Knitting for Christmas 2013

It's mid-September, so time for panic to set in. I try to start on the holiday knitting every year, but it never fails that I'm rushed for time as Christmas draws near.

I'm working on Cameo by Paulina Popiolek:

I had three random skeins of sock yarn (only enough yarn for one sock); this has been a good project with which to use them up. I'm finishing off with some leftover Brooks Farm mohair from another project. I'm not thrilled with the pooling of the colors in the middle, but it will do.

I'm binding off right now (top photo). It's a picot bind off (bind off 2, *slip stitch back to left needle, cast on 2, cast off 4, repeat from * to end). It's taking for-freeking-ever, and it's super boring, and there are (what seems like) a thousand stitches. But I'll keep picoting away.

I'm also working on two projects from Short Story by Cathy Carron. This is the Bohemian Wrapsody start (it's the hood):

 

Again, this stitch is horribly boring (YO, p2tog) across row, every row. But only about 80 stitches per row, so it goes pretty fast. Also, I'm changing the pattern so the lace pattern isn't over the shoulders, i.e., to make it warmer.  This yarn is a mohair blend from Green Mountain.

I'm also working on Painter's Palette from the same book. No new photo of that yet; since it's knit in the round, right now it just looks like a weird giant hat. I should be casting off the body soon, so watch this space for a photo.

I have lots of other things on the needles, and I have to discipline myself to keep from working on other things that don't have hard deadlines. But, this weekend I'm taking a class from Cynthia Rutledge at Funky Hannah's in Racine, WI. It will be good to get some beading time in!