Current Projects

(Note 06.10.06 - I've updated the other blog - a chair is...)

Ah, this has been a difficult week.
Molly's last Academy concert, being without Patrick at that concert for the first time...for 14 years we've all gone to watch Molly dance each spring....and Molly leaving for her summer program. Lots of emotion seems to dismantle any peace I've managed to construct, so it's been a tough week.
St. Francis on my back porch tries to remind me:
Yes, there are a couple of tree snail shells there. I remember with guilt taking some from the Everglades back in the 60s when I was a young'un. These, however, I bought at a garage sale here in Indiana a few years ago. Tree snails are incredibly colorful and beautiful, you can take a look at some here.
Uh, oh - I just read this:
".... Beautiful and varied, these mollusks were once a popular collector’s item; overcollection greatly reduced them. To help protect them, the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission named the Florida Tree Snail a “Species of Special Concern.” By law, this designation protects them, dead or alive, from collection..."
So do I turn in my two somewhere??

Well, I have certainly digressed from my planned entry on current projects! Here you go:
Two baskets full of UFOs - although I guess that since I am working on all of these a bit each day technically they do not qualify for UFO status. (One of these days I will screw my courage to the sticking place and abandon my shame and do a post of my true UFOs...)

Here is my third Lotorp bag - done in Cherry Tree Hill potluck worsted.
I really like this a lot as it is. But I planned to felt it and did knit it a bit more loosely than I would have done if I wanted to use it without felting. So it must be felted. I think I will probably felt this in the washing machine instead of by hand at the kitchen sink.

And here is the Baby Surprise Jacket I've started in a class at Riverwools. Since I have such a terrible record for finishing things I've told people I'm making for them, I will let this be a surprise for granddaughter Sophia when it's done.

I'm making it in a New Zealand yarn called Magic Garden Buttons - a cute yarn, with lots of little primary color tufts throughout. It's a DK weight that I'm using double so it will be big enough to fit Sophia (hopefully) when it's cool enough to need a jacket again. This is 83% wool, but for my son and daughter-in-law's sake, machine washable.

Here is a long scarf, done lengthwise, garter stitch, with Silk Garden and an occasional row of Iro held double:
CO 200. I am feeling very brave. Normally, anything with a CO above 100 gets automatically rejected by me as a viable project. But since I made the shrug which had 160 stitches, one of my new mottos is: "Fear not to cast on 100s of stitches." That Baby Surprise starts out with 160 stitches and I just cast on jauntily. Will work myself up to the Adult Surprise (I believe that generally runs 360+). Maybe.

Progress on the 6th As You Like It Shawl. Noro Kujaku and Kidsilk Haze. I still love this loud bright crazy colorway. This is a yarn that has, every so often, areas where the yarn is wrapped in polyester thread, so you get these bright little loops poking out. I think I might even add felted beads or spirals - really make this a bit of wild woman apparel.

I carry around this project in the second Lotorp bag I made - it's a perfect bag for carting around a growing project (or two!) - an amazing amount of yarn can be stuffed into it and it just stretches to accomodate.

Here is something that almost did get UFO status. I just forgot about it. It's that shawl I'm doing with handspun singles. I am almost out of one of the colors I used to start it, so I've had to spin up some more singles in yet a different colorway. So far it's still looking pretty neat.
The bag I carry this project around in was made of Silk Garden by my Secret Pal from SP7, Peacock, whose generosity is only exceeded by her creativity and skill. She treated me to so many things I use regularly.

Finally...here is the modular knitting project I've begun and am absolutely determined to complete. It's from Dazzling Knits / Building Blocks to Creative Knitting by Patricia Werner. It's a vest made with the shell module. I've curled it around in a circle to photograph it, but that's actually a straight line of shells.

Since I have such a problem with an abundance of choices, I'm letting the Silk Garden decide on the colors. I'm using one color (#203) as the MC, and alternating between 3 others for CCs.
I thought I'd be making the Large size which takes over 100 shells, but after I measured and thought a bit (I won't be doing it with buttons, as I like to wear vests open), I realized I can make the medium which takes about 80 shells. I'm being very organized about this and my determination not to have another modular or freeform UFO. I've set myself a goal of 3 shells a day at minimum (all ends woven in), so I should be able to post the lovely finished vest within the month!
And now, after posting all this, I feel a strong urge to get back to working.
Peace and calm to all,
love
'Zann