A Deep Dive Into My Workbasket

Thor is curious about what's in there...and so am I!

A note:  I'm working on an ancient laptop that makes dealing with my photos a challenge.  I finally just uploaded the pics as is because I couldn't get many of them to turn the right way.  What can I say, the computer has issues...and I don't have the patience to fix it today.

First up, the things that I'm actively working on now:

Mia Francesca!  I love this sweater more than I can possibly say.  I bought the pattern a few years ago, and have been holding on to it for a while.  Earlier this year I decided that it was time...which kicked off the great yarn debate of 2019.  My husband finally told me to chose the yarn I would chose if I were making it for someone else...so I bought the Sunday Knits Nirvana which I'd been drooling over.  (I have trouble spending money on myself...I don't think I'm usual in that...and had been trying to find a cheaper yarn.  Silly me.)  This will absolutely be done in time for cool weather this fall and winter, and I can't wait to wear it!

Oh Good Grief.  I actually started Linientreu a year ago.  It's been sitting for ages and ages because I wasn't really 100% sure if I liked the combo of a natural white against the Zauberball that I'd been saving for just such a project.  That, and the triangles are a pain in the arse and I wasn't happy with how you can see the yarn carrying up the back between stripes.  However, I pulled it out last week and added another triangle...and now I'm off to the races.  I pined part of it out as it will be when blocked, and that showed me that my concerns didn't hold water.  This is a great pattern for yarns with long floats of color, and I can't wait to see what it looks like when done.  (I did have to track down and order one skein of the natural yarn because I don't have enough.  Fingers crossed.  The original was a Regia that's been discontinued.  I ordered what replaced it with the hopes that it's close enough that you won't notice in this pattern.)

My 100th pair of socks.  I debated something fancy or something plain to commemorate this milestone, and at the end of the day I decided that a plain pair of socks in the sock recipe pattern I've used dozens of times in my favorite yarn was the way to go.  The 101th pair?  I've already got something special planned for that one....

I've less than two years to complete my eldest's scrapbook blanket (just over half way done now) and then after that I've three years to make one for my second (I've done the first four rows).  I would be lying if I didn't admit to a bit of panic.  They are amazing projects, but they do take time!

Queen Susan, you are a thing of beauty, but you take a lot of time.  The rows are now taking about an hour each to complete....and I'm only about 1/3 of the way through the border.  She's worth it.

Next, the things that are languishing a bit:

Delores!  I Love her!  And I love the kit, and I love the yarn, and I would buy every outfit kit if I could afford it.  It got set aside because the stuffing process is tricky and I was having trouble getting the shape right.  I plan on getting back to it as soon as I've finished up one more active project.

Handspun, lace design project.  You've seen it a million times because I frequently pick it up and vow to do something with it.  It's kind of now or never.

I just don't know....it's one of those scarf kits where one strand is metal.  Every once in a while I look at it and sigh.  Have never figured out if I like it or not.

And the sadly neglected finish basket:

Don't judge.  I initially knit this as a gift for a baby who's now six years old...but I never did the finish work on it.  (Which is actually kind of weird for me, given how much I love colorwork in general and this project in specific.)  At this rate, it'll be a great present for a grandbaby someday.

My Winter Wonderland Coat knit from wool raised by my parents is a delight.  It also is extremely heavy, overly warm for my climate, and the sort of thing I don't have any where to wear it to.  It needs:  buttons, the collar sewn on, and reinforcing tape sewn to the seams to support the weight.  (That last one is the one that truly gives me pause.)  My mom wants me to finish it so that she can display it when she takes the sheep places.  I'll get around to it when I figure out how and where I'll use it.  Maybe.  It is a thing of beauty, and it was fun to knit!

The best word to describe this is exasperating.  It's the Snowberry Lace Shawl by Ilona Dmitrieva, and it's beautiful.  But.  It requires a crocheted cast off with bobbles that I find tedious and miserable to work on.  I knit it in less than two months, and it's now been in the finish basket for five months waiting for me to do that blasted edging.  Maybe it's time for plan b.

The walruses from my Christmas ornament knitting bonanza from two or three years ago.  I finished everything else...so why not them?  Good question.  The pieces are all here, and I'd like to have them ready to put on the tree this year.

The one random project:

Tatting really and truly was one of my first great loves...but I don't actually tatt all that often anymore because a.  I have a tendency to break the thread easily because I'm a tense person and b. rejoining breaks is a pain in the arse.  Also, one only needs so many tatted handkerchiefs.  It's a very old-fashioned craft, and despite the best efforts of a lot of people who love it, there's very little call for doilies and such these days  BUT, I had a reason to start a new hankie, and here it is.  Hope to finish it very soon.  Not going to make my deadline, but so be it.

Last, but not least, the spinning! 

I like having a project on the spindles...but I almost never play with my spindles.  This is a lovely silk/wool blend that deserves better.  Perhaps I'll move it to the wheel, perhaps I'll challenge myself to actually spin it as intended.  (The spindle is my very first Golding, a butterfly, and I love it beyond measure.)

When I recently returned to the wheel, I pulled out a bunch of locally raised Shetland in a grey/blue striped roving that I like but don't love.  It was kind of the perfect wool to do a down and dirty fast spin with in order to get back in the habit.  I'm about 2/3 through this project, and hope to finish it up soon.  I estimate 4-6 hours to finish the singles....and probably around that to ply it.  Not sure what I'll do with the finished yarn.  That deserves some thought because I'm sincerely working on actually using my handspun yarns rather than throw them into a basket.

This is a tad embarrassing.  I started this gorgeous laceweight YEARS ago, and set it aside when the wheel wobble became a problem that I couldn't solve.  (That's actually a lot of why I stopped spinning for a while.)  I really need to get back to it, because it's going to be a gorgeous piece of lace someday.

And that's everything!

Hoping to make a bit of a dent over the next few weeks because I've actually got some time right now!