On Sunday I decided it was probably time to get started with Christmas knitting, so I started a pair of mittens for my sister. She wanted color block mittens, so we discussed color and yarn choices. We ended up deciding on Beaverslide Dry Goods in gray and blue. I’ve been knitting on it here and there and I already have a HO.

I still have at least one more Christmas project to cast on. It should be a quick knit though, and I’ll be back to selfish knitting soon.

Audrey’s blanket continues to move along, one square at a time. She loves helping me pick out the yarn to use for each square. I love this project, and I have a hard time believing I won’t have a blanket like this on the needles.

I continue to make slow progress on John’s socks. Once I finish my shawl and some Christmas gift knitting I should make more progress on the socks. I’m going to have to get to knitting on them if I’m going to get any of the four pairs of Christmas socks I’m itching to knit for myself done for Christmas.

As you know, I’ve developed a bit of a yarn buying issue in 2020. All of that yarn has been purchased on line. I normally support my LYS, but that is hard to do when you are staying home whenever possible.

When it comes to buying sock yarn from indie dyers I trust the dyer to post an accurate photo of the yarn. If it is a little off I don’t mind, as it can be hard to photograph some colors.

When it comes to sweater yarn, I rely on color cards. I started using color cards when I fell in love with using American wool. For about $10 many mills will send you a card with samples of all of the colors they produce. You can see the colors, you can see how they play with each other, you can feel the yarn and decide if it is something you would like to work with.

I currently have color cards from Harrisville Designs, Bartlett Yarns, and Beaverslide Dry Goods. I expect to add a color card from Peace Fleece early next year. I love knitting with wool from small mills, and being able to see and feel the yarn before I commit to a sweaters amount of yarn is important to me.

Do you have any color cards? Do you use them when searching for yarn on line?

I started the year on a yarn diet, after two successful yarn diet years. And then COVID. I thought I would share some of the things that I’ve picked up in the past two months.

I bought yarn for a Dissent Cardigan. I went with Beaverslide Dry Goods, because I love woolen spun yarn.

After I got that yarn I decided that I would also like to knit the Dissent Cowl, so I picked up a few skeins of Peace Fleece.

I don’t feel bad about those purchases. I have projects in mind for them. It’s not like I was buying single skeins of yarn willy nilly. Until I was.

From the top – The Lemonade Shop in the Wine Makes Mommy Fun colorway. With that name I had to buy it. I couldn’t stop myself. Bumblebee Acres in the It’s the Great Pumpkin colorway on their Merino/Nylon base. Bumblebee Acres in the Candy Corn colorway on their Corriedale/Nylon base. Bumblebee Acres in the Holly Jolly Christmas colorway on their Merino/Silk base. Two Sisters Yarn Company in the Ho Ho Ho colorway. Knit Spin Farm in the Damn, it Feels Gourd to be a Knitter colorway on their Targee/Nylon base.

Now I should get back to working on my Hansel so I can get to this yarn.

I’m working on the edging on my Hansel. It takes a lot of concentration, so I can’t just pick it up and put it down. I didn’t even get to touch it today, which was sad. I hope I find time to work on it again tomorrow.

What are you working on?