the pressure is on now—there are multiple gifts under the tree intended for me, but just one with david’s name on it so far. ouch.
actually, i do have a couple ready, but i haven’t wrapped them yet. i’m a procrastinator about it—i like to wrap everything in big batches and put it all under the tree at the last minute, while david wraps each item as it arrives, then sets it under the tree, marked “mon amour” or “por mon amour” (that’s me) in big letters with a sharpie.
it makes me knit faster . . .
i’m pretty sure that the big secret project is going to be done in time—i cut it awfully close this year, but it’s going swimmingly; as long as i don’t get comfortable with the gobs of time i have to finish it, i should be good. i got a LOT done in class yesterday; thanks to susie’s knee surgery and recovery at home, i have lots of knitting time away from our house, haha.
i’m not so confident about the other gifts (which i absolutely cannot show even a hint of til after the holiday), but you never know. one is something i thought up to knit only two days ago and it’s a little slow going. the other is something i’ve been procrastinating on.
and i’m not even mentioning the mittens and scarf i had hoped to get done for a special little fella i adore—he won’t go ungifted (we sent something he’ll love), but his knits will have to be a new year’s gift.
of course, if i didn’t spend the whole morning shilly-shallying around on the blog, things might be further along. but we need that too.
and then there is the other stuff—like the fish
i almost forgot that i have to soak it for a couple of days before we can cook it. it’s in the big pot now and i have my iCal set to go off every few hours today to remind me to change the water. ancient food preservation technique meets 21st century technology—i love it.
so anyway, as soon as i’m done here, i plan to knit furiously for the rest of the day, with a short break to put a curry on for dinner (i have a strong hankering for curry that won’t leave me alone, in spite of being surrounded by traditional holiday foods).
i feel at a loss without lots of knitting to show you, so i thought a yarn parade of recent arrivals might be a good substitute—in case any of us end up with a little gift money burning a hole in our pockets.
first up, my absolute favorite hand cream, made by my friend kim at the woolen rabbit—trust me, it really works. i have the driest hands ever and this non-greasy cream is my go-to, year-round formula. it’s simply lovely—rich with lanolin, infused with the soothing scents of garden-fresh lavender and rosemary, it leaves skin soft and last for hours. i especially like its healing properties after a day spent with my hands in water or dirt.
and now that david has discovered its magical powers, we’re going through it twice as fast (he works a lot with plaster—enough said). it has a very reasonable price tag though, so stocking up didn’t break the bank.
did i say yarn parade? well, there was yarn in the box too . . .
kim and i have been discussing an upcoming sock project to be released for SPA in february. she has a special new yarn that she loves—kashmir—and i had a couple of photos from the garden that i wished could be made into colorways, so i sent them along.
i captured this image under the squash plants in late summer and fell in love with the mix of acid yellows and greens, toned by the darker gold of the fading background leaves. and kim, wondrous dyer that she is, came up with
hanky panky. ha! a great name for a color inspired under the bushes.
i have a stitch pattern all picked out for this color—i just need to swatch and make sure the yarn will work (i think it will). this is a soft-spun merino/cashmere/nylon blend that kim has been crowing about for months and i’m anxious to make some socks for myself from it. but i also think it will make a great yarn for other accessories (like cité, for instance, or spiralucious, or some pretty mitts).
the other photo i sent is something a little different
as my hostas laid down their leaves to die in the fall, they made the most beautiful overlapping swirly patterns in the back beds. and for whatever reason, climate conditions made it so that they faded very slowly into these sort-of gray/brown sculptural forms, like something on a city building or an old ruin. i just love them.
and kim—she is so brilliant—captured them perfectly in this next skein . . . are you ready??
how beautiful is that?? it’s a triumph.
i could make it into socks, but i think it really must become something else.
kim has been chatting up her new oasis camel/silk blend to anyone who will listen and we’ve been tossing about the idea of a sweater and i’m thinking—that colorway would be gorgeous in a tone-on-tone damask motif, in a classic sleek sweater shape, wouldn’t it? i’ve gotta test it of course, but i’m drooling over the thought already . . .
and if that didn’t work, the color would make a really great vintage-style sweater, too.
you know, i have more yarn to show you from another special dyer, but i think i need to stop now and save that for tomorrow. i have knitting and cooking that i really gotta get done this afternoon, so i’m going to say goodbye, but just for now.
26 thoughts on “oh, the last-minuteness of it all”
Have you seen the children’s book “Merry Christmas Strega Nona”? I read that to my children every night lately. It takes place in Calabria and they talk about soaking the baccala. Sweet story. Merry Christmas to you!
