Update From The Edge

In the spirit of Christmas around here, things are desperate, and I am recklessly optimistic.  I’ve spent the last few days trying to get a grip, and making list after list for Joe, now that he’s back from a brief business trip. (Great timing that, trying not to think about it.) His bag and pockets are littered with notes to get this or get that, and my desk is full of little notes and the spreadsheet is constantly open. It’s all going to come down to one desperate trip to the mall for me, and a few trips for Joe, and then… then there’s the knitting.

Originally I had a (sort of) little sweater, three pairs of socks four hats and a pair of slippers in the queue, and thanks to a really desperate jag of knitting over the last few days (in the stores, at home, on the subway, at meetings) I have managed to finish two and a bit of the hats (if you can tell what they are, don’t give it away.)

twohatsplus 2015-12-16

A whole pair of big socks (thank all that’s woolly)

socksdone 2015-12-16

and made a good start on the next pair of socks that I’ll carry around with me as I go.

sockktree 2015-12-16

That leaves…one and 4/5 of a hat, the slippers (I should just do those and get them off the list) Just about two pairs of socks (minus that decent start) and the sweater. It all seems not too desperately impossible as long as i don’t think about the shopping, cooking, baking, wrapping or parties… or the date. It’s vitally important that I don’t think about the date. I’m pretty sure I can keep all of these balls in the air as long as I don’t panic early, and I don’t need to know that it might be too late to panic, rather than too soon. I’m just going to keep juggling and knitting and making lists, and hope that it all comes together in the end.

Except for the sweater. That might be crazypants, but it’s just too soon to tell. (Say nothing. I’m a knitter on the edge. This is a time for reassurance.)

How are you doing?

185 thoughts on “Update From The Edge

  1. Go, girl, go. You are superman with needles. I hope/think to finish one pair of socks I started today by Christmas (for my husband), but I know YOU can do much more.

  2. I gave up! Unlike you speed-demon knitter, I plug along.
    I did not finish my sister’s gloves, I put three baby sweaters aside and gave up on all but one cowl.
    Worst result ever.

    • No no no you didn’t! Tea cosies are a quick knit. I just made my daughter a Tardis tea cosy. Of course, now I need to get her the teapot…

  3. Much, much too soon to panic. You’ve got a solid week before panic needs to set in and by then you’ll be done. Keep the faith, sistah.

  4. Just keep knitting, just keep knitting (ala Dory from finding nemo). But that’s sort of my mantra lately. I’m probably crazy to think I’ll get 2 throw pillows, and two pairs of socks done by Christmas. I still have to cast on a full men’s pair of socks too. Crazy talk, less so if I didn’t have school to worry about. I totally get it though.

  5. The exclusive yarn my mother bought for me to make her a specific shawl with is discontinued and comments from others who’ve used this combination suggest I don’t have enough to finish. No one has any in that color to destash on Ravelry. My answer is not to knit on it at all. Because clearly then when I do begin the yarn will be so confused, it will just keep going until I finish binding off. Right?

    • What kind of yarn? Post an outcry to the community. Someone may be willing to part with some of they have it…I know with the holidays upon us, I would be willing to help out a fellow knitter in need.

      • Definitely do post what kind of yarn, but if you can’t find it, and you eliminate a repeat/motif without disrupting the look of the shawl?

  6. I really hope the sweater is one for a small person! I’d say the rest of the list is still a lot but doable, but a sweater for an adult might be pushing it.

  7. Haven’t we learned that we work best under pressure? Bit I would leave the red wine/egg nog, and screech for the later part of the day.

  8. Wow that’s a crazy amount of things to get done…but being selfish, I really miss the “gifts for knitters” posts you do every year. I always find things I didn’t know I needed in those wonderful posts! 🙂

  9. I love that hat pattern! Just made one for my own little guy and he loves wearing it.

    My “To Knit Before Christmas” list got totally sidetracked by really, REALLY bad morning sickness so I’m just shrugging my shoulders and going, “eh”. I’ll work on things when I can and **try** not to stress about it in the meantime. Doesn’t help that I’m a super slow knitter…

    • I don’t commit to Christmas knitting either. I agree that it makes it a lot less fun for me. My son got a very long scarf last month for “Christmas” and I gifted my Mom a pair of socks. That’s all folks!

      • If it was this late in the year, no one will be getting anything knitted. Had thought about something for my sister, but hit disaster with dropped stitches…then more dropped stitches trying to get to first three.

        So, it will be a mercenary Christmas at our house…with lots of gift cards.

