This is my latest "gotta have" item, Holiday Knits: 25 Great Gifts From Stockings To Sweaters by Allison Isaacs & Sara Lucas. Book Description from Amazon.com....Cozy mittens, fuzzy ornaments, supersoft sweaters, sporty scarves, and festive stockings—Holiday Knits is brimming with projects to cover everyone on the knitter's list. Yarn-shop owners Sara Lucas and Allison Isaacs know firsthand what the holiday knitter needs. Unique patterns, clear instructions, how-to illustrations, and beautiful photographs are sure to get those needles clicking. The 25 projects are organized by the length of time required to complete them (from quick and easy weekend projects to rewarding long-term luxuries) to make for stress-free holiday knitting. From stylish scarves and hats, and exciting updates on holiday favorites, to chic and contemporary wearables, and beautifully designed home accents, Holiday Knits is the knitter's answer to Santa's workshop.

Originally I saw this at Knitpicks.com but when I tried to order it yesterday...alas, SOLD OUT. Fortunately Amazon is offering it for the same low price of $13.57 today - Ships on Thursday according to them. I also ordered Homespun Handknits: Caps, Socks, Mittens & Gloves by Linda Ligon.

Oh What Sales!

We (3 of us south-side Knitters) went on a yarn shop tour this weekend to Yarnzilla, Yarn Cafe and Amazing Threads and I'm all set with projects to take me through Valentine's Day...only I really need to have them completed by Christmas.

Our first stop was at Yarnzilla's first-ever warehouse sale and it was ABSOLUTELY AWESOME. I hope she does this again next November! I picked up some Cascade 220 in red for Jay's (#2 son) black and red stocking hat...no black though but the day was young. Also bought some purple and purple-multi for something for me later...and Encore DK in a blk/grn colorway for a hat for my brother. Got a really good deal on the yarn. After we had settled up at the cash register it was on to Yarn Cafe in Maple Grove. They were having a "pick your discount" sale. The discounts ranged from 10-40% depending on the color of the poker chip you pulled from the felted handbag at the register. I picked a blue chip and my Noro (Daughter's gauntlets), Galway (in black, for the red/blk hat for #2) and Lana Grossa sock yarn were 20% off! Then it was off to Amazing Threads....only thing left to find was some yarn for fingerless gloves in a masculine (but not black) color. I found a nice brown tweed which will work quite nicely I think with Rob's (son #1) brown bomber.

Its amazing how time flies when you are having such fun! 5 hours zipped by in nothing flat. I did still need to find some chunky Chenille and so after a break for pie at Bakers Square we finished off the day by stopping in at JoAnn in Edina where I bought 2 skeins of Lion Brand chenille in Winter White and Cherry Red to make a scarf for someone else on my list...

Started the scarf as soon as I got home last night because it should only take a few hours to knit this and then its on to hats!

Now if only I could slow down time so that I can get some of these things knitted by Christmas...