One of those people?

Thank you for the kind comments on my new sweater. I'd be wearing it every day if it weren't for the fact that I think my coworkers might worry about me if I did that. Well, that, and it tends to leave blue fuzz behind on whatever I wear it over. But I'm still really, really enjoying it.

Lately, I've been wondering if I might be one of those people. I think maybe I am, but I'm not sure which kind of them. You see, I'm very nearly done with all my Christmas shopping, sewing, and knitting. I have part of a sock to finish, and two quilts to finish binding, and that's it. Before you start to think that I really am one of those freakishly on-top-of-it people who gets everything done early, let me share something with you. A few weeks ago, I finished up my sister's birthday present and sent it to her. This was for her most recent birthday, which, I'm ashamed to admit, was in February. So I think I may actually be one of those so-late-and-scatter-brained-you-wonder-how-they-ever-get-anything-done-on-time people. You can see how I might be uncertain, though, all things considered.

But on to what you really care about - the knitting of this mysterious gift!

This project required that I develop some new skills - intarsia, introducing knitting to the sewing machine, and my favorite: mattress stitch.


Believe it or not, I'd never before done a seam with mattress stitch, but now that I have, I'm a huge fan. It produced such a neat, sturdy, and nearly invisible seam:


I'm somewhat less a fan of intarsia. I really like the way argyle looks, but I've gotten my fill of knitting with it for a while. I will say, though, that you can do some really fun things with it. How else would you ever get arrrgyle?


Project details: Dale of Norway Baby Ull in black, grey, and red, total usage, about a ball. It's lined with black cotton flannel, which helps both with wind blocking and makes it far more comfortable for those who are wool-sensitive.


I hear my sister likes it. Indeed, she seems to like it enough that she's fogiven me for being months late with it. Either that, or she's just afraid that if she complains about my timeliness, I won't knit her any more socks. ;-)