  10. There, there. It’s totally doable.

    All you need to do is warp the time-space continuum, give up on sleeping, eating, bathing, or breathing. It’s entirely sane and not remotely close to anything more than, shall we say, an “ambitious” enterprise.

    Enterprise! Enlist the Enterprise (I hear Wil Wheaton is very nice) and you’ll be fine. Totally, totally fine.

  11. Good luck, I wouldn’t attempt that much knitting in a year, much less a week. Or two. 🙂 And, when you have a minute, could you tell me the name and brand of the yarn in the last photo? the grey/black/white sock. thanks much, and Happy Solstice.

  12. I was well on schedule to finish three pairs of fingerless gloves when, on the sixth and final glove, I discovered a glaring error that could not be left. And, of course, it was near the cuff. So last night, late last night, I frogged the entire glove and started again. Knit this morning on the subway (that ride seems to take AGES when I’m just standing there…today it was done in the blink of an eye), during a lunchtime meeting and perhaps a bit at my desk while reading emails. Tonight is the school Christmas “concert” where I find myself in charge of not only the bake sale table, but the card making table as well, and then I’m going to come home and knit like a madwoman because these gloves have to be finished (buttons sewn on) and into the mail to Victoria sooner rather than later. I have only a scarf left to knit for my dad, and I’m wildly optimistic that I will have it finished. Wildly. Because, I, too, have shopping, baking and wrapping to do. Every year….
    Thanks for the space to rant with other knitters – my peers at work (non-knitters all) just ask me why I don’t just buy these things ready made. Not helpful…

      • I agree! Plus, a cowl takes less time (well, depends on the cowl, of course…) than a scarf and many more men are wearing cowls these days. Especially men who work or play outdoors.

  13. We’re in the middle of a huge remodel that’s taking longer than it should (at first they said they’d be done by Christmas…nope) so I limited the gift knitting this year. Even so, the two things I wanted to make are about as far along as the construction alas.
    Love those hats. I have been wanting to make that pattern for a while!!

    • Hang in there! We put in wood floors in 3 rooms and a hallway and it took a YEAR! Craft room packed away in the garage… sigh. That was THE worst. Worth it though 🙂 Just don’t think about it. Good luck to you!

    • I was asked to click the clock! How appropriate…
      But R U Kidding?!?! Of course the Ladies all knit, when they choose to.
      It’s likely they’ve even got projects of their own OTN.
      I rather wanted to knit for my much- reduced dept of coworkers, thinking headbands would be nice, then we got a new hire: a gent! I guess I could do one of those headbands with the slot for a ballcap bill.

  14. One week to make coworkers presents: a pair of fingerless gloves (in black–what was I thinking?), and some stitch markers. I certainly hope I can get them done.

    Mine sound doable for me, but if your list were my list, it would not be doable. I took your speed knitting class, but only increased my speed by 50% and now knit half your speed.

    Happy holidays!

  15. You’re doing FINE!! Deep breath, knit on. I have 1/2 of a scarf, a pair of mittens, a hat and 1/2 of pair of socks to finish. Not just one sock, but the top halves of two socks that are strung up on one very long circular needle. I passed cookie baking to my very capable daughters, handed the other lists to husband and sons, and I plan to park my behind on the sofa with a pile of Christmas movies and knit until I’m finished. Then I just might start a pretty new cowl for myself…

  16. The best gift I can give my husband is to not set deadlines for myself that make me crazy. I have finally managed it for the past few years. Sort of how you were saying, we picked the must do’s and dropped the rest, but also everyone does not get homemade gifts every year- I rotate through.

    Also, I was wondering if your Christmas spreadsheet suffers in the years when there is a new baby that needs to be knit for?

  17. How am I doing? Four feet of a six foot scarf to go, and a hat for an eight year old not started. Would be totally doable EXCEPT it all has to be wrapped and shipped across the country. That means it has to be out of here by tomorrow. Or maybe the knitwear can go a day later and ship two day. Or an extra day later and ship overnight. It’s light.

  18. Step. Away. from the Sweater. Now.

    I say this because I started hyperventilating when the two pairs of socks (I started to type “shocks”) came up. Blame it on me, say I’m trying to spoil Christmas. But not the sweater. Not.

  19. The way you knit, the socks, hat, and slippers are pretty much done as you said them. I have that faith. The sweater? That depends on the complexity, having enough yarn, and how big the sweater is (adult, or little person)… I wish you luck, and I have faith.

    And remember, you can always give someone else a list with strict instructions and THEY can shop food for you, and help you with cooking. Maybe this is the year that cooking involves things that go in pots and are left for long LONG periods of time while you do other things. Like knit.

