Thursday, January 28, 2016

Taking stock

With Mary Mead off the needles, it was time to give the WIP pile a good assessment. I sorted through my basket, took stock and ended up frogging a couple of things.

The Tiger Eye lace scarf is gone... nothing really wrong with it, I just get so bored with rectangles! I may try it again one day, but for now I'm considering a different pattern for the recipient. I've got to do a little stash dive later this week to see what I have that will work.

I also frogged the shrug I started designing back in the fall. It wasn't working out as I wanted, so back to the drawing board with that one

So... on the needles I have...
The Maple Shawl. This one requires quite a bit of focus, so I really have to be in the mood for it. I expect it to be a long-term project, despite being a fairly small shawl.
Dave's hat. I've decided this will be his Valentine's Day present, so I need to get moving on it soon - especially if I plan to do some matching gloves...
Michael's socks. The first one is done and the second one is to the heel. This is now my main travel project
Sagittarius socks. This poor neglected pair was cast on last April!!! The second one hasn't even been cast on. As soon as I get either the other pair of socks off the needles, it will become my main travel project.

And that's a surprisingly small WIP pile for me. And if I do say so myself... a bit dull on the colour end... Considering we're in that dank, dreary stage of winter... I needed something with a bit more pop...
The is Lace Tunic with Fancy Edge. It's  something I've wanted to make for a very long time. I've always admired Wendy D. Johnson's patterns, but for some reason never knit one. I dyed the yarn for this one (Twisted Slinky Cat) in the summer, but just never had a chance to start it.

Depending on the light, the colour changes dramatically. In fluorescent light, it's a deep raspberry, under dim incandescent, a dark, moody wine. Under my work light, it's somewhere inbetween. It will be interesting to see what it's like in natural daylight.

It took a few false starts to get the pattern set (and of course, I've modified it a bit.) But now that's done, I'm on a roll...only 30 more repeats and I'll be onto the mindless lace of the main body.

What's in your WIP pile?

5 comments:

kathy b said...

Well I cannot wait to get to your gift sock yarn ! I'm making myself finish a pair of green socks first. I bet I'll be into your yarn by Saturday!


Your Valentine gift to hubby will be so beat beat sweet

Unknown said...


Cables, cables, and more cables. Oh, and what I want to cast on has cables! I think I will go find a color work pattern to start!!

elns said...

Lovely. Great colors in Michael's socks. I'm excited for the second of the Sagittarius pair!

I've got a impulse scarf and a baby blanket and a baby hat in progress. I'm in the mood for lunar new year socks and a garment, a bonafide put your arms through it wearable. Maybe in February ...

Minding My Own Stitches said...

That IS quite a restrained pile of WIPs. Of course, your projects tend to be much larger than mine so I'm still impressed by how many get done and how quickly!

Not much on my needles. I hope to finish Clandestine sock two this weekend, and get most of Thelonius sock one done. I'd like to cast on Ludwig socks - the pattern's in a library book so I need to get it done before I have to return the book. I suppose I could buy the book but most of the patterns are for colourwork socks and I'm not ready to commit to that! Especially not 2/C heels and soles; that just sounds like work!

I can't even look at pictures of Gem - she's too darling! I barely made it out of the pet store last week without bringing a new friend home!

Rachelle said...

I have 6 WIP's total. One is of course Missandei which is what I'm now concentrating on, the beads are slowing things a little of course.
As well as that I have a Pi-shawl which is the Evenstar pattern, 2 pairs of colourwork socks, a Strokkur jersey and socks for youngest which are plain and travel knitting. The intended order at this point is Missandei, Strokkur and Evenstar for my home knitting, the plain socks followed by the two colourwork ones for travel knitting. The aim is to end up with no WIP's aside from the single one I'm working on, the reality may well be different.