Busy like a beaver ...

When the blog goes quiet, it usually means either no knitting or it means lots of knitting. This past week, it has been the latter!

I have been trying to get enough knit for the craft sale ... tomorrow (at 10 at the local fire hall), and was a bit of a dumb-ass and left it late to get started. But -- I have managed to get a few things done
This hat is the Regular Guy Beanie and the yarns used were (from left to right) Kertzer Accent Worsted in Evergreen, Bernat Mosiac in Optimistic, Bernat Mosiac in Strange Magic and Bernat Mosiac in Ninja. They are very plain toques, but I think the colours "jazz" them up a bit (except the plain green - but I threw that one in because not everyone LOVES colour like I do! Isn't that open minded of me? LOL!). I have another one cast on in Bernat Jacquards in Julep colourway (not sure if that will be done in time -- I am procrastinating now by writing this blog post - I should either be knitting, or making Jalapeno Jelly!). Ah well, if it all gets done, it will be good, but I am not going to stress over it this year. I have enough to make the table look good, and I don't want to have strained wrists because of the sale (as I have had the past 3 or 4 years) from stressing and becoming a knitting machine. I still have some gift knitting to do for family and friends and 5 commissioned knits to get done before Christmas - I need to keep my wrists healthy and happy! My sister fractured her wrist last weekend (wrestling with the boys), so won't be at the craft sale this week. She has a few things to go to the sale, but not nearly as much as she usually has ... she also is a last minute crafter ;) I come by the trait genetically!

I finally got the pom pom on this hat
(the pattern is called Cozy and I made a few modifications to it to make it the way the woman who commissioned it wanted.) One thing she said was she wanted a really big honking pompom -- it is for her little girl, and I think the pompom ups the adorable factor x10!

I think I have to go - I am starting to wonder if I will get the jelly done in time ... and I have had people asking about it, and promised I would -- so I should at least make sure that is done. AND I just remembered promising that I would have my cranberry orange chutney at the sale too (when am I going to learn to just say no? or to not be so lazy, or to actually do things ahead of time?) Ah well! It will be an adventure to see if I can get it all done ;) I am off to "jam"!

** Update: I made a double batch of Cranberry Orange Chutney, and a double batch of Jalapeno Jelly ... 10 jars of each (the Jalapeno is the 1/2 cup jars - a little goes a long way!). My back is killing me from all the choping for the Chutney - it is delicious, and T loves it, but is it ever a bunch of work to make! Glad it is done :) Also - the beanie is nearly done ... I am halfway through the decreases, and it should only be another 20 minutes and I will be done the hat. I will take yarn for another one to knit while I am at the sale. If they don't sell, they will be nice Christmas gifts for a few people on my list! (2011 - the year of the handknit Heddy hat! heh heh!)