  20. 1 pair of fingerless mitts. That I didn’t make row gauge and was heading into mitten territory, so redesigned pattern based on my row gauge. I knit halfway through the right one until I noticed that I goobered it and ripped it out. I am 1/3 in to the first mitt. But I should have a whole pair by now, darnit. The rest of the knitting is for AFTER Christmas. I decided early on that there would not be Christmas knitting as I needed to have all shopping done, wrapped and sent along to where the festivities will be this year. So that got done by Thanksgiving.

  21. Cr*p: suddenly remembered that the felted slippers I usually finish on Christmas Eve canNOT be felted after Saturday (leaving Sunday for the duration and staying with family with a new washing machine that doesn’t like to felt – obviously they didn’t consult the knitter). One pair knit, second pair on the needles, and I hate sewing up…. Tralalala

    • I love my washer but it, too, does not like to felt; I can’t reset it to agitate over and over again if need be. We are remodeling and a new washer is involved. The new one is low-tech and has a dial you can reset and an agitator post. Maybe now I’ll attempt my second felting project.

  22. 1/3 of a 6 ft. scarf to go, and 1 hat for the same 6-footer who, according to his mom is freezing his **** off in Boise.
    Need to be in the mail by Monday.

  23. Yup, you need to get the slippers knitted because the knitting is only half of the project. And you don’t want to give your mom wet slippers!

    The rest? You have until Epiphany to get them done or at least you do in my world.

  24. I was seriously worried about my sanity until I finished the giant pair of plain blue socks I was knitting. Never again. I don’t care what my gift recipients like, they’re getting what I knit.

  25. Keep breathing hon. I’ve had to give up most knitting due to tendinitis, so I live vicariously through your knits. Christmas is coming, and yes, I have the house to clean and meals to make etc. Huge hugs.

    • Me also this fall. And just try explaining that you hurt yourself knitting. They laugh, having no clue how close to the edge I am without knitting.

  26. It’s all going to hell in a handcart here too. One of my problems is that there is public knitting and secret knitting. The public knitting is just filling time and space, and there is not enough time without prying eyes to get on with the secret stuff. I have finished one hat. That’s all!!

  27. I have 1/2 of a sock, most of a scarf, several fancy double-knitted potholders, a couple kitchen towels, and a market bag left. I’d be ok if I didn’t have a crazy amount of work (like, the kind they pay me to do) this week. Maybe I’ll just calm my nerves with some more red wine…

  28. You’d think I have it easy–just need to knit the three fins, and make the two eyes, for a fish hat that needs to be done, washed, blocked, and dry by Sunday evening. So why is it going so very, very slowly?

  29. Me? Who me? Um…1 thumb on 1 finger-less mitten. The better part of the second (hopefully matching) fingerless mitten; the foot of Sock #2 of a pair. And a neck-warmer to match the finger-less mittens. Did I mention it’s cabled? That’s it. NO…Wait. And the 1/2 a hedgehog. Don’t ask.

  30. Since you asked … I have knitted & blocked most of the list (8 hats, 2 scarves, 1 cowl, and 1 pair of very large socks) but the last thing has been started and frogged twice before I figured it out last night and started a third time. It’s stranded colorwork mitts for my girl (Fightin’ Words by Annie Watts). I have the big Santa gifts, but still have to buy all the stocking goodies, a gift for my (only) child, all the groceries, and a pan for the turkey. I have wrapped nothing. We have three more parties and I work tomorrow, Friday, and next Monday-Wednesday. Christmas without another adult is one of the challenges of being a single parent. But I’ve made it every year so I know it will all be OK.

  31. I am embarrassed to say that I am finished, but I am retired. I do volunteer but I had a plan and started knitting at the first of the year. I don’t travel as much as you do either, although I am packing for 4 weeks away starting the 27th…I will be at the beach knitting.
    Merry Christmas, it will all fall into place Stephanie.

    • Also embarrassed to be done….since it all has to be mailed, I have to start very early. But I am also retired, with a light travel schedule. However, no warmth for me…..going from Boise to Salt Lake City for the holidays…bbbbrrrrrrr. You can do it, Steph!

  32. I have a Hansel (throw) to finish for my best friend and a gift for my little sister that I arsed up last night whilst watching Star Wars with friends and there was wine….mulled wine is dangerous! There’s also a hat for my father and a shawl for a friend, both close enough to be considered “in the bag.”
    There’s cookies to bake, parties to throw/attend, wrapping (oh, the wrapping), and oh yeah, I’m working all Christmas Eve.

