... Well Christmas presents.

Just last week I was talking with a colleague about how time managed I am.  I have to be.  Working for an agency with numerous clients I'm juggling the need of my clients, the agency and myself, each and every day.

Add to that that I am remote working so people think I'm available at anytime because 'I'm home' and two demanding cats and ... well, get the idea.  

So, why is it that I leave making presents and gifts until the very last moment?  It's not like Christmas is a surprise.  It happens at the same time.  EVERY.SINGLE.YEAR!

The idea of making New Year's resolutions goes back to ancient times when people would make promises to the gods to improve their behaviour or to atone for past misdeeds. 

The ancient Babylonians are believed to be the first civilization to make New Year's resolutions, and they would make promises to their gods to pay their debts and return borrowed objects. 

In ancient Rome, the custom was to would make promises to the god Janus, who was the god of beginnings and endings. They believed that by making resolutions and keeping them, they could bring good luck and prosperity in the new year. 

The modern tradition of making New Year's resolutions has its roots in these ancient customs.

​Today, people around the world make resolutions as a way of setting goals and making positive changes in their lives. Some common New Year's resolutions include resolving to lose weight, quit smoking, save money, or spend more time with family and friends.

I only have a small number of people that I give presents to. 

​So, as each of them are craft worthy, I plan through the year to make something special.

A few years back, I made myself a crochet scarf and loved it so much, I decided to make one each for my sister and sister-in-law.  Colours are easy.  Sue, my SIL loves shades of blue.  Kris, my sister, loves reds and purples.

The yarn is Lion Brand Shawl in a Ball.  Mindful Mauve for my sister in shades of cream, warm brown and purples.  Healing Teal for my SIL in shades of grey, teal and blue.

The pattern is Diagonal Eyelets by Lion Brand and whilst shawl in a ball behaves like an Aran weight yarn, it's actually more like a 4ply so you get this light open texture that is soft from the cotton / acrylic mix.  As a project, it crochets up in a few evenings, so definitely something you can whip up as a fast present for someone who is crochet-worthy.

For my brother and brother-in-law, that year, I decided that this would be the year that I taught myself to not just knit, but knit in the round with colour work. 

​Working with chunky wool, which is more forgiving and works up quickly, I knitted Christmas Tree Hats.  I made two with the brown earth rib and loved them so much that I then made one with the red rib for myself.

The pattern is X-mas Trees beanie from Patternery.

So, not a bad start. 

Then the following year, around August, I saw a kit to make a blanket.  To buy enough yarn and make a blanket is a big investment.  But, at the time, the yarn was half price so I couldn't resist.  

The pattern was a 'tartan' throw by Deramores, in their chunky yarn.  Much later, I found out that this yarn borders on super chunky and that is how I ended knitting from September to December, and creating two single bed sized blankets that then had to be 'embroidered' with the vertical stripes of the pattern. 

This was the first Christmas of lockdown and in early January, my brother had to go to the hospital for a check up.  My SIL went with him, but had to stay in the car.  She took the blanket, that I made, with her to snuggle up in whilst she waited.  I think that is the best recommendation for someone being knitworthy.

I added a leather tag that said 'handmade by Liz' and pasted the washing instructions for the yarn onto the rear of a gift tag as a way to pass them on.

Then onto last Christmas.  I have no idea why, but I had the urge to make tea cosies.  Hubby thought I had gone completely mad.  He kept asking me if my siblings drank tea.  But by the end of the knitting and sewing, he was just the slightest bit jealous and asking about having one made for him.  Fox on a flower mound for my sister.  Cat on a green hill.