Always. Be. Knitting.

Being at loose ends is a sorry state for a knitter. There are, of course, the loose ends that must be woven in at the end of a project, but there are also the ones that occur when you’re just not sure what to start next. Late last week, I found myself facing the latter type.  I have a few projects in mind, both of which involve yarn that won’t be available for order for a few days. Knowing I would have time on my hands while in the wilds of the Texas Hill Country, I was almost in a panic trying to decide what to knit next. I hate not having something on the needles. To paraphrase Alec Baldwin’s character in Glengarry, Glen Ross, a knitter should Always. Be. Knitting. Coffee is for knitters. Oh, and second prize is a set of steak knives. (If you want to watch a clip of the scene I’m referring to, do so at home and away from little ears!)

Just when I was at wit’s end, Janelle sent me the Glengarry equivalent of the new leads – a free Ravelry pattern for the Movember Mystery Sock. It’s fun, has little mustache motifs all over it, and is perfect for the green Lorna’s Laces yarn I rescued from Kate’s yarn-hating jaws. Turns out this was just the perfect little Christmas miracle combination of yarn and pattern. I managed to get half of a sock finished over the past few days. It was chilly and damp during our little trip to the west, and it was comforting to be swathed in handknits (sweater, socks, slippers, scarf, hat) while making yet more. Always! Be! Knitting!

Postscript: Here’s a holiday-themed parody on the classic Glengarry Glen Ross scene that appeared on Saturday Night Live a few years back. Enjoy!