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Monday, December 20, 2010

Twas the Night before Christmas (for crocheters

If you've used this poem in the past, the info is CROCHETERS CHRISTMAS EVE, Original knit version by Nancy Massaroni, 2003, rewritten (crochet version) by Dee Stanziano, 2006. Please give them credit.
CROCHETERS´ NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

~ Nancy Massaroni adapted by Dee Stanziano ("Crocheting with Dee")

`Twas the night before Christmas and all around me
There was unfinished crocheting not under the tree,
The stockings weren´t hung by the chimney with care
`Cause the heels and the toes had not a stitch there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
But I had not finished the caps for their heads.
Dad was asleep-he was no help at all.
And the sweater for him was 6´´ too small.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I put down my hook to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash.
Tripped over my yarn and fell down in my stash.

The tangle of yarn that lay deep as the snow
Reminded me how far I still had to go.
When out on the lawn I heard such a noise,
I was sure it would wake up both Dad and the boys.

And although I was tired-my brain a bit thick,
I knew in a moment that it must be St Nick.
Yet what I heard left me very perplex-ed
For nothing I heard was what I expect-ed.

"Move Rowan! Move Patons! Move Koigu and Clover!
Move Shelridge! Move Starmore! Move Spinrite! Move over!
Lopi, don´t circle around, just stand there in line.
Pay attention you sheep and you´ll work out just fine!

I know this is hard as it´s just your first year
But I´d hate to go back to 8 tiny reindeer."
I peered over the sill. What I saw was amazing:
Eight wooly sheep on my lawn all a-grazing!

And then in a twinkle, I heard at the door
Santa´s big boots stomping on the porch floor.
I rose from my knees and got back on my feet.
As I turned around, St Nick I did meet.

He was dressed all in wool from his heat to his toe
And his clothes were hand crochet from above to below.
A bright Fair Isle sweater he wore on his back.
And his toys were all stuffed in an Aran crochet sack.

His hat was a wonder of bobbles and lace
A beautiful frame for his rosy red face.
The scarf on his neck could have stretched for a mile,
And the socks peeking over his boots were Argyle.

On the back of his mitts was an intricate cable.
And suddenly on one I spotted a small label:
"S.C." in duplicate on the cuff.
So I asked, "Hey, Nick, did YOU crochet all this stuff?"

He proudly replied, "Ho, ho, ho, yes I did.
I learned how to crochet when I was just a kid."
He was chubby and plump, a well dressed old man,
And I laughed to myself, for I´d thought up a plan.

I flashed him a grin and jumped up in the air,
And the next thing he knew, he was tied to a chair.
He spoke not a word, but looked down in his lap
Where I had laid my crochet hook and yarn for a cap.

He began then to crochet, first one cap then 2-
For the first time I thought I might really get through.
He put heels in the stockings and toes in some socks,
While I sat back drinking a scotch on the rocks.

Quickly like magic his hooks they flew,
Good Grief! He was finished by two!
He sprang for his sleigh when I let him go free,
And over his shoulder he looked back at me.
I heard him explain as he sailed past the moon,
"Next year, start your crocheting sometime around JUNE!"

Sunday, December 19, 2010

huh?

I'm thinking "how the heck did we get here already?" in regards to both Christmas and the upcoming new year. I feel like I flunked Christmas in terms of crochet this year. I didn't make many presents, but I should have. I haven't even donated to charity as much as I usually do. I don't have a great reason for it, but it is what it is.
It's not like I don't have a stockpile of stuff already made, stuff that was made without any particular person in mind. I do, I'm just not  impressed with them now;) No reason why, just look at it and thing "blah". I do have that Fibonacci purple scarf, I liked the way it turned out. It was something a little different for me but I did enjoy it.
And I really loved working on the coral reef project. I missed the chance to help put it together, too much work, I missed the reception, my choice, because I was having my extended family over for an early Thanksgiving. I haven't even gotten around to uploading the photos! And I can't blame work or anything else for it except my growing addiction to Facebook and the most evil game of all, Farmtown. I have a farm, I have llamas, cows, sheep, goats, pigs and lots of flowers. If I took all the time I wasted on Farmtown... well, I probably would have wasted it doing something else unproductive.
Enough of my whining. I have to put the finishing touches on a scarf for my nephew's buddy and I guess I'm done. I didn't even make a list of what I wanted to make for Christmas crochet wise. The last few weeks I get totally nuts and start thinking "Yes, I'll crochet an ornament for everybody in my department. Heck, I'll do it for the whole company". This is a totally insane idea for a number of reasons because I don't like everybody I work with, why would I want to give them something I made.
Part of it is performance anxiety. Some people do not see the value in homemade items and think it's "cheap". I've only had one person piss and moan about I made for him and I should have known better than to make a thing for him. But I did, I know, I learned, end of sentence.
So if you have any time left to squeeze in some crochet, here's a site for you to check out:
http://www.bestfreecrochet.com/ 

_enjoy_