Knitting: Best laid plans?

Well, I don't know who out there is reading, but I promised a picture of the wrap. So here she is, the lovely Every Way Wrap in Progress.



I really do love the look of this. It's just very tedious knitting, which I need to learn to deal with. As I said before this project is definitely a trial in patience.

So all week, I've been looking forward to knit knite! I've missed a few weeks because of various issues, but I was finally able to go. So I start working on the wrap and it took me a bit to find where I was. I thought I had stopped on a particular row, but the knitting was arguing with me. I finally agreed with the knitting and started along. Well, with that very first row I started, I realized I was not paying as much attention as I should because lets face it, I like to talk and listen to all the stories going on at the table. So I pulled the row out and set the knitting off to the side and conversed for the rest of the evening. Yes I should have taken something extra to work on, but I'm trying to be good and not cast anything on.

Which leads me into a nice segue way. These gals I knit with are terffic. They are kind, funny, talented, witty, amazing... etc. They are also a bunch of freakin' enablers!!! I am too, but just when I think I've gotten on a good track things go astray. I really feel that I'm going to be good and I'm not going to cast on anything else or buy yarn. I mean I REALLY thought I had gotten rid of castonitis... but lo and behold these wonderful people just bring it right back out of the wood work! :) They could sell yarn to a sheep, I'm not kidding!

It's all good, but after chatting about projects and ravelympics, I have some seriously itchy fingers! So much so, that I spent the first HOUR of the day today looking for the Vivian pattern. I printed it awhile back but can't find it anywhere. As well as my size 8 interchangeables. Now, I have the wrap which I need to be working.... but that Vivian, she is an evil siren and is calling to me. She is my Ravelympics challenge and I cannot start her yet.

So I swatched! I pulled out my yarn, a previous purchase for another sweater. I calculated the yardage I currently have and realized I don't have enough because the previous project was a short sleeve - 3/4 sleeve cabled/lacey sweater and vivian is a cable/seed stitch long sleeve cardigan hoodie. So I need about another 5 skeins of yarn. Good thing I realized this now, so that I can order and get before ravelympics start.



I feel pretty proud of myself for showing some restraint and actually swatching. I'm horrible about it normally, but I said, "Self, do this right and you might actually make something that will fit properly!"

What I learned with this swatch is that I'm still a knitter that can get guage with said needles for said type of yarn. I swatched with a size 9 because I couldn't find the 8 and my guage is off. It's off just enough though that I know I can get guage with the 8's once I find them. So another guage swatch isn't necessary. The pattern gives guage in stockinette and seed stitch, so I incorporated both into my swatch, rather than doing 2 separate swatches.

Oh and while I was thinking about projects and itchy fingers... I happen to see something in my stash and got a fantastic idea! Last fall, a few of the ladies and I talked about doing a KAL for the Winter Twilight Mitts. I know Karen and Jackie recently picked out their yarn and ordered from Knit Picks. I hadn't ordered because I thought I would use some stash yarn. I have massive amounts of sock yarn I want to use up. So I was good. Well, about a month ago, I was trying to pair up yarns and wondering what would look nice together, etc. I have a lot of knit picks Palette yarns, differing colors... but nothing was jumping out at me. For awhile, I actually thought about dropping the idea of joining the KAL.

But today... I spied with my green eye what I think will make some very nice mitts. I have the Knitpicks Imagination in Mermaid Lagoon and the Essential Kettle Dyed in Eggplant. They look REALLY nice together. See!



So I'm considering that pairing to make those mitts. And of course I want to start RIGHT NOW!

But... I'm going to be good, at least for the next few hours and work on the wrap.