Tricot en Situ, Dateline: Moscow

I realize that I have sounded a little humbug-ish in my recent posts about Christmas knitting, and it sounds like there have been underwhelming responses from certain recipients of the handknits. In truth, I am hard-pressed to think of any time since I returned to knitting 5 years ago that anyone did not gush appropriately about a knitted gift. Many receivers of the handknit are sure to share the compliments they receive when they wear them; I have had moms send me pictures of babies wearing the sweaters or snuggling blankets I've made.

My family is always the most enthusiastic and appreciative of all the knitted items. They go out of their way to take an interest in my hobby, and this is why they get the bulk of the knitted gifts.

They are also very tolerant and enabling when it comes to the blog. First of all, my darling children (for the most part) leave me alone during the day so I have time to blog. And no one questions me when I insist on taking pictures of their feet. Mr S tolerates me when I constantly tinker with the camera to get the lighting right. My sister had provided lots of behind-the-scenes support for XRK, making improvements to the template, going yarn shopping with me and even contributing a post herself. How lucky I am to have a family that not only supports my little knitting obsession, but encourages my equally strange need to talk ad nauseam about it.

My brother Joe has proved himself to be a worthy recipient of the handknits, and he'd best prepare for some more. Last year, I made him a Here and There Cables scarf, intended to warm him in a Russian winter as he and his wife traveled to adopt a sister for their son. Bureaucracy and incompetence conspired cruelly against them for over a year to delay their trip but finally, during those first few cold December days, my brother and his wife traveled to meet their daughter.

And while he was there, he took my casually requested picture:

"Um, here's this scarf, but if you could just take a picture of it in Red Square, that would be awesome."

With this level of support, traveling over 5000 miles for a special photo-op, he'd better be thinking about what he wants for his next hand knit. Perhaps a hat? A knitted vest? Socks?

But he's going to have to wait in line behind his daughter, who is getting a purple top-down raglan pullover with a big ole' cable down the front.

The new niece's sweater, pictured with the handmade card Joe gave me last year with my membership to Rowan International. Yes, that's Nipsey Russel. With knitting needles. This man deserves more handknits!

For the very first time, my family will be spending Christmas without my brother, as they are going back to Russia to bring home their long-awaited daughter over Christmas, so please wish them safe travels. Merry Christmas to Joe and Dana. We'll miss you terribly.