The Frogging Pond

The sock yarn was being obstinate, so it went to the frog pond. The toe-up sock is no more. I'm going to try and do them while I'm off work for the holidays, but there's no telling what I'll actually get done. I'm planning on getting up early, just like normal, and I should be able to get some progress on a project or two for the week. At least that's my plan. We'll see how it turns out.

Dear Knitter,

I'm really sorry; this just isn't working for me. It's not you, it's me. I'm not ready for this kind of commitment. Maybe if you had cast me on a different way, or chosen a different pattern, or had done a gauge swatch first, it would have turned out differently. But I just don't want to be knit this way. I hope we can still be friends.

Sincerely,
Toe-up Socks (aka Secret Christmas knitting project)

Almost progress

I am still having issues with the secret Christmas knitting I was doing, that's not really going to make it to Christmas. The Baudelaire is still stuck, and I really need Elizabeth Zimmermann's books. I didn't realize that those books apparently hold the key for me. I'm going to attempt to find them either at the library or cheap somewhere. Maybe I can order them off Amazon cheap, or I'll get them for Christmas...but I don't remember putting them on my list. They'll be there next year. Off to work...I only have 2 more days this week, then I'm off for a whole week! Woot!

Christmas is coming...

and I'm trying to get everything in order. Fortunately, I have a handy-man at home during the day to help out with regular chores and some special things, like putting books up. I love my hubby dearly. He works hard to make sure our sweet boy is taken care of and the house is mostly clean. I say mostly clean, because, well, let's face it, men just don't clean like women do. Men don't see the dust on the tops of the curtains, or blinds, and they don't see the grime that's wedged itself into the crevices of the baseboards. It's not their fault...they're just men. Women, on the other hand, see each speck of dust, dirt, grime, muck and filth, whether it's visible to the naked eye or not. We're hyper-critical of cleanliness...surely something we've developed over the centuries. Let's face it...when our ancestors had dirt floors, it was hard for things NOT to be dusty and dirty. Not to mention we could barely see inside, because you were lucky if you had more than one window. Glass was expensive, and electricity hadn't been harnessed yet. However, it has allowed us more things, and better technology, even if that technology isn't always the best. We'd get mroe exercise without washing machines and dishwashers, but we also wouldn't get as much time to play with our children. It's a toss-up.

At any rate, Christmas is quickly approaching, and the knitting is not progressing as well as I had hoped. Fortunately, I have a back-up plan. I already bought a gift for the one person I was planning on giving a handmade gift to, so if I don't finish it for this year, it's not a complete loss. We're on budget for Christmas giving as well, which is nice. I've started a spreadsheet (can you say OCD, Type A, Anal-Retentive personality coming out now?) for this year's Christmas gifts. The good thing is that it will make next year a little easier to track, so we don't repeat gifts. Here's another fun option...something some people will think is cheap, and others inventive. Don't hate...appreciate. Try the Dollar Stores for gifts and decorations. Some times you can find some really nice little gifts for stockings or even just as regular gifts. You can create a gift basket for less than $10, and although it's not name-brand items (Bath & Body Works, FAO Schwartz kinds of things), most people don't know the difference. You can get nice decorations there as well, if you're picky. I found votives there for a centerpiece, and it's going to be awesome looking. Shoot, if you're willing to put in a little work, you can do a lot of things on a little budget. As a matter of fact, I think this year we might have a better Christmas than ever, with cheaper gifts than ever before. I believe we should focus on the people, rather than the gifts. After all, isn't Christmas all about One Person? It should be about Jesus, and a focus on the Ultimate Gift God gave us...His Son.

Back to knitting and off my soapbox, I haven't decided what to do about the yarn for the Baudelaire yet. I also found my LYS is having a sock club this next year for $95 for 12 months! That's an incredible deal. I'm thinking about signing up for it, and using that for my Christmas gifts next year. What better gift than handmade socks for each member of my family?

MIA

Somewhere, I have a couple of knitting needles that are missing the rest of their family. Somehow, I have lost them. Maybe lost isn't the right word...misplaced? Temporarily hid? In any case, I've still managed some progress on the Christmas gift and Baudelaire. I have to admit though, the Baudelaire has lost its appeal since the yarn has become tangled beyond control. This is getting to the point where I feel like cutting it and starting again.

I'm still convinced about trying the whole double-knit socks and I'm thinking about doing them on a magic loop, if I get a good gift at Christmas. I asked for the Knit Picks Options set, but I don't think I'll get it. If not, I'm going to a LYS and picking up a LONG circular needle and 2 balls of sock yarn. I want to be the knitting wizard, and do 2 socks, toe-up, at the same time. I don't know if doing a lace or cabled pattern is possible that way, but it sounds like fun to me.

Pattern stash

I have realized I have 94 sock patterns...just sock patterns! If I made a pair of socks in 2 weeks, it would take me over 3 YEARS to knit ONE pair of every sock pattern. I think that's a little obsessive. This does not include the sweater patterns, skirt patterns, baby, afghan, toy, and other patterns I have. All of these, I would also like to mention, are FREE online. I have not paid for ANY of these patterns. I have no idea when I'll ever make these patterns, nor do I know where the the yarn for these patterns will come from. How insane is this?! Some collect yarn; I collect patterns.