Works-In-Progress Mega-Update Extravaganza

My first contest inspired me to take a look at all of my current works-in-progress (WIPs). Did it inspire me to work on any of them? Sort of. It mostly inspired me to want to catalog them, because clearly, cataloging them is much more productive than actually working on them, no? So today we have the list of WIPs that are current as of 2005. We won't talk about any of the projects that might not have been touched since 2004 or earlier, okay?

Shedir, from Knitty
Rowan Calmer: Peacock, #3, 16” Addi Turbo Circular
Beginning of fourth repeat of main cable pattern.
Two balls of Coffee Bean wait in the wings to possibly become the same hat.
This hat hasn’t been the quickest knit, but it did speed up when I stopped using a cable needle to do the cables. This is probably the project I've been working on the most diligently lately. I think I'm looking forward to the decreasing cable rounds. Who am I kidding? I always look forward to the decrease rounds.

Easy Children’s Lightweight Sock, Lorna’s Laces, Lucky Stripe, #1 dpns
This is the pattern I’m teaching in my current sock class. I bought this yarn last Thursday night so I’d have something from the store to work with during the class. I started out using #2s, but I’m pretty sure that will make these socks too big. I’d like to send them to Maggie for Valentine’s Day, but Morgan hasn’t sent me her foot measurements yet. I’m still on the first sock. I should have it to the heel by Thursday so I can show my participant how the heel is turned.

Anthony’s Sweater
Echo Lake Cardigan from Interweave Knits Summer 2003 Issue
Bernat DenimStyle Black/White, #8 24” Crystal Palace Circulars
I'm currently working on the right front of the cardigan. I have the front left and one sleeve completed. I have half of the other sleeve completed. I need to finish that half sleeve, finish this right front piece, and start and finish the back. I started this sweater last January, put it down for a long time, and have just recently picked it up again.

Hooray For Me Gloves
Trekking dk multi, #2 dpns
First glove, full fingers, rather than half. Sure, when I started these gloves I was all about knitting them until they were done. But once I put them down I've been hard pressed to pick them up again. It's probably because this 50 degree winter is just so darn uninspiring for knitting gloves. It might as well be summer.

Sock It To Me Toe Up Chevron Pattern Socks from Elann
Lorna’s Laces Liberty, #1 dpns
Second sock, above heel. I think the problem with these socks is that I need to rip out a few rows on the second sock and redo it to avoid the holes around the heel. I'm not inspired to rip those few rows back, even though I'm on the second sock. The second sock, people! What is wrong with me?

Fafner Dragon Pillow
Viking Patterns for Knitting
Old School 100% wool, #6 straights
Border of pillow complete, cable pattern on inside driving me crazy. I've started and restarted and restarted the cable pattern for the dragon a million times. Each time I think I've got it, and each time the dragon fights back. The cable chart in this book is wrong. Dead wrong. I can't find a fix for it on the internet, but I think I have an idea how to get it right. But as my grandfather would say, don't hold your hand over your butt.

Shadow Turtle Wall Hanging
Lamb’s Pride Brown Sheep purple and random cream colored wool, #6 straights
My mom loved Anthony's shadow alien scarf so much that she wanted something done in shadow knitting. She requested a turtle in purple and white. Do you see the turtle? No? Me neither. I may need to start this one over again.

Manos del Uruguay Scarf
Manos, #10 straights
My So Called Scarf pattern
This one was started a while back, and I'm still not sure if I'm going to finish it or not. I'm not much of a scarf knitter (alien scarves excepted) and I think this yarn has so much more potential. Eh, we'll wait and see. No big hurry.

"Excuse me? There's a towel on the table and no one told me about it. And a photo shoot? Why didn't you call me? I'm going to need you to take my picture please. And no, I'm not going to pose for you. You're just going to have to take a million shots and choose the best one. But seriously. How could you put a towel on the table and not tell me? This is my favorite!"

Uh, pardon the interruption, please. Moving on...

Mini Gansey from Knitted Ganseys
Lamb’s Pride Brown Sheep Crimson, #7 dpns
I know, Joy, I know. It's not even like I have that much more to do on the sucker. Shoulders and sleeves, shoulders and sleeves. Good thing I'm not making an adult-sized one, isn't it?

Greek Mittens from Folk Mittens
Wool from Brenda, #0 dpns
One mitten done sans thumb. My only excuse is, those needles are really stinking small. Oh, and the other excuse is, those needles are really stinking small. And again with the 50 degree winter. Seriously. What's up with that?

Wendy’s Easy Toe up Socks
Trekking, #00 dpns
One sock done except for cast off, other sock at toe. Okay, seriously. When did I ever think it was okay to knit with these needles? I like ones and twos and threes. But zeros? Double zeros? Am I insane? Don't answer that. I do like this pattern though. It's super easy to understand and it's a great introduction to toe-up socks.

Sadie’s Lacy Sweater
Size and numbers from Lydia's Lace Sweater in Kids, Kids, Kids
Lace pattern from Marie Louise's Lace Sweater in Knitter’s Stash
Berroco Linet, #6 straights and circulars
This sweater is for the granddaughter of a couple of the nicest people in the world. They live up the street from my parents and are probably the biggest help in the world. They've done so much for my mom and dad in the last few years it's truly amazing. I know a sweater for their granddaughter is a tiny tiny way to say thanks, but at least it's something. I need to finish this by the end of January. Any suggestions on the sleeves? They're kind of making me a little batty.

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Lastly, here are two projects that I'll be casting on soon.

First, Raindrop Lace Socks from Fiber Trends
Lorna’s Laces Seaside, #2 dpns
This yarn and sock pattern are the things I got on Saturday at the yarn store when I worked. I'm going to use them for my sock club that starts on Saturday, January 28. I figure I need to use both pattern and yarn from the store for these kinds of things, and by then I ought to be tired of the aforementioned Easy Sock pattern.

And lastly, I'm joining the Knitting Olympics, sponsored by the Yarn Harlot. The basic idea is that you have to cast on after the torch is lit, and cast off before the torch is out at the end of the Olympics. The project you choose has to be a challenge for you. So, since I've never finished a lace shawl (you may recall the frogged attempt a couple of weeks ago), I've chosen the Diamond Fantasy Shawl as my Olympic challenge this year. It will actually be somewhere between the scarf and the shawl, as the scarf calls for 350 yards and the shawl calls for 750 yards and I have 440 yards of yarn. I'm gonna go till I run out.... sort of. And I read today that the thing has to be blocked by the time the torch goes out, too, so that adds pressure. But I'm excited! I like a good challenge. And I really want a gold medal button for my blog.

Who else is up for the challenge?

p.b. This is my 50th post. Yay me!