Thanksgiving is almost here, and a few words of advice from your knitting coach. Take your knitting needles with you to the family gathering! And take at least three kinds of projects:

1. Something with charts.

Projects with charts look impressive. They are scary and they certainly require all of your attention. Do you get where I am going here? Take your project with charts for that awkward time after the meal when everyone is sitting around the television wondering what to talk about and always resorting to discussion of “the weather.” Defend yourself from Uncle John asking about when he will have little nieces and nephews by working intently on the most complicated project you can find in your closet. he will take one look at that chart and assume that you can’t even begin to respond to his stupid and inappropriate questions about your personal life.

2. Something you don’t have to pay attention to.

This is what will keep your hands busy while standing in line at the grocery store when you are inevitably sent out for whatever grandma forgot to buy for the big dinner. This project will also keep you from hurting the woman in front of you in line on Black Friday who pulls out her checkbook like its still 1932. Find something with really big needles with blunt tips, as they will inflict less damage to vital arteries, should you lose control of yourself.

3. Something you love….

Because knitting is therapy and no one needs their knitting more than around the holidays. It calms us, it relaxes even those around us…(that is why the folks on the metro stare at you while you knit. ) There is just something soothing and wonderful about the motion of knitting needles and yarn. So take a project that you just love. Something cashmere, or something in a rich wonderful color. In addition to sharing the holiday season with your crazy loved ones, why not share your favorite past time and your passion with them.