Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear

I gotta tell you.  Up until today, I thought things were going pretty well.  I mean, yeah, there’s a lot to do, but it’s all simple and straightforward and everything is going to be fine as long as I stay calm, I thought, and then, there was today. Today I could no longer ignore the waning yarn supply (I know. I can’t believe it either) and I sat down very carefully with the spreadsheet, and I figured out exactly what I needed, and made a very good list.  I even had colours on there,  I didn’t scrawl  “some green worsted” because you know how that ends up, no, no.  My list was precise. It was abbreviated, there was nothing on it that I do not hope to need in the next three weeks and  I got myself off to the store, walked in, got just what I needed (I have witnesses who will verify that I was not in there long at all) and I paid for the yarn, and they put it into a bag and handed it to me, and I brought it home, spread it out on the table, and promptly lost my mind.

yarngo 2014-12-12

It felt so reasonable until now. It felt so possible until now – yeah verily when you’re looking at it on a spreadsheet it all seems fine, but there’s a big difference between that mountain of yarn and a short list on a spreadsheet, and there’s only 13 days and I think I might have miscalculated a little bit. Just a smidge.  I’m going to knit my brains out this weekend, and reassess my situation on Monday.  There’s a few things going on there that should reassure me.

1. I do not believe that the projects will take up all that yarn. Some of each, but not all that yarn.

2. There is only 2 skeins of sport weight on there. Everything else is worsted, and three are bulky. That’s a good thing. That’s an amazing thing.

3. The spreadsheet doesn’t lie.  It might occasionally tweak the truth, and it might make things look easier than they are, but it does. Not. Lie.

I’m going to keep repeating that, and dive in.  I’m a fast knitter. It’s going to be totally fine. Fine, I tell you.

What’s Luis hanging Today?

Oso Polar. Polar bear.

tinybear 2014-12-12

Technically, it’s just a wee bear, but I thought it more Canadian (and possibly fierce) if it was a polar bear, so white it was.  I used this  Bear Christmas Tree Decoration, and two things happened.  First I knit the pattern exactly as written, and second, I barely escaped from there without knitting a million of them.  They are ridiculously stinking cute, and fast to make. You make one and then think, my stars! I could make EVERYONE a tiny bear! (Then you remember that you have other problems (see pile of yarn above) and get a grip on yourself. When Luis pulled this bear out the day he got his calendar, he squealed with laughter, which is exactly the right response.

Gifts for Knitters Day 12

Today it’s more paper things, to go with the posters from yesterday. (Did you look in the comments? So many nice ones. Your knitter would enjoy any of them.) If your knitter is the paper sort (and they very likely are. Knitters have a thing for both paper goods and bags. I’m not sure why) then this is the day you’ll find a ton for them.  How about these good moth/bad moth notecards? TillyFlop has tons of beautiful ones, like this one (trust me, all those things are good) or how about a M1 card for a new baby? Inc 1 for a birthday? Keep calm and cast on? There’s so much there, and look at this thing too – a card that turns into a paper die to help a knitter make up his mind what to make next. If none of those look right, how about alphabet postcards with sheep by species? Or wee gift tagsPeace Love Knit notecards? Or there’s lots of tags here, but I love these best.  Good hunting.

 

47 thoughts on “Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear

  1. Yep — “… But it looks like pretty thick yarn, it’ll go fast…” was my thought, too. The Defenses of knitters are great…

  2. First? I can’t be first. I am in the exact same place but I’m looking at a pile of fabric. All the things I need to make are simple and straightforward and probably won’t take too long… if I would only go down into the studio and actually sew.

    Love the Oso Polar. Everyone should have one.

  3. I have had a slight panic over the fact that the baby cardigan is eating up way more of my time than I had allotted…But, thankfully, I only have one more gift to knit after this, and it’s not due until December 24, so I think that if I knit like the wind this Sunday, I’ll be fine. (Tomorrow is an errand/clean the house day…) 🙁

    Super cute little bear~!

    Katie =^..^=

  4. I’m certainly glad those postcards with the sheep species by name aren’t available in a full 26-card set for a couple bucks less than buying them one-at-a-time, because if they were, I’d have to buy the set. *whew* *close one*

    You’ll do fine. You have lovely yarn and most of it is thick so it’ll knit up fast. Breathe.

  5. Good moth? No such thing! Technically it’s the larvae that are good ;). I have a similar pile of yarn & three pairs of socks to knock out. Piece of cake?! I look to you for the support & unrering optimism xx

  6. Pingback: Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear | Yarn Buyer

  7. The “Lay flat to dry” tag did me in. I’m helpless with laughter… My own list is down to eight items, but some of them are started so I should be fine, right?

