just in case.... :rollseyes:

[I'm trying to set a personal record for most number of smilies in one post.... :happydance:

:balloons: Happy Birthday, Jan & ILikeSoup!!! :balloons:


My Dec. project is a pair of socks for DD using Lion Brand Magic Stripes Jelly Bean that I had left over from my niece's hat. It knits up *much* nicer into socks ... duh huh ... maybe that's why it's SOCK YARN?! :??

I didn't *intend* for this to be my Dec. project, but since I've started them, and they're colorful, WHY NOT? :D

Edited to add picture ...

wow that's a bright sock!!!!

Earth chick, you can always KEEP the hat for YOURSELF!

:roflhard: Julie, that sock looks strangely familiar....

:roflhard: Julie, that sock looks strangely familiar....

Whoa! That's really weird! Mine isn't really as bright as it looks in that picture. It's the fault of the really bad cell phone camera I used. I'll take a better picture when I have more time.

Right now I'm supposed to be putting on some make-up and getting ready to go to a Christmas party at Loyola. I'd rather be knitting on the sock. :oops:

The person I'm making this for (dh's ds) is a vegan :shock: . Does this mean he doesn't wear wool?

Vegans don't wear wool?? I thought they just didn't EAT animal products; I had no idea they also didn't WEAR them! What if it does no harm to the animal? I really thought it was a GOOD thing to shear sheep, etc. Very interesting. :thinking: I guess I won't be knitting anything for my vegan hair dresser, either, then.

I would ASK. I think that "orthodox" vegans dont wear animal products...but Im not sure that ALL dont.

yea, I knew some "vegans" and it didnt matter...anything associated was like forbidden.

I use quotes because the said people were contradictory against their words with some issues.

I think that with wool it would be fine because they dont hurt the animal during that.

Yeah, I think I'm going to have to ask b/c I definitely think it depends on the vegan. I once had a vegan roommate who ate honey. So the first time dh's son visited us right after we were married, I made this big pot of what I thought was vegan soup only to find out he couldn't/wouldn't eat it because it had honey in it! :doh:

He has relaxed somewhat on the honey issue, depending on whether it comes from a "humane" source or not. So I guess it would depend on whether or not I can determine if the wool came from an ethical source. Its Manos wool, so at least I was helping out a women's collective by purchasing it, so maybe that will be in my favor! :happydance:

Meanwhile, I finished the hat earlier tonight. I must say it looks pretty great! Will post pics when I can. If dss won't have it, dh and I may be fighting over who gets to keep it! I want him to have it, and he wants me to have it (he thinks it looks good on me, even though I knit the man's size and picked out what I thought were more masculine colors).

Now I'm back to knitting my NEBB and may be redoing my toddler hats soon. I made mistakes with the shaping of both of those and think I'm ready for another go at making them right. I may branch out and try doing stripes for the first time ever! :D

I finished the first of my colorful socks