I think that this medieval painting illustrates that last-minute knitting before Christmas has a very long history.

I long ago gave up knitting Christmas gifts because I always chose projects that were too complicated, and never left enough time. This goes as far back as my own history with knitting, when after working my poor little fingers to the bone, I gave my Dad 1 sock for Christmas…still on the needles. I think I was about 6 at the time.

I did finish that sock (after Christmas), but Dad never got the matching one to make a pair. I often wonder what became of that sock.

I still knit socks, and in fact am wearing a pair of my hand knits today. I love the cable on this one. It’s a pattern by sock designer extraordinaire, Cookie A. They are called Haleakala, and were knit in 2011. Amazingly, I never put them in my Ravelry list, which is surprising since I love them so much. I think about knitting a second pair, but I have this thing about not doing the same project twice (because there are millions of knitting patterns and I want make at least 1/2 of them).

In between baking cookies (cranberry lemon bars) and whipping up a cilantro pesto for tonight’s dinner, I’ve continued working on “the blanket.” It’s a nice and easy way to keep my hands busy while sitting with a cat in the lap or watching TV.

MEANWHILE…. Most of all I am writing today because I want to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May 2022 be filled with light, joy, and of course, many wooly endeavors.