Ten on Tuesday

It's time to get in the holiday spirit and what better way to do that than by enjoying some Christmas music!  This week's prompt from Carole is....

 10 Favorite Christmas Albums

1. A Fresh Aire Christmas by Mannheim Steamroller.  If truth be told, 1-5 should be Mannheim albums because we have them all and listen to all of them every year. Repeatedly!  But I'm going to consider them only once.  I chose this album because of Veni, Veni.  There is something about this piece that just speaks to me.  Here is a link for you to enjoy if you'd like

2. Smooth Jazz Christmas by Dave Koz and Friends. I discovered Dave Koz a few years ago and really enjoy his music. He's a talented Jazz musician!
3. A Very Special Christmas, the first one that has the red cover.  We have a little dance party to Run Rudolph Run by Bryan Adams every year :-)
4. Boogie Woogie Christmas by Brian Setzer Orchestra.  There is a song on this album called Cactus Christmas that is my husband's favorite.  Imagine a cowboy singing about Christmas, by the campfire with his trusty horse, and you've got the vibe.  Fun album!
5. Miracles: The Holiday Album by Kenny G.  I find this to be a nice instrumental album
6. December by George Winston.  This is a classic and one I find to be soothing.
7. On a Cold Winter's Night by Ed Gerhard. Ed is a local musician for me, and when I say local, I mean he lives and records in my town.  He is an amazing guitarist and the benefit concert he does every year at our Grange Hall/Community Club is a sold out/ standing room only affair.
8. Christmas by Michael Buble.  He is a smooth crooner and we enjoy him very much!

And now, I'm drawing a blank.  Don't you just hate it when that happens?  But from reading the lists of the few other people that are participating this week, I am looking forward to getting the James Taylor at Christmas album and the Peanuts: A Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack.

Enjoy the Holidays!

Vodka Gimlet

I am so excited to show you this finished sweater! I have finished my Vodka Gimlet and I love it. It is knit top down in one piece, mostly stockinette, but has just the right amount of detail to dress it up.

This beautiful slipped stitch detail is at the waist and since I was able to try this on as I went, I managed to place it almost perfectly.  I probably could have started it a bit earlier than I did, but it's close enough.  You can also see that the detail is knit again at the hem line.

The detail is also on the collar.  There is a little bit of short rowing on the collar to give it just a bit of a shawl collar.  It's small enough that it can be worn folded over a bit or standing up.

I'm also pretty pleased with how well I did picking up for the collar.  I got it on my first try!  There's no puckering or bunching and I had the right number of stitches to make the 2x2 rib end where I wanted it to.

The yarn is The Plucky Knitter Primo Worsted in the color Barn Door.  I got this at the Plucky Knitter Trunk Show at Another Yarn in January where I also had the pleasure of meeting Sarah, dyer extraordinaire, her sister Hayley, who helped me pick out 8 well matched skeins for this, and Thea, who is the wonderful designer Babycocktails.

Now that this sweater is finished, and I'm so happy with it, all I want to do is cast on 3 more Babycocktail designs!  I really need to knock out a few Christmas gifts though first.  I'm tempted though... Maybe I can use that as incentive :-)