I have basically given up on Christmas knitting. I made Debbie something and I’m working on finishing something for Matt, and that’s all I’m doing. All those people I promised socks to? Yeah, not happening. It’s not because I don’t love them, or even because I don’t have time (although at this point I really don’t). It’s because I am not good at deadline knitting. Debbie’s present was supposed to be for her birthday. So was Matt’s. If I promise to knit something for someone, they generally don’t get it until at least a year afterwards. I guess this means if you want to be on the Christmas knitting list for next year you’d better put in a request right now, because otherwise it’s not going to get done!

In the meantime, however, I have been knitting. I knitted on my new blanket project for myself today. (I started it a while ago and might have put something about it on here, but if not, know that I am starting a blanket for myself.) I knitted on one of my socks (the one knitted from the yarn that was going to be my roommate’s socks until I realized that she doesn’t really like socks unless they have penguins or cheetah spots or something else ridiculously hard to knit on them and reclaimed it for myself) yesterday on the way to the movies and then during the time before The Princess and the Frog (which was absolutely adorable, by the way) started. I didn’t knit during the movie because I tried in the previews and it was too dark and I almost dropped a stitch. I also knitted on my knee sock before Mommy’s Christmas program with her kids on Friday night. It’s still got a way to go, but it’s getting there.

I’ve asked for more yarn and needles for Christmas (along with books, pens, and notebooks like I always ask for) and I’m hoping to get some, though my family was a bit incredulous when they saw the list. I guess I’ll find out what they got for me in a few days. Then I’ll dig out my camera from the stuff I brought home and take tons of pictures. I’ve got a bajillion on there already, so I may do a post made entirely of pictures after Christmas.

Several months ago, I knitted a pair of wee baby socks and a bitty hat for my friend Megan’s new baby boy, Parker. I sent them to her and she loved them. She said that they fit great and she put up lots of adorable pictures of the little lad wearing my handknit things on Facebook. This naturally touched my heart and made me feel like I’d done a good thing. The feeling and the pictures were enough for me, but Megan apparently didn’t think so. Tonight, she left me a gift on my porch. This is what I found in the bag (along with candy and various other edible goodies):

Well, the tie-dye part is my shirt, but the little statue is the present. Megan made it herself. The card in the bag had a description of why she made each part of it the way she did. I love it. It makes me smile. I’m putting the picture up there as my Facebook profile picture, and I plan to cast on another pair of slightly larger baby socks for her as soon as possible.

I really feel like Megan has captured who I am in this little statue. Books, knitting needles and yarn, a kitty, a pencil, and a crown–she’s gotten all of me. I’m a reader, a knitter, a cat lover, a writer, a teacher (the pencil says “teacher” on it), and a princess. I hardly know anything about her, and she’s captured my essence in clay.

The funny thing is, Megan and I were never really close friends. We knew each other in high school, and we’d say hi when we saw each other, but honestly I hardly knew her. We reconnected on Facebook and eventually I found out she was expecting. I was getting into the baby stuff knitting, so it was just natural to make her baby things too because I loved it so much. I made those little socks and the hat out of love–for knitting, and for the thought of a new mother with a baby to care for who would need nice warm things to put on him. I would do it for any friend who was expecting. I’m working on socks for Nicole’s baby now. But it’s true what my kindergarten teacher told me–giving away love will always double what you have. No matter how much you give away, you always have more. This little statue is the love I put into those baby things come back to me. I plan to send it back in bigger socks. After all, baby feet grow fast, and the little lad will need new socks to warm his toes.

I used to think that knitted socks were a sign of love. If I loved someone, I would offer to knit her a pair of socks. I tried this strategy all summer, and ended up with about eight pairs of socks on the needles for other people. Now, as Christmas draws closer, I realize that while knitted socks can be a sign of love, it is not nice to promise someone something you cannot finish by a specific date. Knitting eight pairs of socks in about six months is silly, at least for me. I am not good at sticking to projects. I am very susceptible to Second Sock Syndrome. I am also quite selfish and rather lazy. Knitting socks for myself is much easier than knitting socks for friends, and requires no deadlines.

Some people knit to make things, either for themselves or for others. Others knit for the sake of knitting, not really caring what is coming off the needles or if it fits anybody. I am that sort of knitter—a process knitter. I knit because knitting is fun. Knitting is simple, unless you want to try lace or cables or complex stitch patterns. I don’t do any of those; I like plain stockinette or garter stitch. I have to concentrate really hard to do even the simplest things: decreases, increases, turning a heel, ribbing…I’ll do all of them, because I do like having finished things, but I’d rather just knit back and forth or around and around with no reason to stop and pay attention until I want to find out how long the thing is. I knit to give myself something to do. Adding the deadline thing only makes it hard for me, and eventually turns it into torture. I stop loving projects I have to have done by a certain time, and then I put them into drawers or boxes and forget about them. This leads to missed deadlines and disappointed people.

