No Gift Knitting Here?

This year, I've planned no knitted gifts so I have no pressure on my knitting time these days beyond plain old genuine interest and amusement. I'm knitting whatever I feel like knitting.

For a day of errands with My Beloved and our Number One Son last Saturday I grabbed some needles, cotton yarn and the Ball Band dish cloth pattern. I arrived home late that afternoon with one done and a second cast on. (I now see why people crank these out - they're pretty addictive!)

My stay at home project of choice is the "Big Cabled Pullover" by Vladimir Teriokhin -VK Winter '05/'06. Its "Big" alright - big needles, big yarn, big gratification borne of almost immediate big progress. Bottom line - big knitting fun.

I am in full flight preparing for the craziness of the holidays but the quality knitting time I do have each evening is pleasant and relaxed. This is miraculous for me. Anyone who knows me will confirm I'm unencumbered by "reasonable" expectations. I live so far beyond my capacity I don't think I'd recognize it if I fell over it. I know and I've accepted that's who I am but I know its driven further by my omnipresent sense that a skeptical world wants me to prove the value of my domestic dedication (is there such a thing as a cure for post career guilt?). Knitting this season though seems to be giving me reason to be calm and restful among my family at the end of the day over chasing impossible goals into the wee hours of the night.

Hey maybe there is "gift" knitting going on around here after all but its the act of knitting that's the gift and I'm giving it to myself!

I hope you can take time to give yourself a "knitting gift" today!