WIP Wednesday

Finally some photos to post of my WIPs. Seems like forever since I posted photos of what I'm working on, so here goes. I'll show the gift knitting first, since it is taking priority right now. Think I'll start with the project that's been on the needles the longest.....Glorianna.

Pattern: Glorianna (Part of the Elizabeth 1 collection by JoLene Treace. Available through KnitPicks)

Yarn: Knit Picks Shadow in Jewels

Start date: back in the spring sometime

Progress: I have about three feet of this baby complete. I suspect that it will be the first of my current wips to make it across the finish line. This is my project of the day for today

Thoughts: Love working on this since it has only a 16 row repeat and less than 50 stitches across. I always make sure that I can get through the 16 row repeat when I start working on it so that I don't lose my place. Christmas gift--plenty of time.

Next up is Leda's Dream

Pattern: Leda's Dream by Melanie at Pink Lemon Twist This was the Mystery Stole for 2005

Yarn: Jaggerspun Zephyr in Plum

Start date: This summer after passing on the 2006 Mystery Stole

Progress: about 30 rows into the 80+ row repeat. A Christmas gift, so I have time.

Thoughts: A fun knit, but not one that is conducive to TV knitting. Too much concentration needed. Love watching it change and grow.

The following is what remains of Stora Dimun. I bit the bullet yesterday and frogged what I had knit up so far (600+ yds worth) because I knew that I wouldn't have enough yarn. I switched to the Lacy Prairie Shawl from Folk Shawls as a replacement.

Pattern: Lacy Prairie Shawl from Folk Shawls

Yarn: Blackberry Ridge Wool/Silk sport weight in a dark turquoise, I think. The above color is not at all true--it is much deeper in color.

Start date: Yesterday

Progress: Maybe 12 inches so far.

Thoughts: Easy to follow pattern, good TV knitting. Need by Thanksgiving--gotta get moving on this one.

The rest of my projects are for me and, other than FLAK, will not make it back into the daily project rotation until gift knitting is finished.

Shenandoah Stole

Pattern: self-designed inspired by the beautiful Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia

Yarn: Handpainted yarns laceweight in Stone chat

Start date: sometime this summer after completing Sampler Shawl

Progress: About 8 inches or so. I'm looking forward to working on this after I finish my gift knitting. Love the sense of accomplishment of knitting something I designed. Yeah, it looks like a blob right now, but we all know that's the way lace is. I can't wait to use my new blocking wires on it!

Trekking Jaywalkers

Pattern: Toe-up Jaywalkers

Yarn: Trekking--forget which colorway, but the photo is pretty accurate. Seems to me it's called muted rainbow

Start date: August? Had them 2/3 of the way done and had to rip them back to close to what you see here.

Thoughts: Love Trekking, Love Jaywalkers.

Last, but certainly not least, my beloved FLAK. 'Beloved,' you say, 'It certainly didn't sound like a love affair when last you posted about the poor, poor FLAK.' Yeah, well, things change. Since ripping out to the armholes things have been progressing much better....especially since I added a little brass ring to let me know when last I did major cable crossings. For some reason I kept forgetting where I was--nope, I don't have paper or pencil to keep track, no charts or pattern, just working the crossings as needed. Sometimes my brain gets a little muddled. The ring is taking care of those foggy moments now. Click here for a link to bigger photo.

Pattern: FLAK by Janet Szabo

Yarn: Briggs and Little Regal in Quoddy Blue

Start date: January 1

Progress: Came to a screeching halt when I ran into trouble back in March/April. I had it too wide at the underarms, so I had to rip out about 4 inches and sew together about an inch and a half on each side of the front and back to get back to the correct width. I misread the instructions. With the advent of cooler weather last week I finally got around to ripping out the too wide portions, picked up again with fewer stitches, and progress is once again being made. This is the one non-gift project I will continue to devote time to so that I can finish it before the really cool weather sets in. Note that my cardigan has a very slight v-neck, whereas Janet's is a traditional crew neck cardi.

Couple of Items of Business

I know you've been waiting with bated breath for me to resume my blog posting....not :o) Let's just say that having two high schoolers, as well as a preschooler who wants to 'do school' all the time has overwhelmed me timewise. My computer time has been cut considerably, hence my lack of posting.

While I have been AWOL, I have been working on my Trekking jaywalkers. I had finished two-thirds of both socks, cuz you know I knit 'em toe-up two at a time, when I tried them on and they were huge!!! I kept wondering why I was going through the yarn so quickly. So I ripped them back to the beginning of the increases for the gussets--about 4.5 inches into the foot. I'm using the pattern found here. I used the same pattern when I made my Torino Jaywalkers during the KO this year. But that was a sport weight yarn, and sport weight Trekking definitely is not. I've done a bit of work on them, but have moved on to bigger and better things recently. It will probably be a while before these babies become a FO.

What are the bigger and better things you ask? I finally picked up my FLAK cardigan again. For those of you keeping score, the last time I posted about this project was.....oh.....JUNE (scroll down)! It required some frogging of about 4 inches of 100+ stitches, and picking up of the same, so I just tossed it in the bag and in true southern belle fashion I decided I'd think about it tomorrow.....September really, as I posted back in June. Well, here it is, September, and I've frogged back to the armpits, sewed about an inch and a half of stitches together on each side, picked up the stitches all the way around, and started knitting the pattern again. I'm about 5 inches below the armholes now and truckin' right along. I'm knitting fast because I think I'm going to run out of yarn, and you know if you knit really fast....the yarn doesn't run out as quickly. Yeah, I know I've posted my knitting speed/yarn consumption theory here before...you and I know it's just denial. Sounds good, at least to my deep in denial brain anyway. Hope to have current photo soon.

Also in the works is the latest installment of Knitters Tea Swap ver. 2 Loved this swap in the spring, so I signed-up for it again. Have been contacted by my spoiler, and have done my duty and contacted my swapee as well. Such fun finding ways to spoil a fellow knitter!

Languishing in the knitting bag are the following projects: Shenandoah Stole, Leda's Dream, Glorianna, and Stora Dimun (another project that I fear is going to come up short on yarn--the obvious choice for this one was to just stop working on it. If you don't knit on it, you can't run out of yarn, right? Yeah, I hold to several different yarn consumption theories.) I'm planning on knitting Math Guy the Cambridge sweater from IK Summer '06. He picked out the yarn last week--Lamb's Pride worsted medieval red. I ordered the yarn from lys, so it should be here soon. Leda's Dream, Stora Dimun, and Glorianna are gifts and need to be finished for Christmas, so I need to get working on them. I'm thinking of designating a project per day. That way I won't get too burned out on one project.

If you have contacted me by commenting on my blog or sending an email....I have read them and appreciate each and every one. I'm starting today with a clean slate and will do my best to reply to your comments/emails. I have missed you all!