One of the things I've started trying to do with the kids is to teach them interesting words. So for the last few weeks we have had a word of the week, with a challenge to use it somewhere in their work at school. Last week's word was actually a pair of words: optimist and pessimist. And these words seem particularly apt to me as I have been thinking of what I would like to knit over the holidays...

I am, generally speaking, an optimist. This is never more obvious than when I'm thinking about knitting projects. Whether I'm planning travel knitting, or just musing on what to work on over a break, I seem to think that I've become some kind of speed-knitting superhuman with no other responsibility in the world. In fact I don't think my planning has really caught up with my post-children reality. I still dream of being able to spend a lazy day in my pyjamas, knitting to a binge-fest of TV watching. This is no longer a possibility. I feel it's been a good day if I get an hour of knitting once the kids are in bed.

That said, I've been enjoying the process of thinking about what I'd like to do over the next few weeks, and I'm entirely comfortable with the fact that I definitely won't achieve even half of it! I'm still getting a kick from the fantasy knitting.

Top of my wish list is to finish working on a few projects that have been ongoing for a while. I cast on for the Yellow Wagtail back in February this year, and Jim knitted the first pattern repeat for me, ready for the tutorial photos in A Year of Techniques. Then it languished in a bag while I worked on other projects. November came and went in a blur of next-book knitting (more on that below) so I'm only now picking it back up again. I am loving knitting with the squishy J&S aran yarn. It's so bouncy in the cables, and I think the finished scarf will be the perfect gift for a friend. I'm aiming for a chart repeat every day or two to keep up the momentum. It shouldn't take too long I think... (famous last words!)

The next project is definitely work knitting. I need to have this finished by January, when we will take the last photos for the next book. I got a massive chunk of the knitting for this done back in early November, and a friend helped to speed me along, I'm alternating this with my Yellow Wagtail to keep things moving! It's going to be gorgeous when it's done.

I talked about choosing the yarns for my Ola Yoke back in October (was it really that long ago?) when I got back from Shetland. I then sat on the yarn but didn't get around to actually casting on. I finally got out needles and took the plunge at the end of November - I was really craving some knitting for me, and I hadn't made a garment all year! I'm pleased with how it's going, although having washed and blocked it on the needles, I discovered that despite going up needle sizes, it was still a bit tight. I've changed up my needles again, so hopefully I should be all set now. The J&S jumper weight really blooms beautifully when you block it, and I can't wait to get some more done on this!

Those three projects are probably, no definitely(!) more than enough to keep me out of mischief, but that hasn't stopped me mentally casting on and completing a vast array of other things! Perhaps I need one of these brilliant T-Shirts from local producer, Lost Shapes! :D

I hope that wherever you are over the holidays, you will find some time to knit.

On that note, Jim and I will be taking some family time over the holidays. The online shop will remain open over the break, but we won’t be shipping parcels between Friday 22nd December and Tuesday 2nd January inclusive. We will also be away from our desks (and thus not dealing with day to day work-related email) between Friday 22nd December and Monday 8th January inclusive.

We will be popping in and out of the Ravelry group, but please bear with us while we aren’t officially at our desks. We no longer have a computer at home, so while we aren’t at work we are keeping up with the forums on our phones, which isn’t the easiest!

May I take this opportunity to thank you ALL for your support this year. It has been massive for us, and you have been completely brilliant. Many, many thanks to each and every one of you, whether you’ve bought from us online, read posts in the group, chatted on the knitalong threads, shared amusing pet photos, clicked a love button or two, or commented on the blog or other social media channels, THANK YOU ALL!