My name is Cassandra, and I am a control freak.

This is where you all say "Hello Cassandra".

I need to talk about my knitting. It has been consuming my free time lately. The sewing machine is actually growing a layer of dust because I am in a time crunch to get the boys holiday sweaters done. But, I have good news, as of this weekend, I have the larger sized sweater all knitted up. Some of the pressure is off my shoulders, whew. I had big plans on working outside this weekend, getting the house all winterized... then (luckily) the rain started. What is a girl to do besides sit on her rear and watch a movie and knit in such a situation?

cables, cables, and more cables

So I have a pile of green cables just waiting to be blocked. I will give the pieces a good soak tonight (for an hour or so) and lay them out to dry. This should be a very satisfying part of the sweater process for a "product" knitter such as myself, but not so much. I hate blocking, and I REALLY hate seaming. They are necessary evils on my way to a finished product. I know I am not alone here. I've heard that some yarn shops actually will do these tasks for you for a fee. As much as I hate blocking and seaming, I could never not finish it on my own. Maybe it's my Midwestern "I can do it myself" side that is showing, I don't know. The sweater is only mine if I take the process cradle to grave. I feel the same way about quilting, I have no interest in doing the piecing myself and then taking it in to be quilted on a long-arm machine. With this said, I do want to posit that I have absolutely no judgment for people who do take some of their work outside for finishing, I am completely aware that I am a control freak!

Every year, around this time, I become a little less in love with my crafting. When I have a deadline, a list, and some pressure, it starts to seem like a chore instead of creative outlet. This is why I keep a very short list of things I want to make for the holidays. Thus, my extended family will never be recipients of hand-made items from me. Oh, well, maybe when my boys are bigger and don't want me to make sweaters for them anymore. Maybe then I will grace my family with embroidered dishtowels, or knitted mittens, or the like. Or maybe not. Maybe I will finally make some things for myself.

-Cassandra