Christmas is in a Week—Don't Panic!

Just kidding. It's go time. Panic all you want, because seriously, A WEEK FROM NOW YOU'RE GONNA BE STUFFING YOUR FACE WITH SO MANY UNHEALTHY (delicious) THINGS AND THEN YOU HAVE TO GIVE PEOPLE THINGS.

I still have about six gifts left on my list. That's not bad, but I am already working on my yoga breathing just thinking of the crowds this weekend. How does your list look?

This is that time of year where I also start thinking, “Oh, wait, I can totally make a gift in a week!  If I push sleeping back to 3 am and wake up two hours early to start in again, I can definitely finish that really complicated king-sized afghan for my mom.”

Don't ask my mom where her secret Santa gift from 6 years ago is, by the way. It was almost a potholder, last I checked.

But what gifts can you absolutely crank out, no problemo? If you're my sister, you can teach yourself to crochet and finish a fairly complicated pattern for a throw blanket in about 5 days. But seriously, she's not actually human. Pretty sure she is proof that The Singularity is Near. But aside from my cyborg sibling, it may not be as easy for those of us with *ahem* lives to get as much done.

So here are a few quick patterns to finish off your Christmas list.

For your cousin, who just had a really cute baby:

 Cosette by Jenny Raymond

Simple, beautiful, and in our semi-solid colorways, this easy project becomes an heirloom. If you've got some Squishy in your stash, the only thing stopping you from knitting this sweet thing up right now is that you're politely holding off on clicking the link until you finish reading this blog. Thanks, pal.

That friend with the cold feet:

Footie Socks by Miriam Felton

So this could only be funnier if you actually have a friend who was a runaway bride. But either way, these socks are perfect for anyone who doesn't want their shoes to stink from going barefoot all summer. Not that I've had that problem, but you know, it could be a real thing. These socks are great for even the lowest low tops! And in Anzula's Cloud it'll make your buddy feel like they're walking on air. Or fleeing the altar.

The dapper gent:

Sunday Best Bow Tie by Kate Oates

Cute doesn't even begin to describe it. Just stahhhpppp. This one uses Cricket, but I'm pretty sure that Croquet would be great too.

For him, er them:

Raleigh Brin Hat by Brownie Girl Knits

Know a terrible twosome who probably should be identified by their matching headwear to warn the general public of their shenanigans? (I'm basically describing my husband and son here…) Here's a really beautiful pattern that will function as a sincere gift, but with the added perk of letting people know that these two are together. But probably should never sit together. Especially at a formal holiday dinner table. And, even better—it's in For Better or Worsted, which works up so fast and feels so luxe. You know what I'm talking about.

Your sister, who can knit a cozy for a Seatrain container in under 4 hours:

Just buy her the danged yarn and cut your losses. Maybe even give her a pattern of something YOU want.

Do you have a favorite last-minute pattern that you rely heavily on? Share it in the comments!

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You do what in public?!

Anzula Nebula in Lily.

It had been a super busy Tuesday. One that felt like a Monday, the workload just kept multiplying, my focus was down to nothing and all I wanted to do was go home, get in my yoga pants and stare blankly at the TV.

Of course, that wasn't gonna happen. I had agreed a month prior that I'd show up to the inaugural Sip and Stitch at my favorite local pub. So it was with hesitation that I grabbed my project bag after having been home for ten minutes, and stepped out the door. 

It seems to always happen this way—the things I find myself dragging my feet on end up becoming the things that I love. This was definitely true of the Stitch and Sip. So I'd had a long day, and my husband was giving me grief over yet another night of leaving the baby in his care.

I also had a glass of zin, and happy conversation about yarn stashes with other people who totally get that there's no such thing as too much yarn. That pretty much made up for everything else right there.

But what is it about knitting (or crocheting, which as it turns out, half of our group was doing) in public that makes it so alluring? You hear of knitting groups everywhere. Our local library has crochet meet-ups. Sometimes on the mega-screen at baseball games they'll show entire sections filled with knitters. (This is called a Stitch n Pitch. It's a real thing and it makes baseball bearable for even the least sportsing sportsfan out there!) There's even a World Knit in Public Day in June. That's right. A whole day dedicated to getting your project out and taking it to the streets. 

So, why?

Why not! Knitting and crocheting, for all of the peaceful moments that they can bring during a hectic day/week/month/life, are incredibly social activities. "What pattern is that?" "Nice entrelac!" "Omigosh, those colors go perfectly together! You have an eye for color!"

Plus, the fiber arts take a certain amount of patience and skill, so it's fun to go out with a bunch of similarly skilled people and totally blow the minds of everyone in the room who isn't holding a skein on their lap.

Personally, getting to know the other knitters in my community was my favorite part of the Stitch n Sip. Some I knew through the internet only, or were friends of friends. Another person in our group I had known since 6th grade and hadn't seen in years. There was even a friend who I thought I'd gotten to know pretty well over the last year, but I had no clue she knitted. It was not a surprise to see her in the pub where all of the downtown Fresno movers and shakers hang out. It was a surprise to see her with a project in hand! 

I'm happy to report that I was wrong to dread leaving the house, and I'll be attending more Stitch n Sip events. Rather than sucking my will to live like I'd imagined any activity keeping me from becoming one with the sofa would do, it invigorated me and made me proud to be part of a community tied together by our love for making things. 

What's your favorite way to knit/crochet/spin/embroider/everything else in public?