Gift Knitting.

(aka "Queue Management").

Yes, you heard this from me. The one time of the year I knit for others is now. Well, I usually start a bit sooner to get something done for Sara's birthday, and a lot later (after Thanksgiving!) to get Christmas gifts done. And this year I wasn't going to knit anything for the birthday, and then had the thought that I should knit her a sweater for Christmas, which means the flip-top mitts I'd planned for Christmas - the one thing she really really needs, will have to be for her birthday. And that's next week.  I was thinking I'd reknit the snapdragon mitts with the matching beret out of madtosh DK (which Theresa has ordered but won't be here til early December). If I want to knit something now, I need a different pattern. Isn't this one cute?

Oh, the sweater, I want to knit her Fair Enough (again) with gray, brown and purple. Don't you think she'd love it? I wish I'd thought of it sooner and it could've been for her birthday instead. Oh well. Now she'll be really surprised!

I've been trading emails with Katie for a few weeks about knitting for her and for Rob. We settled last week on a scarf for Rob and yesterday I selected the pattern and the yarn (in the Andean Coal colorway - it's lovely). Even treated myself to new lantern moon straights to make scarf knitting a bit more pleasurable.

This morning I had an email from Katie with her input. Two Jared Flood designs (I knew she had good taste!) autumn leaves and celes . I really love them both, and if I start "soon", might be able to finish before December 17 without going completely insane (?) - so now I need to pick one, and decide on the yarn. Would love your input!

autumn leaves - maybe leaning toward this one - in venezia?

celes - it is lovely, isn't it? (maybe for her wedding?!)

And for Marc, new golf club covers. He's darned and re-darned the ones he got for Christmas 2008. It's time for new ones.

So.... I have a sweater, a scarf, socks, mitts, and a shawl all on the needles (and getting somewhat active play time :-). And a cowl that I really want to have now. and a new KAL for the shop that will start November 12. And Hawthorne for the Duke v. GT game on November 20.

How do I fit in these other projects? Here's what I'm thinking:

1. I finish the scarf and the cowl by tomorrow (which is possible), and cast on Sara's mitts Friday. I think I can get them done by next Thursday, and make progress on my sweater, if I don't let myself get distracted by any new yarn (hello! the scarf and the cowl weren't even on my radar this time last week!!)
2. When I finish the mitts, I cast-on Rob's scarf. And knit it until I finish it (which will hopefully be a)before Christmas; and b) before I die from scarf boredom).
3. When I finish Rob's scarf, I start Marc's golf club covers.
4. When I finish my sweater, I start Sara's.
5. And I'll finish something else of mine and start Katie's scarf. If that doesn't happen by Thanksgiving, I start Katie's scarf anyway.
6. ...and at some point before November 20, I knit Hawthorne. If this doesn't happen, I think the scarf might work...it has a lot of black and gold in it.

...actually, as I type this, and knowing how much time I have for knitting, I'm thinking this doesn't seem too impossible.

Am I crazy? no, don't answer that. But if I talk to you about a new project, please ask me how my gift knitting plan is progressing... I really can't start anything new for myself until I have it done!