100th Post (State of the Union)

I've been planning this post all week without even knowing it was my hundredth post. But it seems somehow appropriate to time these two events simultaneously, so I will use this blog moment to evaluate the state of my (knitting) union these days.

Folks, it's not looking good. There are a lot of WIPS, especially long-time WIPS that I'm tired of working on. There are a lot of "one sock wonders" floating around my house. There are projects I once loved but the spark is gone. There are things I can't bear to frog. There are things I should just suck it up and finish. Here is a (hopefully not too lengthy) evaluation of knitting chez Jennie.

Unfinished Socks:

Pomatomus socks


I started these before I started blogging, last December, as a Christmas gift. I made one, hated the way the yarn and the pattern coincided, hated the fact that my gauge was off and it was too big, threw it in my scraps box and tried to stop thinking about it. A few weeks ago, I pulled out the second skein of yarn and needles and cast on for sock #2. Lo and Behold, my knitting has improved tremendously since last December. Not only can I accurately read a lace chart, but my gague is much, much tighter. Now what? Can't decide whether to finish sock #2, the frog and reknit the first sock, see if I have enough yarn to knit three all together, or throw in the towel, use sock #1 as a christmas stocking and gift the yarn.

Mystery Sock (i.e. Piece of crap obstacle sock)


I hate this sock. Hate it. It's too small, the pattern is weird, the gauge is too tight. Hate. It. Must rip it out. Can't stand to even look at it. It lurks in the scraps box for now.

Huron Sock


I love this sock. I loved knitting it until I got to the foot. The foot was a pain (carrying the yarn in the back for the three rows where there was no "lice" pattern on the top of the foot was tremendously tedious). I want to knit the second, but need to build up some stamina.

New England Sock


I made the first one. Then my life got complicated. I started the second one last week. Those needles sure are tiny.

"Thinking Socks"


I forgot I hated magic loop...

The Road To Oslo


When Nancy Bush says that socks are a quick knit, she's not joking. These will be an FO tomorrow. Note: I love the part when you turn it inside out and keep knitting so that you can fold the cuff down. Why is that so much fun?

Wraps and Shawls

T-SALP


O woe is T-SALP, other wise known as the top secret amazing lace project that I didn't complete for the Amazing Lace which I pretty much washed out of after week one. Yeah. The yarn for this shawl is beautiful. I'm making it for my mommy, who I love. But the pattern I chose is so. damn. boring. to. knit. Really. It looks so beautiful that I can't rip what I've done and do something else -- I know it will be worth it in the end. But I can't bear to knit it. I know it's just gonna take stamina and some kind of strategy. Slow and steady wins the race...

Clapotis


I feel ambivalent, and the ambivalence has made me stop knitting. I love dropping stitches. But I'm not sure I even really like it. The yarn is awesome (I love the sheen of Schaefer Anne!), but maybe better suited for something else? I'm not sure yet.

Swallow Tail


I have never been a fan of small shawls (or shawls at all for that matter), but I think they are gonna be my new accessory. I started this shawl on Tuesday. I'm almost done with the Budding Lace portion. I'm knitting it with some Drops Alpaca -- so it's thicker than lace weight. Love it. Hope to be done with it (if my fingers cooperate. More in this later).

Afraid...

Orangina


I've attatched the two pieces, I'm an inch or so down the ribbing. I'm terrified it is too big. And so I stopped knitting.

Anthropologie Sweater

I love everything about this except that the whole thing scares me. I hate short sweaters -- I never wear them. Why would I knit one, using a whole lot of beautiful aplaca? It just seemed right. I can't figure out how long to make it, though, or how long the arms should be. So I knit a row here and there and think about it. I might love it short. I thought shrugs were stupid, and now I wear my "arms" all the time.

Lazy

New Advisor Socks


I need to rip out the bind off on one ankle and re-do it. I'm too lazy. Idiot.

Too Sad

Spitey's Sweater


This is proof (?) that the boyfriend sweater thing is not a myth. I've never been a very superstitious person and a year and a half ago, for Spitey's 31st Birthday, I offered to knit him a sweater. He'd been asking, I thought it was sweet, I loved the yarn he picked, the total cost of it was exactly $31 -- It seemed fated. And yet... we broke up when I moved here. I worked on it some in vain during the long, lonley, and incredibly sad first few months I was here, and managed to finish the body (up to the armpits), one sleeve, and part of the second. Then I relegated it to the bottom of one of my WIP boxes so I wouldn't have to confront it. This sweater reminds me of him. It's just one of those things -- I'm still in love him and hate thinking about it. He was my best friend. Ripping out this sweater is like... erasing something? I don't know. There you have it. TMI.

Brand New WIP

Wrist cushion


I started this today. Because my hands HURT. I've been typing a lot (transcribing interviews, working on proposals, etc) and knitting a lot and the two are not mixing. I don't think there is anything seriously wrong (I think my hands are just out of shape from not typing much this last year -- I touch type and type fast. It's a workout, especially for the last two fingers on my left hand) but I'd like to keep it that way. So I'm knitting one of those ergonomic wrist rests to go in front of the keyboard. I'm using Misti Alpaca bulky, a skein that I've had lying around since I fell in love with it at Vagabond -- a yarn shop and boutique in Philly -- over a year ago. I've never know what to do with it (one skein doesn't go all that far). But this is perfect -- it feels sooo good on my wrists. I'm using "sand" stitch, but I can't decide which side I like better. What do you think?

Or


And that ends the summary... It was long, I know. And there are other little things I've not included that I know I'll rip eventually or that I know I won't finish. I have to say, I thought I was worse off than this. With a little effort, I could get most of these done (fingers crossed).

And now, speaking of fingers... off to give them a rest.