It's December!

Ok, technically it has been December for almost a week now, but it only just sunk in over the last few days.

I have a limited number of days to complete and deliver my knitted Christmas presents. Why does this revelation always bite me on the behind at this time every year? Surely Christmas arrives with some predictability?

So, I have turned my efforts this week away from Cinxia and back towards the items which must be completed within the next week or two! FWIW, I'm in the homestretch of Cinxia, just a few more decrease rows on the yoke and then I'm knitting the collar!



Here is the little Brittany Jumper from Minnowknits. Ignore the mottled colour, I gave it really thorough wetting and it isn't yet completely dry. A 3-needle bind-off for the shoulders a bit of shaping and end weaving and this is finished!




This minty blob behind Clare's cat is the back of Debbie Bliss' dressing gown. Funny, I'm convinced that I cannot knit a garter-stitch scarf without a pattern, but I making this garment with a wildly different yarn, different gauge and needles and incorporating many alterations to the pattern including eliminating pockets, changing the belt and redoing the hem/front edge treatment...but I'm ok, because I'm following a pattern! This knits reasonably quickly because it's a garment for a 12 month old, but it's taking a while because of all of the "let's try that agains" as I reknit bits to change the design.

As an aside, I'm trying to tackle Christmas gift shopping this week. I had a particularly frustrating experience with Maytag. A product that they market has been heavily advertised in Canadian magazines as a "Christmas wish" item. Of course, no Toronto Maytag retailers, carry the product. I've been to the big chain stores, the Maytag stores and a couple others suggested by the employees at the Maytag store.


I contacted Maytag through their customer service number to locate a dealer. After being transferred twice and told that the product was not sold by Maytag (I directed the service agent to their company website and disproved this...) I was told that any "full-service" Maytag dealer, would stock the item or be able to order it for
me.

The Maytag dealer told me that they never carried the item and
would not order it for me. They told me that Home Outfitters and Home
Sense carried the Handy Chiller. Calls to both of those stores
suggested that the product had never been carried there.

An email reply from Maytag assured me that the product was available in Canada, just not necessarily in my area (ummm...Toronto?) and that I should look for an on-line retailer.

I am underwhelmed by their customer service to say the least.

I am also thinking "gift certificate"...