    I did just post parcels and cards, so that’s got my festive spirits up. Ah, it’s a fun, mad dash but I plan to be smiling on the big day no matter what!

    May the Force (and Wool) be with you!

  33. I’ve seen some videos of your knitting (as in you actually doing the knitting) and I have faith that the knitting will be done.

    The rest of the stuff…….well, let’s just not talk about that.

  34. What am I up to? Bwahaha…. not looking at any calendars! Kniting for refugees, GTA knits 25000 Tuques (check Facebook!), an offshoot of the Quebec group that spawned a cross-Canada movement once CBC did an article on it. So, endless knitting, of hats, scarves, all sizes. Plus eight or so promised pairs of slippers for Christmas. Baking? Maybe next week, or, no wait, must be this weekend, lol……

  35. I had pledged myself to no knitted gifts this year and all was well. Settling down to get some of my hibernated stuff done. Then my LYS asked for scarves for veterans. OK. Doable and done. Then my mom asked for six pairs of crochet baby booties. She promised them to her neighbor for charity, but couldn’t handle the crochet. So OK. She’s my mom. Done. Then a woman showed up for help at my LYS’s Thursday group with the color work Christmas stockings her mother used to make. The same kind I had made on commission. The kind she is learning to knit on. The two she needs done by Christmas eve. The ones I am now knitting the feet of, finishing the ends of, and sewing the seams of. Turns out I knitted (and crocheted) Christmas gifts after all.

  36. Do not give up. I have been reading your archives and the theme that I see developed is your ability to rise to any occasion. If you are only half as resilient as you appear to be on this blog then you are still extremely resilient. You have inspired me. I thought for sure I could never finish a simple black scarf that one of my sons requested a while ago because life is slapping me around right now. But by now I have read so many of your past posts where you were sure you wouldn’t finish when lo and behold….you did! I am just going to keep at it.It works for you!
    Side note…it is funny that it tells me to touch the music note which isn’t a music note but a treble clef…made me smile!

  37. I finished the hat that has to go in the mail tomorrow, but the presents for here??? HAH! That’s why there are 27 hours in a day.

  38. I just spent the afternoon home from work to do all sorts of Christmas crafting and got just under half of what I’d hoped to accomplish done. Still to are a toddler size bathrobe and a twin size quilt top. Yep … a quilt top. Hope springs eternal (and I’ve already spent the money on the fabric so I don’t feel like I could go out and spend more money on something else).

  39. I have 1 colorwork pair mitts to make, just started first one last night but it’s in worsted. Then one bulky turban headband in brioche. Them I’m done. Should run me right up to Christmas Day. I kept adding to the list tho. I just finished 2 pairs of simple mitts for school secretaries. Unexpected add. Good luck!

  40. One cowl and 5 out of 6 fair isle hats done here but NO cookies baked, no cards sent, only half the shopping done. Yep, I’m in the weeds. How many days until Christmas, again? No, don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.

  41. I thought at first you were saying the knitting jag had resulted in 2+ hats and I was thinking “wow, that’s unlike the Harlot.” And then I scrolled past the photo and saw there was a bit more. Whew.

    I’m running around with a dozen surprise tasks that are not Christmas. And doing so in a sleep-deprived fog because now that everyone’s healthy the baby is tweeting in earnest. So, I’m hosting the family party Saturday and haven’t bought the ham. Ah well. It will come together well enough. I did get the cookies baked today, so there will be family, music, cookies to decorate. And some time between now and then I will buy a ham.

    • Tweeting in earnest? That may be my favorite auto correct yet. I can just imagine her keeping me up all night with tweets from her crib. Alas, no, it is the much more painful for her (and anyone within hearing range) teething.

      • I just thought it was a cute way of saying your baby was getting to that age when they need to be engaged with the world all the time. (And Twitter didn’t even enter my head!)

  42. After 25 years of renting, we bought a house..a BIG house! Still don’t believe it..even thought I am sitting in the library of this giant two story.
    After 5 years, we are actually putting up a Christmas tree! All the ancient ornaments are out. I did not remember we had so many. Eldest son got marred and he is bringing his bride to the house for Christmas. Need food…LOTS of food! Decorate cookies and trim the tree. Will let them do the tree this year. It is special. Blessings abound for this family right now and may they continue. It’s been a very, very long time coming.
    Happy Holidays Everyone!
    bjr

  43. I gave up last week and surrendered a previously woven scarf for a pair of socks. But honestly, my son told me they were breaking up so I slacked off and then when they were together again I panicked. Scarf. Not socks.

