Archive for category Seasonal Crafting
9 Days ’til Christmas
Posted by singularknitter in Knitting Goals, Seasonal Crafting on December 16, 2012
Projects in Progress: 1
Projects Complete: 14
Total Presents to Complete: 20
The counts have changed quite a bit to accurately reflect what will actually be completed for Christmas. The three sweaters that the recipients knew about and previously okayed receiving after the holidays have been removed from the count, along with a shawl that has stalled out a bit, and one hat has been added.
The remaining six projects include: two pairs of mitts, two hats (one in progress and to be finished tonight), one pair of slippers and one shawlette.
Each of the hats will take one night. The pairs of mitts and the shawl, I am providing two nights for each. The pair of slippers will take one night, as did the other pair, and the two pairs will be felted together on the 22nd while I work on another project.
This is happening and the chaos hasn’t taken away from my love of the holidays, which is always a plus. I hope your holidays are going well!
14 Days ’til Christmas
Posted by singularknitter in Knitting Goals, Seasonal Crafting on December 11, 2012
Projects in Progress: 5
Projects Complete: 10
Total Presents to Complete: 22
Clearly, the holidays are in full swing. Between Santa visits and holiday parties, finding time just to breathe is getting difficult. In order to stay on my strict knitting schedule, a quite a few days have passed without an update, and as we get closer to the big day, that might be more common.
At this point, I have only two people left to knit for so that everyone has at least one knitted present, however small. As long as these last two projects are completed before Christmas, I will be safe.
Here is the current break down of what’s left to complete:
3 sweaters (2 in progress), 2 pairs of mitts, 2 shawls (1 almost done, awaiting more yarn), 2 cowls (1 in progress), 2 pairs of slippers and 1 hat.
Aside from the sweaters, which are allowed to be late, everything should be completed by their due dates… if not actually by Christmas.
21 Days ’til Christmas
Posted by singularknitter in Crafting w/ M, Knitting Goals, Seasonal Crafting on December 4, 2012
Projects in Progress: 7
Projects Complete: 6
Total Presents to Complete: 23
Although my numbers haven’t changed, I have been making loads of progress. One of M’s fingerless mitts is complete, and the other should be finished today or tomorrow. The shawl I am actively working on only has six more rows of the lace border before moving into the stockinette short row shaping, so this should also be finished tomorrow. Meanwhile, I have gotten a few more rows of my fathers sweater done. All-in-all, I’m not too bad off.
Another thing to point out, though I have seventeen presents remaining, I am only knitting for twelve people. I have completed presents for five of the twelve… so as long as I complete seven more projects by Christmas, everyone will have at least one present. Seven isn’t nearly as bad as seventeen. So my strategy at this point is to work my way through the presents I need to complete so that everyone on my list has a gift, then I will go back and complete the outstanding presents if there is time. If not, maybe M and I will just make them a lovely handmade card to go with their gift… and pretend like that’s the same.
22 Days ’til Christmas
Posted by singularknitter in Crafting w/ M, Knitting Goals, Seasonal Crafting on December 3, 2012
Projects in Progress: 7
Projects Complete: 6
Total Presents to Complete: 23
I’m struggling. Not with the idea that I have 17 projects left to complete. I cannot seem to find the time to knit M’s Christmas presents. I want her to actually be surprised! How do you manage to surprise a three year old that seemingly never sleeps or plays by herself. And she is aware. So aware. Each time she sees me with a new project she asks what I’m making and who it’s for. I started her mitts last night, when I thought she was sleeping… only to have her walk into my room half asleep. I was able to quickly throw it under the blanket before taking her back to her bed. Even just a glimpse of the hot pink yarn would give away that it was finally a present for her.
Since she seems to be refusing to sleep, I am forced to only work on her presents while we are not together.. which leaves me only my lunch break. I was hoping to have both mitts done tonight, but I only got through the first half of a mitt today. I might risk pulling it out to finish a mitt and just having other projects next to me to distract her with if she decides sleeping is only for adults – which tends to be her mantra. That is, all adults except, well, me.
23 Days ’til Christmas
Posted by singularknitter in Crafting w/ M, Knitting Goals, Seasonal Crafting on December 2, 2012
Projects in Progress: 6
Projects Complete: 6
Total Presents to Complete: 23
After working five hours yesterday, I did not get the normal amount of Saturday knitting complete. Since my mother was out of town this weekend, M and I opted to stay at the apartment all day today instead of venturing over to my parents’ place for church, brunch and Sunday dinner. M was lovely and let me knit while playing with her and during movie time. If that wasn’t enough.. she actually took a nap. My daughter. Slept. When the sun was still shining. It was a solid two hours of knitting time.
It was then that I finished the ribbed hat of doom and started seriously working on the Arroyo shawl. Tonight, the plan is to finish the lace border on the shawl (no I’m not that amazing, it starts with the border) and get to the short row shaping before heading to bed. I’m hoping to get through the rest of the shawl tomorrow during my lunch break since knitting garter stitch is going to feel like a breeze after all that ribbing!
24 Days ’til Christmas
Posted by singularknitter in Knitting Goals, Seasonal Crafting on December 1, 2012
Projects in Progress: 7
Projects Complete: 5
Total Presents to Complete: 23
18 more projects in 24 days. That’s not entirely accurate, since a few projects are acceptable to gift anytime before the new year, but it is still the goal. Today, I completed a pair of ribbed fingerless mitts knit in two days. Let’s just say, the other four pairs will not be ribbed. 2×2 rib slows me down way too much, especially since I knit with my right hand and purl with my left.
