Holiday Knitting Begins

This Saturday morning in October I am thoroughly distracted from my school work, and a little disappointed that my plan for baking bread and making pumpkin apple soup has come on an unseasonably warm day. Should I heat up my kitchen and force my husband to eat distinctly fall food on a late summer feeling day? To put off this decision I am dreaming about the things I will knit.

Knitting makes me a better person, by testing my weaknesses. I am impatient by nature and knitting has taught me that some things take time and that the rewards for patience can be great. I am a perfectionist, and while I love that knitting can be frogged (taken apart) many times, elimnating mistakes, there are also times when a mistake can be beautiful or at least ignored.

But even more than these knitting also plays to my strengths, the most prevelant is my love of planning. I lay in bed at night planning the next day; first thing when I wake up I run through my plan again; on Sundays I plan my whole week; on Thursday I begin planning my weekend, and in September I start planning for the holidays. Many elements, the cards, the gifts, the plans with family and friends, but the most vital is the knitting. If I want to make something for someone, I have to think ahead. I often give at least four hand knit items, which each take anywhere from a week to a month to knit. This year I am planning on giving no fewer than nine knitted items this holiday season. I've also been commissioned to knit four stockings for a friend.

Above are the beginnings of these gifts: two pairs of corn cob slippers, and a sweater coat for my nephew. The last of the yarn was ordered this week and I can't wait to get my hands on it, especially since two of the items will have hand-dyed yarn. That I will dye. I just love how hand-dyed yarn looks. But it does add an element of risk, especially with items that are large and therefore require the yarn to be dyed in batches, which then may have variances in color. But I LOVE taking risks in my knitting. I hate knitting the same predictable things over and over. I need a challenge!

But though I am impatient to start all of these projects and be proud of the finished gifts, I must try and slow down, and concentrate on one at a time, giving each my love and attention, which will hopefully be felt in turn by the recipient.