Ready...

...or at least as ready as I'm going to be. At this point, I do not care what goes undone. The only "have-to" knitting left is the pair of fingerless mitts, which will easily get done today. The rest of today will be dedicated to food preparation for tomorrow, church this evening, and (hopefully) a quiet evening at home afterwards.

Merry Christmas. Peace.

Two more to go...

I'm two projects away from being at an acceptable level of "finished" with my Christmas knitting. All other projects that were on the list can wait for the new year without any terrible repercussions.

So, to finish...

One hat: All that's left are the decreases, which I ripped out once because I managed to do something wonky to them. (Why does this happen when you're in a hurry?) This will be finished and wrapped tonight before I go to bed. (Yes, it is after midnight already. Your point?) Will be given tomorrow when we go to my in-laws' for Christmas Part I.

One set of fingerless mitts: Will have these finished for Tuesday, which is technically Christmas Part II for our family. I'm halfway through the first one. The rest will go quickly once I sit my butt down and just KNIT.

I am so, so, so tempted to cast on something fun tonight...something that doesn't NEED to be done. Something just for me. I just have this need to knit something that does not need to be made. After I finish the hat, of course.

Ahhh...just had a "duh" moment of realization! I finally got my m-i-l's shawl all blocked and pretty...was going to take a picture of it before I wrapped it, but I forgot! I was so happy for it to be done that I just wanted to get it wrapped up! Duh! Will have to take a picture tomorrow after she opens it! :}

A reminder to me...

...about something I want to try and knit once I'm not longer knitting Christmas gifts.

I was at the mall (again) tonight (why yes, I am insane...thanks for asking) and was browsing through Hot Topic -- a store that alternately excites me and freaks me out a little -- and I saw these really cool scarves that looked like giant chains. Maybe you've seen these before, but I hadn't. Basically, each "link" is a strip of stockinette fabric grafted together and then they are put together just as you would paper chain links. The links appear flattish due to the natural curl of the stockinette on either edge...though these were curling back toward the purl side rather than forward toward the knit side, which I thought was odd and I'm not entirely sure how to make that happen, as my stockinette always curls toward the knit.

Anyway...they looked so incredibly cool and they can't be that hard to make. Will have to give them a try sometime, just for kicks.

Christmas knitting countdown...

It's getting to crunch time here for gift knitting. While Christmas is technically still five days off, I feel like it is much closer. My mom gets in from Florida on Friday, I work on Saturday, and we're doing Christmas at my in-laws' house on Sunday. Thus, I feel like I only have two good days left to get a lot done. Granted, there are still the evenings. Hm.

Ok, so here's how things stand:

3 pairs of fingerless mitts for friends, already given -- check!

2 pair of children's mittens sent off to Texas -- check!

6 felted bowls filled with bags of white chocolate popcorn, given -- check!

1 white shawl, finished tonight, still needs to be blocked once my #@!$ blocking wires arrive, hopefully tomorrow, to be given on Sunday -- check!

1 pair of fingerless mitts for niece, to be given on Sunday -- check!

I totally love these mitts!

1 ear warmer for my husband, designed on the fly with a slit for the brim of his welder's cap to fit through. If nothing else, this will be good for a laugh on Christmas morning because I am most certain it is way too big. Will need modifying, but at least I tried to fulfill his request. So, check!

Really, it is the goofiest looking thing!

1 scarf for my hairdresser, to be given on Saturday at hair appointment (cheated here...it's my Red Scarf Project scarf that I didn't get sent on time...at least it is going to a good use, and my hairdresser looks really rockin' in red!) -- check!

Yet to finish would be:

1 hat for husband's grandfather...started, about 2" of ribbing. Should be able to finish this tomorrow for giving it to him on Sunday. It remains to be seen if he'll actually wear it. He's 95 and my husband doesn't recall ever seeing him in this type of hat before. But on my side is the fact that he likes me, so maybe... :}

1 pair of fingerless mitts in black Rowan Kid Classic for d-i-l...started the first one tonight, should be able to finish them tomorrow if I keep at it.

2 pairs of fingerless mitts for the kids (one pair each). Have one of my daughter's finished...am thinking I'll do one for my son and if worse comes to worst, then they'll each get one with an IOU for the second one soon to follow. At least it is something to unwrap, right?

1 pair of mittens for my grandson who, after trying on a pair of mittens I made too small for my niece declared he needed a pair as well and of course I told him I'd make him a pair. And he'll remember this. Oh yes. He may only be 2 1/2, but he WILL remember. (I'd give him the too-small-for-niece pair, but they're totally girly colors.)

It took three tries, but I finally got the sizing right for these mittens!
The middle one was the winner for the four-year-old niece.

1 dishcloth for my mom...this one is totally negligible, and if nothing else, she'll be here through New Year's, so she could still potentially get it before she goes home. In the mean time, she's got a very nice nightgown coming to her, which she actually requested. Was going to finish the green purse and give it to her as well, which might still happen. We'll see.

I'm feeling very optimistic about the knitting I have left to do and feel pretty certain that, barring any major catastrophes, I should be able to get it all done. It helps that I eliminated all socks and the complicated shawl from my agenda. They'll get made, but after Christmas and at my own leisurely pace. :)

One of those days...

...in which, at 8:29 p.m., my major sense of accomplishment for the day comes from having gotten my kids to and from their youth group activity tonight on time. That's it. Some days, that's enough, because some days, the rest of the day just kind of sucks.

On a more chipper note, if you aren't already watching Clash of the Choirs, go now and do so. There are two more nights of it after tonight. It's fantastic!

Apparently, I'm intoxicating...

...not to mention hot, complex and crazy. (Ha!) Or so says the "Which Spice are You?" quiz....

Your Score: Saffron

You scored 100% intoxication, 25% hotness, 75% complexity, and 25% craziness!

You are Saffron!

Those other spices have nothing on you! You're warm, smart, and you make people feel really good (and with no side-effects!). You can be difficult to get to know and require a lot of those who try, but you're so totally worth it. *Sigh*

Link: The Which Spice Are You Test written by jodiesattva on OkCupid, home of the The Dating Persona Test

I might add that, if I'm saffron, I'm also expensive! Holy cow! Have you priced a jar of saffron strands lately? Incredible. $13.95 for a one gram jar! I don't want to snort the stuff, for goodness sake...just want to add it to my creamed chicken....

Derailed...

Went to work yesterday and found a big box of Noro Kureyon Sock yarn -- two bags each of eight fabulous colorways! -- just waiting to be marked and put out on display.

Like I could touch 160 skeins of any Noro and not buy some of it? And like I could buy this new sock goodness and not actually start knitting a sock despite my self-imposed "no personal knitting until all Christmas gift knitting is completed" mandate?

Yeah. Right.

I do not possess that level of self-control.