Christmas is just around the corner: what do you do?

  Riverwild Qiviuk Scarf in Plymouth Yarn Baby Alpaca Lace

CAST ON!

Those cookies, the wrapping and the general wonder- and magic-making will wait a few minutes.

Or if you're blessed like me with chronic early-waking, those few extra hours of quiet in the morning will come to good use.

No sense laying around in the bed when you could knit two more things.

Rib-a-roni in Encore worsted

Every year since I started knitting in 2007, I get the itch to knit myself something to wear to Christmas Mass just as I'm finishing my Christmas projects.

Up first is a cowl that could be done today.  That laceweight alpaca has been hanging around waiting to be used, and my Christmas ensemble could use a little splash of red.

The hat is for a gentleman at our parish who commented on Doodle's hat last weekend.  I can finish it watching TV or when I jump on the exercise bike later today.

In all of the excitement, I don't want to leave these out, though.  They are officially done.  Finished, woven in--lots of ends--and blocked.

You'll remember that just a few days ago I was agonizing over what to do in a clear yarn shortage situation.  I think the remedy--sticking to the original plan--turned out nicely.  I have maybe 3 yards of the 220 skein left.

I'll admit that it took a few tries to get the colors in the band worked out.  Why not knit the mitten a few more times, right?  If once is good, three times must be even better.

And when I had settled on colors, I discovered that the second version of the pattern--the one which draws the main color up between each contrast color--was definitely better for the colors I chose.

I wish I had taken a picture of the non-stained glass ones.  They were okay, but it was hard to distinguish between the paler colors (ice blue and lilac).

I'm happy with the hat, too.  In case you want to duplicate it, CO 96, knit an inch in ribbing (on the hat, the colorwork band rolled open more than on the mitts) and then knit the band.

I can't give you the pattern for that: it's $5, and I'm not taking money out of the Yarn Harlot's hands!  Would you?

I knit until the thing measured 6.5", then decreased 8 sts per round (k10, k2tog, etc).

Altogether I'm happy with how they turned out, though I may knit them on 5's next time for a slightly tighter, warmer gauge.