  44. I am finished… was finished the day after Thanksgiving… and I started at the beginning of June. But I cheated… I only had 7 hats, 3 cowls, and 2 scarves. No socks.. no sweaters. I just figured out socks so guess what everybody is getting Next year!!! I think Ill start in January!

  45. Socks on #4 dpns, because the recipient is NOT sock-worthy and will wear them around the house without shoes and out to the mail-box, too. I might be acting passive-aggressive here, but it’s the best I can do.

  46. I recognize the hats…my grandson gets comments on his all the time. He asked me to make him a second one after his got too small. I refuse to think about how much I have to knit yet, denial is a good thing.

  47. I am down to finishing part of a yak (yes, I did say a yak…) and weaving in ends on a hat, but a close relative has been having a major health issue in the last few weeks so now I really need to knit her a Siamese cat…..

    Then I am knitting polar bears in clothes for my friend’s 4 kids, but they don’t need to be sent for several weeks, as they are a “winter gift” rather than a Christmas gift.

      • There are numerous cute polar/other bear patterns out there. Rather than following one specific pattern, I am going to be doing my own put-together of ideas I liked best from a couple other polar bear and bear patterns. The clothing is going to be different for each bear—sweaters, hat, scarf, Union-suit type of long underwear, etc. (this was inspired by a free pattern called Polar Bear Ornaments from Red Heart yarn–you can search that pattern name on Rav. Didn’t like their bears quite as much–although the seated teddy style they did is cuter than their standing style–but thought the Union suit idea was cute so am borrowing!)

  48. I have a sweater for my mom to finish (yoke colorwork left, steeking, final finishing), felted slippers for my son and I just flat out gave up on finishing a currently nonexistent vest for the hubbie (that will be my Christmas day cast on I think.) I got all my friend gifts done early then accidentally left them at home. They will now be Epiphany gifts I think. I made cookie dough, but no cookies, have an empty refrigerator, no gifts wrapped and 3 holiday parties left to go. It’ll be a stretch, but the best part is we have the 25th all to ourselves. It’ll be my quiet after the storm.

    Rock on Stephanie! You can do this!

  49. We have faith in you! Me on the other hand am gifting balls of yarn with a link to ravelry to at least two people. On the plus side I’ll be laid up the week after Christmas so I can make good on the IOUs while I catch up on the good Doctor ☺️

  50. I am knitting hats for my grown sons, and decided it is o.k. to give them half-finished (wrapped up as gifts) still on the needles, and then take them back to finish. Hey, it’s the thought that counts, and I know my sons will understand and not be at all critical that the hats need more of my time!

  51. I hate to tell you this, but all I have left in terms of Christmas is about 40 rows of an afghan. HOWEVER, in the time it takes me to do that you’ll definitely knock out the hats, slippers, and socks, so don’t even worry. The Blog has total faith in you!!!

  52. Gifts, knitted and not, were out the door and at the post office last Friday. I have 1 quickie project for myself done and 4 more ready to start. But – special requests are pouring in. A promised vest and crocheted succulent planter for The Little Woman, and a beloved daughter laid up recovering from surgery requesting boot toppers and neck warmers because she knows I can’t refuse her when she’s down.

  53. Not crazy pants. Me, I’m feeling overwhelmed , with a space in the living room for a tree that isn’t here. NO ONE selling live Christmas trees mid-week, a week before Christmas? Really????!!!!! Thankfully, no Christmas knitting to do – that would push me over the edge. Shopping IS done though, so I can forego the dreaded trip to a mall. Keep The Faith.

  54. I feel ya! Someone wisely posted, “Just keep knitting, just keep knitting”. Head down, needles full, NO alcohol, it halts all motivation! I still need to make three pairs of mittens, a hat, and a shawl (which really doesn’t “need” to be done by Christmas, but it would be really nice if it was). And I can’t stop making Wee Elves, so absolutely NOTHING is getting done (well not “nothing”, but not the things that really should be getting done), if you know that feeling. These Wee Elves, I just can’t quit ’em!! 🙂

  55. If anyone can pull it off, it’s you…

    Personally, I’m finishing what I can over the weekend and planning to celebrate the rest with gifts on Tres Reyes (which gives me until January 6th — whew!)

  56. I nearly had a panic attack just reading about all the gifts knitters hope to finish by Christmas! I’ll be lucky to finish one small neck scarf and it’s halfway done. I think all of you deserve medals for going way above and beyond!!!

    • Isn’t it crazy – knitters are an optimistic lot! This year, I started early on 4 pairs of fingerless gloves, 4 or 5 cowls, a couple of hats and two verrrrry long scarves for nephews….I waited until sorta Fall, as its hard to knit for Christmas when its 105 out!

