Knitting Comfort

After hearing about the terrorist acts in Paris on Friday, I feel very shaken up by all the reports of what happened that day.  I find it very challenging as a teacher of a grade seven class to make sense of it all, and to deal with my students' fears.  I pray for all the victims and their families.

The Thinker/Le Penseur at the Rodin Museum in Paris

It seems silly to talk about knitting at times like these, but I know many knitters who would agree that knitting can be a very relaxing way to take your mind off your troubles. So knitting it is!  Lately I have been devoting all my free time to finishing up my son's sweater Slade by Michele Wang.  I am putting pressure on myself to get it done soon, because this year I would like to try to get a few knitted gifts finished in time for Christmas.  All I have left of the cardigan is one more inch of ribbing along the front and then it's onto the seaming.  My cabled needles are a bit short so the ribbing may look a bit oddly shaped in the photo below.

Slade by Michele Wang in Harrisville Watershed awaiting seaming

One of the first Christmas items I will start once the cardigan is done, is a scarf knitted in Madelinetosh Pashmina Worsted in the colourway 'Fog' (75% merino, 15% silk, 10% cashmere).   I made sure I picked a worsted weight pattern so hopefully it will go fast.  I chose the pattern called the No Purl Ribbed Scarf, a free pattern by Purl Soho.  This is a simple pattern that I hope will showcase this luxurious yarn. 

Madelinetosh Worsted Pashmina

I always seem to plan to knit more Christmas presents then in reality I have the time for.  The scarf is the most important project to me to get done so I will see how long it takes and then plan from there.  I am looking forward to getting some smaller projects on the needles.  Do you have any Christmas gift giving plans?