T'was the NIght Before Thanksgiving. . .

I love Thanksgiving, probably even more than Christmas.  It has always felt like the beginning of a wonderfully, beautiful season.  It is more about reflecting on what makes your life special and joyous.  As in every year, I have much to be thankful for this year.

Today I climbed my stairway to heaven to find out who exactly those incredibly beautiful things I have been knitting this year wanted to go to for Christmas.  (Oh, my gosh! Did that sound incredibly arrogant, or what?!?!?!  But I do think they are beautiful.)  I posted all of those pictures of my fabulous Stash Studio (thank you Jan Roys for nudging me toward that whimsical name) earlier.  That isn't exactly what it looks like during the Christmas season.  In addition to being a place to peacefully create, it is also a great place to hide your Christmas mess.

This is what it looked like November 1. . . 

This is what it looks like today.  I love it!  I can keep everything out so I know exactly what I have for people including stocking stuffers.  I love stocking stuffers.  By the way, Linda and I will be going to Mason Saturday to Keen's to do the stocking stuffer thing.  No freezing rain in the forecast yet.  

Well, I went up to see if any of my little beauties spoke to me, and one did!  One definitely  told me where they wanted to go.  But first let me show you how I steam my knits.

I have a commercial steamer bought from a dry cleaning catalog.  I love it.  I learned this technique from Jan at Crafty Lady probably 20 years ago.  I used to use a steam iron with the item to be steamed covered in a damp cloth and pinned on a blocking cloth on the floor.  It was horribly uncomfortable and awkward.  Holding the steam iron carefully above the item so the hot metal didn't touch was tedious.  This method is fabulous.  Only the steam is hot coming out, not the face of the contraption.  My back doesn't kill me from bending over the item pinned to the floor.  I don't hate steaming any more!  This was really a life changing event.  (I might have gone a little over board with that statement but I really do like it.)  

This beautiful scarf jumped up and said, "Me! Me! Choose me! I want to go to Andi."  I bought the pattern and yarn from those wonderful women at Knit-Purl in Portland, Oregon.  The yarn is Shibui Cima.  Every time I get an email from a Knit-Purl there is something fabulous that I want to make.  I have another scarf just waiting to decide who it wants to go to for Christmas that is spectacular from those amazing women.  This scarf is so Andi.  The colors are her, the elegant simplicity is her. 

Isn't it beautiful?!?! Cima is superbaby alpaca and merino so the drape is beautiful.  There are so many ways you can wear this.

I can see this draped over a winter coat to add a touch of pizzazz to a drearily  winter day.  I am sure Andi will find the perfect thing to wear it with making it her own.

I have the turkey thawing in the refrigerator, have experimented with cranberries and come up with a great recipe and have all of the veggies chopped for various dishes tomorrow.  Thanksgiving is always Dick, Jan, Lucy (my Mom), Murphy and a 20 pound turkey.  Please don't asked why three people need a 20 pound turkey.  It is all about the stuffing.  I am so thankful for my fabulous husband, my family and friends, my health and of course knitting.  I have so enjoyed sharing my love of knitting on Knitting: A Love Story.  

My best wishes to you and your's for a joyous Thanksgiving.