On the Needles, Friday, June 28, 2013

It’s been a while since I’ve done an “On the Needles” post.  Once spring hit my mind didn’t turn to knitting much.  But now that we’re in full-blown summer with it’s heat and afternoon thunderstorms I’m knitting more.  It’s something “non-electrical” that I can do while the storms pass through.

Of course, being me, I have not one, not two, but SEVERAL projects on the go at one time.  I’ll explain to the non-knitters why I do this as I post these pics.  I’m sure the knitters in the crowd out there already know why.  😉

First up let’s start with the oldest project on the needles, my Scandinavian sweater:

I’m still knitting away on this one.  Two more inches of body and I can start the 3″ ribbing, then move on to the sleeves.  This one rarely gets worked on in the summer.  First off it’s heavy and hot in my hands.  And as it’s a “no-brainer” knit with only 3 purl stitches on every round that are clearly marked with brass stitch markers.  I save this for evening conversations with DH.  I can knit and still carry on a conversation.

Then there’s my “Pooling Challenge” socks that didn’t pool:

This has now become my summer travel project.  When DH and I run errands, or I might have to wait somewhere, I take this little project along.  It’s lightweight to carry, easy to knit (no pattern memory needed) and not hot to knit on if the a/c in anyplace is not as cool as I’d like.  My goal with this one is to use up every inch I can of the yarn to see exactly how tall of a sock I can get out of a skein of this brand yarn (KnitPicks Felici).

My Misty Meadow shawl is making really good progress (in my opinion):

I’m now more than halfway through the lace edging pattern!  This is my “DH is watching something I don’t really care to watch” knitting project.  LOL  BUT it has to be something not too dramatic on the screen as it IS a lace pattern and it does require a minimum of concentration.  It required much more the first 3 or 4 repeats, but isn’t that always the way with knitting?

Then I have my new current projects.  My Summer Mystery Shawl from WPKnits:

No progress on it until the next clue comes out, which I think is tomorrow.
And finally a very concentrated, I’m alone and need to mentally zone out of life project:

This has been an on again/off again/on again project!  It was a mystery, but the mystery is over now as I’m so late with it.  And I started it with a lace yarn, but didn’t like the gauge or the look of it.  So I ripped it out.  Then I purchased some solid blue fingering yarn and started again.  But the yarn was too fuzzy and hiding the lace pattern.  So I ripped it out.  I am now on my 3rd try, with the yarn I originally (before the laceweight) thought about using but then decided not to due to reviews I read on the yarn.  (KnitPicks Chroma).  And I am LOVING IT!  Yes, the variegated will obscure some of the lacework at first glance, but like an interesting quilt you need to take a first glance and then come back for a second look.  This yarn is just soft and fuzzy enough to be comfortable to work with, but not too fuzzy that I can’t see the lacework even before blocking.

So there’s LOTS on the needles here, and not much progress on any one thing.  But now you understand why I have so many different projects on the go at one time.  I mean who knows if today will be a talk to DH day, or an I’m all alone to concentrate day, or a run errands day, or what type of knitting may be best for the day!

Hey, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!!!!!!  😉