Preparation time {Knitting}

How early do you start preparing for Christmas? Because Baby MiH will not have his passport by the time we get to Christmas,we are hosting Christmas eve at ours - and this is in fact my first Christmas Britain! We do have some decorations, but hardly worth talking about (I think it amounts to 6 baubles, and 2 garlands). So let's face it, we could do with getting ready. 

Last year I was planning to make some knitted Christmas baubles from Arne and Carlos' 55 Christmas Balls to Knit. I bought the book, and left it there until this morning. I wanted to see how easy/hard it would be to knit one of those. Well, it involves DPNs, colour work and increase and patterns being knitted simultaneously (but written on different pages of the book) - so it is slightly intense. Two hours later, I am at this stage of the first bauble - hmmm..  

I do like the shape the bauble is taking however, and I am hoping it is a case of getting acquainted with a new pattern - and that it gets easier as I knit more of these. 

 Pattern: From 55 Christmas Balls to Knit, by Arne and Carlos

Yarn: SIRDAR Country Style, Wool Blend DK (40% nylon, 30% wool, 30% acrylic)

Needle size: 4mm DPNs 

Modification: only changed the knitting method, using 3 DPNs and markers rather than 4

Just in case you are considering buying this book, well from this morning experience I would say buy it now so that you can start asap. I am even wondering whether I did not leave it too late - all depends on how many I want make I suppose. 

But there are so pretty! How could I resist knitting them! It is retro Scandinavian, love it. My colours scheme is a bit different - white, blue, teal, black - no green or red (too predictable, of course). 

I may have to add some touches of gold though... 

Well that is provided I finish my first one of course. 

  
So I officially declare the Christmas preparation season started at the MiH home!