Some knitters have the happy ability to set and keep deadlines, and those knitters knit projects for other people. These are the knitters who churn out socks, scarves, hats, and sweaters in weeks. These are the knitters who see no problem in losing sleep to knit. These are the knitters who knit even more obsessively than I do. I knit before classes, before chapel, in many of the free moments I have in my room, in the car, during movies and TV, and even during the formal banquet my dorm had tonight. That is a lot of knitting, and some people think I’m already weird and obsessed for knitting as much as I do. But there are people out there who knit in lines in the grocery store, as they walk from place to place (I’ve tried that and discovered that it causes me to walk in to things). These people will knit every moment of every day when there is nothing else their hands have to do. I can’t do this. My hands like to do other things besides knitting. They like to write, to type, to draw (though not well), and to just sit and rest. If I knit for too long, my hands and wrists start to hurt and I have to put the project down to keep from seriously injuring myself. Despite how it looks to people (mostly people who don’t knit or who have just learned to knit and are still slow), I knit slowly and not very much.

In light of all this, I have decided something. I love a lot of people, and I want to show them that I love them, but knitting is not really the way to do that. I am going to find other ways to show my love. I’ll bake. I’ll spend time with people. I’ll buy books and other things that people like. I won’t knit for every single person I meet and decide that I love (which happens fairly quickly for me; there are few people that I truly dislike). I’ll knit for someone if they buy me the yarn. I’ll knit for my family (though not very much). I’ll knit for my really close friends and their future children. If a friend tells me she’s having a baby, I’ll buy yarn and cast on the baby blanket, because I believe that every baby ought to have a blankie. Someday, I hope, I will knit for the man I choose to give my heart to (when he shows up and I know he’s the one), and for any children we have together. Other friends will get other things for Christmas, and I hope they’ll understand. Anything else I knit will be for me. When I do knit things for people, I won’t promise deadlines. I won’t say, “Oh yeah, I’ll give this to you for Christmas”, or, “This is going to be your birthday present”.

All those whom I promised a knitted present to this year, please forgive me. I will try to buy you a present, and I hope you’ll like it. I do love you—a lot—but it’s not a good sign of my love if I give you a half-knit sock and say, “I’m sorry. I’ll make this your birthday present instead”. That’s just mean. I am reclaiming some of the yarn I started making into presents, and will turn it all into something pretty at some point. Right now, though, I’m concentrating on two projects for myself and three projects for others for Christmas presents, as well as one project that is going to be a baby gift. When those presents are done, I am going to allow myself to be a selfish knitter. I see no problem with this.

P.S. I do have an idea that if, as I suspect, I have ADD, then having that confirmed and getting medicine to help me may allow me to concentrate more on my knitting and thus get more done. Until that hypothesis is proved and something is done about it, however, I am content to be a crazy knitter who jumps from project to project and knits mostly for herself because some of her knitting has no clear purpose when it’s started.

I have started two new knitting projects, both pair projects, and both firsts. One is the first in a pair of knee socks, and the other is the first in a pair of mittens. I am quite excited about both of them.

The knee socks came about from a combination of desire and necessity. I have been enamored with knee socks for quite some time and have wanted to knit a pair of my own, but haven’t found a pattern that appeals to me (read: a pattern that is not lace or cables). I finally cobbled a bunch of the ones I’ve found together. The yarn is Knit Picks Stroll in Purple Heather (I think that’s the color) and Felici in Tyrian Purple. It is beautiful and soft and I love it a lot. I bought two skeins a while back to knit plain socks (one sock from each skein), and even started one, but the Great Christmas Sock Experiment necessitated the frogging of that sock in order to use the size 2 circular for another sock. I wound up the yarn and stuffed it in the yarn jar. The other night I freed up the circular and so I pulled out the purple yarn. It was a bit squished, so I tried to rewind it. One skein tangled horribly. I got most of the knots out, but I did lose a bit of the skein. I wound the other one from the other end and it was fine. Losing some of the first skein meant that I’d either have socks that weren’t the same size or sock yarn left over. Rather than risk that, I rolled both skeins into one ball and decided to use all of the purple yarn to make a knee sock. I went on Knit Picks and ordered two more skeins to make the other sock.

So far, the knee sock is going well. I’m nearly ready to start decreases from the middle of the calf to the leg part. I’ve got that figured out (I did that during history class this morning; the Civil War holds very little interest for me and the semester’s almost over) and the only think I’m a little worried about is that the sock won’t fit. I’m going to try it on when I can figure out how…Meanwhile, I’m admiring its prettiness and trying to figure out what outfit I can wear stripey purple knee socks with.

