communism was just a red herring.

So. At this point I am reasonably certain that I'm not going to run out of yarn. In fact, I am reasonably certain that the extra black and white yarn I just ordered is not going to be necessary. However, I imagine it will not go to waste. Anyway, here's what the Overly Ambitious Sweater is up to these days:



I have only about five inches to go on that sleeve (way to have short arms, Mum!) and then I just have the other sleeve and the colorwork yoke to go. So right now I am pretty optimistic about getting it done for Christmas. Whether it fits or not is another question entirely, but I'm the sort who doesn't mind ripping out and re-knitting, so.

I think my mom should like it. I like it. I wasn't sure about the cuff at first, but now the more I look at it, the more I like it. I'm starting to want one for myself, which is always a good sign.

omg short rows.

So I've been working and working on my ridiculously ambitious sweater project, and dude. I am now at the part where you worry about not having enough yarn. I am, however, nearly done with the body. I should be able to finish it this weekend and be on to the sleeves starting Monday. So I really am on schedule to finish it before Christmas, I just worry about, you know, fit, and having enough yarn.

I knit short rows on the bosom of this thing for three hours last night (whilst watching hockey) and am still not done with them. Let's just say the cup size I am dealing with is well into the alphabet. Oy. On the other hand, if it does fit, she'll be quite pleased to have a sweater that is long enough in the front.

My first Retro Football Sock is at least two-thirds done. It's amazing how fast a round goes when you've got 80 stitches instead of 400. I'm almost to the toe, and then it'll be off to the second one!

I still need to decide what to do about my grab bag gift--but I did start, just for a break from the endless stockinette of my life--a pair of red and grey mitts for a friend who saw the mitts I'd made for another friend and was whining that I never make her anything. These mitts are kind of a bit unisex, so if I run into troubles, I can use them for the grab bag. I actually quite like them. My favorite part of the pattern is that it has a hem where you do a provisional cast-on and then pick those stitches up at the appropriate time, fold them to the back, and knit them together with the row you're working on, thereby eliminating the need to sew your hem down later. GENIUS. (And the worst explanation ever, but believe me, it's brilliant and awesome. And covers up the long floats in the cuff pattern, so you don't have to worry about people getting their fingers stuck.)

Ugh, that was long. I've had too much caffeine, I think. And it's not even 10:30 yet. AIEEE!

no pictures yet . . .

. . . but I shall tell you what's up, because I know you're so super curious. :)

First of all, the Rainbow Mitts were a big hit with their intended recipient. Yay! They fit and everything. Good times.

The Retro Socks are not very far past the heel, but I'm sort of saving them to knit while I sit around at eleven choir concerts in December, so there's no need to panic about them. I also have a hat planned that I will probably work on while waiting to sing. It's a plain ol' stockinette hat, so it won't take very long.

Mostly I've been doing miles of stockinette for what I hope will turn out to be a sweater for my mom. I'm trying to get the body done this week so I can start on the sleeves. There's going to be a colorwork yoke involved, but I think, if I keep plugging away, I can get it done by Christmas. Luckily the first season of Burn Notice (which I've been waiting for for MONTHS) is on its way to my library, just in time to entertain me whilst I knit miles of stockinette. I'm also listening to The Mill on the Floss, which is very good and quite entertaining, but sometimes you want a little modern tv where stuff blows up and Sharon Gless is hilarious.

It's the most wonderful time of the year . . .

. . . the time when you're all, "Argh, I want to knit things for gifts but arrrrrrgh."

Anyway, I've started on a few things. One epic gift for my mom that I'm not posting about yet because I'm kind of embarrassed at how ambitious it is. Once I get going a bit and see if I have a chance of finishing on time, then we can talk about it.

I did start a super-retro Pitt sock for my dad:



It's thoroughly portable, so I'm kind of saving it for when I'm out and about. I did most of the cuff (it's much longer than in the picture) on Election Day, after a surprise call to come work the polls. I was glad I had a really easy knitting project right on top of the pile, because even though we were quite busy, there were still bits of downtime that were perfect for getting some Christmas done.

Oooh, I also have some self-striping Draygone Yarnes Penguins worsted in my hot little hands, and I can't decide if I should do a hat for one of my brothers, something for the handmade grab bag, or something for me. (See how I slipped that in there?) There actually may be enough for both a hat and some mitts, so I should probably just make both and then figure who to give them to.