Scary Calm

I have four weeks before the set up for the Pleasant Home Holiday Shop and I am scary calm. I have an afghan and a hat on the needles having finished the scarf that will not end just the other day. It was the faux cable that was the time consuming thing. Somehow it seemed slower than doing the real cable. Go figure.

The hat I am working on is also a cable design (real) and the same color as the scarf so they could be mistaken for a set. The afghan, oddly enough, is also the same color and is moving along at a pace I can only call slowly fast. It's a 17 row repeat to the pattern and it takes a few hours to get through one cycle of it. I timed it watching Celtic Woman Isle of Hope special stored on the t and v. I also have other things stored and I watch one every evening and as soon as it's over, off to bed goes I. It's quite the little system I will explain one day.

But I am calm - and that's making me nervous. Because I sold a few hats last week, my inventory is down and this show lasts a week. One would think I should work myself up in a tizzy to get myself stocked for what's coming in a few weeks.

I blame the elections. I am so glad they are over and so disgusted at how grown men and women play with our lives that it has left me exhausted for my regular and normal neurosis. Dang politicians - they take the fun out of politics.

Have you seen this item by Kris Percival? The Knit Knack Kit is a cute little 'book' consisting of patterns printed out on cards you can pop into your knitting bag and take with you. The patterns are all simple enough (though some I will probably never touch like the snake. Can't think of a reason to make it.) I was going through my book shelf when I ran across it. I remember when I bought it. I eyed it on the shelf for more than a month before I finally purchased it. I made my first sweater (the baby sweater) from the pattern in the book. I fell in love with the 2x2 ribbed scarf because I made it in this book. I don't know how many times I made the hats. I even made the halter top. If you have a beginning knitter on your holiday list, this would be a good thing to get. The cards are coded from beginning to advanced (though there's nothing really advanced) and she does a good job with the instructions. Check with your local bookseller to see if they have it. It's been out since 2003 so it might not be easily found and it's the same thing as the book 'Knitting Pretty' by the same author - well almost the same, the book has additional patterns. If your local business can't find it, Amazon will have it.

I am going to work on the hat today and will probably be able to kick it out. I made it (in the same color) when I went to St. Louis and it was done that evening, as I glance at it I see it sitting there calmly waiting for me - other projects have not been as patient. It knows it will be finished today and the confidence shows. After that, I will select another hat to start. Maybe that will trigger the frenzy - though why I am asking for it is hard to explain.