I have sooo many projects that I want to get done!! I keep thinking in my head that I can do it, but there's always that one really cute shirt/bag/scarf/shawl/skirt/mittens/whatever pattern that I just HAVE to add to my list! Right now, my theory is that if I work on the afghans during the week - remembering that weeks for me are Monday/Tuesday(depending on if Steve is working Monday or not)-Friday - and have seperate "weekend" projects, I can get most of the stuff done when I want to. It also gives me a color break from the green/tan and red/white/blue that I work on during the week. I try to purposely pick more colorful projects for my weekends. I'm also reminding myself that a.)I will not spend more money on yarn for a gift than I would if I went out and bought the gift and b.)I don't HAVE get things done in time. I can always go out and buy a gift and then give the project to the recipient at my (and their) leisure.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: In the following list, the links will send you to the pattern, most of which have pictures of their completed objects on it. Pictures of my personal versions of projects will be posted as I get them.)
Right now, my current list of projects includes:
1. Winter Night afghan. #1 was done in LionBrand Homespun Colonial and Deco (navy and cream), and is 37/39ths complete. (There are 35 squares and four borders, so 39 parts to it.) I just have to pick up and do the last two borders and then wash it. It's been far too hot lately to have all that thick yarn draped over my legs as I work on it, but since the heat wave seems to have snapped for SoCal, I should get around to finishing it this week. It's "due" in October, for Amanda's wedding. #2 is being done in LionBrand Homespun Country and Rococco (emerald and tan), and is 5/39ths complete. This afghan goes so quickly, I can do a little over a square a night while on break at work, so I'm not worried about it getting done in time for Christmas. I am planning on giving #2 to my dad. I was going to do a checkerboard afghan for him, but the more I worked on and toyed with patterns, the less I liked the idea of it, so I went back to something simple that I knew I could get done in time.
2.Knitted Stripes Afghan for my brother. I'm doing it in Caron's Simply Soft in red, white, and blue, as he's a pretty patriotic guy - wanting to go into the Marines and all. It's going along well, but slowly. 267 sts per row is a lot. This has been my weekday afternoon project - turn on Animal Planet for Jeff Corwin, the Croc Hunter Diaries, and The Most Extreme, and knit away. For some reason, row three of Pattern B always seems to take FOREVER to do, much longer than row one. I don't get it! I hope I will get this one done in time for Christmas, but not sure if I'll make it or not. I have about 9" done so far.
3. Homespun Diamond Knit Shawl in LionBrand Homespun Cobalt. I loved the color of the yarn, and the lace isn't too difficult. I've discovered how very very convenient lifelines are, though! I think I may give this to my great-grandmother if I get it done in time for Christmas, but I have only been working on it in bursts. I thought it was going to be a quick knit, but other projects have been competing for attention lately.
4. Booga Bag in Noro Kureyon #40. This is one of my weekend projects, and is going to be for my mom, I think. It's a really simple bag, very cute, and my very first felting project, so I hope it behaves itself! It's kind of boring to knit, though, but it does go fairly quickly. I started it yesterday and only have 34 rows left to do on the bag itself. I should get that done tonight at work and then I get to do the I-cord. Joy. 6' of I-cord. Ugh! I keep telling myself that it will be worth it because it will be very cute, and the colors in the yarn really are quite gorgeous. I'm toying with the idea of lining it with something, but I will see how it acts after felting, first. I might make some for Becki and Amanda as Christmas gifts as well, but only if I have time nearer to the holidays.
5. Seaman's Cap and mittens in Caron's Simply Soft Bone and Dk. Sage (tan and dark green) as Christmas presents to stuff inside Mom's Booga Bag. The last cap I made for Dad only took a couple days, and I've heard that mittens don't take that long, so these are supposed to be weekend projects as well.
6. Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf for Becki for Christmas. I haven't found quite the yarn I want for it yet, though. I'm thinking, with Becki's coloring, something autumny, but still have some fun colors, and definitely varigated to show off the pattern. The closest so far has been Manos del Uruguay's Wildflowers, but that is soo expensive! I'm also toying with the idea of felting it after it has been knitted, but will have to test it to see if I like it first.
7. DNA scarf. The links rarely work anymore - luckily I had the pattern saved to my harddrive or I would have lost it! Although Amanda would get a kick out of it - her degree is in genetics - it's a pretty complicated pattern and I'm not sure I would have time to knit it along with the other stuff. I may end up making her a simpler cable patterned scarf or maybe even another multi-diag scarf.
8. Cold Shoulder for me. I love this shirt, and one of the gals at the Knitters' Review Forums has helped me out understanding the pattern. I'm thinking of doing it in a deep emerald green, or maybe a brilliant sapphire blue, but I am waiting until I find JUST the right color. It will be a weekend project after I get all my gifting projects done.
9. Waikiki T-Strap top for me in Crystal Palace's Waikiki in Delphinium. I was sooo excited about finding this pattern and getting the yarn, but since then I've kind of dropped it. The yarn is kind of weird to work with, and with so many things that I want to make for other people, making this seems to take a lower priority. I have done the ribbing on the back so far, and that's it. It's also been delegated to the weekend project category.
I also really really want to try out socks, and have been toying with the idea of making Christmas stockings for myself and Steve. We'll see. So many patterns, so little time!!
