The Bug Is Back

My knitting life has been pretty dismal this year.  We could spend hours talking about why...and even then I'm not sure we could come up with a good explanation.  It's just been strange.

 

However, as of two days ago, my passion has returned - to my immense relief!

 

So let's just take a little look-see into the workbasket....

 Yes, I'm still working on the Spider Queen edging.  This has been such a troubled project for so long that I've honestly not got a huge interest in finishing it.  I work on it a bit here and a bit there.  It is what it is!

 I also started my husband's sweater last week.  This is the ribbing, which is always the slowest part of a fair isle project for me.  I did have to order a longer 2.5mm needle for the body, and it arrived yesterday.  It will be getting most of my attention in the coming few months.

 

But while I was waiting for that new needle to arrive, something funny happened.  What was that?  Well, I came down with a major case of 'startitis' on Monday.....

 I started a two color, fingering-weight shawl.  I had originally intended these two colors to be used together in a pair of socks, but there isn't quite enough contrast between them to make the pattern really pop.  (I tried twice.)  Soooo....striped shawl it is!  This will be my fifth small shawl from Rosemary Hill's original 7 Small Shawls subscription/book, and I'm sure I will love it as much as I love all of the rest.

 I cast on my next pair of Opal socks.  I always need more.  Don't laugh.

 Then I cast on a second pair of socks, which will be gifted to my Fairy Godmother.  As luck would have it, I had the perfect skein of yarn in my stash for this gift!

 Then, just for kicks, I cast on a second fingering weight shawl.  This is a bamboo blend, purchased because it was in an 1,100 yard skein specifically for a shawl at some point.  (I had long since decided that bamboo was a horrible fiber for socks.)  This is also a Rosemary Hill design, and is one I had tried with another yarn a few years ago.  That pairing didn't work, but I think this one might.  Besides, I really wanted a new fingering-weight, 'everyday' shawl for this winter.

Before I can continue, I need to figure out if I want to add beads...opinions? (Thought I also had some peachy-pink beads, but I guess not.)

 

So yes, the knitting bug is back, and it is back with a vengeance.  Casting on four new projects in a single day - while waiting for the needle to continue with a major project that needs a lot of attention - is actually a bit strange for me, but we're just going to go with it!