biting off too much

i knit.  i have been knitting so long that it's moved past the "hobby" stage and into "lifestyle choice".  i think it changed right after college, when i started my first little job at the library.  one of the other library ladies was taking a knitting class from the yarn store across the street- for $60 a class, which didn't include materials. i found that to be utterly ridiculous (and still do. that much for a "learn to knit" class?  highway robbery, i tells ya.) and offered to teach her to knit for $50.  (undercutting the competition, you see.)  at that point, i had known how to knit for seventeen years.  my grandmother taught me when i was six- mostly because i was bugging her and she wanted me to keep my ADD ass still for ten minutes.  so i knew the basics- had knit scarves and hats, but it wasn't something i did every day.  it was funny though.  even though my co-worker didn't take me up on my generous offer, i did get the itch to knit something.  so i bought yarn (good yarn.  i knew that much even then) and needles, checked out "Stitch and Bitch" from the library, and proceeded to start my first project in years.  it was love/obsession at first touch. 

that was five years ago. i'm still obsessed.  i knit every day now- in fact, it feels weird to not be knitting whenever i have downtime.  my hands miss my needles.  i even have a very large knitting tattoo that i'm inordinately proud of.  my spare cash goes to stash improvement, and yarn is slowly taking over my house.  slowly.  i'm broke, and my husband frowns on not paying the utility bill.  however, i seem to have staved off the worst part of the mania- at least until this year.  this year, i'm trying to knit christmas.  lord help us all.

so far, it's only five pairs of socks, two chunky cowls, and something for the two people who's names i will randomly draw at thanksgiving, more or less.  (sometimes, people are adverse to knitted gifts.  i still have no idea why.  those people get giftcards or soap.  that's just how it is.)  i've even already started.  i have all the yarn, the right needles, and, currently at least, quite a lot of motivation.  i just have this feeling that this idea is gonna derail and turn into me frantically knitting until three in the morning every day of the last week before christmas.  we'll see.  i'll keep everybody posted, but if those who know me see me with a twitch over my eye and yarn burns on my fingers starting in about a month, you'll know that i've bitten off more than i can chew.  normally, i don't question the need to knit- but this time?  i'm scared.