How did it get to be almost December?  As I write this, Christmas Eve is one month away.  I think our warmer fall deceived us into thinking it was still late summer/early fall not almost winter.  Well, now that we have actually had some snow, it is really time to pick up those knitting needles and crochet hooks if you want to make something for Christmas.

So how do you figure out how much you can knit in time for the big day? First you have to decide who is deserving of your handiwork.  Write a list of who you think you want to make something for.  Next, you have to decide what you want to make and how much time do you have to devote to it.  I make a calendar and write all the activities I have and what free time I have available and figure out how many hours that is.  Are you going to make multiple small items or one big item?  What are you going to be more motivated to work on?  Once you have decided what to make and have cast on, put a marker to show where you started and after an hour check your progress.  This will give you an idea of how much you can get done in an hour and therefore how long it will take to finish the project.  Block off time on your calendar so you know how long it is going to take you to finish.  In this way you can see what is reasonable to hope to get done in time for the big day.

I like to do smaller projects as I can feel more of a sense of accomplishment as I finish each item.  Knitting with a chunky yarn is also a big help. Often a yarn has enough interest in it that you don’t need to do anything fancy.  You also have to consider what you like to do.  If you are going to be bored doing seed stitch, don’t do a whole project in it, just do a border in seed stitch.  If you get bored doing garter stitch throw in a cable to make it more interesting.

Check out ravelry.com for some quick knit ideas.  You are sure to find something you want to make ( probably more than you can get done before Christmas so add them to your library so you can get back to them after Christmas).

Come in and pick some yarn and needles and get knitting.  It is a good excuse to sit down during this busy time and nicer than rushing around a shopping mall. Happy Knitting!