Mardi Gras (in other words: splurge before you diet)

I've decided to go on a yarn diet, kind of based on Wendy's Knit from Your Stash 2007. My stash really isn't that big (I don't think--but I could just be in denial) so it's going to be a modified one. Basically, the rule is: I am not allowed to buy more yarn until I've finished the projects that I already have.

Tonight, I went through my stash and sorted it into three groups: WIP's, "nice yarn" and "bleah yarn". The "bleah yarn" group consists mostly of old acrylic yarns that I purchased or received before I knew there was nicer stuff out there. It's nice to keep around when I need scrap yarn for temporary stitches or for holding live stitches to try on a garment, or to wrap around when I'm winding yarn into hanks. I may or may not see if Goodwill will take most of it. The "nice yarn" group is just that: nicer yarns, like silky wool, or 100% wool, things I've bought but don't have a specific project in mind for yet. They're just "marinating" right now. WIP's are just that: Things like Bristow, Eris, and Scheherezade, along with some yarn that has a specific project attatched to it that I haven't started, or started and frogged, like my Mom's socks.

The plan is to finish everything in my WIP basket before I can buy new yarn. Originally, my plan was to clean out the "nice yarns" group, too, but after looking at it tonight, and the more I think about it, the less likely it is to happen. Let's be realistic: I've got to have SOME stash, don't I? :)

That said, I went to my LYS today and snooped around to see what I could find before I'm banned. Here's what I found:

3 Skeins of Noro Silk Garden Color #221, and 2 of Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool Color #18. I'm not sure what I want to make with them. Maybe a hat and scarf and mittens. The Noro is worsted weight and the Silky Wool is DK, so I'm going to have to do some swatching and see what comes out. If I knit with 2 strands of DK weight together, does that come out the same as worsted weight? I guess we'll have to see. They've gone into the "nice yarns" box for now.

In a finishing mood...

I've been in a finishing mood lately. I think with these two things I've only got three things on the needles right now: Bristow, Eris, and Scheherezade.

J's Hat, finished December 19, 2006, unknown wool I bought from one of our two LYS's here in town.

When I finished my brother's Christmas scarf, I wasn't really interested in working on any of the projects I had going, so I decided to make another Christmas gift, a scarf for my sister K. C's scarf went pretty fast, and I had ten days, so I decided to give it a go. The pattern is Clapotis, modified to be not so wide. It's kind of a fun pattern, but I'm not ga-ga over it, like everyone else seemed to be. Maybe it's because the yarn isn't the best, a cotton/nylon blend. The pattern stands out, but it rolls in on itself worse than stockinette would. I steam blocked it, and hopefully it will hold its shape. Maybe I'd have fallen in love if I had some wool/silk to knit it up in...guess I'll have to try it someday.

The scarf was NOT finished by Christmas, but I decided not to stress about it. In fact, since my sister did not know that it was for her, I actually didn't even wrap it up, but continued to work on it while I was at my parents' house this weekend. On Christmas morning, when she opened her box, there was a small game and a ball of this yarn, and I explained that the scarf I'd been working on was for her and I'd mail it up when I finished it.

Speaking of Christmas, it was really good, but much too fast. I drove up to Indiana where my parents live after I got off work on Saturday. Normally the trip takes about four and a half to five hours, but I left at 3:30 and didn't arrive until 9:30 because there was a big accident on the highway. I got stuck in the traffic right after I passed an exit and TWO HOURS LATER, I reached the next exit, five miles down the road. TWO. HOURS. UGH! I think what was most exasperating was not knowing what was going on and why we were all parked on the highway. But since this is the middle of nowhere, Indiana, there's not exactly a need for local radio stations to have traffic reports every ten minutes. It was frustrating not being able to find one. I guess I'm turning into a big-city girl. Needless to say, I had a new "first" this weekend--knitting while sitting behind the wheel--on the interstate...(shh, don't tell the cops!)

My parents gave me a book called "Knit 2 Together" but that was the only knitting-related gift I received. My brother and my sister gave me some DVD's, and that was about it. I'm not usually a big movie watcher, but I didn't ask for anything or drop any hints, and they didn't know what else to get for me.

Done!

I finished my brother's Christmas present on Friday night. It's pretty and feels soft to my fingers, but it's kind of itchy when I try it on my neck, so I'm not sure how he'll like it. It softened up some when I washed it, so hopefully it will contintue to soften the more it's washed and worn.