Let Us Observe a Moment of Silence

... for the Watergarden fair isle sweater.  Alas, poor knit, we hardly knew ye.

The Watergarden sweater is a men's fair isle sweater from Interweave Knits.  I cast it on back in 2008 out of Knit Picks Palette and got maybe, I dunno, 4-5" done.  And then I set it down and never, ever came back to it.

Long-time friends of the show will note that it has appeared in every single February is for Finishing post since.  And even as recently as this past February I was still protesting that I was gonna knit it someday.

Yeah, no.

There comes a time in every knitter's life when she needs to get a frickin' grip, and y'all that time has come and come again.

What with my new-found resolutions to knit things I'll really wear and a healthy dose of reality checking I realized that EVEN.  EVEN IF. I should ever actually finish the entire mostrosity of a sweater, I would never. ever. wear it.

So, after 6 years of protestation and hand-wringing I ripped that sucker out.

Now I just need to figure out what the heck to do with eleventeen tons of Palette.   A variation on Funky Grandpa perhaps?

Meanwhile, Alice carries on.  I'm a good 4" into the stockinette and am at the stage where the end is both in sight and so very, very far away.

Maybe a beer will help.

February is For Finishing 2013

After a very successful January, I'm left with eight projects on the needles.  I started with fifteen, and after I finished four and frogged three more I'm ready to hit February hard and fast (like your mom.)

So anyway -- here's what's left, from oldest to newest.

1.  The Watergarden Cardigan.   Started March 2008.  I've got maybe 4 inches knit.  I am not frogging this one, because I do want to knit it.  Someday.  Hell, maybe even this year, but it won't be in February -- my goal lies elsewhere.

2. The Fourth Doctor.   Started September 2008.  This and the Watergarden Cardigan are the last two "old projects" I have left.  I'm going to finish it this February.  This is me saying it out loud.  I will finish it, by gum.  I'm 40% in right now (I have a spreadsheet that says so.)

3. Knitting in Red.   Started March 17, 2012.  (Note the four year gap.  This is not because I stopped knitting, it's because I started finishing.)   This project is a meditation on change and on personal growth and fulfillment.  It's also a spell.  I'll pick it back up, but I'm not quite there yet.

4. Catching Dreams for Baby.  Started March 2012.   This is a cutie baby blanket.  I know a number of cutie babies that it might go to, or I might keep it at my house for said cutie babies to drag around while they are here.  I've 14 of 25 squares done.

5. Mitts for Rowan.  More about these later.  (They'll warrant their own post, as I'm wanting to write up the pattern.)  I'm about 60% - 65% in.  These will also be finished this February.

6. Drop Stitch Scarf.  Started October 2012.  I'd been looking for something to do with the gorgeous handspun that my sweet, good friend Summer gifted to me.  This was the perfect pattern.   I'm not far into it yet, maybe 5%?

7. Ripple Afghan.  Started December 2012.  I decided that I needed to undertake the art of the tacky crochet afghan.   I was greatly inspired by Lucy at attic24 (she's charming).  I am 50% done.  The first half was finished in probably 3 weeks, but I set it down when I started finishing up old knitting projects.  I kind of love this blanket.  It's swell.

8. Summer Halter.  Started January 2013.  More on the crochet kick!  My dear friend Erin reminded me of the summer top that she'd designed for herself.  I'm working on making my own.  I'm not sure how to categorize the percentage, maybe 25%?  I have two boobs, and nothing else.  (There's a "your mom" joke waiting to happen.) The color in this picture is all wrong,  It's really a happy, springy green.

So there you have it.  I'll do the mitts and the Who Scarf for sure, and then we'll see how much time I have left to work miracles when that's done.

I will point out (loudly and often) that once the Dr. Who scarf is done I will only have ONE (count them... one) project that is older that a year.  Hot damn.

Gratify Me Now, Please

Now that I've gotten pictures up of all of those socks, I want to start finishing them. I mean, I don't mind the idea of delayed gratification, I just want it NOW. Is that so wrong?

Meanwhile, I could be working on either of my Mystery Shawls, or I could be swatching for upcoming projects, or hey! I could work on the Watergarden sweater.


Or, you know... not...