The first step is admitting that you have a problem

At Knittervention on Monday, we were talking about projects in progress, and one person pointed out that I have a lot of knitting for special places: briefcase knitting, desk knitting, etc. one apparently all too observant person pointed out how much knitting is in my desk at work. Is three projects too many within arms reach of my desk chair?

So this got me thinking about my WIP's . . .and I have decided to bare all.  I have decided to list my WIP's in a public forum. All of them. No matter how long neglected. (Deep breath. ) here goes:

1. Cotton halter. Still unnamed. Recent, good progress, no issues. Yea!

2.  Colorwork mittens. Also still unnamed. Neglected past couple weeks, but still progressing reasonably well.

3. Placemat. Mindless by nature, so limited to practically brain dead knitting times. (Why waste alert knitting times on something brainless, especially something that will eventually have chocolate milk stains?)

4.  Swirl skirt. Recently frogged, and not yet re-started.

5. Celtic Sage. Neglected for the past month, possibly longer. There is a problem that I need to get passed, and I know I can, I just haven't yet.

6. Shuturgal socks. Neglected for a least six months, possibly longer. Ever since I discovered lace, I have abandoned sock knitting. For no good reason, really. I used to love socks. I loved knitting them; I loved wearing them. There should be room in my knitting life for socks and lace.

7.  Charity socks. They have been in my briefcase for a while. I take them out once in a while, but realistically, I average a few rows per week. If that. This will take a while at that pace.

8.  Burgundy charity scarf. Started a few months ago. It sits on my desk. A do a few rows here and there, mostly when listening to voicemail or on hold. Really, a few concentrated hours would see this one finished.

9.  Laughing bird scarf. Also sitting on my desk at the office. Neglected for months. Warm weather simply does not encourage scarf knitting.

10. (Oh my! Double digits, and I am not near done.). Black rose. Neglected at least a year. There was a problem, and I am afraid that I might need to rip back to my lifeline. That IS what lifelines are for, but it is a huge hassle. A year's delay doesn't help, but there it is.

11. Big Purple. That afghan for my Mother-in-law. It is big, or will be, if I can get past the first foot.  Aphgans are just so big, even on size 10 needles.

12. Hunting mittens. Since I finished two fraternal kittens, and had to make another pair that matches the first is I have two identical pairs, I should get some credit here.

13.  Invisibility cloak. One inch completed. Neglected at least six months. Moving on.

14.  Sea foam wrap. Something I started years ago, before I knew what real shawls were. The only reason to finish would be to finish. I would probably donate to charity, as I have further interest in either the yarn or the shawl.

15.  Cool work pillow. This was primarily started to learn color work. I have got the basics down, but I am only a few inches in the first pillow out of a set of two.

16.  My sweetie's hoodie. Oh, god, his hoodie. Neglected for years. Really, my sweetie deserves  better.

Oh, maybe this was a bad idea. But I was at a yarn store, and successfully resisted the temptation to buy more yarn. I mean, this exhibition was only about. the works in progress. It doesn't even count the stash.

I really have to finish a few of these before starting anything new.

Today it is all about the exhibitionism and resolutions.

Can't measure THAT in public

This halter top is challenging me in new ways of trying on as I go. I literally have to go topless to make sure that all the lines and edges cover what they should. So far, it shows a wee bit more upper chest than expected, but not so much that I will be mistaken for Mylie Cyrus.

I am loving the pattern, but I am already thinking about changes to make for a second time.  Maybe I should finish the first one first.  .  .  The number of neglected WIP's is shocking enough, without adding sequels.

So, I have finished the front of the bodice, and starting wrapping around the sides to the back. One side nearly completed, so I have started in on the other side, to keep them roughly equal, til they meet at the back.

Today, it is all about meeting in the middle.

Blog, and ye shall find

Cancel the milk cartons. I found my missing postie note. Just when I was going to have to start winging it, there it was, on my desk, among the boring work-related postie notes.

Jackpot!

So I am safely back on track with my halter top. I have placed the marker for the strap, and will be doing the decreases.

So far the two pieces are identical. The size seems right, but it have long since learned not to let knitting lead me down that particular path of possible delusion.

Today, it is all about the search.

Memory test

Has anyone seen a stray postie note? Perhaps one with some notes on it about a knitted bodice? I took careful notes while I was knitting on Monday at Knittervention.  I knew that I had to make the mirror image exactly. All details on two little postie notes on the pattern.

Except now, one of the postie notes is missing. The one from the second half. The one that had any and all modifications to the pattern.

Now I am going to have to trust my memory.

I am doomed!

Today, it is all about missing notes.

Ignore me while I shape

I was working on the Skimpy Halter Top at Knittervention last night. It is a good thing 9 Irish Brothers lets us reserve a private room in the back. Every few rows, I would check the knitting for proper shaping. And by that I mean that I held it up, pressed it tightly to my chest, and studied the girls and their knitting cover intently.

  I finished the right side, and started the left. Actually, the pattern instructed to knit the whole side around to the middle of the back. But I thought that the best way to ensure that both sides of the, um, front were identical, was to knit them in quick succession.

There is nothing worse than a lopsided bodice.

Tonight, it is all about the symmetry.

Something used, something new

The pretty cotton tank has started again, in different incarnation. A new pattern, slightly more skimpy, which translates to less yarn. And top down, so I can knit til I run out of yarn, and hope that I have enough to cover the motherhood belly wrinkles.

So far, after a whole day of knitting, I am loving The Ribbed Halter. I am implementing the modifications suggested by Svetlana, to make the design a bit more modest. I mean, I am a forty-something mother of two. The twins had a job to do, and sacrificed their perkiness in the process. They have earned the right for a bit more coverage than decades past.

I am going to be closely monitoring the shaping as I go. Every few rows, I am holding the knitting up to my body. I feel like there is no margin for error this time, in size, shape or support.

I am using something used to start my something new. Last year, at my LYS garage sale, I bought some bamboo circular needles. I have always used metal needles. I like the cool feel, the metallic clickety click, the slick-ness, and the durability. I used to to have a tight grip while knitting, and I was always concerned about snapping needles.

So far, after the afore-mentioned one day of knitting, I am liking the bamboo.  Size 5's are thick enough to avoid snapping, and this particular yarn prefers the slight drag on the needles. So that was $2 we'll spent, but now I want more bamboo, in more sizes. Sigh.

My sweetie asked me tonight why I was starting new things, when I have so many old things unfinished. Um . . . Like his mittens, in progress for two years. And his sweater, in progress for five years. Um . . .

I don't have too many projects. I don't have enough knitting time.  (She says, purposefully ignoring that she has started three new projects in the past month.

Today, it is all about the old and the new.

The Twilight Hours

I joke that I have all the spare time I need: between 9pm and 5 am.  But you see the flaw in my plan: that is when I do laundry.

There are days when I grab my knitting bag, set it down next to me,  but never take it out. Too tired to knit.

These days, I do the same with my work bag.  After I put the kids to sleep, I pull out my work bag, with the laptop and files that I didn't get to today. Or yesterday. I look at the bag.  I know what is in there. I know it is work I should have done a few days ago.  But I am just too tired. Too tired to knit.  Too tired to work. Too tired to think.

This does not bode well.  It makes me cranky.

The most I did knitting-related tonight was to cruise on Ravelry. I am looking for alternative patterns for the tank top. There is no way there is going to be enough yarn. I need a top-down knit 'till you run out of yarn kind of pattern. I have a few ideas, and some front runners,  but no conclusions.

Today, it is all about the neglected work/knitting bags.