Oh the Weather Outside...

has been frightful. Starting Sat. night it started to snow, and except for little lulls it kept snowing, and blowing, until last night. The kids had a 2 hour delay for school both Monday and this morning, which meant that ARM did not go to day program, as the bus would get him there just about in time for them to turn around and pick them up again. So he got to walk to middle school. Yesterday was so bad that he turned around, twice, to come back and get more covering. Today the sun is shining, and reflecting off of all that snow, which greatly increases the ambient light around here. This is a good thing, in light of my SAD.
I have completed two little projects that I can talk about, as they are for my visiting teaching sisters. At the beginning of the month we did a dinner and ornament exchange for Relief Society, and while they said, just give an ornament you already had, I couldn't think of one that I wanted to give someone that I didn't want to keep myself, so I knitted a small Christmas stocking. Then my V.T. companion mentioned that we should take something to our sisters, so I knitted a few more. I'll give the last two away tonight. They're just big enough to put 2 mini candy-canes into, and there is a loop for hanging.
If you're not interested, you can stop reading, because the rest of this is just the pattern. I should mention that there are at least two other stocking ornament patterns on the web that I know about, but I've only seen pictures, and didn't see them till after I did the first stocking, so I don't know how similar they are.

Mini Christmas Stocking Ornaments

Supplies: Set of size 3 DPNs
1 skein red Micro-spun yarn, separated into 3 strands.
( I did this as I knit, winding the half I didn't use into a ball )
1 skein white cotton, about size 5 pearl cotton.
this will be enough for several ornaments
a crochet hook, (size is really not an issue here)
a yarn needle.

Cuff CO 24 stitches with white Leaving a long tail to be used to make the hanging ring
place marker at beginning of round
purl 1 round
knit 1 round
purl 1 round
knit 1 round
change to red, and knit all rounds for an inch and a half ending at marker.
Turn Heel
knit the next six stitches , so that the six stitches before and after the marker are on the same needle, place the other 12 stitches on a stitch holder.
Turn
YO, purl back to end of needle (there should now be 13 stitches on the needle) turn
YO, Knit to the last two stitches on the needle, (these should be the YO and the first stitch from the previous row. this is called a pair ) turn
YO, purl to the first pair on the other side , turn
YO, knit to 2 pairs on the left of the needle, turn
YO, pull to the 2 pairs, turn
YO knit to the 3 pairs. You should now have 3 pairs on both sides of the needle. Knit the first stitch of the pair, turn.
YO purl back to the pairs, purl the first stitch of the pair, turn,
YO, knit back just before the first YO you come too. There should now be 2 YO, and then 2 pairs. Slip the YO's and the first stitch of the next pair knit-wise, transfer then back to the left needle, then knit all three tog. Turn
YO, and purl back, again to the 2 YOs and 2 pair. Slip the YO's and first stitch of the next pair purl-wise, and work as before. Turn
YO, Knit back. Work each set of YO's and pairs as described above, until just two Yo are left on each side. Place other stitches back on needles, and return to working around,
Instep
on the first round slip 2 YO and first stitch from the next needle and work as if it were the first stitch of a pair, continue to knit around to the last stitch before the next 2 yo's, and work this in a similar manner. Continue to knit around for about 3/4 of an inch,
Toe: first round:* Knit 3, Knit 2 tog* repeat around
Knit 2 rounds,
*Knit 2, Knit 2 tog* repeat around
knit 1 round
*knit 1, knit 2 tog* repeat around
Knit 1 round
*Knit 2 tog* repeat around
cut thread a ways away from the needles and thread end into a yarn needle. Feed through yarn loops on to and pull tight (I go through twice and then pull, just to be safe)

make a loop with the top white end and chain about 8 to 14 or so stitches, however big you want your loop to be. Fasten off into the cuff, and weave in the ends.