Plugging away

I'm spending the rest of this month (all 6 days of it) trying to finish at least one of the WIPs hanging around on the needles for a couple of months. The wrap with sleeves is a few inches past the second armhole - I want to finish the body this weekend before I move onto the sleeves. The felted table runner is worked on during the week - with felting during the weekend as I do the Cattylaundry. So it's a bunch of knitting with not a lot to show for it right now.

I did knit up a few preemie hats.

TheReallyBigShew is oh-so-happy to model one for me.

I'm limiting the preemie knitting to when I accomplish one of the WIP goals I set for myself. And I'm pointedly ignoring the siren call of the stash. Lalalalala...

In the bleak midwinter

There's a need for a golden glow -

Project specs: the perfect scarf pattern using Patons' Brillant in Marvelous Mocha (chocolate brown with bronze flecks.) 2 skeins on #10.5 Brittanys.

Since my other WIPs are taking some time and I don't really have a transportable project, I'm knitting up a few things for here to fulfill my instant gratification requirement. The CatMan and I only have a psychofeline brood, so this is my chance to enjoy knitting wee things for wee ones. And we all know there's enough sock yarn floating around the CattyAbode.

And because it's playing in the background right now, and I love the images:

"And the price of a memory

Is the memory of the sorrow it brings

There is always on last light to turn out and one last bell to ring

And the last one out of the circus has to lock up everything

Or the elephants will get out

And forget to remember what you said

And the ghosts of the tilt-a-whirl

Will linger inside of your head

And the ferris wheel junkies will spin them forever instead

When I see you a blanket of stars covers me in my bed."

Mrs. Potter's Lullaby by the Counting Crows.

First FO of 2008

And here it is courtesy of Cinco, aka "Mr. Mom's-sitting-down-so-I-must-be-in-her-lap"!

So I tried again -

Project specs: Lang Jawool Superwash (color 764) and Color Superwash (color 549/65). The green is the leftovers from my Hooray for Me glovelets. The black was rolling around in the stash. The pattern is the tried and true sock pattern on #2 Brittanys, casting on 64 stitches.

And before it is out of my brain forever, here is a closeup of the secret Christmas project - a scarf I knit for my MIL in its unblocked state.

Project specs: My coned burgundy alpaca using Frog Tree's Cape Cod Shell Scarf pattern (the same one I used for Eyre) on #6 Inox needles.

Sparkly bits

Time to play "2 week catch-up". The PA trip was great fun - we saw everyone we had planned to and brought home the necessary case of Yuengling Black and Tan. I did try my hand at Wii bowling but not DDR (Dance Dance Revolution). I also failed miserably at Guitar Hero 3 (but the song choice rocked!) and 80's version of SingStar (karaoke melded with the actual videos and bands). In between all that video activity, I did find time to knit.

A cap and booties for a co-worker's new little granddaughter. Project specs (cap): 1 skein of Artful Yarns' Candy working the simple pattern on the skein label. Project specs (booties): Saartjes's pattern using up a partial skein of red Classic Elite Silk on #2 needles. I modified the pattern to do a 'mary jane' strap.

Lady MacWisp. Project specs: 1 skein of KidSilk Night in "Macbeth" (a deep purply color with silver thread) done on #8 Addis. I modified the pattern to do all the lace stitch without the interspersed garter bands. Oooo, sparkly - just not in this picture!

And what would the new year be without a pair of socks on the needles? Sad, I tell you! Ever the Scotswoman, this pair is using up 2 odd stash skeins.

2008 may turn into the year of MORE SPARKLE!

AND SOCKS!

Stop the insanity!