Practical matters

If you are on Ravelry and look at my projects page you will see FIVE WIPs. This is unheard of for me. I NEVER like to have more than THREE. Here are my excuses.

The felted vest is done except for the zipper, which is still coming in the mail. I measured the front edges – 17 inches. I figured I was also adding on the knitted collar and ordered an 18 inch zipper. Wrong. Mailed it back and a 16 inch one is in the mail from zipperstop.com. Meanwhile it seems to have flared at the bottom somehow since it was blocked, so I may have to soak it down and reshape it as much as I can – otherwise it will be quite drafty.

I need another scarf. I just do. Since the blue-green angora blend I recently completed spinning was meant for a scarf, and there wasn’t that much of it, I dove in.

It is almost done – I’m trying to eke out as much length as possible with this. I ended up using size 8 needles, because the yarn is poofier than I thought, and it’s working out great. I wanted garter stitch lace so it would be reversible, and after finding that nearly everything in the Barbara Walker books is stockinette-based, I went browsing Sharon Miller’s Heirloom Knitting since so much Shetland lace is based on garter stitch. I chose Cats Paw because the repeats were small, which would help me eke out even more length. It’s making a really cushy fabric and I think I’m going to get about 45 inches of length which will be fine.

I decided it was time to make Emmy another sweater. I had intended to make Wendy Bernard’s ‘Girlfriend’s Swing Coat’ but she saw this hoodie pattern from Lana Grossa in my book and right away that was what she wanted.

The yarn is Araucania Nature Wool that I got at WEBS on sale a couple of years ago, with Emmy in mind – it’s a lovely sky blue shade. The hoodie pattern is very basic and I think I may try to improvise a kangaroo pocket on the front as I know she will like that.

I am knitting the yarn at a loose gauge because it makes such a nice soft fabric – I hope I don’t regret that later, I think it would probably be better knit on size 7 needles. Perhaps it will full when washed, or I can wet it down and spin it in the dryer to full it just a tiny bit.

Given all of this WIP activity, the Taconic pullover has been neglected and is sitting in a bin with about 2 inches left on the back. Then I get to to do the front which is where all the pattern interest lies.

I am still plugging away on the Dolomite socks, but they have been somewhat neglected for the hoodie which I can knit without looking at a pattern, and the scarf which I just WANT. I am halfway through the foot of the first sock.

The yarn is making a nice fabric and I love the color – it is darker and less pinky/orange than this photo would lead you to believe.

I want to wrap up some of this stuff soon and move on.