Knit Unto Others - Not So Much

I don't know why I thought I'd get more done, but I didn't. And here it is December 1. I'm traveling to Charlotte tonight to spend the weekend with the grands, and I won't be accomplishing anything more by the deadline tomorrow, so here it is: a total of one vest, two preemie hats. Not much of an accomplishment, but better than nothing, I suppose.

The hats are from Ann Norling's basic fruit hat pattern and are made of Lion Brand Microspun. I have a stash of about eight colors that are bright and fun to create with. Microspun is a major pain to work with, as my sister warned me, because of its tendency to split. I find that I look back at something I've knitted earlier and find one little split-off thread hanging off a stitch, and then I have to drop down and fix it. That's what happens when you knit while online or while watching TV--when I'm doing mindless stockinette, I'm not usually looking at what I'm doing at all. Thus, the occasional split. But the yarn washes well, which is key for preemie hats, so I'll make more. The hats will go to the NICU where my niece works in Lexington, KY, and they can use all they can get.

The vest is Lamb's Pride Bulky from the stash and will go to CIC, though not in time for the most recent deadline, which was yesterday. I don't know how I lost sight of that deadline, but there will be no package postmarked by November 30 for CIC this time. Oh, well. Again, the need is always there, and the vest will go toward the next challenge.

So, I'm disappointed with my performance and my output. No excuses, but here's the explanation: (1) Work is extremely busy right now; because of my commute (1-1.5 hours each way) and long days at work trying to finish a Six Sigma project, I get home around 8 pm and dive into bed. Little or no knitting. (2) I've been sick since Thanksgiving with a cold that just won't quit. Again, little or no knitting. (3) I have worked a little on Cooper's gansey, which I'm hoping to give him for Christmas. I'm on the second sleeve and then just have the front and finishing. This is my car knitting for red lights and gridlock.

I knitted with the informal group that has met at a coffee shop in north Atlanta for over a year now. I don't get there every Thursday, maybe only 50% of the time, and the players change every week. Some weeks there are as many as six or eight knitters, other weeks only two or three. Last night there were five of the regulars, plus one who wandered in, checked her purse, and announced she'd left her knitting at home and wouldn't be staying. We also met a customer who stopped to chat and we recruited her for the guild--hopefully, she'll be able to come to our December meeting next week.