The Knitting Fiend

I don’t “do” Christmas knitting. I suspect this sounds somewhat heretical. A knitter is supposed to rush out, break their budget and buy tons and tons or yarn to knit secret gifts.

I don’t.

Like all knitters, I like to make hand made gifts for people. So why don’t I do Christmas knitting? Because, the moment I finish a project, I feel compelled to give it to them right now. Then, I want them to wear it right now!

If I give someone a sweater at Halloween, and they wear it all fall, how can it be a Christmas gift? Sigh. . .

Mind you, this compulsion to give them the sweater right now wouldn’t exclude Christmas knitting if I were any capable of predicting how long it would take me to knit a sweater. I’m hopeless at that.

So, there is no way I’m going to cast on something long and difficult after Thanksgiving hoping I’ll finish by Christmas!

Still, I always think, a hand knit gift for Jim is de rigeur. So, I have a “compensating strategy”. My mother, A.K.A the hater of any and all UFOs, likely disapproves of this strategy, and will probably be horrified when I reveal this to the world:

I start Jim’s gift way before Christmas, leave it 2% unfinished, and finish it up New Year’s Eve. Tonight, I will sew the sleeve on his Aran! Then, I’ll wrap it and put it under the tree.

Happy Holidays everyone!