Yum! What beautiful colours.
I just ordered a skein of Kim’s Oasis, in the Ribbit colourway, as a little Christmas treat to myself. I can’t wait to make a shawlette from it.
OMG! The Birch Beer is gorgeous!! She’s a genius with color. I hope that color will be available to the rest of us.
Merry Christmas to you and David!
It just cracks me up that David uses a Sharpie directly on the gift wrap to write his poetic and romantic labels. It is so ruggedly tender. (Or he just likes to smell the Sharpie!) Have a merry, peaceful holiday.
“tone-on-tone damask motif”
Oh, Anne. PLEEEASE !!!!
Beautiful yarns! Your photos are really nice, too. Can’t wait to see the stealth projects once revealed.
Looove the colors of your big secret project! Love. Can’t wait to see the whole thing!
Good luck with all the gift knitting!
That Birch Beer is beautiful! I want some.
What gorgeous colors. They match so nicely
Hi Anne! I wish you and David the merriest of Christmases! I’m doing a bit of last minute knitting myself– a couple of pairs of Maine Morning Mitts for my sisters. And I did a hat the other day for my daughter, so I’m getting there. Those yarns are beautiful-thanks for sharing!
The fish reminds me of making Lutefisk. I had the privilege of watching a friend who is Finnish make it for the holidays.
I hope you have a cheerful, happy time with friends and family during this holiday season.
Aww…..I’m blushing! Thank you so much for your kind words!
I love how David writes on your packages the way he does…it’s so sweet.
Have fun knitting that loveliness you are working on. 🙂
That was my favorite part, too – how David labels his packages to you. It is so …well, romantic and sweet!
I discovered Kim’s handcream a while ago and just can’t stop using it!! It is the best but can not be rivaled by those colorways the two of you came up with.
I think this post might just have the most teasers evah in it! 😉 I’ll be dying to you unveil all the things you mentioned!
Happy Holidays to you and yours, Anne!!
I Bought some of Kim’s yarns because of you. They are so beautiful and subtle. Thanks.
Looking forward to seeing the final result in all your holiday knitting. This it that “last minute” time of year! I’m hoping to get at least one slipper/daughter felted today. Wishing you and David a wonderful Christmas.
Oh, I MUST get me some of that hand cream! I am torn about ordering it TODAY — poor Kim must be just as out straight as the rest of us. But I’ll let her know not to rush it. Her yarns are just so gorgeous, and her sense of color is wondrous!
Anne- I can vouch for the amazingness of the hand cream. The yarn colors are wonderful.
Oooooh, Kim’s new yarn looks so yummy, and the colors are wonderful. I need some of that hand cream too…
Best holiday wishes to you and David, Anne!
I just wanted to wish you and David a holiday full of joy and peace. I’m such a sap–I love that you two have such a wonderful, loving relationship. (The holidays always make me mushy.)
Here’s hoping that your projects all come together. Somehow, things have a way of working themselves out, don’t they? I can’t wait to see the see the project that comes from the “Birch Beer” yarn. Kim’s colourways are phenomenal–what talent!
Anyway, enough dawdling. Aren’t I supposed to be making rugulach? And pecan tarts? Etc…. Not to mention fingerless mitts I decided to knit yesterday. Honestly!
All the best over the holidays,
Barb
I love your wrapping traditions…I’m more in line with you…but I’m a terrible wrapper, so gift bags are my friend!
Can’t wait to see your big project finished…sooo intriguing.
I love the new colors Kim created for you! Just gorgeous! Wowie…what a gift she has for color! I can’t wait to see the projects that are percolating in your head!!
Happy almost Christmas!! xo
I can’t wait to see everything!
That is so sweet how David wraps your packages… and so streamlined! I hope you two have a fabulously MERRY Christmas filled with surprises!
My grandpa used to make bacala (sp?) for Christmas Eve. I never did like it but maybe he made it wrong. Or maybe it’s because I was a kid then. 🙂 Where do you buy it – the Italian store?
Merry Christmas and good luck with that knitting!
Oh yum. I love the way David labels your gifts. So romantic. And I love the yarns. Especially Birch Beer. I sure hope I can get a skein of that eventually.
the colors of yarn in this post are so lovely — sigh. They are like a box of chocolate — you wish you could try them all.
I bet the handcream is fabulous — I have chemical sensitivity issues (read: just plain allergic to preservatives/additives) and find the specialty soaps and handcreams the only way to go.
Holiday greetings again — I’m catching up on your blog posts and reading “backwards” LOL
Knitting and cooking, a perfect way to spend the afternoon! But do let’s not forget eating and sipping 😉
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