Bah Humbug

Two weeks until Christmas, and here's where things are at:

* Christmas cards written -> 0
* trees put up -> 0
* cookies baked -> 0
* cards addressed -> 0
* presents wrapped -> 0
* halls decked -> 0

It's very unChristmas-like around here.


It really isn't like me to be so Scrooge-y. I'm not sure what my problem is this year. (Okay, I have an idea - but it's best not to get into it.) With two weeks to go, I'd better get myself in gear and start spreading cheer instead of doom and gloom.

At least the Christmas knitting is coming along. I started a hat, but thought it was coming out too small.


Since I liked it, I decided to finish it up anyway, knowing there would always be a little head around to gift it to. But, wonder of wonders, it turned out to be the right size. It's blocking now, and I'll share all the details next time.

Hello December

My goal last month was to reduce my outstanding WIPs by one third. I had 10 projects going, so if I had only 6 there in December I'd consider it a success! Although I only finished two, I bit the bullet last week and frogged three. So I consider it a great success, as I am down to five things to finish up.

Sunrise Circle DONE!!
Ampersand Socks DONE!!
Blanket for Charlie - FROGGED!!
Pillars of Atlantis socks - FROGGED!!
Snowflake Shawl - FROGGED!!

Of course, December is not your normal month. It's CHRISTMAS KNITTING MONTH!! Although I've knit a pile of gifts as part of Holiday Headstart, I'd like to squeak out a few more small ones.

I also joined the Top 10 Stash Projects KAL. The idea is to choose 10 projects you will knit with stash yarn from December 1 to March 31. During this time, no yarn shopping will be done (with an exception for charity knitting or yarn to give as a gift).

Click button for details

Goodness knows I could knit endless projects with all my stash yarn, so it was easy to choose 10. It's a mix of Christmas knitting, those last five WIPs, and a few new things for myself at the end as a reward.

1. Beaded Gloves from Handknit Holidays
2. Swiffer Cover - pdf link
3. Hats (does anyone have good suggestions for a chemo cap for a man?)
4. Finish my Perfect Pie Shawl

5. Finish Tahoe

6. Finish the Casino Shawl

7. Finish my Mystery Stole

8. Finish up my Ribbed Socks

9. More socks (I've got enough sock yarn to knit for years!!)
10. Felted Bag (maybe Sophie?)

Whew!! December is always a busy month, so we'll see how far I get by January. I'm not going to put unrealistic expectations on myself . . . we'll just see how it goes.

Friday Frogging Frenzy

In the ongoing effort to clear out my UFOs and WIPs, I've decided that any project that

1. I don't love knitting
2. I don't think will fit or
3. I'm just not sure about

will need to be frogged.

And today is F-Day. Frogging Frenzy Friday.

First on the lily pad is a blanket I started for Charlie.

It was with Lion Homespun from my stash, and less than one row in I realized I hated knitting with this yarn. I soldiered on, but didn't get very far. Then I put it down and haven't touched it in weeks. I thought about it, and Charlie really couldn't care less about a hand knit blanket. I'm sure I'll still make him one some day, but it will be out of yarn I love to knit. I want happy vibes in his blanket. So, rip . . . rip . . . rip.

The next project to make the leap from WIP back to stash really hurt me. It was my Pillars of Atlantis socks.

I love the pattern, love the yarn even more, and love the sock so much. But it was coming out way too small. After finally facing up to that fact, the only option was to rip. Both the pattern and the yarn will be paired up with better partners some day.

The last project to take a plunge into the frog pond was my Snowflake Shawl.

To be honest, I really cast this on because I wanted to knit the Casino Shawl but thought it was too hard for me. I later decided to give Casino a try, and put Snowflake aside. I hadn't knit much on it, maybe an hour or so, and it seems best just to let it go. Maybe I'll start it again some day. Maybe I won't.

Believe it or not, it feels good to have ripped out three projects. It's very freeing. Hopefully I can resist the urge to cast on six more now!!

Cameos?

I'm a firm believer in giving people what they want. I love to make people happy. So when Heide expressed a wish that Charlie had made a cameo appearance with the socks in my last post, I knew he and I would have to team up for my next post.

This morning, I carefully laid out the UFO that got moved up to WIP status last week so you could have a look. I artfully placed Charlie in the shot. Unfortunately, all of the pictures turned out something like this . . .

In fact, that is the best of the bunch. It's not that Charlie thinks he's too good for the blog. The problem is, simply, he loves me. He wants to be where ever I am, and kept following me around so he could rub up against my leg. (I shutter to think of the readers who might come to my blog after Googling that last phrase!!)

The only solution? Let him follow me around until he's ready for a nap, and then move the photo shoot to him.

That's more like it!! A cute shot of Charlie with my Perfect Pie Shawl!! I started this project in August of 2006. No, that's not a typo. 2006. When I put it down, I had one wedge done. I'm not quite sure why it got stuck in the UFO bin, because I've always liked it. I guess I just got distracted. In the past week I've completed two more wedges.

Three more to go, and then the edging, and this old UFO will be a FO! As for Charlie, he's done too. All the photographic excitement has tired him out and he's once again sleeping soundly by my feet. The life of a blog star is a tough one!

Ampersand

The socks I started the day after Rhinebeck have been finished for over a week. Why haven't I posted them? Well, I kept trying to think of a fun, witty post to go along with my new favorite socks. I tried and tried, but my fun and wit are no where to be found. So, may I present, in boring blogger fashion, my Ampersand Socks.

Ampersand Socks
Cast On: 21 October 2007
Complete: 16 November 2007
Yarn: Socks That Rock Medium weight in Garnet Dreams (bought at Rhinebeck)
Needles: US2 (3 mm) Knit Picks 24" Circulars

The pattern was great and knit up very fast. And this skein of yarn has broken my Blue Moon Curse. No breaks and no pooling! Third times a charm, and I'm sure my other two skeins will behave much better now that they see what pretty socks they could become. Hurray, I knew all those Socks that Rock fans couldn't be wrong.