*Trying to move urges has never been a good idea for me--anybody out there had real success in transferring urges to a predetermined schedule?**
**Many thanks to CCR in MA for the convention of italicized notes that are too big for a parenthetical insertion in blog text, but nonetheless need to be said. ;o)
So, here are a few shots of things I've had in progress lately.
First, the Forest Canopy Shawl:
Remember, this is Shadow laceweight from Knit Picks, and that's a 14" pillow it's sitting on. So, while it might not look like much from here, there are approximately 151 stitches on the needle, and this sucker is really going to expand when blocked. I'm really excited to see what it looks like when it's all done and washed. Here's a gratuitous shot of the pattern close up. You can see how dense the stitches are right now. You can see the yo's along the top there at the bottom left, and the diagonal row of center stitches traveling up to the right. (Btw, I really do love the line of twisted stitches in the middle. I'm curious to see what happens to them when blocked.)
And, in case you're wondering what happened to the alpaca version of the FCSS, here's it's latest progress shot:
Yep. Frogged. Completely. I was working on it one night, and after painstakingly tinking back several times, I was knitting along and noticed, about halfway down the 4" or so of shawl I had done, a dropped stitch. As I watched, that slippery alpaca laceweight proceeded to run a few more rows down, and its fate was sealed. Word of warning to all future projects: Don't mess with me, especially when I've been pouring time and attention on you. I don't take lip from inanimate objects.
I may try doing something smaller with this, held double (or maybe I'll overtwist the yarn and then ply two strands together--anyone out there wiser than I am who thinks that's a bad idea?). I have a little niece due in just over two weeks, and Knitting Daily's Lace Vine baby hat would be really pretty in this. (The pic on the homepage is in black--not a good choice to show off the pattern, but if you subscribe, you'll be able to see the photo in the pattern, which is in a pretty pink.)
So, marching onward, here are two more WIP's.
Mama socks in KP Dancing.
These have been languishing on the needles for almost six months now. I've lost the Dancing love, and I'm planning on frogging this and turning the two skeins of Dancing into matching socks for DD1 & DD2. DD1's feet are getting kinda large, (well, she's 5 1/2), but I should still be able to make her a really good pair of socks with plenty left over for the baby.
Next up, another mama sock in Panda Wool by Crystal Palace. Can I say that I really, Really Love this Yarn? Wool & bamboo together is a match made in heaven, imho. This has a gorgeous hand, and the colors are much better in real life. (The green isn't quite so yellow, and the blue is more purple. Blast that red filter they put in all terrestrial use digital cameras.)
I've been working slowly on this because I'm not sure just how long I can make the top without running out of yarn. Then, the obvious occurred to me. I can knit these toe-up. I've really enjoyed knitting this much of it (it has been narcolepsy control thus far, and yes, I do still deal with mild bouts of that from time to time--very embarrassing), and look forward to knitting another two socks, secure in the knowledge that I'll be able to use almost every last precious, expensive, soft inch of the yarn.
And now we have the red mystery thing-a-ma-jig. I'm still not telling what it is. Any guesses?
Light worsted hemp/wool yarn in Chili, knit on a us3 (first Knit Picks options, and now a Clover Takumi).
And, lest you think I'm normal or something, here's a new one:
I succumbed to weakness last Tuesday after my LYS's UFO night, and just bought a pattern for my v-neck pullover. I've been reading Knitting from the Top (Excellent book, btw. Should be required reading for all knitters) and was going to just wing it. But, I really like KPS's patterns, and the lure of a no-math, almost-instant gratification path to my pullover was too strong to bear. (And I'm a member of The Sisterhood, so I got 30% off. How could I resist? lol)
As an added bonus, my favorite stitch markers look really pretty with the yarn I'm using:
And lastly, what I wish I could be doing today . . .
Have a great weekend, everyone!
