Well, another year has come and gone. One of my 2006 resolutions was to keep more of my knitting for myself. Let’s see how I did:

• Seven pairs of socks, three of which I kept for myself. (My November socks were finished, have been worn and photographed, but remain unposted.)
• A scarf for Mum, the first I’ve made since that first fall of knitting, aka Christmas present #2. (Photos of this and a couple of the other projects to come in a few days.)
• A shawl for me, using yarn originally bought for someone else, that perfectly matched a dress I found for a wedding. Nothing justifies selfish knitting like perfect coordination of colors. Unfortunately, peach mohair does not look spiffy on a dark blue suit, so Rudi might wish I’d given this away after all.
• A tank top for me that slides down in front to reveal my bra. I need to pull it apart and shorten the straps so I can wear it again.
• A darling little hat for my cousin’s baby and a grown-up hat for a friend. Plus, a roll-brim hat for me (my favorite knitted item regardless of its simplicity), made out of pinky-purply Woolarina merino.
• A tiny baby sweater for my friend’s son.
• Several cotton chenille washcloths, all of which were gifts, although not all have been sent to their recipients. (Bad me!)
• A purse for me that still needs sewing up. How sad….
• Christmas present #1, which I have yet to give to its recipient. What could it be?

I think that’s it….

I also bought a ton of yarn and a cabinet in which to keep said yarn and was given a swift by Rudi’s mom and a ball-winder by Mum. I learned how to turn heels, pick up stitches, make button-holes, knit cables, and identify several yarns by sight and feel (this last one was accidental, I assure you).

I joined the Knitting Olympics and the Knitting World Cup. I participated in some yarn swaps. And I made some new knitting friends.

What’s on the sticks for next year? I’m thinking of winding up the yarn and then swatching for my cardigan next. And finishing the reknit of the hat I made Dad (which didn’t fit) back in 2005. And more socks with all that lovely sock yarn I bought. And ….

Pardon me, I’ve got to get busy knitting!

Happy New Year, folks!

I think this may have been the first year of my entire life that I have attended enough concerts to not only have a top ten list but also to reject some in favor of others. May this trend continue.

My top ten list: (more…)

Three beautiful things from the last Christmassy week:

1. Short lines (or none at all) when you’re frazzled and behind in your pre-Christmas shopping.

2. Because we did the extended family Christmas on the third weekend of Advent, Christmas day itself was totally mellow. Christmas morning stretched well into Christmas afternoon. I didn’t change out of my pj’s until nearly 4. We left dishes on the dining room table while we relaxed for a while. Christmas calls were made and answered, but no one stressed over them. It was nerve-wracking to have to do Christmases two weekends in a row, but the calm second one almost justified the angst of the first.

3. Sleep. 13+ hours last night. I feel surprisingly awake and clear-headed today.

I hope those of you who celebrate Christmas have a very merry holiday. I send you my best wishes for you and your families.

We’ve had a nice holiday overflowing with presents, food, and loved ones. We’ll be heading home tomorrow evening after Boxing Day dinner so expect more regular updates to resume midweek.

Three beautiful things from the last week:

1. When I got on the Metro Tuesday morning, I noticed a woman standing with her two children, a boy and girl who looked to be about 5 or so. At the stop between where I get on and where I get off, I moved over to stand next to them so as not to block the exit. As I did, the little girl looked up at me, smiled, and took my hand, which she held until I got off the train. They both chattered away at me, asking my name and telling me theirs. The little boy told me that his name was Buzz Lightyear and I told him I’d seen him on tv. When his sister assured me that he was not, in fact, the famed superhero, the boy quickly revised his story to say that he had the movie with him and pulled off his Sponge Bob backpack to show me.

2. My cousin Lally had six inches of iPod cozy knit when she left my folks’ house Saturday night. She and Gramma and I retired to Gramma’s sitting room to have a crash-course in knitting basics, and Lally took off like a bullet. (Thanks, Sarah, for all the help in finding the right pattern for an inaugural project.)

3. As I mentioned yesterday, I took cookies to work yesterday for a party. The containers were licked clean when they made their way back to me. And that was okay, because although each and every Eskimo cookie I made had been in one of the tins, the one that contained the fudge hadn’t been quite big enough to fit all that I’d made. So Rudi and I have a little fudge stash at home for when we need a chocolate pick-me-up.

I must be making some progress on the holiday front, but it sure doesn’t feel like it.

I did make some cookies (Di‘s fudge and Mum’s eskimo cookies, both of which went over very well at the office holiday potluck), but not all I need to bake.

I’ve written some cards, but I’m not quite done yet. (This currently stands as my most-likely-to-imminently-finish task.)

I’ve done a bunch of shopping, but not necessarily for the key people who need presents by a certain date (like Monday). Admittedly, my lack of e-shopping, my tendency to do lots of browsing, and my desire to patronize local businesses may have played some role in there not being an awful lot done. Or, at least, like my feeling that I haven’t done a lot.

Knitting is progressing. Christmas gift #1 was finished back in November. Christmas gift #2 experienced some major hiccups until I eventually admitted defeat with the original yarn I bought for the project and bought a different kind instead. As predicted, Christmas gifts #3 and 4 will not be completed prior to Monday. I’m okay with that.

Wrapping. Ha! Ha! Ha! (Imagine dramatic pauses in between each of those.) Maybe tonight. Or tomorrow. And, if not, Mum bought a lot of bags that I can dip into in Connecticut. But I’d prefer to get at least some of it done before we head north.

I did finally decide last night that I should put on a Christmas movie and I spent some time knitting, eating, and card writing during this year’s showing of Holiday Inn. I still have time for White Christmas or It’s a Wonderful Life, but I’ll have to hope my folks have a copy of Miracle on 34th Street, because I don’t think we own it. But doing something that felt holidayish made for a nice change….

Two more days ’til we head north. And then two more days after that to finish up all the loose ends. I’d better get moving. I have a lot to do still!