I know it may seem early, but for knitters and crocheters, if we are going to give handmade gifts, we need to start thinking now.  My plan is quick and easy:  hats with pom poms, fingerless gloves, mittens in chunky weight, headbands—you know—items I might actually finish by Christmas.  Maybe an ornament?  Socks are definitely out by now, but perhaps slippers in chunky weight?  That sweater I wanted to start?  On hold until January.  That afghan?  Binned forever (or maybe that is just a baby blanket?  Car seat size?). So much yarn.  So many projects.  It can get overwhelming.  The good news is, no one knows what my plans were.  No one knows they received a bottle of wine instead of a felted wine coozie or a pair of machined alpaca socks from Imperial Yarns—very nice, by the way—instead of homemade socks, or Joseph Thomas coasters instead of hand crocheted coasters (also available at the shop).  Ah, us knitters, we begin the holiday season way before Walmart, don’t we?