Tag: WIP

In Progress

My Baby Flax was chugging along until I stopped reading the directions and missed the sleeve decreases 2″ back. So now it’s in the naughty pile until I make time to rip back and re-knit it correctly.

babyflax

My True Brit is coming along nicely. Since I took this picture I have finished binding off the first piece and seamed up the edge. I need to block it before I can swatch for the gaiter that will be attached to it.

true brit

And as always I am making gnomes.

gnomes and babies

If you are as overwhelmed by the gnome cuteness as I am you can follow my progress at The Gnome Gallery. I try to take pictures of all my gnomes as I make them.

I’ve Kept Busy

progress

The blanket continues apace. I’m lucky to be able to do a good amount of my knitting at work. Simple projects require less concentration, so this blanket is perfect.

I also love to bake. This week I made Key Lime Pie (which turned out perfect, thanks for asking) and meringues. It just so happened that the pie called for 4 egg yolks and the meringues called for 4 egg whites. A match made in heaven!

What have you been busy with?

 

Making Plans

I don’t know about you, but February always seems so grey. You can’t ignore winter anymore, and inside is boring by now. I realized yesterday that my knitting isn’t helping any – I have so many projects started that I’m not making significant headway on any of them. So I decided to make a list (I love lists) and start working my way down it.

list

It’s a long list, mostly of things I’m in the middle of.

Firstly, a washcloth I started ages ago.

knitting

Second, spinning. Kitty is helping me with quality control.

kitty

And I pulled out my Green Thing. I love this pattern and these colours. Why have I not been working on it???

shawl

I look forward to finishing some more things soon. Watch this space!

Sometimes

Sometimes I want to knit all the things. But I don’t really want to knit them, I just want them to be knitted. I want to wear them with pride: “I made this.” Sometimes knitting is just too slow.

I want to knit this top, and I’m planning for Christmas already with this sweater. And then I want to knit shawls and a cardigan for work. And socks.

Right now I’m working on socks, but my wrists have rebelled against me. It seems the tight gauge is causing more strain than I thought. So now I am reduced to knitting only a few rounds a day if at all.

I’m also knitting on my Smaug shawl. It’s slow going with this one, since each row is over 300 stitches. At least this is at a loose enough gauge that it doesn’t cause pain. It doesn’t abate pain either.

Recently I have been craving garter stitch. I used to hate garter stitch. I didn’t like the way it looked. I have since seen the error of my ways. Garter stitch can be beautiful, and washcloths are useful, meditative, and easy. It’s amazing how having a simple project to work on during stressful moments soothes the soul.

Sometimes I have to be patient. I know if I work at knitting long enough I’ll eventually have a lot of items I can showcase with pride.

What Sock?

A few weeks ago Ann and Kay over at Mason-Dixon Knitting started a one-sock knit-along. I had a sock that I was working on, so I was more than happy to join in. I knit dutifully on my Juniper sock (note the singular use of ‘sock’) for days and days. Until one day something inside me snapped. I didn’t want to knit this sock anymore. Who cares that I had finally memorized the stitch pattern. It wasn’t fun to knit. If I had been smart I would have remembered that I didn’t particularly enjoy the hat my sock pattern is based on. Now don’t take me wrong: the designer did a great job with that pattern. I have nothing against them. I just don’t particularly enjoy mock cables.

Still, I could get over this if I was sure the finished object would be perfect. But here’s the rub: I don’t think the socks will fit after washing. It seems my best course of action may be to frog the sock (frogging is so named because you rip-it, rip-it). I may also take a page from one of my favourite knitters ever, Stephanie Pearl-McFee (what a lovely coincidence that we share the same name) and deny any and all knowledge of this project.

What sock? I don’t know what you’re talking about.

Why?

What is it that makes us crafters abandon one project in favor of another? Boredom? Insurmountable problems? Short attention span?

I started my Smaug Shawl many months ago. But it was hard, so I moved on (Also, Christmas presents).

I started my Spruce Socks a few weeks ago. But then I found the Smaug Shawl, and it was magically easier than it used to be.

But now the rows on the Smaug Shawl are really, really long (320 stitches). Getting across a row is an accomplishment, and I’m starting to get a little bored… even though it is silk.

Also the fabulous gals over at Mason Dixon Knitting are hosting a one-sock Knit-a-long. Do I join? Do I stick firmly to my shawl? Do I work on the Spruce socks, or do I dig out some new sock yarn and start a different pair?

Too many choices….

P.S. A friend gave me some new fabric recently. I might have accidentally started cutting out a tank top.