  57. I am NOT going to be in the position I am this year–far behind and feeling crazy—I am going to make one gift per month during the year so I will ready when next Christmas comes!!! This is my resolution!!!

  58. One and a half pairs of socks to go, some fudge to make, and an apron to sew. I can’t do that until next week because my machine is on the blink. I have a backup gift for that one!

  59. Anyone who can take a picture with that amazing bokeh is gonna finish her knitting no problemo.

    Mmmm, bokeh. And mighty fine knitting, too!

  60. I’m skipping baking. Just not baking and not mentioning it. If someone notices, I’ll happily find them the recipe. 2 major life circumstances at present: one of which is resolved, for better or worse, today; and one of which may never be better. Plus ongoing medical issues and work drama. I’m skipping it! I may never bake again!

  61. Both sleeves & neckband on pullover for my mother, right button band and seaming of cardi for great-niece, blocking for both plus otherwise finished pullover for best friend. I’ll finish little cardi first. Will avoid panic on sweater for mum since she’ll be happy with delivery along with the “5 Golden Rings”. Mothers are wonders of understanding….

  62. Why don’t you just relax and enjoy the season? – it doesn’t always have to be about knitting, sometimes you can let that go…….for a few days anyway.Three months ago my husband was diagnosed with cancer, and this year I am just very grateful to be spending Christmas with our family intact. (He is all better now, he had the treatment, took his medicine and will be fine).

  63. I think Christmas knitting frenzy brain will see you past the finish post ! With lots of craziness (sick relatives thankfully all now improving) going on I didn’t think I’d get anywhere near my goal but I seem to be down to 3/4 of a sock one wash cloth and Swiss darning in the set of 3 washcloths so I may just make it as long as some one locks life’s crazy in a cupboard !

  64. I’ve done an octopus purse, a felted flying squirrel, a mermaid tail afghan, 5 felted bird nests and 3/4 of a cardigan but have nearly an entire owl blanket to finish. I’m not looking at the date either.

  65. You can do it! You have the whole of your blog readers behind you. In an act of solidarity and support, I’m making a lap quilt on an impossible schedule. My worldly goods (including one block of the quilt) arrived in North Carolina a two and a half weeks ago from Australia. My wife’s birthday is the 27th December and the quilt is for her birthday. Due to other commitments, I couldn’t start the quilt until Monday. Her birthday is far enough away to make this an achievable goal….If I sew like a mad thing between now and then. So, as you knit, know that you are not alone. There is a whole determination of fiberistas out there, with needles flying, working in solidarity, right along side you!

    • What a great name for the vast group of knitters intent on holiday gifts! You know, names like a shrewdness of apes or an exultation of skylarks—now we have a determination of fiberistas . . . .

      Happy holidays, everyone, and carry on! We can do it.

      • I like that “determination” as well. I did not know the term “shrewdness” of apes, thanks for that. My particular favourite is a “mumuration” of starlings. It sounds like it sounds, if you know what I mean.
        Chris S in Canada

  66. I’m fitting in knitting 2 Princess Leia Wig (hats) for the movie premier. Who could refuse their kids that request? So what if we don’t have dinner tonight…we will be ready for the movie!

  67. Holy cow. You can do it! I’ve finished (mostly) the front of my sweater that I’m working on, and on to the sleeves. I’ve got one slipper to make after that, then putting the sweater together. Which I won’t be able to do, probably, until next week. Which will be difficult, since the recipient is going to be in the same house with me. PLUS mailing long-distance gifts. We can do it! Don’t look at that pesky date. It means nothing.

  68. And yet, here I sit, reading my favorite blogger on the internet instead of working on the ONE lagging entrelac scarf that has been on the needles for nearly a year, that I PROMISED would make it under a tree this year. 🙁

  69. Decided I would knit a tree skirt this year. it’s almost done – just need to knit the button bands on – but the tree’s up & the pressure is mounting. On the other hand, I’ve just got to graft the toes on my second sock & I’m done. That’s more bearable.

  70. Keep the faith – if it comes down to the sweater there is always the option of a partial work on needles in the box that will be returned to you to finish when breathing is easier.

    I carefully made a spreadsheet for all the things that must be done before Christmas and was so pleased that it looked doable….then I realized I hadn’t blocked in knitting time….sigh. Fortunately I’ve got a 4 hour road trip today and some hotel time that will help.

