my secret weapon

Yesterday was day two of our three-day Christmas celebration. I had finished the gifts I needed for Christmas two days before they were due (although I have to cop to trying to dry out my brother's felted hat on a hot air register all day Christmas Eve). I forgot to take pictures of the gifts before I gave them, but here are two of the three being modeled by their lovely recipients:

On the left, Sweater Babe's Luscious Cabled Cowl in my own dyed yarn (50/50 wool/silk, bulky weight) in the Blueberry colorway. (I loved this pattern -- it was extremely well written, and I can't wait to knit something else by her.)

On the right, the 5th Avenue Infinity Scarf, in Jaggerspun Superlamb light worsted weight, Curry colorway, except I only cast on 201 stiches.

Photo credit to my father, who saved my ever-snapshot-forgetting heinie yet again.

On Christmas Day itself, I finished knitting my second Colonnade shawl, again in my own dyed yarn bulky weight (this time Old Spice and Grizzled Brown), and yet again I failed to take a picture. It wasn't needed until today but, being somewhat lacey in nature, I did need to wash and block it with sufficient time for it to dry before being gifted, so I had to get that done on Christmas night as well.

That left me yesterday morning with the following inventory, all of which were needed that afternoon as gifts:

• two half-finished crocheted beret/tams; and
• two cut out (but otherwise untouched) sets of flannel sleep pants.

By the time I got out of bed at 7:30 am, I had exactly 4.5 hours to finish all four projects.

As I frantically crocheted and sewed and washed and ironed, I reflected on why we crafters seem to be driven to set and then attempt to surmount seemingly impossible deadlines. The rest of my family were enjoying a leisurely morning perusing their Christmas gifts. I was racing against the clock, but I wasn't beating myself up with regrets and recriminations that I hadn't started earlier. I felt more like a climber must feel when challenged with a new mountain: it must be conquered because it is there, and although the experience will be arduous and probably fraught with a little stress now and then, at the end of the day it is still an enjoyable experience, provided you actually manage to pull it off.

I did get all the gifts done in time for me to take a shower before departing for the party, but didn't exactly have time for a complicated photo shoot. A pile of gifts on the ironing board was about all I could pull off but it is better than the nothing I usually manage.

On the left, two sleep sets with flannel pants and matching T-shirts from Cafe Press. I still can't get over how closely we managed to match the flannel patterns (which were purchased first) and the shirts.

On the right, two hats made out of Jaggerspun Superlamb in light worsted weight, colorways Plum and Cassis.

When hearing of such exploits, people often say "I don't know how you do it."

Well, here's my secret weapon:

Someone new to this blog asked him why he doesn't mind me calling him "Lazy Stupid Husband." I just wanted to set the record straight, that he is anything but. I couldn't have pulled Christmas off this year without his unfailing support, which included shopping, wrapping, cleaning, brittle making, appetizer baking... the list goes on and on and he never, not once, said "Why couldn't we just have bought a pajama set/cowl/hat instead?"

Just so we are all clear on this, he is my "Loving Supportive Husband" and this post is a small tribute and thank you to him, and all he does for me.