Christmas - Phase 5 - It's About Time

Here is a scary thought. There are 105 days till Christmas, or exactly 15 weeks.

Everyone should have sorted out the Chistmas knitting and have an idea of what they are up against.

Next you need to take your list and make a guess of how long it will take you to make it and it's difficulty rating. I use this scale for difficulty:

0 - Plain Sock Level - I can walk, talk, and knit at the same time. Does not take any looking at.

1 - Simple Shawlette Level - I can talk and knit at the same and only takes looking at on occasion.
2 - Mitten Level - Has parts that need dedication to, but there are parts that rank a 0.

3 - Simple Blanket - The hardest part is the dedication
4 - Patterned Shawlette - The lace pattern can be memorized, but you still have to check the directions on occasion.

5 - Simple Sweater - Will take dedication and lots of pattern reading, but still parts I can read a book at.
6 - Patterned Scarf - A scarf with chart that needs looking at for the first 5 repeats. The other 20 repeats are made up of dedication
7 - Cowl - Repeats that stack and are worked in the round.

8 - Sweater with Pattern - It might be form fitting, or have a pattern worked in.
9 - Lace - There are some repeats, but every row needs reading

10 - Fair Isle - There are no repeats. Tension is a bitch. My chart is my constant companion

Rating your projects is a good way to tell how long it will take to knit and what you can and cannot do while knitting it.

Who	Pattern	Rating	Hours	Can Do While Kit
Dad	Basic Socks	0	12	Walk, Ride Stationary Bike, Read
Grandma P	Basic Socks	0	12	Walk, Ride Stationary Bike, Read
Jim	Basic Boot Socks	0	6	Walk, Ride Stationary Bike, Read
Jim	Basic Boot Socks	0	6	Walk, Ride Stationary Bike, Read
Aunt Lynn	Lazy Daisy Shawlette	1	10	Walk, Ride Stationary Bike, Read
4 Beanies		1	16	Walk, Ride Stationary Bike, Read
Mom	Linen Scarf	1	10	Walk, Ride Stationary Bike, Read
Mom	Basic Four Needle Mittens	2.5	12	Walk, Ride Stationary Bike, Read
JM	Basic Four Needle Mittens	2.5	12	Walk, Ride Stationary Bike, Read
Grandma Jane	Dropped Stitch Scarf	3	10	Watch Movies, Ride Stationary Bike, Girl Time
Aunt Bobby	Wound Up Cowl	3	4	Watch Movies, Ride Stationary Bike, Girl Time
12 Washcloths		3	12	Watch Movies, Ride Stationary Bike, Girl Time
Court	Botanical Cowl	3	10	Watch Movies, Ride Stationary Bike, Girl Time
Aunt Lee	Grandma's Checker Lace	6	10	Watch Movies, Ride Stationary Bike, Girl Time
Stina	Hydrangea Neckwarmer	7	10	Watch Movies, Ride Stationary Bike, Girl Time
Grandma Jane	Leaves of Grass	9	40	Grave Shift, Rewatch Movies, Books on Tape
Aunt Lee	Girasole	9	40	Grave Shift, Rewatch Movies, Books on Tape
Anna	Love at the Opera	9	20	Grave Shift, Rewatch Movies, Books on Tape

If my estimates are correct I have 252 hours of knitting. That averages to about 2.5 hours of knitting a day between now and Christmas.

I know I might not be able to do 2.5 hours of dedicated Christmas knitting between now and the big day, I do have my own sweater and my Dad's to finish right now, but if I plan things right I can chisel a few hours here and there without realizing it.

My trick is to always have a project ready for each activity I can do while knitting. I have a plain sock in a carrying bag that lives in my purse, a sweater in a box for grave shift, the washcloth yarn with pattern all in another carrying bag in the car for social visits, scarf next to my recumbent bike, and back up projects ready in a basket in my room. Every time I leave the house I take stock of what projects I have on me and if I can knit them during my day.

If I'm really smart then I can avoid the Christmas weight gain and spend most of my time at home on my bike since as of this weekend there will be no more running for a bit.

As Summer Wanes Knitters Rise

These last days of summer are the jewels of the season.

As I sit here looking at the grapevines beginning to change their leaves from green to red I savor the last bit of heat. The end of summer is when we get all the best parts of the season. The heat, the colors, the food, and the friends.

Since moving back to San Mateo I've been able to make it back to the weekly gathering of my friends. What started out as a girls night a few years ago has expanded to include boyfriends, siblings, neighbours and band members. It is not the type of party you would expect to start the week off with.

Anna will usually try a new dish, or splurge on some treat. Courtney will rush to us after work. Stina will learn how to cook something new. Paul will come late and usually arrive with dessert. Nivek might have a ban member in tow and then go back into the house to practice. Sometimes Teresa will drop by with a friend and boyfriend with something from a bakery.

We're all from San Mateo, but our interests vary so much you will never know where the conversation will go. Actually other then my knitting or spinning I don't think you can really expect anything. One of these nights has turned into a late night trip to a casino 3 hours away.

What I can say is that we're a close knit bunch and on these nights I always remind Anna and Stina that they should grab their knitting, because as much as we don't want to admit it, these days are numbered. Soon the leaves will drop off our apple tree, the basil and squashes will die, the swing will be wet with rain, and we'll move inside to stay warm.

I'm lucky because my studio has a great view of the backyard with all the glories of the garden, and on Tuesday nights I'm content to help the girls out with whatever craft they bring and sit in my big chair and just look outside. This is the time to knit I remind myself. This is the time to savor the summer and prepare for the winter. I am a Stark at heart and I think that all knitters really are, because we are all thinking about how winter is coming.

and balancing a teacup on my knee

Right now I'm knitting Nutkin socks, preparing Christmas lists and warm clothes while enjoying the heat with thoughts of how I'll be indoors in the upcoming months.

In the winter we have to remember that Stephanie Pearl-McPhee would say winter is the "glory days of knitters"...

But sometimes you might find us bundled up in our knits enjoying tea on the back deck while it is pouring rain.