A Little Perspective

In September, I drew up the Big List. It looked something like this:

Mom: Mini- Clapotis, plus something for her birthday
Sister: Mini-Clapotis, out of Noro Silk Garden that I have yet to buy
Niece #1: Laura Jane Bear. I also need another gift for her birthday
Niece #2: Laura Jane Bear (already knit), and a hat that I will design myself
Niece #3: Miss Dashwood
Nephew: I’’m not sure yet,
Kevin: Hop Pillow
Emily: Nautie
Noah: Nautie
Brother in law #1: socks. I think.
Brother in Law #2: Dinosaur of some kind, to round out the family tradition
Brother in Law #3: well, probably nothing knitted.
Sister in Law #1: Possibly nothing knitted.
Sister in Law #2: Something.
Mother in Law: Scarf.
Father in Law: Sharfik. Full size.
Lori: socks for her birthday (I’’m thinking Falling Leaves) and a scarf for Christmas.
Mike: socks for his birthday (obviously) and something else for christmas, perhaps not knitted.
Stephen: dinosaur. He wants a dinosaur.

As time went on and xmas drew closer the list changed. Some things were done, some things were changed, some things were dropped entirely. In the end, this is what I actually made:

Mom: Mini-Clapotis, and Kew socks
Dad: no knitting
Sister: Mini-Clapotis and Perdita bracelet
Niece #1: Laura Jane Bear, and I have purchased a book and made a scarf for her birthday
Niece #2: Laura Jane Bear, and the dragon hat of my own design
Niece #3: Miss Dashwood hat
Nephew: Norberta
Kevin: no knitting
Emily: Center Square hat
Noah: Mr. Stegs
BIL #1: Fuzzy Feet
BIL #2: no knitting
BIL #3: no knitting
SIL #1: scarf
SIL#2: Brooke’s Column of Leaves scarf
SIL to be: Fuzzy Feet
MIL: Backyard Leaves Scarf
FIL: Thuja socks
Lori: Falling Leaves socks, Center Square hat
Mike: socks for his birthday, no knitting for xmas
Stephen: Latvian mittens, and other things which I shall not mention because they are not started yet

In the last four months or so I have knit twenty-three items for other people. Not too shabby. Stephen sent off all of the gifts that need to go to Alaska yesterday, so they might even make it by xmas.

My perspective on all this knitting madness now that I’ve thrown in the towel? Well. I’m glad that I did it. Now all I have to do is wonder about how the knitted items will be received, and for the first time, I will actually have the opportunity to observe the recipient’s reactions when the present is unwrapped. Either it will be torture or it will be wonderful. I have some worries about some of the gifts that I’m giving. Will my FIL’s socks fit him (they seemed a tad narrow?) Will Lori be able to wear her hat without itching? Will my decidedly low-tech knitted toys excite my nieces and nephew or will they quickly be abandoned for other, more interesting, toys? Will the dragon hat fit my niece? Will Miss Dashwood fit my other niece? Will my BIL and SIL to be feel that their Fuzzy Feet are, in fact, too fuzzy? All of these things and more fill my mind with worry. What if my mom’s socks are too big?

I won’t know until I know, will I? I guess I’ll just have to wait.