For most of last year I kept the number of WIPs down to a minimum; maybe some socks, a garment, another small thing. Suddenly, this month, I've increased my number of WIPs to five! That's excluding stuff which is nearly finished, needs sewing up and buttons.
Sunday evening I finished the Koigu Gypsy shawl. Photos to come. First of the 10 shawls in 2010.
Monday evening I finished the knitting on Otello, a chunky Louisa Harding cardigan. This is the first of the 12 garments I intend knitting in 2010.
It's a rich brown, not as faded as shown. I'll be seaming this afternoon! No buttons yet though. There's a collar which is knitted then sewn on. I've knitted it, but I may re-do it by picking up stitches. Not sure why this has to be sewn on, but it may become obvious when I do.
That left just my Mosaic socks (which I am not enjoying knitting) One done, the other cast on, and down to the heel.
So, what's a knitter to do but cast on more projects to tide me over?
1) Second shawl. It's another Multnomah, (ravelry projects here) which I think is a good pattern for variegated yarns. I tend to be suckered into buying variegated yarn, it looks so good in the skein, but then I have problems finding patterns to knit. This is Camelspin, either Vintage or Renaissance. Very busy yarn. I've just started the feather and fan pattern. 38 more rows to go!
In lieu of knitting another mystery blanket this year, I've decided to do a couple of projects, working on them for a short period each month.
2) The first of these is the Foolish Virgins Scarf (ravelry link here) - a 4ply intarsia lover's dream! Not my idea of great knitting, (intarsia) but I love the colours and pattern, so I shall do a little each month, in the style of the Mystery blanket. I've knitted the first chart (but it was a very, very simple pattern, and only 16 rows) and am about to embark on chart #2, which is a huge 96 row intarsia nightmare! I thought I'd do this last night, but the indoor lighting is a bit dim, so this may become a weekend/daylight project.
3) The second is not difficult, and may not take as long as I think it would - it's a Rambling Rows blanket,(ravelry link to the Noro blankets here) in Noro. I calculated that this might take about 21 balls of NOro, and in my stash I have enough. Problem is that one whole pack is mainly pinks, then I have odd balls - about five - which will probably go quite well with the pink, BUT the other five balls will be from an autumnal colours pack - oranges and greens! I don't care, it's stashbusting, and I'm fed up with keeping packs of yarn which I think will make a wonderul Noro type garment. They never do, you know. I used to buy the Noro booklets, and the designers Noro booklets, and have knitted just one garment from them all. It's very addictive!
4) Garment #2 - Charm by Kim Hargreaves (ravelry here) . Love this design, and it looks easy. Rather than using the pinkish felted tweed I've dug out of stash, I went stashbusting for some older felted tweed, shade 149, Blaze, a wonderful red colour. Not cast on yet, but will be, soon.
I have carefully hidden all other yarn and patterns from my knitting area, I'm finding five WIPs on the go is more than than enough for me now. Last night I flitted between Foolish Virgins, the Mosaic socks and Rambling Rows - and even contemplated casting on Charm (but I ran out of time, every knitter needs to sleep!). I'm going to have to Plan.