I am a planner. I love planning ahead. And I know that the best laid plans don’t always go as planned. But I can still try.

Last year I spent Christmas sick on the sofa. Dog sick. And I didn’t finish any of the handmade gifts I’d plan to give. This year I thought I’d start in August, so at least I’d have a chance, with sick-days built, in to finish everything.

So periodically, I am not promising when, here on the blog, I hope to give a few updates about what I am stitching, knitting, and concocting. (Mostly because those who would want a surprise can’t read and the others who can read and will be future recipients, don’t read here.)

So far, I’ve nearly finished this embroidered pouch…and I’ve just started on this linen stitch knitted scarf.

The embroidery pattern is from the book A Rainbow of Stitches by Agnes Delage-Calvet, et. al.

And the scarf is the Cerus Scarf by Hillary Smith Callis. I am knitting in Huacaya Sport Alpaca by Furnace Mountain in Chocolate Heather.

When I asked my mother the other morning over the phone what she wanted me to give her for Christmas, she just laughed at me. Are you as crazy as I am and planning holiday gifts in August?