  71. You are an amazing, and amazingly determined, knitter and you just might do it but…. in years to come, no one who loves you is going to think that Christmas 2015 was ruined because Stephanie didn’t knit them a “____”. Nor is any recipient of socks in January going to think “well, I really could have used socks at xmas but in January? Who needs socks in January?!” In other words… you know the other words.
    It’s all about peace, love and understanding, isn’t it?
    ~Willa

  72. Well, if you’ll take advice from a (still) slightly smug Jewish knitter who had a relaxing Chanukah and has nothing in the way of festivals till about March to worry about, I would suggest:

    1. Delegate everything you can
    2. Lay in a good stock of wine and beer and start on it
    3. Enjoy the knitting and damn everything else!

    I have finally finished the feather-and-fan shawl for a cousin, which seems to have turned into a small blanket, and am sauntering through a chunky pair of Araucania cotton handwarmers while trying to decide whether to knit a camera bag or a hat next … no deadlines involved (sorry, tactless I know).

  73. This weekend I must: trade in my car, find all the holiday decor that was packed up for our move at this time last year (and which never made it out of the boxes!), meet with the “cooks” and work out a menu, buy/make DH’s gift — once I figure out what it’ll be–, and move the furniture around to accommodate the chimney sweep. The only hint of Christmas in our home is the pre-lit tree, which has no other ornament. That must change!

  74. Let’s see I have a pair of socks to finish ( half done of one and just started cuff on the other) Requests for 2 Hats with Matching scarves. Mittens and a Granny stripe blanket.
    We still have the cookies to bake and cards to send out, not to mention the thank you notes from my five year old’s birthday party, plus mustn’t forget the butter tarts and tortiere!(French Canadian Meat Pie)
    Yarn Balls with I.O.U’s are starting to look pretty good.
    P.S. Got the alarm clock! LOL!

  75. Wee Elves, a tree skirt, fish, yaks, an octopus purse, Princess Leia hats….wow, we knitters are a creative bunch. As for me, I just knitted green and red tree ornaments to give to friends.

  76. Ooh, what is the brown/cream yarn in the bottom picture? I need socks – I just got a siamese kitten the exact same colors, and we have to match for Christmas…

  77. I only have 2 1/2 socks to finish. Until I decide on Christmas Eve that “so-and-so” needs new slippers or a hat and then I’m screwed. Good luck! You can get it done. Even the sweater.

  78. I love the title of this post – you crack me – you are doing great – you accomplish so much – I’d send you some energy, but you have more than me.

    Back to post the other day – isn’t it a wonderful and gift when your grown daughters help you pull off all the festivities!!!

  79. finished one pair of socks. Broke the back of a shawl by getting up at 4.15 am yesterday morning and marathon-watched Sherock Season 3 while knitting like a fiend with smoking needles. Intended to knit the husband a pair of socks but looking a little unlikely at this point. We’ll see…

  80. On the downside – my sister emailed me from England to say that she had received a note from Royal Mail telling her that one of the packages she sent was marked “dangerous” and destroyed!!! The culprit? A bottle of perfume for one of my daughters1 Can you believe it – is the world going mad????

    • Hmmm, maybe they wanted the perfume for a girlfriend???? Postal service is mad, they destroyed a tropical plant in a parcel I ordered, and still sent all the packaging!!! Including the plants original package, which had dirt and moisture in it…and probably eggs or such from the “infestation” they claimed happened. HA!

  81. My original list was 3 scarves and a sweater. One scarf has been pushed off to next year; the sweater will hopefully get done in January. (For the record, I’m sure I could finish it by Christmas, but I couldn’t block AND mail it in time.)

  82. I gave up. Gift Certificates redeemable at a future date from the knitter in question. This is in order to recover sanity before it really goes missing. Peace. I need to knit faster.

  83. I had a request to knit a black scarf for my aunt. It started out in a super soft lace wt. alpaca. The first pattern wasn’t showing up well, so I started another one – and started it again… and again. I figured black lace wt and the dark winter evenings weren’t a match, so I found another boucle-type in my stash. Two patterns tried with that were less than pleasing. I finally made a basic bias-knit scarf with a keyhole in plain black worsted with a carry-along eyelash/fur type yarn. Sigh – not what I had wanted and a lot of time wasted, but I think she’ll like it anyway.

  84. Go you! I could stare at that last skein of yarn for hours (the one that melds into the next color…so gorgeous, and my favorite colors). I have finished three whimsical ornaments (at least 3 more to go), am more than halfway done with a stunning vest which isn’t quite stunning yet, and haven’t even started on some minion slippers. Hum dee dum. Thank goodness there’s wine.

