Holiday Stashdown Challenge – Week 11

(Join along with me any time if you need a head start or moral support for your holiday crafting.  You can read more details here.)

This weekend I reviewed my handmade holiday gift list and my stashdown progress to date.  While I’m proud of my accomplishments so far (more on that later), I decided to trim my list just a bit.  This is mostly because my mom is celebrating a milestone birthday in February, and I will be making her a bedspread for that event.  To avoid becoming overwhelmed, I’m readjusting my priorities.

The New List

These are the people I’m still planning to crochet or knit for this year.

1) My dad’s partner – I am still planning to make a cabled hat.

2) My grandpa – I need 12 more hexagon motifs to make his holiday stocking.

3 – 5 ) My grandma, my Aunt I, and my cousin MS – These ladies will most likely be getting scarves.  Confession: I might even gift them some pattern samples rather than making a new scarf.  I have a few appearing in upcoming publications that should be returning home soon.

6) My Uncle M – A hat or a scarf.

7) Cousin – Both male cousins will get a hat.  One is already finished.

8) JS, my crafting buddy – I already made a scarf for OB, my other crafty pal.  The three of us usually go out to celebrate the holidays as a group, so they will both get handmade gifts.

9) My sister – I’m not quite sure what to make her, but something small and foot-related is the most likely candidate.

10) My mom – I will make my mom something smallish for the holidays since I’m working on such a large gift for her birthday and I just gave her a shawl for Mother’s Day.

11) MC, my special guy, will likely end up with yet another black or charcoal grey hat with a nondescript pattern.  (He actually wears the hats I make him, as long as they meet his selection criteria.)

 

The Finished List! (~697 yds from stash)

I’ve already finished five projects, and that feels very good!

1) Cabled hat for Dad – Cascade 220 Superwash (from stash) ~220 yds – A Hat Fit for a Fella pattern by Shana Kreikemeier

2) Cabled hat for JP – Malabrigo Rios (from stash) ~145 yds – my own design

3) Bruges lace scarf for OB – madelinetosh tosh sport (purchased at Knitty City for this project) – 270 yds – Sparkling Wave Scarf pattern by Tatyana Mirer

4) Ribbed beanie for a male cousin (MR or PR) – Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick and Moda Dea Tweedle Dee (from stash) – 122 yds – my own design

The Maybe List

I will feel pretty awesome if I get to the folks on this list, but I’m not going to worry about it too much.  These are listed in order of priority.

1. CG, my BFF from high school
2. JM, another BFF from high school
3. My cat
4. Aunt K and Uncle T
5. RP, colleague and work buddy for the last four years
6. CA, my other colleague and work buddy for the last four years
7. Mom’s dog
8. Dad’s cat

I’m really glad I started this challenge because I can see real progress in my stash, and I feel much calmer about the holidays.

Did you end up trimming or altering your list?  Please feel free to share your progress or link up to your blog post in the comments!

If you need some inspiration for a Holiday Stashdown Challenge post for next week, here’s the prompt for Tuesday, 7/31: Have you been inspired by all of the “Christmas in July” marketing campaigns, or has it hindered your progress? If you’ve found new patterns or new yarn information, has it caused you to change your list?  As always, feel free to write a post that isn’t restricted by this prompt but relates to your own personal Holiday Stashdown Challenge journey.

Tags: 2012 holiday stashdown challenge, crochet, hat, holiday crafting, knitting, scarf, surmount the stash 2012