My goals for the coming week are:
-Complete the hat I start today… tonight.
-Complete an Arroyo Shawl
-Complete a Pedestrian Crossing Cowl
-Complete a 198 yds of Heaven Shawl
-Knit 3 more inches on my father’s sweater
How do I plan on accomplishing this in a week? The hat and cowl should each be done in a day. The two shawls I plan on completing in two to three days, while the three inches on the sweater will happen throughout the week, whenever I get a spare minute to knit some stockinette. However, this plan all hinges on me being able to take lunch breaks at work this week… I’ll keep you posted on how well that goes.
Now that we are finally in December, is everyone on board and ready for the holidays? We have some upcoming holiday events that we are very excited about. What is getting you pumped and ready for the season?
26 Days ’til Christmas
Posted by singularknitter in Daily Life, Knitting Goals, Seasonal Crafting on November 29, 2012
Projects in Progress: 7
Projects Complete: 4
Total Presents to Complete: 26
Despite all of my planning – eventually real life takes over. Including last night, where M stayed up until 11:30 pm, when I finally gave up trying to put her to sleep and went to bed myself only to have her crawl into my bed and fall asleep in under a minute, I have had little to no knitting time this week. So I reevaluated my present list and somehow, when I was supposed to be cutting presents, I mean postponing them until people’s birthdays or next Christmas (obviously), I instead ended up only reducing by four presents, but also decided that two completed presents would not actually work as presents.
The items I decided to hold off on are for people who are already getting at least one other Christmas present this year, so they still won’t be presentless. The two completed projects were removed from the count because they are cowls made out of wool. Not superwash wool, either. I just couldn’t think of anyone on my list that would hand wash a cowl that didn’t have a wool sensitivity. That being said, they might get added back to the list when I decide to give them to M for Christmas just to add to the number of presents she gets to unwrap… clearly every three year old’s favorite part.
So the current project breakdown: 3 sweaters, 2 pairs of slippers, 6 pairs of mitts/mittens, 5 hats, 6 neck-warmers/cowls and 3 wraps/shawls. Completely more reasonable than before…………..
29 Days ’til Christmas
Posted by singularknitter in Seasonal Crafting on November 26, 2012
Projects in Progress: 6
Projects Complete: 5
Total Presents to Complete: 30
The wrap is almost 40 percent complete and I have knit two more inches on my father’s sweater. I am now hoping to finish the wrap by tomorrow and then cast on several more projects that are… a touch more portable. For now: back to the wrap, I’m on a roll!!
How are your holiday preparations coming? Cookies baked? Trees trimmed? Other festivities planned? Let me in on some of your secrets. And if anyone knows the best way to hang lights on the inside of windows… please comment. Because every time a string of lights falls, so does my Christmas joy.
30 Days ‘Til Christmas
Posted by singularknitter in Crafting w/ M, Knitting Goals, Seasonal Crafting on November 25, 2012
Projects in Progress: 6
Projects Complete: 5
Total Presents to Complete: 30
That’s right, people, we have one month. The lights may be hung, the tree trimmed, but what good is all of the holiday pretty if there are no packages under the tree? In all honesty, I am not completely present driven, as I truly believe in all that Christmas is about. However, I adore gift giving. Even when it’s not Christmas, I love the hunt for the perfect gift, whether store bought or handmade.
With M, I am trying to instill that same feeling toward the Christmas season. We don’t focus so much on what she wants for Christmas, she’s three, she wants everything. Instead, I’ve been having her sit with me while browsing through Ravelry and pattern books, carefully selecting each project for it’s recipient. So far this seems to be working and it’s nice to get someone else’s input regarding what kind of presents the people in our lives would like. When she doesn’t quite choose the most practical patterns, we switch over to choosing yarn for the projects.
In terms of progress, I have made some with a new wrap I started with some of the Black Friday yarn and did place the sleeves on waste yarn to continue with just the body of my father’s sweater. I am hoping to have the wrap done by Wednesday and at least 5 more inches of the sweater’s body done by the end of the week. That being said, I don’t want M to start to resent Christmas for taking up too much of my time. Most of my knitting time is still being reserved for Sundays and at night after she’s in bed.
I hope everyone survived any Black Friday shopping and made it out for Small Business Saturday. But if you are still scrambling, Cyber Monday is still to come… Let me know how you are enjoying the official start of the holiday season!
31 Days ’til Christmas
Posted by singularknitter in Knitting Goals, Seasonal Crafting on November 24, 2012
Projects in Progress: 6
Projects Complete: 5
Total Presents to Complete: 30
Finally, I’ve had some sweater progress! Because I can knit my father’s Christmas present in front of him, his sweater has made some serious progress over the last three days. I have just four more rows… before I divide for the body. I know. There is a lot of this sweater left. But once I divide the sleeves off and start working straight stockinette in the round, I’m certain it will go faster… I am completely counting on the idea that the purl rows are slowing me down right now as I work back and forth to create the buttonhole section of the henley. This will totally be done by the new year.
I have definitely started thinking about what projects actually need to be finished, wrapped and under the tree by Christmas. As for the others, I am planning my holiday season and visiting schedule around when I will be finishing their presents. 25 more presents in 31 days might not be humanly possible, especially since three of them are sweaters, but I’m sure by new years I can have everything done, right? Right.
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