Andrea409

I’ve got a few skeins of Red Heart Holiday yarn left over from two throws I made for presents last year. The throws turned out great. I’m a sucker for Christmastime (and holidays, in general), so I thought I’d have no difficulty finding something to make with this leftover yarn. But I am most certainly having trouble with this. Twice, I’ve made the decision to donate the yarn, and twice I’ve yanked the yarn back out of the donation bag. I really want to find something to use it for.

I started crocheting a holiday scarf pattern that I found on Lion Brand’s website. Their picture looks really cute. But my scarf didn’t look nearly as cute. I’m not a yarn snob, and I like cheesy…but my scarf just looked tacky. The yarn is acrylic with some sort of tinsel-esque strand of metallic something or other. And it’s made to look home-spun, so it’s sort of curly for lack of a better word. I really can’t describe it. Suffice it to say, the stitches don’t look very neat, and the yarn isn’t too much fun to knit with either. But, oh, those blankets turned out really cool.

Then I tried starting a Christmas stocking. Perhaps I’ll upload a picture and you all can vote “yay” or “nay.” I love old-fashioned things, but I fear these stockings may just scream “tacky.” I figure I’ll finish the knitting, and if I hate them I’ll donate them to charity. I told Mister that I don’t think anyone would want them. He looked at me like I was nuts. “Never underestimate people and their desire for tacky-ass objects,” he said.

I think he’s probably right.

(Picture is not mine)

I’ve started my first pair of two-at-a-time socks! My needles arrived, and I cast on that same day. I’m working on these slowly, because I’m also working on Christmas gifts. I’m about an inch into the leg of the socks.

Having to worry about two balls of yarn is a little bit not-so-fun, but I’ve figured out how to prevent them from tangling. So, that’s a plus. I’m not a fast knitter at all, so it’s going pretty slowly. But still, I think I’m a big fan of this so far. It’s going to be awesome not having to wait to knit an entire second sock before I can wear them. This way, they’ll be off the needles and on my feet the same day!

...is about to commence!

I decided to wait until the Mister was done with school to start this, because so much of the crap we have sitting around belongs to him. He’s a wonderful human being, but he’s a pack rat. He hoards all things music. I wouldn’t care if we had space for it. His entire bedroom closet is filled with stuff from his childhood that he refuses to part with. The ENTIRE closet. We really, really need that space for storage, because we don’t have an attic or basement. So, everything winds up in the closets or sitting out on the floor. This drives me wacko. Straight-up the wall nutso. If I had my way, I’d throw it all away or donate it. He is a fairly patient, tolerant man (very sweet, really), but I suppose this would really make him mad. So, I’ve held off. And I’ve surveyed the clutter daily for many moons.

But now I’ve had it. This clutter has got to go. I’ve got plenty of mine to get rid of too, namely old clothes that no longer fit and yarn in my stash that I’m never going to use. I’m determined to find a home for everything, and those things that can’t find a home are going to be kicked out. So long, chaos. I’m welcoming change and simplicity.

The good news is, he actually seems to be on board. He’s keen on trying his hand at making us some storage units for the place and getting rid of some old (free) furniture that we have no space for. He’s not as keen on getting rid of all the stuff he’s accumulated over the years. Baby steps.

He’s lucky I love him so much, or I’d toss all that junk today.