Christmas Gift!

Christmas Gift! is the title of a book by Ferrel Sams, an author I had the privilege to meet in the 1990s. It also covers the work I've done over the last six weeks, trying to get everyone's gifts ready. A year ago January, I started teaching myself to crochet (thank heavens for youtube.com!). I'm left handed, and I've taught myself to work right handed so I can follow the videos. It's been an interesting journey.

For my two-month-old grandson, I finished up a sock monkey blanket. It had been intended as a gift when he was born, but I found myself challenged as to how to assemble the pieces. The body of the blanket is a v-stitch. I was determined to get this blanket right. I started the blanket over 15 times until I was satisfied. Someone recently accused me of impatience. I pointed out that anyone who would start over 15 times could not be impatient. I just have a low tolerance of fools.

Grandson's baby blanket

Close up of grandson's blanket

My favorite crochet pattern in the granny square. I seem to be far more accurate with it than others.

Daughter-in-law's lapghan

Mother's lapghan

No, Rosie's not crochet. But an interruption to enjoy a cat is necessary around my house. I love how she sleeps with her paw over her eyes. Probably the result of too much exposure to bright lights in the middle of the night when I get up to go to work.

Rosie's contribution to the process

Christmas Eve service is always important to us. I've missed church these last two months, trying to recover from an upper respiratory infection. It was a relief to make it back to church.

An interruption in creativity for midnight service

I love my church. Candles, incense and garland feels very pagan. I really look forward to the burning of the green.

Midnight Christmas Eve service at church

Like Rosie, Lugh had to provide his share of distraction. Lugh's in the box. About ten minutes after this picture was taken, Lugh got out of the box to eat. When he came back, Thor, the cat on the table, had taken over. He never go the box back.

If I fits, I sits.

 I made a bunch of scarves. There are more, but here's kind of a representative sampling.

Mother-in-law's scarf with her favorite school colors.

Sister-in-law's scarf

Brother-in-law's scarf

One day shortly before Christmas, one of our contractors asked what I was making. I told him I was working on my dad's scarf. He hinted that he's  scarf kind of guy. All four contractors and their boss will get one as well. We live in the south, meaning we only wear scarves a few months a year. I'm going to have to come up with other ideas for next year.