Be Careful What You Wish For!
Hey! Gwynn is still working on her stocking, so this is Beth filling in and sharing some of my Christmas panic!
There is just so much knitting you can do for yourself before you run out of room for it all. I have filled my drawers, my closet shelves, a cedar chest and given lots of it away. But as long as I’m at Halcyon, there will be another skein of yarn or a pattern that just cries out to go home with me. That leads to my computer/yarn storage/Christmas tree room–which is another story for another day. I’m trying to convince my family that the Christmas tree would look lovelier in another room or I will be as busy as one of Santa’s elves moving yarn!
For years, I have been offering to knit sweaters, socks anything for my three sons. When they were little, I could do that. But now, except for the occasional winter hat, or the mittens we sent to Afghanistan, I get painful expressions and attempts at tactful responses. Imagine my elation when my eldest (and biggest) last year came into the store and announced that he wanted a sweater. Be careful what you wish for! He chose the pattern, 
one that requires reading every line of a 52 row repeat (for a 49″ chest!) And he chose the yarn, Bulky Black Lambs Pride! Now, I am mother-bound to make this sweater but…….. I gave him the yarn and pattern wrapped for his birthday last February and promised the sweater would soon follow. Always excited about starting a new project, I sat down and cast on. Do you know how many prettier, more exciting colorways there are here? Since starting that sweater, I have started and finished four Side-to-Side cardigans–3 in patagonia, and one in the red Noro Iro,
the Christening gown, a Baby Fiesta Dress, a rug for my husband’s birthday, an Einstein Coat in Noro Kochoran, a Lopi sweater, the February Lady Sweater in Lana Bambu, a Slytherin hat for his youngest brother (big mistake!), at least one neck warmer in Malabrigo Silky Merino, three felted bags, two Victorian Stoles and a partridge in a pear tree…(That doesn’t even cover all the works in various stages of progress!) Now, the Lopi sweater and the Einstein Coat were both group 
knit-along projects. Anytime Nolan dropped in, he was sure to comment, “That doesn’t look like my sweater.” And everyone feels duty bound to use the greeting, “How’s Nolan’s sweater coming?” Today I have on my latest temptation–the Silver Creek Bulky Seed Stitch Vest in Kochoran. The colorway is shades of rose and green, perfect for the season (will also work around Valentines Day)! And I love it! But as I sewed the last button on last 
night, I swore to myself (because no one else would believe me) that I will not knit another thing until I finish Nolan’s sweater and that I will do that by Christmas! ( The men in my family are taking odds on whether that is this Christmas or next!) At least it’s bulky and I’m almost through with the back! Oops! Noro just arrived to be put away, maybe with a blindfold on! May your holidays be filled with color!
