The Crisis and the New Year's Resolution

Wow! It's been nearly a month! By the looks of thing, nobody has noticed, but it feels like a long time so I thought I'd get back in the blogging game.

I'd made a conscious decision this year not to knit gifts for anyone and though it made me a little sad, it did mean I had plenty of knitting time to myself. I started the Tree Jacket, Hourglass Sweater and I continued on Ben's Cabled Sweater. I also finished a lot in December:

Patons Cabled Cap

Bernat Leaf Pullover

4 Mason-Dixon Washcloths (or Washcloth Reloaded, however you happen to refer to it)

Drops 79-24 Pullover

The Yarn Harlot's One Row Scarf

The Mason-Dixon Washcloths were a last minute gift idea for my sister and 3 sister-in-laws. A day before the Christmas celebration with my dad and step-mom, I decided that I really needed to make something for someone. My female immediate relatives seemed like the only realistic recipients (there are only 4 of them). I had a couple skeins of Cotton-Ease and went to work on the Washcloth Reloaded from Mason-Dixon Knitting. I sent Tony out to Bath and Body works for 4 bars of smelly soap. I made one washcloth that day and got halfway through the other. I finished the second one in the morning. I pinned them, spritzed them, and they were dry in a few hours. They turned out marvelous! I finished another one that afternoon so I could give it to another SIL the next day. I made the last one on Christmas Eve, blocked it, and gifted it that night. I think this might just be my second favorite knitted gift (Fluffy Lap Blanket being #1). I fully intend to make several of these and save them for end of the year teacher gifts - to the teachers who don't get blankets. The pattern is easy and how can it get any better than a pattern that decreases into nothingness?

Oh my GOSH, how could I forget the most amazing finished object of December!!!!!!

(drum roll, please...)

THE OMBRE ACRYLIC BLANKET!!!!!!!

I can't put into words just how wonderful it is to have that beast out of my house! It turned out beautiful! I could have made it longer, but I was so tired of it that I could not bear the thought of continuing. Plus, I ran out of yarn. My brother and his girlfriend made it into town the weekend before Christmas and we had them out for dinner and presents. He loved it and she loved it too. Here it is, modeled beautifully by Alicia and Yocasta.

On to the crisis I alluded to in the title of this post. Yesterday my Christmas present to myself (using gift money) arrived from the evil Crafter's Choice book club. They don't have the best selection of knitting books but they had an irresistable $9.99 for any book sale and I happened to find five (5!) books that I really felt I couldn't live without. I got Family Knits by Debbie Bliss, Modern Classics by Louisa Harding, Bag Style by Pam Allen and Ann Budd, The Best of Interweave Knits, and Knitting Classic Style by Veronik Avery.

As I entered these books into my Ravelry library (and as I contemplate the purchase of another sock book), I realized that I have a crisis on my hands. I have a lot of books. It might be getting a little out of control. This led to a New Year's resolution: in 2008, I resolve to knit something from every book in my library. Even if it's something little. I have knit something from nearly everything I own, but there are several books that have sat collecting dust on my shelf. It's time to change that or get them out of here.

I used to be a pack rat, but now clutter bugs me. If I'm not making use of something, I'd rather not keep it. It was quite a leap for me to buy the Debbie Bliss book - also for the Veronik Avery and Louisa Harding books - because I've always been a little afraid of those books/designers. In Knitting Daily yesterday, Sandi said something about fearless knitting. I've decided that that is the perfect motto for me for 2008. Anything from Debbie or Veronik would qualify as bravery for me. I love texture and cables and small gauges, but I've always shied away from it. I will change that.

Heck, I spent the money on all these books, thus there was something that appealed to me enough to want them, so why not make it?