Knitted Gift Rejected Already

I've been talking for the last two months about the scarves I'm knitting for 4 women at work. I knit three of the four from stash. I'm pretty pleased with where I stand.

One particular person was giving me trouble. I baited her to find out a color. She thought I was talking about someone else so she said, "Scarves should be a fun color like fuschia." No fuschia in my stash so I made the sacrifice and bought malabrigo. It's tough I know. One day she was making her mii for the wii (odd I know, but I work at an ad agency) and I said, "What about a fuschia shirt (subtle huh) and she said, "Oh no, not fuschia." What? I re-arranged the scarves so she was getting the Brooks Farm Solo Silk in green/purple/gold. Jen is getting the hot pink. I knit on.

Today, Julie is carrying around a pair of fingerless gloves. I smell a hand knit item. She says she bought them at a silent auction. She said the same friend also donated a couple of scarves, but "I hate scarves so I didn't even bid on them." WHAT? Really?

Now she has a pair of fingerless gloves and she hates scarves (who hates scarves?) I guess I'll find someone else for the fabulous solo silk purple/green/gold scarf.

Trying to find the silver lining, at least I found out now and I'm not left wondering why she never wears the scarf.

Two More Projects Off the Needles

I have two more projects off the needles.

First is a baby bonnet for my friend Charlotte who is now a grandmother. The pattern is the Super Quick Baby Bonnet and that is so true. It is super quick. I finished the bonnet in about 3 hours. I didn't have a suitable worsted weight yarn for a baby bonnet so I went to JoAnn's to purchase something inexpensive and machine washable. I came home with Paton's Silky Bamboo and it is wonderful. The stockinette of the bonnet is a bit plain, but this beautiful yarn dressed it right up. Charlotte says Destiny looks pretty in purple, so I have a purple ribbon. I'm also going to include the green ribbon shown, red for Christmas and pink cause she's a girl. I can't wait to see the baby wearing this little number.

I finished Adrienne's clogs except for the felting. I'll do that over Thanksgiving vacation. So glad to be done. I need a new pair myself, but I don't think I can stomach knitting another pair right now. This is not a slam on the pattern at all. It's a great pattern, but I have knit it so many times (because it is a great pattern and the clogs are great gifts) that I am just over it. I'm not even sure why. Knitting is knitting right? You would think it wouldn't matter. But for some reason it does.

I hate to end on a negative note like that. Hmmm, other scarves are going well. If the bonnet fits Destiny I have enough to make another one and it is so dreamy, I think it makes a fantastic gift.

Christmas Knitting List Update

I guess some people have revelations when they knit. That makes their blogs so much more interesting and witty then mine. I just make progress. And then I rehash the knitting and the progress. Maybe one day I will ascend to a higher level of knitting.

Til then, here's a rehash of my current projects. I have three active projects on the needles, and that is a miracle for me. I have many projects on the needles, but these three get regular knitting. The clogs, Tudor Grace and Sunray.

Ugh, the clogs. Every once in a while I force myself to knit another portion of a clog in an effort to get the pair done. Adrienne suggested lunch while we are both on vacation for Christmas, so I now have an official due date - 12/23.

I talk about a lot of these projects being Christmas gifts, but they are for work folks so they really have to be done by 12/18 because that's when I leave for my Christmas vacation. Yikes that's about a month away. Well, really all I have to finish are the two scarves on the needles now.

I made a deal with myself, if I get at least one of the aforementioned scarves finished by Thanksgiving, I will buy the Joseph Galler Alpaca to knit Brett a scarf for Christmas. If I don't, no scarf for him.

This year I knit 8 Christmas gifts (so far) of those 6 are from stash. I bought wool for Adrienne's clogs. A must to get the color combo I wanted, but I did use up one stash black. I bought 3 skeins of Malabrigo, but I'm only using 1 for Christmas knitting. So in my warped math $11 for the wool and $10.50 for Malabrigo. I'm spending $21.50 on Christmas gifts and freeing up space in my stash for more yarn. It's a win-win.

MOM "Red Emperor" stole. I cast on and finished the first of 10 repeats for the borders. I've made no further progress. I'm concentrating on projects that have to be done by Christmas (12/18 for work folks).
Jag is for Jen. June is For Jag. is finished and fabulous.
Helmet Line. is finished.
Stulpens for Robyn are finished. These are a true stash project. I made them from yarn leftover from her scarf.
Claudia Earwarmer. is finished and I wear it to walk the dogs. It's stretching out a bit. I don't know if it's the yarn or the pattern. But I still like it.
The Inga Cowl. This hasn't gotten any knitting time in a while. I do want a cowl, but the sundara is so pretty, I really just want to use it for a scarf. I'm not frogging it yet though.
Celtic Cable Neckwarmer. Is still on the to-do list. I think it will be mine and I definitely have a skein of Malabrigo Geranio with this project's name on it.
Sunray. Cast on. It may Julie's it may be Jen's I have to wait and see.
Vogue Drop Stitch Scarf. - hmmm, maybe. Depends if I find another project for the Bonnie Bamboo.
Stulpens for Jeannie - Casting on soon. No later than Thanksgiving.
OSU Clogs for Adrienne - These are coming right along. I have one completed and the 1 sole done for the second clog.
Madonna's Tudor Grace - Madonna asked me to make her a scarf. She offered to pay, but I don't want to do that. So I made her Flutter out of Claudia Hand-painted silk. I really hate it. Nothing against the pattern or the yarn, but it was a drag to knit and when she wears it, it just hangs there. So I shopped my stash, found the nicest yarn in the bucket (Malabrigo sock) and I'm making her a second scarf for Christmas. It's an entertaining knit and she is going to love it.

Three More Gifts on the Needles

I have 3 more gifts on the needles. Sunray in Malabrigo, Adrienne's OSU Clogs and Madonna's Tudor Grace. I'm enjoying both the scarves.