Friday, November 03, 2006

Holiday Knitting

Can two other words inspire panic, anxiety, loathing, and procrastination in a knitter so much as the two that title today's post? I think not.

I took full advantage of the hella phat yarn sale at Michael's a few weeks back to stock up on cotton yarn ($1 per ball!) for those Bandwagon -er- Ballband Dishcloths. Many thanks to TurtleGirl for pointing me in the direction of this pattern in an online form rather than in a $30 book (that I now covet). The whole point of this insanity is to bring the cost of Christmas to a minimum this year instead of being broke until the end of February as in years past. Whoever is on my list as a "must" is getting a pair of matcing dishcloths. My cost $2 and, of course, time. I'll make up some little goofy limerick about how simplicity and effort are what the holidays are about so as to shame the recipiants into not making a face at the gifts and voila, my wallet is saved.

I'm not just being cheap mind you, this is really all we can afford, it's just that I'm facing up to that this year instead of buying stuff I can't afford anyway.

As you can see from my picture there, I've completed four of the ten planned dishcloths and have started a fifth. Also you may notice that I appear to knit in a lightless cave. I assure you this last bit is untrue, it's just a trick of the flash, or lack thereof, so that I didn't end up with another washed out photo. I couldn't show the items in natural light today as there was very little of it, overcast as the day was here by the shore. You probably will not notice that I did a crochet edging around these things and added a little loop so they can be hung up to dry.

That's right, I did a crochet edging. Me. And it only took me HOURS to do that first one. The second one took fewer hours. The last two I managed to do today (the edgings, not the entire dishcloths plus edgings, I'm not The Flash or anything) and it's only 5:42pm as I write this. Crochet still confounds me and I'm certain I'm doing it wrong but it did neaten up the edges a bit and if it looks bad, well, they're only going to be scrubbing the meatloaf out of the pan anyway, right?

I've mentally commited myself (and not to the asylum, hee-hee) to doing a few more of these if time allows, as well as some sort of gloves for my SIL. I was going to knit socks for my MIL but have decided to do these for her birthday since she's requested a new photo album for her pictures of the kids. I have a super secret project lined up for Red Todd Kidd but since he claims to read this drivvel, I can't tell you about it. I also don't know that I'll have time to do it since making anything for him is rather arduous since I lag on it. I just never think he'll like what I'm making (and have little evidence to the contrary).

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Comments on "Holiday Knitting"

 

Blogger Bezzie said ... (11/03/2006 7:44 PM) : 

I'm doing the cheap washcloth gift route too! Ha ha! I love Cheapass Christmass. Do you think five year olds like dishcloths in their stocking? ;-)

 

Blogger Rain said ... (11/06/2006 4:07 AM) : 

I'm still stuck on the 'I've mentally committed myself' comment.

I think the handmade gift option is by far the nicer and what could be better than something you know will get used. They look fab.

 

Blogger turtlegirl76 said ... (11/06/2006 9:18 AM) : 

Ooh! What a great idea! I'll have to add a crochet edging to the one I made my mom too. I think it'll finish off the edge very nicely.

I think I've planned my holiday knitting out well enough that I'm on track. I have 3 fuzzy feet to make (or, 1.5 pairs) and 2 hats, and I'm done! If I can do more after that, it's just a bonus! Wee!

 

Blogger Jillio said ... (11/06/2006 5:19 PM) : 

holy crapola! that's brilliant! i've got cotton, yes...i just have to drag myself away from the sock knitting. PEOPLE NEED DISHCLOTHS! well, don't they?! jeez, too bad. they're getting dishcloths, dammit! and once i find a good pattern for those little bags on a rope you can put soap in and use in the shower, i'm totally gonna do that too!
crochet is evil. i know, i know, i started with crochet and conveniently forgot how to do all things crochet...but amigurumi are so damn cute and i find myself wanting to make one to distract me from everything else i'm making. yeah. i'm going crazy over here...

 

Blogger Zonda said ... (11/06/2006 9:31 PM) : 

Nice added touch to the washcloths! Thanks for that! As um..ahem, my FIL needs some seeing's how he's doing most of the dishes now...and most everything I knit/make gets put away in the attic!! grrrr I know he'll use these!

 

Blogger Bad Amy said ... (11/16/2006 9:24 AM) : 

Mmmm... I may have to employ the warshcloth idea for the 'must/dang, we've gotta' folks. The ones that I have no idea why we exchange gifts... the ones that always spend more on us than we did on them on gifts that neither of us really want. Warshcloths. Perfect!

 

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