I think I've finally found something that will make me learn fair-isle, I've avoided it for the longest time now, my color work being limited to things like stripes...

What is this incredible, stunning, most fascinating project you ask? Well, I'll tell you...

it's, Arrrgyle!

I've never been big on the skull and crossbones sort of stuff, I'm more, shall we say, a 'celebration of life' type of person... but I've got a weak spot for a good jolly roger, and maybe that's my inner pirate talking. Pirate or no - anything to do with argyle must be amusing. Like Angus the Argyle Gargoyle that Gargles Gershwin Gorgeously (no I did not make that up - you can thank the wondrously creative mind of Jim Henson for that - I did, however, remember it, and I should get points for that!)

Some serious thought has gone into making this into a hat for my little brother as a Christmas present... it seems I have a self destructive tendency to make myself learn some new technique every Christmas for some present or other when I'm already pressed for time (self destructive tendency #2 - planning too many hand knitted Christmas presents).

I've noticed that Christmas seems to come much faster when you knit. Christmas season seems to start much earlier too. Actually, I believe there's no "seems" about it really, considering that we knitters start our Christmas "shopping" in June, (a truly devoted knitter would start in January, but I've tried that. You can see how well that worked for me) before most people are ready to even think of the "C-word".

To some knitters, the sight of the first light up Santa in the hardware store is cause for apoplexy. Christmas is coming for you, whether you like it or not, whether you've finished those 8 pairs of felted clogs, the lace table cloth, the 5 scarf & hat & glove sets, the 3 pairs of socks, and that aran fisherman’s sweater or not. Hearing the words "There's only 90 Days, 12 Hours, and 7 Minutes till Christmas" brings one to complete and utter panic. Oh and if you read about how "Christmas is coming" on a weblog in September? You know it can't be anything but a knitting blog...