it's about that time

Christmas is drawing closer and closer and it's time for me to make some tough decisions.

It's time to be realistic and cut out some of the knitting projects I planned to do. So sad I know, but that is always how it goes right? You make your plans, buy your yarn and then all of the sudden you have a 8-week full time job come up ontop of all of your housework and other Christmas preparations. C'est la vie.

So who to cut is the next question, upcoming birthdays come partly into the equation, the amount of work needed to be done is another determining factor.

My dear sweet entrelac scarf has been put on pause, as well as another entrelac scarf I had yet to start. I am focusing on the toques, they knit up relatively fast. Luckily my three brothers birthdays are in January, February and March, so whatever gets half finished I can give for a B-day present and have it still be given in the right season.

I am going to be going on the offensive though. If you ever see me I will have knitting needles in my hand. Whether it be in between stirs of boiling the pasta, or hiding in my car during my lunch hour. Any chance I have I will be click clacking away as fast as my fingers will let me.

Bring on the arthritis

Have you no consideration for my poor fingers? You mistake me, my dear. I have the utmost respect for your nerves. They've been my constant companion these twenty years.

I am currently multi-tasking and knitting a few projects at the same time. Not something I would usually do, but in the spirit of the season I am working on making a few special Christmas gifts, of the homemade variety.

One thing I am knitting is knit in the round, on circular needles. I have been working on my scarf so much lately that I have gotten used to my straight knitting needles again. Ah those glorious straight needles, all knit no pain. It's wonderful. Then I switch back to my other project, and it's a whole different story. When I knit with my circulars after a while it feels like my hands are permanently frozen into a claw-like position.

Despite the finger-aches it causes, I actually enjoy knitting in the round. It makes a nice stockinette stitch by simply knitting every row, a kind of brainless type of knitting. If you are an avid reader of my blog here you will remember in a recent post I mentioned sometimes it's nice to be able to think a little about what you are knitting. The crucial word being 'sometimes'. Sometimes it is nice to knit without thinking. Tonight for example, I was able to enjoy a great episode of Glee as well as work on one of my christmas projects.

Sometimes though, when I am knitting in the round I stop to do finger stretches every few rows. Seriously, I do! Someone should write a book or make a video with stretches to do for your fingers when knitting.

Maybe I should youtube it, people make videos for everything these days.