Thursday, December 20, 2012

Gift knitting: accepting the unrealistic

The other day a very nice person wrote to ask if I would be interested in reading a study she was doing on procrastination, and how it is increasing in society.  I had to decline because it has become apparent to me that far from understanding procrastination, I live with the opposite problem.  In fact I have such poor judgement regarding the relationship between the amount of time available and the number of tasks I wish to achieve, that Trish has been trying to persuade me to relax already.

Of course I know that Trish is right.

It was crazy to think I could make adorable retro Christmas corsages from felted wool to give a bunch of friends to wear to a marathon of Christmas music performances, the week before said marathon.  It was just as crazy to still be thinking about doing it the day before, and especially to be gathering together all the findings I'd been buying up for the last few weeks.  Around 9pm the night before, I did finally give up trying to find two hours to sit with a needle and thread, having nobly jettisoned the idea of making a dozen felt pinecones to add to the mix.  Instead, I focused on wrapping presents that were to be given at the very same time.  Listening to Trish: good plan.

It was also crazy to think on Sunday night that I could knit a pair of slippers for one person to give on Wednesday morning, and knit a cowl for somebody else to give on Wednesday night, even though I had a full schedule for Monday, Tuesday, and especially Wednesday.  I was still thinking I could maybe pull those things off on Tuesday night around 10pm when I really should have been heading to bed even though Meet Me In St. Louis was on and who turns off Judy Garland, especially when she's singing?

I mean - hello, Trolley Song!



Trish to the rescue again, because I'd forgotten about steam blocking until she conceded I could manage the slippers if I went that route.  Wednesday morning delivery: accomplished.

(I did try to make the Wednesday night one in spite of everything, but it didn't happen - she was totally right about that one too.)

Trish tells me that I don't need to go nearly so far over the top with little token presents as I tell myself I have to, and if she could only be unquestionably right about one thing, I would pick this one, because I totally get that I am very silly about those things and it would save me a lot of trouble if I just listened to her before I start up again for another cycle of them.  I've spent weeks accumulating odds and ends and I spent all of last night wrapping them into little parcels and you know what?  I could only fit half what I planned into the brown paper lunch bags that are my standard Little Present wrapping of choice.  Think of how much knitting time I would have saved if I'd just been practical.

(about as much as I'd have needed to finish the Wednesday night knit, that's what.)

Anyway, now that all the presents are wrapped and ready to go for everybody who is getting them by the end of this week - I have kind of a thing for early deliveries - I am thinking

YAY

(or perhaps, Hallelujah?)


(thanks Kathy, for sending me this link!)

So: where does all this leave me? 

It leaves me with the next two days off, with no making or shopping to do, and an extremely manageable amount of wrapping, plus a a few batches of chocolate chip meringues to make.  Or to put it another way, it leaves me trying to figure out how fast I can spin and knit up a cowl for myself, and maybe a matching hat, for New Year glamourousness... while finishing at least the first pair of small person socks I had to abandon about a week ago.

I should probably still be listening to Trish, shouldn't I.


In unrelated news, check out this video of Judy singing from Thousands Cheer:


How do you think the vest she's wearing was made?  Macrame?  Crochet?  Pom poms worked with the mesh or sewn on afterward?  I don't know whether I love it, but I sure wish I had that hairdo.


Okay: time for me to go clear my dance card for impractical, unrealistic, over the top spinning.  If you choose to be impractical today too, I hope you have as much fun as I do!

1 comment:

Trish said...

LOL!! Now if only my kids would follow your 'listen to Trish' mantra!