Things I've done lately that made me feel productive in a knitterly way

1. Sent off a pattern proposal
   
   My fingers are crossed really hard.
   
   
2. Worked on socks for my brother
   
   
   
   They're hat-heels, only this time, I think I have finally perfected the way to do the gussets so that a) they're stretchy; b) there are almost no stitches to pick up for foot and leg; c) the whole starting-the-foot-and-leg process is way less fiddly; and d) the gusset edges look tidy when the sock is all done.
   
   I'll be providing a write-up of the new process at some point.
   
   
3. Worked on test-knitting the Yacht Club Skirt
   
   
   
   
4. Worked on my brother's Christmas gift blanket
   
   
   
   Four blocks completed there, and working on the fifth.
   
   Recently I had the brilliant idea that, since the whole thing was garter stitch, everybody in the family could get in on the action - husband, older daughter, even my younger daughter if I held her hands through a few stitches. And then not only would the whole thing go faster (since it wouldn't just be me working on it), but it could be a gift from the whole family, and then I could give him the socks (mentioned above) which would be just from me. And suddenly we would have most of my brother's gift-giving all taken care of. (He's challenging to buy for.)
   
   Alas, my older daughter shot this idea down completely. When I floated the idea of her doing some of the knitting on the blanket, she was absolutely adamant that she didn't want to. Which, now that I think about it, is odd. She's an extremely enthusiastic and considering sort of person; it's very unusual for me to get a point-blank refusal with an accompanying distasteful expression right off the bat. So she must really not want to do it. Rats.
   
   
5. Thought about the rest of the Christmas knitting
   • I'm thinking a Kilkenny sweater for BIL#2, from the yarn I got last Christmas from BIL#1. (Don't think that's a big dis of BIL#1, though - he told me when I unwrapped it that I wasn't allowed to use it for a sweater for him.)
   • Inside-out socks for BIL#1, using some self-striping sock yarn I've got in a blue/green/white colourway, and maybe a second pair out of a cream/khaki sock yarn I also have kicking around in the stash
   • Socks for DD1, from a turquoise self-striping yarn in the stash
   • Socks for DD2, from the same turquoise self-striping yarn
   • Socks for my dad - maybe some more nice black dress ones; or maybe I'll do a fun extra fair isle pattern on the gussets using dark green. He appreciates artistic details like that. Hm...
   • Something (don't know what) for whomever DD1's teacher will be
   • Finally finish the two pairs of cotton socks I've had going for my mom for ages
   Erg. It's not even September and I'm already feeling the stress just thinking of all of that. Good thing I'm treating myself to a week-long staycation in October.