Nothing Easy

Well, both boys are actually asleep – and neither is in my arms. So I could be knitting. But, I don’t have anything that I can easily just sit and mindlessly knit while I sit here and watch them – they’ve both crashed out on my bed, so I can’t leave them. I need to measure on the Cascade Skye cardigan. I’m working on the right front, and I think that when I laid it down last, I was at a point where I needed to measure. I might be at the decrease point already. (That's most likely why I laid it down! - because I couldn't easily measure it at that moment.) Then, I’m also working on the little boy design I mentioned before. It’s one I’m hoping to complete in time to pass on for consideration at Knitty. It’s going well – and quickly (which is sometimes part of the goal for a knitting mom). But, again, I need to be able to do a few rows and measure… Still, I might run and grab that and bring it in here to work on while they snooze. (I didn't.)

At first, I thought I’d sit here and blog and read blogs – which I spend too much time doing these days – time which I should be spending writing and taking advantage of the non-income-bearing days I’m having. But, alas, I end up spending too much time with blog-related endeavors. Unfortunately, my wireless connection is misbehaving (as usual), so I can't get logged in/on. Instead, I'm just going to do some journaling and type up this blog entry so I can post it later.

(Early) This morning while sipping coffee and holding an early riser, I looked through my “Little Box of Scarves” (again). I looked through it when it arrived the other day, and liked the collection but wasn’t bowled over. Today, upon second look, I think I liked the collection even more and could see myself making more of those scarves than I originally thought.

I guess I really need to make a list of what I’m hoping to make by year’s end - and then try to stick to it (somewhat).

I bought a bunch of yarn at a yarn sale a few weeks ago, none of it earmarked for anything specific, even though I sat down and made a list of yarn requirements for a few projects I was thinking of. Basically, I bought a bunch of yarns good for hats and scarves, and one set of fancy fibers and wool for a felted bag. But, no sweater yarn.

I’m still thinking that maybe my Philosopher’s Wool cardigan would be a good thing to work on. I had it out a while back and was amazed at how much of it I actually have finished. Now, that’s not a good thing really because I need to take it all out, I think, and start over as I was making it really BIG to start with and now realize that’s not really what I want (or need). My partner agrees that as painful as it will be to frog it, it’s probably the best idea. I’ll definitely post photos of it before I do.

The other thing I started before (and would frog and restart) that I’m considering picking up is a tweed stitch cardigan from Sally Melville (the name of her first book is escaping me at the moment). I have to start over because, again, I was making it too big (enlarging the pattern even), which I wouldn’t do this time. But I looked at it recently, and it’s SO pretty, that it’s a tempting project to pick back up.

But, it’s not a project that would be easy to do working with a baby in my arms. The Philosopher’s Wool would probably be easier, though it’s not really mindless either.

The other thing I’m tempted by is making a Kersti cardigan. I like the one in the current issue of Vogue, but my partner says I won’t like it because it’s oversized. Having worn oversized for most of my life, I’m really drawn to it in the photo, but I know she’s right, I’ve been moving away from that. Still, I really like it. I haven’t seen Kersti in person still, however. I’m hoping to soon. Otherwise, I’m just going to have to order some blindly from ThreadBear soon.

I’ve also got two shades of purple Manos put aside for a cardigan. I’ve got some Collinette sitting with them (it’s either Apollo or Zanziba) that I was going to try and integrate (probably as banding) because I don’t have quite enough for a sweater out of just the Manos. (Who knows what I was thinking when I bought it a few years back at Straw into Gold in Berkeley.)

And, of course, there is so much yarn in the basement...