The Christmas Countdown is on! 16 days!

I haven't posted for awhile due to combined busyness and illness - this virus just keeps mutating into new forms and won't go away, dagnabit! However, I've been remiss in knit-blogging and since I know at least 3 people read this (hello, people!), here's a quick update:

Tonight I settled in to watch the Canadian curling Olympic trials and work some more on Mom's present - a prayer shawl in LB Homespun. Well, I did a row and then when I went to pull out some more yarn from the bag, the rest of the ball came out and there was *just* enough to bind off! It's done! Woohoo! Pictures will be posted after gifting - I like how my things look better when people are actually wearing them. :)

So, being a good and conscientious gift-knitter, I wove in the ends of the present for my KnitTalk swap-buddy (Hi! Alice, if you're reading this, I'm putting your package in the mail on Monday). Double Woohoo!

And I even had time to do three more rows on my Holiday Party shawl (for me me me!), which I have to be wearing a week from Saturday, so must get finished this weekend.

So, gift-knitting remaining is:

1) DD's slippers: first one cast on, but the whole pair can be done in a day.

2) DMIL2B's blankie: a little over 1/6 done. Big needles, doubled yarn. Need I say more?

3) DH2B's toque: about 1/4 done. Total pain in the neck as it's 2x2 ribbing and so takes twice as long as a regular hat on circs. Actually more than twice as long - more like 3 times. Anyway, it's my lunchtime knitting at work, so I'm getting there bit by bit. He's agreed to not getting the socks until after Christmas (okay, I bribed him with new store-bought ones from Mark's Work Wearhouse - he's so easy!)

4) Thong for my buddy Steve: not started, but shouldn't take more than a couple of hours, I think?

5) Dad's Santa Hat: started, 1/2 finished, frogged (it was MILES too big), and put away. Planning to knit it up on Christmas Eve Day since it's a Saturday and I'll be at DH2B's place with not much else to do. I'm figuring about 5 hours for it based on previous hats, so that's not too bad.

So, with 16 knitting days until Christmas, I think I will get it all done. Woohoo!

Kathy (now going to bed because work is trying to kill me this week and I won't let it).