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“The true Christmas spirit is putting others’ happiness before our own, and finding you’ve never known such happiness.”– Toni Sorenso

Dear fellow knitter and friend,

The final weeks leading up to Christmas can be busy and stressful.

Our schedules and to-do lists get jammed with more commitments and responsibilities. We get caught up rushing to buy all the things we think we’ll need to make it the perfect holiday season. We overspend and overstretch ourselves – financially, energetically, and emotionally.

But it doesn’t have to be that way!

Over these next couple of weeks, I’d like to encourage you to make time every day to be still, to sit with your knitting, and enjoy the magic of the present moment.

Be mindful of when you’re getting pulled into the stress and busyness of it all, and consciously choose to pause and be present.

Let go of the expectations you have placed on yourself, and embrace the spirit of the holiday season.

To that end, I hope you’ll find some inspiration to find balance and simplicity this week in the articles I have found for you.

Peace, Love, & Knit Om…

Becky x

:: Knitting – Wellness – Conscious Living ::

​How to Host the Perfect Christmas Knitting Gathering | YAK

The holiday season is all about gathering with friends and spending time with loved ones. Hosting a knitting meet-up can be an excellent excuse to spend a evening/afternoon with your knitting pals. Professional Knit Night hosts at Yarn and Knitting (YAK) share their top tips for a successful evening. I particularly loved the idea of a stash busting Secret Santa!

(Note: Given my thoughts above, I’d opt to ignore the call to host a “perfect” gathering, but the idea of gathering your knitting pals and having a blast is still one I wholeheartedly support!)

​For the Holidays, the Gift of Self-Care​

A Buddhist teacher offers five simple steps to quiet your mind and soothe your stress any time of year.

​12 Ultra-Quick Ways to Relieve Holiday Stress​

The holiday season is joyful, but it can be overwhelming too. Maybe you’re already burned out on holiday events and family traditions or can’t seem to keep up with finding unique gifts for every person on your list. Here are 12 ultra-quick ways to decompress when things feel chaotic.

​You Should Start Practicing New Year’s Resolutions Now​

An interesting idea! Consider the next few weeks a dry run for a habit you’ll start the New Year fully engaged with. Want to start a daily knitting habit? Start practicing now, and join our 30-day Commit to Knit Challenge starting Jan 1st, 2020!

​6 Benefits That Children Experience from Knitting – Patty Lyons

Montessori schools teach children how to knit from a young age, so they learn how to focus better; they learn patience and self-soothing techniques. Wouldn’t it be great if more schools could integrate this valuable skill to children? Check out these six surprising benefits that children experience from knitting.

​Knit to This: From Scratch with Michael Rulhlman – Mason-Dixon Knitting

In this episode, host Michael Ruhlman talks with Thomas Keller and knitting expert Kay Gardiner (from Mason Dixon Knitting) about the similarities between knitting and cooking. They discuss the topic of Awareness and how they each bring awareness to their respective crafts.

​Last Minute Christmas Cast On​

Hand made presents are always a big hit which makes the temptation of squeezing one last project before Christmas hard to resist. Although last minute cast on aren’t ideal, with the right pattern, right yarn weight and good time management skills knitting one last gift is still totally doable.

​All the Things You Don’t Need for a Perfect Holiday​

Joshua Becker from Becoming Minimalist reminds us of what we should be focusing on if we want to have a more meaningful holiday season.

:: Knitting Tips & Techniques ::

​​How to Make Socks That Last – Mason-Dixon Knitting​

If you consider the price of the yarn and the time invested in making them, handknit socks are costly. Totally worth it!—but costly. Socks take a terrific amount of abuse when worn. So, if you’re going to go to that much trouble and expense, you want to make socks that last. This is how you do that.​

:: Pattern Inspiration ::

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​Norwegian Fir Top Down Cardigan by OGE Knitwear Design

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​About this design: This seamless little top down cardigan is an intuitive knit, suitable for the intermediate knitter. Worked in garter stitch with a simple, effective raglan pattern which adds just enough interest when knitting. The pattern comes with a schematic

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Garter Ear Flap Hat by Purl Soho

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​About the design: I love this version of the Garter Ear Flap Hat. The pop of red for the tassel is like a cherry on the top! Note, the ear flaps are shaped using short rows, but because they are working in garter stitch, there is no need to pick up the wraps as you go. Give it a try!

​Embossed Triangles Blanket by Purl Soho

​About this design: This blanket demonstrates beautifully what you can do with just two stitches – knit and purl. Knit-side triangles contrast with purl-side ones, forming squares of the blanket. Simply stunning 🙂

:: Final Thoughts ::

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Don’t forget to sign up for the 30-day Commit-to-Knit Challenge! We start Jan 1st, so if you’re planning to join, now is a good time to start planning your project.

Head over to the Facebook group or on Ravelry to join other members of the community!

Finally, if you know someone who would enjoy this newsletter, please pass it along. It may be just what they needed to receive today!

If you enjoyed this newsletter and you’re not yet subscribed, sign up here .

Thanks for reading!

With gratitude,

Becky xo