It did not feel like Christmas

For some reason, it did not feel like Christmas. I cannot put my finger on it. It may be that I had actually finished all my gift making by Tuesday and had everything wrapped. I am usually finishing gifts the day before. Wednesday and Thursday was spent doing some last minute shopping. Our son, Ben, loves to shop for Christmas. I was worn out both days and since he was still recovering from his oral surgery, we both took naps in the afternoon. Friday, we spent the day making 2 gallons of shrimp/crayfish gumbo. Our cousins came over for supper and Christmas fellowship. Saturday, we went to Trumann to see my mom and take her out to eat and shopping in Jonesboro. Sunday morning was church and later that night was a candlelight service. Monday was spent over at my husband's sister's family. Yesterday, we spent a fairly quiet day with just Poppy, my father-in-law. I made the traditional orange danish breakfast and started the Christmas ham to cooking while we opened gifts. I got a new 12 cup Cuisinart carafe coffeemaker, a pound of Cafe Estima Blend Starbucks coffee, a Cuisinart burr coffee grinder, dark chocolate with coffee bean bits in it, new ear buds for my CD player, a clip on reading light for knitting in the car at night on road trips, and "A Handweavers Pattern Book" by Margarite Porter Davidson.
I am at a loss on my knitting, right now. I am waiting until January 1st to begin a special project. I will be making my first Herbert Niebling project. I will start with the pattern know as "Lyra". It is so exquisite, that I am slightly fearful of it. I have purchased the yarn, Lacey Lamb, and have ordered all the circulars that I will need to complete it.
Right now, I am working on a Table runner. It will satisfy my knitting needs until Jan 1st. It is a sampler runner and is one of the many designs in my lace book that will be out next year. It is made in Patons Grace which is a size 3 cotton yarn. I predict that it will be one of the most knitted items in the book. It has 4 different lace pattern stitches and an edging. It will be a great learning tool for lace knitting and produce a lovely, useful item. I am already thinking about my Christmas knitting/weaving for next year. When I finish the table runner, I will be one gift ahead.
Last week, I received copies of my latest book. I was not aware that it was coming out so soon. It was a nice surprise. The front cover was so cute!

Knitting, what else?

Yes, I am still knitting away at Christmas gifts. I finished another pair of the fingerless gloves this morning. Right now, I have been diverted from my Christmas knitting to help a friend. Her son wants a Elizabethtown hat made like the one worn by Kristen Dunst in that film for a good friend of his. He found a "freebie" on the web, but I had to tweak it. I have this aversion to increases at the top of ribbing not lining up. It was a change from the bazillion fingerless gloves and scarves that I have been cranking out.
I went to my LYS yesterday to find size 2.5 mm circular wooden needles in 16"/32" lengths. I needed these sizes so that on Jan 1st, I could start my "new year project". No luck on the needles, but I hit "pay dirt" on the yarn to use. I wanted a color that would go with everything, but I did not want a creamy ivory. I wanted a soft white. I had searched for days on the Internet to find the perfect yarn, the perfect color, the perfect blend. I loved the white of the Zephyr Jaggerspun 2/18, but it was too thick. I needed more of a cobweb weight yarn. I wanted something that was a blend of wool and silk like the Zephyr. I was even tempted to rip out my smoky pink Lacey Lamb square shawl that I had started in November and use that. I wanted a shawl color for spring and a soft white would go with everything and yet, white seemed so blah. Lo and behold at my LYS, my eyes fell upon a color of Lacey Lamb that I had not seen before! It was not creamy, it was not white, but it was perfect! So, it came home with me! The color is Light Mink.

I can't wait to knit it! I came home and ordered my needles from Knit Picks. They have 2.25 mm, 2.5 mm, 2.75 mm circulars in their harmony wood needles in lengths of 16", 24" and 32". As soon as they arrive, I will be on the ready to begin my "New Year Project". I think this a great way to begin the New Year's weight loss goal. What keeps your interest off of food better than a fabulous knitting project.