The other project I started is the first in a pair of mittens. I started it earlier tonight, actually. This one rose up almost entirely out of necessity. It is getting cold here. I’m trying to avoid wearing my big puffy winter coat as long as I can, because if I give in and put on the big coat, I have to admit that it’s winter. My lighter jacket works fine, but my hands get cold. Thus, I have begun pink mittens. This yarn is Knit Picks Swish Bulky in Flamingo (the same yarn I used to make a bunny for Angel’s baby) and it’s very, very soft and pretty. I’m knitting it on much smaller needles than it actually calls for on the yarn label (size 4 and 6 vs. size 11) so it’s kind of tight, but the mittens need to be warm. I did the ribbing tonight and will start the thumb gusset increases tomorrow. I’m hoping to have a mitten (or maybe a mitten and a half, depending) by the end of the weekend. I guess we’ll see.

Both of these projects are pretty and soft, and I love them to bits. Christmas socks have been banished for the time being, because knee socks and mittens for me are more fun (and don’t have a real deadline, although finishing mittens in July would be dumb). I am quite happy.

I was talking with Amy last night about how I have so many socks to knit and they’re getting boring and how I don’t think I’ll be able to finish all the socks I’ve promised people in time for Christmas. In the midst of talking to her, I got a brilliant idea for how to solve the problem. I won’t share it here, because it’s top secret, but suffice it to say that I have things under control and the sock load has lightened considerably. My sock yarn jar is also very full, which makes me very happy.

I also have a plan for next Christmas’s knitting–I am only making socks for maybe one person. I am not promising knitted Christmas gifts to every new friend I make. I will start my Christmas knitting early and get it done by December. All the sock yarn in the sock jar is going to be socks for me (eventually). I really need to get another jar. There’s more yarn in the sock drawer of my desk that wouldn’t fit in here.

Yesterday, my mom and Debbie decided to go to Michael’s. Mommy asked me if I wanted to go with them. I thought about it, and then I said no. I got yarn in the mail before I came home, and I also brought home fifty bajillion (okay, maybe seven) knitting projects to work on (not much work got done). I have a big tub of yarn at school and not much money. I have to save to buy Christmas presents. So I said no, and did not go to Michael’s yesterday. I did not get any new yarn on this trip home. I’m actually quite proud of myself.

Believe me, though–once Christmas is over, I will be buying a lot of yarn. I am already looking forward to putting some of my projects in progress behind me. I’m just going to be good and wait until after Christmas.

My best friend is getting married tomorrow. The wedding is in Illinois, so I have to ride about six hours in the car with my friends Chelsea and Katie to get there. (This is not a complaint at all, just details.) Obviously, I’m going to bring some knitting to do on the way up and back. I’ll probably knit at the hotel too, and maybe even at the reception. Knitting during the ceremony is just rude.

Anyways, I’ve been trying to think of what sort of knitting to bring along. I don’t want to bring the baby blanket because Nicole doesn’t know what it looks like and I want to be a surprise. I could–and probably will, because I’m easily bored–some of the Christmas socks, but I want something that can be a reminder of this weekend. I haven’t seen Nicole in at least a year, and I haven’t seen Katie in at least that long. I saw Chelsea before I came back to school in September, but that was two months ago. For the first time in a long time, we’re going to all be in one place (except Stephanie, who can’t come). I need a new project. It should be small and portable, and really pretty. It should be neutral enough that it won’t completely clash with whatever Nicole’s wedding colors are, and pretty enough that it reminds me of a wedding.

In short, I’m going to restart the Rose Garden socks. I’ll knit the toe tonight at home and then put it on a little circular and take it with me. Since it’ll be toe up I won’t have to worry about switching to DPNs at the end. I can just keep going on the circ. I’ll also use up all the yarn. It’s got cream and rose colors, which are colors I associate with weddings (the pure white/cream for the bride, and the rose colors for her bouquet, which I think should always be roses). I might even finish a sock this weekend.

I’d make the socks for Nicole, except for 2 reasons. One is practical, and one is very selfish. The practical reason is that I don’t remember her foot size off the top of my head and it’s easier to make a sock to fit my own foot than to measure it constantly to make sure it’ll fit someone else. The selfish reason is that I have grown very attached to the idea of these socks and I want them for myself. The way I imagine them, they will be pretty enough to wear as dress socks, and they’ll look lovely in dress shoes, under a nice skirt. I can wear them teaching next semester. I want them to be mine, and so they shall be. Besides, socks wear out. If I make Nicole socks to remind her of her wedding, they’ll wear out and then it’ll be a bad sign about her marriage. (I don’t really believe this. Honestly, I just want the socks for my very own.)

