Sunshine from rain

So last night, I was working away on the Endless Wedding Present afghan and decided as a break from the actual knitting I would attempt the assembly (it's a strip afghan with a crochet joining-dealy). First order of business - learn to crochet! HA! Not happening. So, turned to a simple sewing-style seam, and honestly, it looked like it had been done by a five-year old. Not fun. Into the bag with the whole thing, and into the closet with the bag.

To cheer myself up, started on my Karma Chameleon sweater, which will be a long-term project because I want it to be perfect and I have a whole whack of Christmas gifts to do first. A few rows in, I felt much better.

Today, grousing about the EWP to my knit-mentor at work, I said I was going to scrap it for the gift and finish it to donate to Project Linus at a later date. Her response: "But why? You just need to crochet the seams. It's easy." Me: "I can't crochet. I tried for an hour." Her: "Yes you can. You will. Bring the stuff Monday and we'll fix it." Let me just add here that this is a lady who brooks no argument. She will help me Make It Right (TM Mike Holmes) and all will be well.

Inspired by that, I looked around for simpler patterns for DM and DMIL2B's Christmas afghans. Have decided to go with a simple stockinette stitch for DMIL2B, cream ends and teal middle, instead of teal strips with cream crochet joins / edging. It will be a tighter gauge and hold up better to her cats (I hope). For DM, I've switched from the annoying-as-heck "Old Shale Pattern" afghan to the simpler (and to my mind, more elegant / practical) prayer shawl. Both are free patterns on the Lion Brand website - I get good stuff from there, which makes up for their yarns being so gawdawful expensive (but very very pretty!) The upside with DM's shawl is that it will probably leave me a couple of skeins leftover for a nice vest pattern I have in the same yarn (LB Homespun). So, something else to look forward to.

Have a FO success story too - my Roll up the Rim Tim Horton's Toque is finished and cute as a button - really, it's kind of button-shaped (will post pics when I find digital camera, hiding somewhere). Showed it to a dear friend at work and she wants one just like it - and insists on paying for it! Another co-worker (male) wants a black watch-cap style toque for his shiny bald head, so that's two toque orders (which translates to two more balls of yarn for me - I'm charging $10 each and the yarn is $5ish).

And, in other bright news, got the yarn for DH2B's birthday sweater on sale about 20% off - sweet! Grabbed a couple extra balls just in case - I'm totally in love with the yarn (Patons Shetland Chunky) so will find uses for it, I'm sure.

Tonight started on a pair of bootie slippers for me, me, me! Well, they're a test pair to try out the pattern, so any mistakes will be on my feet. If they work up easily I'll make a pair for DH2B and keep the pattern handy for quick gifts. Fun!

Still working on Harry Potter scarf #1 (Gryffindor) but it's coming along fairly quick at lunchtimes - should be done by the weekend. So much to do!

Christmas Gift List Update:

1. DD's slippers - done
2. DD's half-sisters's slippers - 1 pair down, 1 to go
3. DD's stepmom's scarf - to be started (got the yarn, gotta sort out the pattern)
4. DM's shawl - to be started
5. DMIL2B's afghan - to be restarted
6. DS's afghans (2) - waiting for the yarn to come in
7. Friends' HP scarves (4) - 1 WIP, 3 waiting
8. DH2B's socks - got the yarn, have to take the sock class at end of October, then should be a quick project (I hope!)

Other Projects:

1. Karma Chameleon Sweater - for me - OTN
2. Bootie Slippers - for me - OTN
3. Roll up the Rim Tim Horton's Toque - for Carole - got the yarn
4. Black Watch Cap - for Luc - got the yarn

Plan the work and work the plan!