  8. It will be fine! I’m loving the ornament series (though they make me want to ignore the projects on my own list and only make ornaments that are mini versions of big things for the next 6 weeks). Thanks for sharing!

      • Love the Polar Bear sooo cute. I have one shawl to get done , fingering, will be knitting like crazy after I finish the quilt I’m working on for my granddaughter.I know you will get yours done happy knitting.

  9. 1) Spreadsheets lie about as much as swatches lie. Meaning they lie. 🙁

    2) If most of it’s worsted-to-bulky, you’ll be fine. 🙂

  10. I wish you luck, cos I couldn’t knit that in a month. I am knitting for the house this year – for each holiday, I am knitting decorations that will come out every year and make memories for my little girl. That she won’t grow out of (ha!) so I am mostly knitting tiny sweaters and socks for my Christmas tree. Although there may be some advent pretties added (I loved the snowflake, but I know my limitations!). Of course it means we are a little short of sweaters ourselves (actually, I am. She has several) so I am also aiming to knit for myself on Christmas Eve. No deadline for just me though.

  11. What saves me is both my daughter in law and my son in law have birthdays at the end of January. I can totally give them beer and chocolate at Christmas and finish their socks for January, like I’d planned it that way all along.

  12. I’ve finished the two Jayne Cobb Hats, the Star Trek socks and three Dalek egg cosies. All I have left is the Tardis socks which I’ve just cast on for. I think I should make it…even if the recipient of said Tardis socks does have size 11 feet….bigger on the inside, don’t you know? Knit on, Steph. You got this.

  13. Could we see the spreadsheet? Not the entries of course, but a little of how it’s set up? It sounds so super-organized and efficient!

  14. Wow, what a Christmas treat for me to read a new Yarn Harlot blog every day! Nice to have you home for December too, not all that busy busy travelling (which comes across as too much at times), just busy knitting and family ! Thanks very much for keeping us in mind! Happy Holidays!

  15. Yep. Whole new realms of Christmas crazy. Presbytera, please pass the bottle opener — I need another beer.

    YH, the only way you’re going to get that yarn knitted up is if you use broomsticks or closet rods instead of knitting needles. Just sayin’.

  16. In search of this year’s gift ornament (of which I will have to knit a dozen) so far I have knit a tiny mitten and two santa hats (sans pompoms so far) and made two Dorset buttons. Tomorrow I will try the fast, cute (and fierce!) tiny bear.

  17. I am finished with my Christmas knitting, just a few ends and washing the last four items. I ship on Monday, so not a minute too soon. Now I get to knit little pretties for fun!

  18. Last week I found that number 50 needles (“broomsticks” as someone described them above) and bulky yarn held double makes a gigantic cowl in nothing flat. Fashion forward, in high demand, and fast as the wind. I thought I was finished with the holiday knitting until I saw that little bear, followed the link, then saw the little hedgehogs and it reminded me of a friend who needs one of those. Thanks!

  19. Every year I not only love but desperately NEED the non-knitters shopping ideas. I do want to keep my shoe knitter Queen outfitted with goodies. So thanks for those and for sharing Luis’ advent calendar every day – warms the heart.

  20. Is there a tag for ‘use it anyway you want, as long as you use it’? I knitted a bag with tie straps for a friend who was going to be on crutches (cross the body type, to keep phones and remotes and stuff handy). She couldn’t use crutches, ended up in a wheelchair – but used the bag as a big sock to keep her bad foot warm. Brilliant! Happy she’s getting some use out of it – just not quite what I expected (PS the hospital people all think it’s stylish because it matches her coat!).

  21. There will likely come a time when all the girls are out on their own again. I think they all need a few knitted items for their trees. If the bears are quick, why not make three more? Maybe next Christmas you can have a few small ornaments made ahead of time for each of the girls and sweet keepsake ornaments will be a great gift?

  22. I’ve given family members ornaments for years. Next year, they may be knitted from my stash of sock yarn leftovers. Luckily, the stash includes white, cuz osos polares are justvtoo cute!

  23. Great pattern choice for the polar bear! I thought I recognised it – I’ve knit one of the Little Cotton Rabbits bunnies and her patterns are so lovely.

  24. This is so far my favorite post about the knitters gifts, such great stuff!
    I agree, I think paper is another one of knitters loves (cough obsession cough). For me, I think it’s connected to my weakness for the smell of fresh cut lumber. Ahh, like catnip, they should make a male cologne out of sawdust (I have an idea for the name but I won’t write it out loud).
    Anyhoo, back to topic… I love having inexpensive art you can tac up to a bulletin board for a great eye candy collage.

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