The second day of Christmas ...

The Christmas spirit really gets a hold of some people in strange ways.

Others prefer to lounge around in new finery. So I may present, at long last, the Not-So-Secret Christmas Present. Planned in the open (because it can be a bad idea to knit something for a teen girl if one hasn't pre-approved the design) and knit entirely in secret. Do you know how long it can take to knit a sweater at 7 stitches per inch only working after a teen bedtime?
Now that the Secret Thing is off my needles, the knitting seems to be going ever so much faster. (Funny how switching projects whenever Filia is out of the room can really make standard knitting drag.) Yesterday I did some swatching with a silk/cotton yarn from Colourmart, first with 2.75 mm needles and then with something around a 6.5 US. (Old needles, too big for a US 6 and too small for a US 7). I think the yarn would be perfect with a US 5, but HORRIBLE for anything resembling a nupp. It is calling me for a summer shawl, though. (sigh)

On the needles currently is the second half-mitt in a cashmere wool blend. The sample skein Colourmart sent has more than enough yarn for two halfmitts -- in fact, it looks like I could make three out of it. I really like the yarn, which I'm working up on US 5 needles, but could probably stand to be worked looser.

The yarny goodies are abounding of late. Yarny goodies for Christmas, yarny goodies arriving in the mail yesterday, and needlie goodies set to arrive in the mail some day soon. And I'm ordering more yarny goodies on Tuesday!

I'd better get to knitting so I don't develop an official stash! Leftovers are one thing, but a stash?