Christmas Gifts 2004   

Due to crazy circumstances I have ended up making the Christmas presents for my parents, my nephew, and my nieces this year. I used to do so regularly until I went back to school full time. I did not plan on doing any more than making beaded poinsettia ornaments for each family this year, going in with my sisters on making small, fabric lined, sewing baskets for all females in the family, and a cross-stitch North Pacific Coast Native American eagle to made into a pillow for my dad.

It started innocently enough with a trip to the local Barnes and Nobles Bookstore in August. I always check out the sales tables! On the 75% off table there was a stack of knitting kits. Besides the usual scarfs and baby blankets, there were two ponchos, one in variegated blues and one in variegated cream, pink, and black. I thought that the price was right (less than what I would have had to pay for the yarn), that the blue would be perfect for Staci, and I like the pink combo. So I bought them.

After much start, rip, and restart to get the guage worked out, I discovered that there wasn't enough yarn to make the size we needed even though the instructions said there was. Not wanting to waste the materials I thought about what I could do with them. Then I thought "my nieces are very slight young ladies why not make the ponchos for them to go along with the sewing baskets." Then I needed something for the youngest niece to go with her basket and found a lovely soft red yarn to make a hooded sweater. What to do for the nephew? I figured, why not and got yarn for a sweater for him as well. I also got replacement yarns for Staci and I, a real bright orange, purple, green, yellow variegated for Staci, a blue and turquoise for me. There was enough yarn left after finishing Staci's poncho to make a wild hat. I also picked up some nice, thick, warm red yarn to make cozy slippers for STeve. Staci, my sister, and I took a weaving class where we each wove a scarf, that gave me something handmade for Mom. I hope to have time to do a sweater for Damon as well. That makes at least one handmade present for everyone, including me! Whew.

Now how to get it all done in time for Christmas while taking a full class load and working 20 hours a week. Fortunately (I guess), I usually have 30-90 minutes before my first class on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; two hours between morning and afternoon classes; and two and a half hours between afternoon and evening classes. I also had time before the first class I was tech support for on Tuesday and Thursday and between three and a half and four hours between those classes and the evening classes, as well as about three hours between my classes and the work class on Fridays. Most of my homework is reading, I can knit while I read, in fact I prefer to knit while I read. I can do the beading and cross stitch while I watch TV or videos. The ponchos each take about a week, even with having to make each at least twice because of running out of yarn and guage problems. The red sweater took a little over a week. They were actually done concurrently as I did Staci's totally at school and work (never took it into the house until it was finished) and worked on one of the others at home. Ny nephew's sweater took a little over a week, Damon's took about three weeks (its start coincided with finals for both the classes I was taking and the classes I support. The beaded poinsettia's didn't manage to get beyond the planning stage, I will get them done before next year. Daddy's eagle pillow didn't get finished in time, but my family is somewhat used to getting half or mostly finished presents. Unfortunately, Daddy didn't get to see the finished pillow, he died from complications of lung caner on New Year's Eve. It will be finished and given to Mom.

Amazingly, this was the first semester that I didn't have any trouble keeping up with the vast amounts of reading required for college courses. The only problem I had was resenting having to take time away from knitting to do the programming for the one computer science course I was taking. I already have some ideas for next year!

Eagle Pillow for Dad	Scarf for Mom	Blue Poncho
Cream/Pink/Black Poncho	Red Sweater	Black/Red/White Sweater
Staci's Poncho and Hat	Damon's Sweater	STeve's Slippers

Baskets for the Ladies	The younger generation
Staci's Basket	Crystal's Basket
Felicia's Basket	Shannon's Basket

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