Catch-Up Post: Knitting Start-tosis

Wow, it's almost the end of the year, and I realize that the past two months I have not been writing as much as I should be, all things considering. However, as these two months coincide with the holidays, it's not surprising that I've been busy.

Of course, with being busy, I've also had a lot of bouts of start-itis ...or is it start-osis...over the past two months.

Despite not having finished my 3-in-1 sweater (although I am working on the sleeves), my Unleaving shawl (called the Scottish Thistle), and my Portland Fall socks, I started two new projects because I couldn't help myself.

In the beginning of November, I received in the mail two balls of amazing hand dyed self-striped yarn from Stray Cat Yarns (in New Zealand).  They are superwash merino (75%) and nylon (25%).

The yarn came in these wonderful little boxes. (Presentation is a definite 10!) The colors are amazing, and I just absolutely had to start on knitting socks right away (even though, I hadn't yet finished my Portland Fall socks yet).

 

(Colors: Milly Molly Mandy & Electric Avenue)

I cast on a pair of socks out of the Milly Molly Mandy, which apparently is a children's book series that I didn't know about. I love the colors, and the yarn is a lovely knit. And best of all, each series of 3 stripes is nearly one inch, which makes determining the length of the sock really very easy!

In addition, during the Thanksgiving holiday, I cast on a shawl (Eagle Twist) using Dream in Color Smooshy in red & gold. I love how the shawl looks. However, it does contain a lot of short rows (and I dislike short rows).

Have you ever noticed that you tend to like patterns where you're not particular fond of parts of the construction? I don't like short rows, and yet here I am with two relatively large projects that have short rows (this shawl and my 3-in-1 sweater). Go figure.

The Dream in Color Smooshy yarn is wonderful to use and is taking a beating with some frogging that I had to do (because I couldn't count). I'm really liking it, and will probably acquire more in the future.

The other project hasn't quite made it to the actual start stage as of yet. However, I did have all of the skeins wound up into balls, bought the pattern, AND gauge swatched. I'll post more on that later.

Giving into Start-itis

Sometimes, you just have to give into an idea. On Black Friday at the the Pajama-Jammie Jam hosted by Purlescence Yarns, I found some awesome yarn --- Manos del Uruguay. The colorway is called "Locura Flou" (which translates into Fuzzy Madness? at least according to an approximate Google translation.....)

I love the colors, but wasn't sure how it was going to work up in a given sock yarn. One of my friends at the shop showed me a pattern showcasing a colorful skein of yarn, which wasn't quite what I was looking for, but gave me an awesome idea, but I needed a black skein of similar weight. Unfortunately, they didn't have any Manos solid colour yarn where I could temper down the vivid colours of this skein, so I picked up something that was close enough.

I "was" going to wait to cast on what I had envisioned until I could finish another WIP, because I get antsy if I have too many things on-the-needles, but I really really couldn't resist.

I totally gave into temptation. I did a quick gauge swatch, then started knitting.  I've dubbed it "Stained Glass". It's going to be AWESOME.

A Case of Start-itis (or More Time = Less Time)

You would *think* that with so much time on my hands, I would finish projects. You are only partially correct. Oh, I have finished quite a bit -- I finished hand-stitching the top of waist cincher. I've stared and finished two crutch bags (some handsewing was required).

And I even started working on a oh-so-nummy yarn (cashmere & silk) as part of my "injury" knitting. I mean, it's so soft and delicious that I keep burying my face in it. HECK, it went with me to the hospital and I knit on it until they wheeled me off to the surgery room.



You would think that working on such lovely, beautiful drapey fabric would be enough. But nooo..... Even while working on it, I have a severe case of start-itis. And it's overwhelming my need to finish something.

I want to start on at least 3 new different projects (a new pair of socks, maybe a cast cozy, a new costume piece). I mean, I have a sweater already started, and that I love working on, but I want something new, shiny.....****

This is the type of situation that gets me in trouble. When I don't have time, I'm more disciplined about time. When I have all the time in the world, I get nothing done. You'd think it'd be the opposite, but no....

****(HELL, I started looking e-spinners just because I can't use any of my double treadles and I want to spin! Not that I'd actually BUY one, but still...)