projects projects everywhere, and nary an FO

Although I did knit a couple hats a few weeks ago, and pump out a few little gifts in April, I have been getting "nothing" done.  Knitting on projects that take time, these days.  And as usual, knitting on all of them at once, so making incremental progress on them evenly, but not quickly!  I really need to embrace the one-project-at-a-time rule...

My husband's indestructible socks have been getting a lot of attention from me, and I am on the sole flaps,

so certainly there will be a blogpost when the heels are done, if ever! Talk about stitch patterns that take time!  They are constructed using many different slipped-stitch patterns, that change with each new section.  Lots of close pattern following, examining the work, and two different sized needles to keep track of flying around with these guys.

I started a skirt for myself, but have lost interest in miles of stockinette the width of my hips (oi!) and have been working on that sparingly.

My newest projects are socks for my daugher (which I started to have a take-along-not-attached-to-a-pattern project,) and a shawlette.  No, not the Milo shawl I was planning earlier, but something simpler that I think I will actually complete!!  It is the sand and sea shawlette and it is just lovely.  It took me two nights to cast on all those stitches because I felt like using the cable cast on, and I'm glad I did - it really makes a nice, smooth and even edge. I'm really enjoying how the colors in the yarn are coming out, and think it will look great with the mustardy gold color the trim will be (well, hope so!)

Pretty soon, hopefully it will look like the picture!

I'm really enjoying working on this one and the socks the most.  No big surprise.  Love skinny needles and yarn!

The sweater for my mom got frogged, as I finally realized that it's just not the sweater for her.  So I have frogged it, and bought a new pattern, still with cables and still with the gauge I want, but a cardigan, like she really wants: and it is just fit for a queen!  It's a chic knits pattern, and I've never knit one before, but their stuff always looks so nice.  Unfortunately, I am too overwhelmed by such a big undertaking to even begin.  So the yarn sits, frogged and alone, haunting me, until I get the courage.

knitting action

Yup, another uterus.  This one was sent off in the mail today to my senator, accompanied by a strongly-worded, yet very civil and polite, letter.  I hope he will pay attention to it.  I hope this madness will end.  I'll keep knitting them and sending them to the-powers-that-be who are in need.

Oh, and ps....
I finished the commissioned socks!  Hurray!  They will be given to their new owner this weekend. :)

tomato encouragement

Hubby and the kids were out turning over the garden today, to get it ready to be planted.  I think it's a little early, but the good weather gets everyone giddy for planting.   I must say, I am definitely eager for all the beans and onions, and squash, and cucumbers, and most of all, the tomatoes!   (Still not going to plant in March, though.)

Anyway, we were crazy busy today, out and about everywhere, finally ending at the grocery store, where I bought (incredibly inferior to fresh out of the garden) grocery store winter tomatoes.  When we got home we had lunch, and then I started making yogurt, for the first time ever, so that was fun (it's still stewing, and won't be ready for the next step until my bedtime, so yeah, I'll be drinking coffee tonight!) But I digress....

So then for supper, while they were out in the garden, I made a tomato basil pie.  I used to make this all the time when my son was a baby, but we haven't had it now in years.  The best thing to do with winter tomatoes is to cook them, if you ask me, and my daughter loves tomatoes, and they were doing the garden, and it just seemed so appropo, and yummy!

And it was.  Yum!  So that's my good wishes effort for a good crop this year.  I can't wait for those tomatoes!  Now that will be a good tomato pie!

one down...

Here she is.  Soon to be on her way to he who needs to hear about it!  Back to knitting.

armed with two pointy sticks

WIP Wednesday is a knitted uterus for my congressman, and one for my senator, too.
I am horrified by the laws trying to be passed regarding women and their medical care.  If you are, too, you must check this out. It is a website for information about knitting or crocheting a uterus to send to your representatives to let them know what you think.

I think of my daughter, and fear what the world will be like for her when she grows up.  Women are exploited regularly in our society, which is hard enough to fight against; we can't allow humiliation and abuse of human rights as well.
For now, I'm going to grab my needles and this yarn, and get knitting.  Check back for an FO, hopefully very soon!

uh-oh

I am 75% done with the commissioned socks.  Hooray!  I rarely stick to one project at a time, and tend to work on something different each day, but since these are on a self-inflicted deadline, (and I am sure they are expected in a timely manner by their recipient,) I have been working on these, and nothing else.  I am learning that I have even less knitting time than I thought I did, and that I miss my other projects, too!

Sadly, though, I am running out of yarn too quickly.  Yeah, when you knit a tighter gauge than the yarn calls for, you're going to run out sooner than expected.  So, not much profit going to be made on these after my near-future yarn purchase for them, which stinks, but c'est la vie!

I'm glad about being almost done with these, and really glad about the weather we've been having.  You gotta know we could use a little spring around here in this house!  Finally everyone is healthy, which is fantastic, including me!  But hubby is still out of work, and my work goes slow, and these things are very straining, especially when you're all cooped up.  Being able to be outside almost all day, with warm sunshine and blue skies, is so wonderful for my mood and mindset, and I welcome it entirely. Here's to open windows in March, yeah!

persevering flower

Finished the herringbone cowl!

It was murder on the hands, so luckily I ran out of yarn and it's a bit less wide than it should be.  Ah well.  It's warm and soft and striking, and looks good on me!  Success.

Began hubby's indestructible socks.  Have a toe and a half done (and my, they are slow-going toes...)

Mom's sweater is hardly worked on at all I'm afraid...

...nor did I get to start that shawl, as I got roped into doing a pair of commissioned socks.  And no, I didn't ask nearly enough.  Decided to go with Sunday Swing again, as the pattern is burned in my brain, and moves along very nicely.  Also shows off the yarn well.  I altered it by doing a 1x1 rib for the cuff (better elasticity) and a normal heel (the other heel was tedious to me, and comes out large.)

Unfortunately, I do not have a second needle in this size, so am working on only one sock at a time.  Here is hoping I will persevere and move on that second sock upon completing the first!  I must; there is no option this time (I hate that!)

If that all isn't enough, last night I started toast mitts in some Ella Rae Kamelsoft that has been sitting in my closet since the Bella's Mittens days.  Just for me, and just because.

In non-knitting news, my son gave me this geranium two years ago for mother's day.  The poor thing strained to live outside all summer, and at the end of the season, he was so upset that it was dying, that I brought it in, and sat it in my window.
It's managed to stay barely alive all this time, and then last week, it sprouted flowers!!  We could not even believe it.  They seem to be fading now, but it flowered!  What perseverance.  Hoping to learn from this flower, as we face our family struggles in this hard economic time we're having, as well as in my knitting.

Have a great week all!  And keep on plodding along... :)