When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough...

...Reassess Their UFOs?

Life dealt us a curve ball recently which kind of threw me for a bit, but I'm back and doing better now. Generally when things are difficult for me, I'll retreat for a while to collect my thoughts and regroup (also to avoid spilling my guts out publicly and regretting it later). It's also a time I'll often choose to clean up, clean out and/or reorganize something that's been bugging me for a while. Pulling together something in my life always helps me feel more positive, and gives me more ablity to cope with the other things.

During my most recent self-imposed hermit period, I decided to pull out all of my UFOs and see how big the pile had grown and just finish a few things instead of feeling all guilty about them. To clarify, if I'm currently (and somewhat steadily) working on a project, I don't consider it a UFO. That's a Work in Progress. 'Unfinished Object' to me indicates that I've ignored it for a while - maybe a long while. I like to finish what I start, so these actually make me pretty uncomfortable - as if I've given up or something.

Here's the list:

Traveling Cable Top out of Tess' Designer Yarns Microfiber Ribbon

This is a tank top that I'm going to have to finish soon. First because our thermometer is reading the current outside temp as 112.2 degrees (F). No it's not quite that hot but damn it's roasting out and I could use another lightweight tank top. Second, because the microfiber ribbon is the only ribbon yarn I've ever encountered that's a joy to knit and just flows through the fingers.

Then a couple of scarves. I'm knitting a few in non-neutral colors to brighten up my everlastingly beige/brown/cream/black wardrobe. I love the yarn and the patterns but apparently I don't love finishing scarves. But, they're good summer projects as they're not overly bulky, and it would be great to have them done by the time it's cool enough to have something around one's neck again.

This is the Falling Water Scarf by Bonnie Sennott. I'm using Malabrigo Laceweight in the Velvet Grapes colorway. Love the yarn, love the color, love the pattern. I'd love to finish it!


Next is the Haruha Scarf in some Lana Gatto VIP that I dyed myself. Ditto what I said about Falling Water.

Both of these scarf patterns are free. There are a ton more that I'd love to make, but I'm holding off starting more until I make more progress on these. Let's hope these aren't famous last words...

Here are some Marigold Socks by Pamela Wynne (she's the one who designed the insanely popular February Lady Sweater). This is a project of Firsts. First, it's my first pair of toe-up socks, and it's my first socks made using two circulars rather than DPNs. The yarn is from yarnplace.com, and it's their Glorious in Desert Sand. First time I've used that too - and I'd use it again. It's a fairly fine yarn - which can come in handy when you have narrow feet as I do. Often sock patterns in gauges as written are a touch too big for me. Rather than having to calculate to size down, I'll often use a slightly finer yarn and a smaller needle, and everything will fit nicely.


These are Ribbed Lace Socks from Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch (one fab book, especially for those just learning about sock knitting). I'm knitting them with short cuffs (don't always need full leg coverage in sunny CA) from Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn in the Nantucket colorway. I started these on a business trip in late 2007 and then stalled. Nice yarn, easy pattern.


That's It?

And this is all of my UFOs in their bin. That's it. One bin, not squished full, and not a very big bin to begin with. What was I feeling so guilty about? I'll bet I could finish every single one of these by the end of the year and have plenty of time to start and finish other projects as well. Silly me.


But before I do that, I need to finish Swallowtail #3, which is almost done. I decided to skip the nupps and go for beads instead - only because I had some beads that went perfectly with the yarn. I'm pretty much loving the effect (embiggen to really see it). I'm now half-way through the very last repeat - shouldn't be long now before I can wash/block it and show it off.



Another thing to show off, though they're not my creation. Brian planted these for me and I picked them today. Gorgeous, no?

I'm not sure how I'll prepare them, but they'll probably end up chilled, and eaten alongside some chevre. Yum.