The shawl is moving along slowly. One thing that slows me down is using the cable needle. With this project, I learned that I don't like the cable needle with the "dent" in it. Since it slows me down so much, I started researching how to cable without that third needle. I found this particular website very helpful, though there are others:  http://www.grumperina.com/cables.htm My cable is super easy: just a two stitch cable right then a two stitch cable left. I think that's the ideal cable to learn to knit without the third needle.

I hope you find that site helpful as well.

Happy knitting!

Well, I thought I'd be writing more in December, but time seems to be slipping through my fingers faster than water. I have two more days left of teaching before I can enjoy the holiday season. My shopping is just about done, but I am behind on my knitting. I still can't believe that Christmas will be here on Sunday! It feels like November just finished.

I have finished two hats this month (pictures to come). I have really enjoyed that craftsy course, Hats Four Ways. It gave me the opportunity to experiment. While my designs are not very exciting (ribbings and stockinette), today I'm going to try a little design for the body of a hat. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm also still perfecting the art of making a gauge. I'm pretty close, but I always run a little too big or too small.

I am also working on a shawl for myself. Like everything I've knit for myself, which so far is just a hat, I keep putting it aside to work on items for others. I started a scarf for myself a year ago and I still haven't finished it. Maybe I can use my two weeks off to finish these projects. My goal was to finish this shawl by the end of December, but I'm not sure if I can. I'm using a chart for the first time and there are cables, which slow me down tremendously.

So far the holiday have been happy for me. I usually dread them. They remind me that life goes by too quickly and that another year has passed in the blink of an eye. The worst part? Older people always tell me that it passes by even faster as you get older. Great. Therefore, I comfort myself by doing as much as I can for others.

I have been reading the Yarn Harlot recently and she makes me feel so much better about myself as a knitter. I no longer feel so guilty about wanting to constantly buy yarn, even though my current stash could keep me busy for a year or more. Oh well. Perhaps I should feel more guilty about it. Her ideas for gifts for knitters is great as well. I listen to her book on my kindle as I knit and I feel like I have more company.

I'd write more, but my dog calls. It's time for the nightly potty break and I need to get ready for school tomorrow. Only two more days to teach!

Happy knitting!

Now that the Big Lebowski Sweater is done, I've been floating between projects. I am taking the Hats Four Ways course on craftsy.com, so I've made four hats already. Now I just need to find two more people to give hats to. I still have one hat to make from that course and I want to dabble in designing my own hats. Nothing fancy, but perhaps fun.

Nonetheless, with the big project done, I've noticed that my knitting speed has decreased and I'm reading more. While those aren't bad, it makes me wonder if I'm going to finish this next project before January: a shawl. I have been consistently knitting for 6 years now and I've only knit myself one hat. All of my knitting gifts are done, so I'm hoping to knit this shawl for myself for Christmas. I found the pattern on Brooklyn Tweed and it's cables and lace. It's the first time I've knit something entirely from a chart. So far so good! It's just taking a bit longer than I had planned. Perhaps my knitting speed is about to increase...

Happy knitting!

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