Monday, October 30, 2006

Rumours of my demise are premature

I promise that I am still living, breathing and reading all the blogs out there.

And I am mostly knitting these days and spinning is put aside right now…Christmas is coming and my feeling? That people don’t want skeins of handspun for Christmas for some reason. Hi! What’s up with that? Could it be they just think I’m trying to get them to store my stash for me? I can imagine the Christmas morning conversation:

“delighted but puzzled” recipient: Wow…this is a really neat ball… of yarn?

Me: Yes! I spun that just for you! Its fingering weight…well MOST of it is fingering weight. There’s a bit at the beginning that was underspun so its more of a dk really but if you knit it double it won’t matter anyway! So like I was saying, that’s some nice merino I carded with silk – man was that ever a bitch to card - and…

Recipient: I don’t knit though…

Me: Yeah, but remember that time you said “wow I wish I could do that” and I said “its really not that hard” and you said “hmmm…I should get you to teach me.” Well, now’s the time!

Recipient: Oh…

Me: Unless you were just being nice…

Recipient: Well…

Me: Okay! I know! Why don’t I knit something for you…there’s enough for a hat, or maybe a scarf (but god help me please not a clapotis) or some mitts. The only thing is…do you think you can wait until next winter for it?

And so it goes. So rather than have this awkward discussion with every member of my family I have made a not-decision! What is a not decision you ask (as well you should)? A not-decision is where I make a certain pronouncement, as in:

I am not going to knit for Christmas because it is silly to put myself under that much pressure. Why can’t I just give the people I care about gifts just because???

And yet, as I finish each project, I carefully stash it away because it is done and BEFORE Christmas so in theory it might as well be a gift right?

So here is the rule…if it is done in time for Christmas, it becomes a Christmas present…if not, you get something else and when its done, its done and don’t bloody well complain because all this Christmas knitting pressure is seriously starting to get to me and might possibly even be the cause of a few minor temper tantrums in which needles get stabbed into pillows and…and…and…

I think the picture is clear enough, yes? I have Christmas knitting pressure and guilt despite having given myself permission to not finish each and every project.

And I wonder why I’m in therapy.

6 comments:

miss ewe said...

Funny, I was just discussing this issue with another knitting pal. I am knitting for Christmas, but what gets done gets gifted, and what does not get done does not get sweated over. Good then.

As for Kingston, you will want to go to Wool-Tyme on Gardiners road, and you could even try to check in at Gwin Gryffon on Wellington, but they have weird hours, so look them up first.

Will you be altogether busy in Kingston? We could possibly have a SnB gathering while you're here and you could join us! Send me an e-mail with some details if you're interested...

Anonymous said...

HA you think I'm too tired to notice when someone is having an imaginary conversation with me?!
BTW I'll store whatever you want, baby (don't you remember I offered the backyard for the alpacas - well at least til I found out they had to be plural).

Jeanne said...

I decided to do the same thing - if I get something done by Christmas, I'll give it, but otherwise they get it when they get it. I just don't need that type of pressure. If you do want to give yarn, though, I'd be happy to take it off your hands :-)

Angela said...

I'm doing the same thing. Except for a scarf for my dad. But how long can that take, right? Right?

I, for one, would be thrilled to bits if people gave me handspun for Christmas. Mom has promised me some alpaca, and I'm just about dying with anticipation.

froggiemeanie said...

Too funny. I'm not knitting anything for Christmas this year. Not one thing. I'm always stressed and my recipients are not always as excited as they should be about receiving the fruits of my labour. Better to buy a gift card. Yes, I'm a wee bit of a scrooge. I'll snap out of it before the big day.

Lisa said...

wanna-baa...

You...my parents...my sister...misc friends and relatives...

gift cards for everyone!!!! (I guess those can't be wool store gift cards right?)