  85. Decided to crochet a poncho for the teen and some vests for the small grands — don’t know what I was thinking! My fingers ache and I’m alternating with some knitting just to give myself a break so there is one sock with about an inch done, along with one poncho and one and three quarters of the vests. Good thing these kids aren’t any bigger! Knit on, Stef, we know you can do it!

  86. You are more along than I am. No I suppose that doesn’t make you feel better either. No one is getting hand knitted things because I spent the last several months knitting for my neighbors in the next county over who lost everything in the Lake County, CA fires. The house is sort of clean, but not picked up. I have a bunch of baking to do for friends and neighbors. There is the regular batch of sweets, the gluten-free batch, and then some holiday breads. Christmas is always at our house and this year I am hoping all will be in a good mood on Friday.

  87. I’m doing a hat. A super bulkychunky hat. A baby hat. It only takes about 20 rows. The way things are going around here, it’ll be the new year and the baby will have grown again anyway.

  88. I’m sure you’ll be fine Stephanie. You always manage somehow and pull together Christmases that make beautiful memories.
    How am I doing? I’m doing great. I don’t knit presents, decorate, bake or cook. We open presents at my in-laws because they have a tree and my husband cooks Christmas dinner. I set the table, eat and wash dishes.

  89. Not to gloat, but I am sitting here feeling very happy that we have nothing special to do for this or any holiday season. I have tea and DVR and knitting but at my own pace.

    On the other hand, I do have to find a new job in the new year. My previous employer folded last week.

  90. I had a sweater half done for my granddaughter’s first birthday when her daddy happened to mention quite apologetically that given how far south they live, they really don’t wear sweaters, including the ones I made her two and five (on Sunday!)-year-old brothers, although, the boys really really LOVE theirs. Oh.

  91. Christmas is tonight with the family. I bound off projects yesterday. Everything is fine as projects are air drying at the house waiting to be wrapped.

  92. Every year I’m amazed at the amount you accomplished-especially when you’re away from home, traveling, training, bike rallying, gingerbreading….and then knitting on top of all of that. Send one of the girls to the mall for you. They know how you feel about it. If you have to go, go when they open. Fewer folks to dodge as you zip through at supersonic speed.
    You can always start a tradition of Who gets the lucky one and a half sox? this year.
    Knit, breathe, drink. Knit, breathe, drink.

  93. “I’m pretty sure I can keep all of these balls in the air …. I’m just going to keep juggling and knitting” — I think we need to see a Franklin Habit drawing of this! With balls of wool, of course. My Christmas knitting is done apart from one thumb on a second mitten, but don’t ask whether I have wrapped presents, done any baking or put up a tree.

  94. I’ve knit 7 Gap-tastic cowls, that I gave to my co-workers today. I still have 2 vests to knit for my nephews, luckily, I only need a newborn and size 3. I also have a hat to finish for my daughter, and another Gap-tastic for my mom. As a teacher, I’ll be done with work at noon tomorrow. Knit, Amy knit! Knit, Stephanie knit!

  95. One Christmas party, 80 loaves of pumpkin bread baked, two holiday concerts attended, 2 cowls crocheted, 11 loads of laundry done (but not put away), 3 children still breathing, all bought gifts have been bought, and one dog sorted out to a dear friend for the holiday.

    Now, if I can get the rest of the approximately 173 details done by Saturday Morning when we leave for Idaho, I am good to go. Oh, and my aunt’s hat. I HAVE to finish that on the trip over or I will not be able to live with myself.

  96. I’m still believing that I will finish quilting and binding a patchwork bedspread for my mother, knit a stranded sweater for my son, sew two t-shirts for my nephews, and knit two hats… I am dancing on the edge here as well…

  97. Just keep plugging along – we can only do what we can do! Your Christmas wishes for those on your gift list will be NO LESS because you did not finish their gift in time. Breathe. Remember to enjoy.

  98. How am I doing? ‘m still working on a scarf that I cast on in May/June? I tried to schedule all the knittng projects I wanted to complete but that didn’t work out. I’m still optimistic that I will become a prolific knitter like you one day.

    I’m enjoying the Christmas magic you tend to pull off every year!

  99. Argh! I was doing fine. Then my son’s car broke… And he won’t have money to fix it until after Christmas. Ok. I can give him a ride to work… Then my daughter killed her car.. Now I’m the mom taxi. I can knit while doing a lot… But not while driving… Have to do 2 sleeves by Sunday so I can finish the yoke before Christmas. It’s going to be tight… Especially with the rest of the plan for the weekend.

  100. Could you post (or repost) or email the name for the little fox hat pattern. Thanks so much and have a very merry Christmas

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