I had this brilliant plan this weekend, that I was going to get all caught up and today I would be all gleeful and cocky again. That just wasn't how it went. I'm not sure what happened, but somehow the girls doing a bunch of baking took up tons of my time, and there was an incident that involved a lot of gingerbread dough stuck entirely to the countertop. (Flour. You need to put flour on the counter before you roll it out. I can't stress it enough, and it's really not an optional step. Flour.) I went to Zellers to buy underpants for Christmas (as gifts, not an outfit) and the nightmare that is a big store twelve days before Christmas has me pretty badly scarred and might have slowed down the knitting a little. I saw two women argue over the last tube of blue wrapping paper. I don't care what you're wrapping - or if that's your "theme" this year. There's absolutely no reason on this earth to treat each other that way over paper. See? Scarred. This is why I don't go shopping at Christmas. That moment.
I had to knit practically a whole pair of socks to get over it.
I don't know if you know, but knitting a gift is the spiritual opposite of ripping a stranger a new one over blue wrapping paper. Snowmobile socks. Misty Alpaca Chunky 2 ply. Half (almost exactly) a skein of black, one full skein of periwinkle. Worked according to my sock recipe over 32 stitches on 5mm needles.
Those done, I boogied along and wrapped up the next pair of gift socks.
Earl Grey socks, 2.25mm needles. Men's size 10. (Really big on me there.) Madeleinetosh Sock in Glacier.
Then I worked on this bad boy,
which is an entirely crappy picture of a pair of Hedgerow socks in a new to me but really yummy yarn called Fiber Optic Foot Notes" - in an entirely charming (and appropriate) colourway called "Black Coffee." Reader Sarah sent it to me and it's knitting up into socks I want to keep. (I won't though.)
As if that weren't enough, I cast for a sweater.
Yes, I know. It's just a few days before Christmas and I'm casting on a sweater. I'm going to tell you what I told everyone else who flipped out. It's a small sweater. It's going to be fine - I think, though when I cast that on I was only three knitting hours behind (which you can really come back from) and then I spent the morning working on the billions of emails you've all sent for Knitters Without Borders. I've added all the names and amounts up to the 10th of December and that, my friends is hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of emails. I was going to wait until I was caught up to give away karmic balancing gifts, but dudes. I don't think that's possible. As fast as I enter them, you send them, and I see the folly of it now. I've decided then to just keep entering as fast as I can, and just keep giving away gifts as fast as I can because if I wait to be caught up I'm just going to be chasing my inbox forever. The fact that the tally is up to (brace yourself )
$ 560 379.00
is more than enough of a reason to celebrate with some presents. As always, the knitters were chosen by way of random number generator, and as always, donating anything at all puts you on the list. Donating more doesn't get you more chances, and donating less is no less worthy. We all give to the best of our abilities. No judging.
The exceedingly generous and talented Eloise did these beautiful illustrations for the Twist Collective, of lovely beasties of all sorts wearing knitted things, and she's had the good sense to turn them into a set of 12 notecards. (You can see a set here) and she's very kindly donated five sets to knitters without borders, and a set each will be going to: Evie M.. Ellen S., Sarah H., Harriet O. and Tammy W.
(If you think that's you, check your inbox. I've emailed the five of you.)
Not to be outdone, the lovely Mary (from Lady A's Crafts) has offered up either of the two kits (Learn To Knit Socks or Jackie's Baby Sweater) in the winner's choice of yarn, and she'll be shipping that to Rebecca H. (I emailed you too.)
Happy Monday everyone, and thanks!
(More karmic balancing gifts tomorrow.)