I will take pictures of the sock at the wedding. I might even get the bride (and maybe the groom, if he doesn’t end up thinking I’m absolutely nuts) to hold the sock for a picture. I will post them when I get home.

I took a bit of a break on the whole sock front this weekend. I did start the second sock in Rachel, Amy, and Robyn’s pairs this weekend, but didn’t get very far on any of them. I did not finish anything until yesterday, when I finally put a toe on Debbie’s second sock. I blocked it and its mate together, even though I already blocked the first one, because they needed to be the same length. I had Debbie try on the first one when we were both home for Fall Break and she said it was a little big, but I figure she can wear them over other socks as slippers, or maybe in her winter boots to keep her feet nice and warm. They’re really pretty and I love them a lot. I wish they were mine. Luckily, there’s enough yarn left to make another pair (probably because I bought twice as much yarn as I needed) so I might make myself a matching pair once I get the rest of the Christmas socks done.

Today, I turned the heel on Ali’s first sock, and I’m in the process of turning the heel on Elizabeth’s first socks. I made the legs on both of them kind of short–maybe like 3 inches each–because they’re on size 2 needles and it takes a long time to make anything long on those. Yes, I’m being lazy, but I’d rather be able to give them two rather short socks than one long one and one on the needles at Christmas.

I still have to finish Danike’s first sock and Katie’s first sock, along with the two I heeled today, and then I’ll only have second socks to work on. I’m going to have lots of knitting time this weekend because I’m going to Nicole’s wedding, so I’ll be in the car about 5 hours with Chelsea and Katie (not the one who’s getting socks for Christmas, but another Katie; I know about five). Maybe I can finished all the first socks this week and then spend the rest of the month on the second socks. Would it be weird to bring a tape measure to Thanksgiving dinner?

That’s all from the sock front today. Here’s a pic of Debbie’s finished socks, my first official pair for Christmas.

I think I’ve fixed my gauge problems. I just have to remember to knit the sock two inches shorter than normal and then let the blocking do its work. I didn’t get the picture up in the last post, but here is what it looked like when I was blocking Robyn, Amy, and Rachel’s socks (two of them incomplete) at the same time.

I finished Amy’s sock last night and it’s the right length. (I almost put “the right size” there but I won’t know that until she wears it.) Here it is blocking:

My goal today is to finish Rachel’s sock and maybe Debbie’s second sock (I’m on the heel flap of that one; Rachel’s sock just needs to be the proper length and then get a toe). I will take pictures when they are done.

Overall, I think I’m doing pretty good. I have three finished socks from five days of knitting. Since I have 16 total socks to knit, that means I have 13 left to finish. I might get started on the mates for some of the finished socks today as well, if I have time. I’ve got other work to do as well–most importantly getting my application for the Teacher Ed program finished so I don’t have to flunk out of school (not really flunk; more like drop out or take another semester of just English classes, which I don’t want to do right after this one.) I’m also trying to find time to write the next chapter of my Beauty and the Beast story, and I have two papers for two different classes due Monday. (There might be something else due Friday as well, but I’m really not sure…)

Overall, my life is just too full. Someday there will be a glorious time when all I have to do is knit or write or whatever I want to do. That time is called Christmas break and I am looking forward to it with growing fervor. Unfortunately, there are 42 days until it starts officially, which means I have a lot of school left to do. Grr…

So last night, I finished Robyn’s first sock. I was very proud of myself. It was exactly the right length–or so I thought. I took it to the sink and got it wet so I could block it, and for the first time in my limited blocking experience, I discovered the bad side. As I lifted that sock from the sink, it stretched 2 inches. Not on the cuff, just the foot. It was 10″ before and when I got to the desk to pin it on the towel, it was 12″. I tried it on–it was too big for me! I did the only thing I could think of. I remeasured, sewed around at the 10″ mark, and cut off the rest. It doesn’t look great, and the nice toe I made with the toe up cast on thing is gone, but the sock is the right length (well, pretty much, anyways; I’m not sure what’ll happen when I unpin it today).

My guess is that it’s a combination of the gauge (which was apparently off) and the yarn. It’s the Deborah Norville sock yarn in “Amethyst”–the color I’ve complained about a few times. In order to avoid this problem with my other two socks in that yarn (different colors), I blocked them on the needles. I don’t think the stretching was quite as bad with them, but I’m forewarned now and will knit them shorter so they can stretch when I reblock them when they’re done. I don’t think I’ll be getting the Deborah Norville yarn again.