happy December

The weekend was spent shopping... Christmas shopping. Because gifts have to ship in the next week or so to make it before the 25th. How did it go? Really well. Despite bad traffic and packed parking lots, we persevered and joined the hundreds of harried shoppers in the malls. Tuning out overly loud Christmas music blaring from overhead speakers, we poked through until we found the things on our list. And we are mostly done - wrapped, ready, and exhausted.

Mom and I compared our progress on our beaded amulet bags. And while mine looked good at 2 beads between stitches, and okay with 3 beads between stitches, things went south with 4, and then 5 beads between. I tried tighter stitches, and tried looser, but those beads kept migrating into the adjacent stitches. Ruining the desired effect of beads between columns of stitches. Mine's all ripped out and put aside. Mom's having more success, so she's carrying on for now. I doubt I'll try again - too frustrating!

On this first day of December, I'm hoping the month will be less hectic than November. This morning I spent some time quietly and calmly knitting my Taiga sleeve. And I hope to cast on fingerless gloves for Lianne later today - a portable project for my train trips back and forth to work. Nothing too overwhelming. Nothing too difficult. Nothing too frustrating. Because I want to enjoy this holiday season, instead of stressing out.