Only 250 Days Until Christmas

Because I am either insane or a slow knitter, I've already begun the knitting for Christmas 2015. I think I began in late February. The details are hazy, but last night I cast off the first project for the upcoming holidays.

Madeline Tosh Vintage, superwash merino, colourway Purple Basil

I've got 250 days to complete several scarves, shawls, cowls and whatnots. But I'm done with the first, a Spiral Staircase Shawl, by LizAnn Petch. It's a free download on Ravelry (my favourite kind!), and I've already got the second on the needles. This second one will be a gift to my friend Adrienne who is letting Brandon and me stay at her place in Provincetown for a week. She likes pink, so I did my best to find a lovely pink yarn. Tosh's Fragrant. I'm not sure who comes up with the names for the various colours at Tosh, but whoever it is, he or she certainly has a vivid imagination.

I've completed another iteration of the pattern since taking this picture, so there are now seven points on the shawl. It is knitting up fairly quickly, and now that I've mastered the (to me) bizarre bind off, I'm really enjoying it. I have already begun my spreadsheet for who is getting what for Christmas, and I think I'll be able to raid my stash for a lot of these shawls. One of the advantages to having achieved SABLE, I reckon.

The New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival is less than a month away! I have started to peruse the list of vendors at this year's festival, and already know which ones I want to visit. I've been stashing money away each week, so as not to upset the budget in a big way, My goal is to buy things I cannot buy in local stores, so no Tosh for me that trip. I will be out of town during Webs' big Tent Sale this year. I had hoped to make it one more time, if only to buy things from the local vendors who set up in the parking lot. Perhaps another time.