Let the Gift Knitting Begin.....

June is here (seriously, how did THAT happen?) and over at the Simply Notable Group, we're going to start our Christmas gift knitting. EVERY year I swear I'm going to start the gift knitting in January. And, about October, I get motivated to get started on it......Yeah, that's right, I start a bunch of projects and I STILL have to buy presents!

So, when they mentioned having a thread for gift making......I was all in! The photo above is the start of a cowl I cast-on yesterday. It will be LOOSELY based on the Bandana Cowl by Purl Soho. I say loosely, because, for the life of me, I could not figure out WHAT was going on in the actual instructions. I figured, How hard could it be to duplicate that? It's basically a tube with some decreases knit back and forth at the end. That's how my messed up projects begin folks. Me, figuring I can just wing it! We'll see how it goes......

I should mention, the yarn is some that was spun from the alpaca fiber above. I washed and cleaned the fiber from a co-worker who is raising a few rescue alpacas. I got the fiber from her with hopes of finding someone who would spin some yarn out of it for me. That was harder than it sounds. It was looking like I was going to have to learn to spin it myself (Ha! I don't even have time to knit, let alone spin!). But. Then. A friend took pity on my plight and offered to spin it for me (You're a lifesaver Lori!).  So now, I have a bunch of beautiful alpaca yarn that I want to knit up (and dye....). I'm going to make the cowl for my co-worker friend. Don't you think she should have something out of the yarn that came from her alpacas? I'm also trying to come up with something nice for my spinning friend. I'm thinking a basket similar to this basket from The Sewing Loft. Wouldn't that be something good for a spinner? Any better ideas?

If you want to get started early on your gifts, you should join us in this thread for inspiration and encouragement. It doesn't have to be knitting either.....it could be crocheting, weaving, sewing, quilting.....basically any crafty thing you want to do! When your gifts are all wrapped early, you won't regret it!

Happy knitting!

Lori