Saturday, March 29, 2008

It must be mating season...

It must be wooly mating season because my UFOs are increasing in number geometrically, if not exponentially. If I counted ideas for things I've actually decided to make (including my own patterns) it is most definitely in the exponential realm.

Last year I was inching close to smugness when I contemplated my small easily handled roster of started but not finished knitted objects (3 or fewer, usually) but this month has blown that smug tug out of the water.

I'm not certain why, though I can pin down some contributing factors. If I want to make progress on stuff I need to have a project suited for the various levels of focusing power I have during the course of a day or week.

Top of the heap, needing no distractions and a marking utensil to keep track of my progress were the beautiful Delphine Mittens for Rae. Those, thankfully are done.

Next up is the shawl, also for Rae, which is deceptively simple. It is only garter-stitched mitered squares, but since I need to follow the color changes in the pattern exactly, it involved sorting nine yarns into three bags, assigning them the proper letter designation, taping up a 'map' with yarn scraps (labeled with their letters) and creating a code by which I could use hash marks and letter-dash-number indicating the last row on that square worked with the designated yarn; before I could even start. Given that helpful organizational set up, it now goes along with only medium brain power, but it is a largish project. Lovely to work (Kid Silk haze.. yummmm) but I can only get 2 large blocks and possibly an additional 4 small blocks done per day, if my medium brain is visiting.

I also am working on a Sassy Summer Handbag sample for Lynn of Colorjoy. I have made many of them, so it is an easy knit when I have little brain, as long as I keep track of my rows with hashmarks. It is in my beloved Malabrigo, this time in 'Fucsia' (Fuschia) .. very lovely knit.

I am also finishing up the mittens I started as a run through of her 'Toe Up Mitten' pattern. The pair I made don't quite fit my oddly toddler-shaped hands, but they fit Amanda perfectly, so I am finishing them for her. Lets see, that makes UFO # 3, right?

#4 is a shawl for Courtney
#5 is the final sock of a pair of calf-high's for Oscar.
#6 is a shawl for me, that will become an Otterwise Pattern
#7 is another pair of socks, which might go back to their elemental state for use in a new project.

Not yet on the needles, but needing to be finished for photos is a lovely hat for Otterwise Designs.
That would be #8.
#9 is a new version of another Otterwise pattern, one prototype was finished, I need to make a larger size in the intended yarns for photos before the pattern will be complete.
#10, another shawl, the prototype is finished and waiting to be gifted, I need to finalize my notes, decide on the fiber and knit the finished model.
#11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 are written up, but need prototypes done to work out the kinks.

yes, I have 16 ufos. And I need a new pair of socks.

And I just marked the page of Knitters Almanac that details a hat by E. Z. I want to try with some hand dyed yarn I've been fondling. (no! Back into your cage crazy knitter person!)

(images are of some thankfully FINISHED objects done over the past while)




2 comments:

Tabbytown said...

I was also someone who previously had very few UFO's (3 or under at a time). Now I have about 12 things half started. How did this happen?! lol
I'm with you...certain things for certain levels of brain power ;P
-Marietta

Anonymous said...

Beautiful FO's! That first one especially grabs me: so light, so... spring personified, I think is how it wants to be described. Goes well with the flowers in the previous post, blooming in a light breeze.