so much inspiration...

... usually around now i am putting up my knitting because i've lost the will to finish things for the holidays... things have just blown up around me and i figure - "omaha steak catalogue here i come". Well not this year.

i am determined to finish bbs this week - actually rounding on one foot now and it is clear sailing once past the heel - one word to say there CONCURRENTLY. I love Regia Stretch and the way it has a bounce-back when you are knitting with it. I am a loose knitter so i am always down to 1's for the rib and 0's for the heels, and i never seem to split Stretch with my pointy Harmony needles.

I've had tons of inspiration this week - so i can't complain of having too many "impulse purchases" and not enough small projects to use them up. I have started Le Slouch hat by Wendy Bernardfor a gift, as well as finding on another blog - the braided hat someone on knittinghelp.com. you must click on the link for "braided hat" and not the picture, since clicking through the picture brings you to a different hat. these hats and gauntlets will be terrific christmas gifts that will take a moment or two to knit. and not too much longer to get into a package and ship off. yay.

Ravelry has given me a new place to really compare the different free patterns i find. To see who used what yarn for what... to see what alterations took place to make the pattern more to my liking.

And in browsing sites that i am brought to by ravelry browsing, i find gems like this - PROVISIONAL LONG TAIL CAST ON by Wendy Bernard which is a great way to start a project with a technique you know, but get a different result! Also take a look at her Last Minute Purled Beret for another quick gift idea - looks like people will be getting hats for christmas.