Yes, that’s me… the one hibernating in her house to avoid all the holiday cheer. It’s not that I hate Christmas, it’s just… ugh, stress. I only have one rehearsal remaining with my choir before Christmas, and I really am worried. I won’t go into the details, I will just say that it’s really hard being the replacement for a particularly beloved director. How to strike a balance between tradition and new things? How, in fact, to change anything without seeming like I’m being mean about everything that happened before I got the job?
I keep telling myself “You can’t please everyone.” Which is true. And also totally not helpful, because I want to please everyone. And I am worried I may be getting sick, which just cannot happen right now. I need my voice.
See, there I go… grinchy grinch grinch. I want to be more cheerful, but I just don’t think I can for another 11 days… so please try to understand if I’m a little behind in my replies etc… all will return to normal in January! Even my knitting has been stressing me out lately, resulting in me starting and immediately abandoning at least 5 projects.
Fortunately, I finally seem to have found two projects that are sticking. Firstly, I have finally found a project for my Disco Lights!
This is the Swing Scarf from Exquisite Little Knits. I have seen this project on Ravelry, and had mentally filed away the pattern. Yesterday I went to the library, where I found a copy of the book (and realized I had ignored it on previous trips because it has some sort of furry green capelet on the cover.) I got out my size 8 needles and cast on… what a wonderful pattern to show off the sequins! I love the soothing garter stitch, and the pointy ends are nice. The pattern calls for adding tassels, but I am on the fence about those… we will see when I get done. I’m aiming to wear this for New Years, a goal which should be easy since there are only 19 stitches per row. I hope you don’t mind some more photos… I just adore the way this yarn is knitting up, and the silk is so wonderful to knit with.
I have also cast on and then ripped several patterns with my Figgy Pudding yarn. I was all set to make the Leyburn socks, but I have learned to fear patterns that say “stitch pattern is not stretchy” and then call for less stitches than I usually use for a sock. I didn’t feel like adjusting the numbers, so I will work that pattern at a time when my brain is more available.
I want to make toe up socks, so I got out Sensational knitted socks and used the Easy Toe.
Well, that’s not true… first I tried the short row toe 3 times, hated the way it looked all three times, swore off toe up socks forever, and then discovered the joy of this toe. These are currently set to be the Firestarter socks, but that could change if the pattern is too hard for my brain right now. I need to brush up on my “Cabling without a needle” skills. I learned how once, but I get all confused about which direction to go.
The gathered pullover still looks like a giant tube of stockinette, but I am now to the cables. My stress related knitting ADD has left it sitting lonely for a bit, but I may pull it out tonight and work on it. We are going to Cincinnati tonight to help Marc’s parents decorate for Christmas, and that means knitting time, both in the car and on my own after they go to bed. I got my pianist to cover the Saturday mass this weekend, in the hopes that this little break will re energize me for the push to the holiday!
Green apples - Stitchywitch Creates 
that’s okay, i’m the scroogiest scrooge ever! i get flack for it all the time.
i like those socks! they’re in my ravelry queue, but i’ve got so much other stuff i want to knit first!
I can so sympathize with you re: the choir thing.
Have a restful weekend.
The color of that yarn is fabulous!
I’m feeling pretty grinchy myself lately, so I sympathize.
It’s always hard to come in after someone and need to tidy up a few things. No one ever likes the new.
I never knew that was a pattern, huh, I have a wrap I made just like it a few years ago, complete with tassels! How funny! Mine’s about 20 inches wide and I wear it all the time when I dress up, I think you’ll love that knit when it’s done! I agree about the tassels with that yarn, the sequins might be distracting, but I would try and make one if you have the yarn just to see. I love my tassels, it gives it weight to stay on and something for me to play with 😉
Have you read “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”? We are reading it to our five year old and it makes me think of you. The mom in the book is taking over the Christmas Pageant….
Well, if my 18 years of church as a kid taught me nothing else, it taught me that he will never give you more than you can handle. So that means you are strong and can get through his. And if the “you can’t please everyone…” adage doesn’t make you feel better force a smile even when you don’t feel like it and sometimes it actually sticks and releases some of the stress in your head.
Good Luck and Merry Christmas
That silk looks just fabulous. Great color, great sheen, and sequins!
For a great tutorial on cabling without a cable needle, see Grumperina’s blog. Her tutorial changed my knitting life forever.
Hang in there. Christmas comes but once a year!
Well, the good thing about this season is that while it’s stressful and icky for a few weeks, it ends in one fell swoop. I find that a relief. Good luck with the choir transition. They’ll get used to you soon enough – perhaps you’ll only have to go through this one holiday season?
Cool scarf! Love the sequins and the color; it’ll be great for New Years. I feel you on the toe up socks. I have a pair I started a while ago and have yet to finish. I can’t for the life of me remember how exactly I did the toe and don’t know if I could do it again!
I always did toe-up short row toes and heels until I found Turkish Cast-on and M1 increases. Very much simpler. Still toe-up socks .I described what I do here -http://kathrynlovestoknit.blogspot.com/2007/06/patternoutline-for-toe-up-socks.html
and the Turkish cast on is described beautifully by Fluffy knitter here http://fluffyknitterdeb.blogspot.com/2005/10/knitting-made-easier-turkish-cast-on.html
WOW!!! The color of your scarf is drop dead gorgeous.
Lovely scarf! It’s perfect for the yarn.
I tried cabling without a needle and just can’t stop dropping stitches. I guess I’m just an awful klutz.
Delurking here:) The yarn for your socks is gorgeous. What is it? It looks like a yarn I used for a pair of socks I made a year ago, but I can’t remember the name. Hope you’re stress free with Christmas just around the corner!