confessions

   I spent Sunday morning organizing my knitting stash and cleaning up my office/storage area and for good measure decided to pull out all of my works in progress (WIPs) in their various stages of neglect.
   January was the last time I took stock of my WIPs and I believe I was up to 14 ongoing WIPs, which was a little overwhelming to say the least.  Since then, I've finished up, or frogged, a few of those and have brought that total down a bit.  Assuming there aren't any unaccounted for WIPs with very good hiding places, I'm down to 11 total.  Maybe five of these have not been touched since the last WIP accounting, which tells me there has been quite a bit of overturn.  That's a good thing!
  Here's the WIP list with details on status and likelihood of completion... It doesn't look good for all of them, but a little truthful assessment is necessary to cull the numbers.


1. Peterborough

Pattern: Peterborough, Berroco: Norah Gaughan Vol. 8

Yarn: Mirasol Yarn, Wach'i

Colorway: 1512 Natural

Status: On the needles

Left to do: Finish 2nd front, knit both sleeves, block, and seam.

Thoughts:  I let you know that I picked this WIP back up last week.  So far, progress has been going well except for a slight mishap with a cable that needed to be ripped back.  But no harm, no foul.  However, it's getting close to time to begin panicking that I won't have enough yarn to finish.  I have one additional partial ball that is not pictured, but that's it.  I'd like long sleeves and it looks like I might have to rip out my swatch to finish the knitting and use the tails left from joining new balls to seam.  

2. Vanilla Socks 

Pattern: My own toe-up, plain sock using a Turkish CO and Fleegle heel.

Yarn: Knit Picks Imagination

Colorway: Looking Glass

Status: On the needles

Left to do: Finish cuff and ribbing, second sock.

Thoughts: A pair of plain, toe-up vanilla socks using my usual stitch count, the Turkish cast on, and a Fleegle heel.  This is my go-to mindless sock knitting method.  This pair will get done eventually and I'll get a cozy pair of socks out of it for the winter.    

3. Almondine Socks

Pattern Almondine, Sock Knitting Master Class

Yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Sock

Colorway: 852 Persia

Status: Hibernating

Left to do: Everything

Thoughts: This is my first attempt at a cuff down sock.  I'm not too enamored with the lace pattern, so this may be frogged for another sock pattern in the future.  

4. Norwegian Rose Socks

Pattern: Norwegian Rose Socks, Toe-up Socks for Everybody

Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll Tonal

Colorways: Kindling and Blue Yonder

Status: Hibernating

Left to do: Frog bind off and lengthen ribbing, 2nd sock.

Thoughts: This is simply a case of second sock syndrome.  I'd like to lengthen the ribbing on this first sock before finishing the second sock.  A cold winter should be motivation enough to pick this WIP back up.

5. Calais

Pattern: Calais, Manos Del Uruguay

Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Vintage

Colorway: Cove

Status: Hibernating

Left to do: Finish second sleeve, knit front, re-knit back

Thoughts: This is a simple, but gorgeous boatneck pullover.  The yarn is amazing, but regretting not alternating skeins on the back.  Need to frog and reknit the back.

6. Dishtowel

Pattern: Spa Day Facecloth, reworked to be dishtowel sized

Yarn: Original Pisgah Peaches & Creme

Colorway: 26 Light Blue

Status: Hibernating

Left to do: about 2/3 more length

Thoughts: The ever exciting kitchen cotton dishtowel!  This gets picked up occasionally, no rush really.

7. Cat Mat

Pattern: Cat Mat, reverse engineered by Me

Yarn: Loops & Threads Cozy Wool

Colorway: 02210 Velvet

Status: Hibernating

Left to do: knit until yarn is gone

Thoughts: Working with large yarn and needles is no fun.  

8. Clockwork

Pattern: Clockwork, Stephen West

Yarn: Knit Picks Chroma Fingering, Regency and Grignasco Flavia Baby, 111 Antique Pewter

Status: Hibernating

Left to do: most of it

Thoughts: I don't love this.  It may need to be frogged or it will languish in the WIP pile forever.  I'm ambivalent either way.

9. Cassidy

Pattern: Cassidy, Chic Knits

Yarn: elann.com Peruvian Highland Wool

Colorway: 2583 Deep Blue Sea

Status: Hibernating

Left to do: Finish left front, knit right front, 1 sleeve, and hood.  Block and seam.

Thoughts: Not really sure why this has been hibernating for so long.  The yarn, color, and pattern are all great.  I should pick this back up soon.

10. Thrummed Mittens

Pattern: Thrummed Mittens, Yarn Forward

Yarn: elann.com Peruvian Highland Wool, 0620 Garnet and Alenssandra Filati Mirage, 170 Candy

Status: Hibernating

Left to do: Thumb on first mitten and 2nd mitten

Thoughts: I don't love thrumming.  Not really sure whether or not these will ever get done.

11. Crochet blanket

Pattern: some amalgamation of many

Yarn: Vanna's Choice and Red Heart Soft

Status: Hibernating

Left to do: millions of squares

Thoughts: This is my only crochet project as I'm really not a fan of the fabric crochet produces or the wrist pain I get when crocheting, but for a crazy colored afghan, nothing beats it!  It will probably take years for this to reach bed sized and be finished.  

   All in all, I'm mildly surprised at how not scary the list of WIPs is this time.  There are several things that probably won't ever get finished, but most items can be finished in a reasonable time frame.  I think taking the time to review and assess my list of WIPs bi-annually is a good way to keep my sanity.  Although I didn't make a huge dent in the number or WIPs since January (down to 11 from 14), there are lots of new things on this list... meaning, it's not that I never finish anything, I just like variety.