What I've been up to this week

First things first: (smile, smile) here is the beautiful Silk Merino Moonlight Blue, I won last week from Daphne's October giveaway:

I don't know what I'll make yet, either Print o' the Wave Stole or Japanese Feather and Fan Shawl or In the Pink Shawl.

It's still in it's skein, ready to take to SnB for show and tell.

Now this week has been remarkably unproductive, so here goes:

Ornettes: focus and finish: Right sock finished. I did my usual Regia style toe, but I'm using thicker wool and bigger needles on the biggest size.. hmmppfff ttttoooo big. Oops, redid keeping the diagonal pattern travelling along the side. NOW for the worst bit. The "quicker" left sock. OMG!!! if only I'd started this one first, I would have changed the mock cables. Wait for it: you slip two stitches knitwise onto your right needle, THEN put them back on the LEFT needle, THEN put your RIGHT needle into the SECOND stitch on the left needle - from the back - AND KNIT IT. But wait... there's more fiddling - KEEP BOTH on the left needle - somehow - then knit two together TBL. I've invested so much time into these already, GRRR. I love the pattern, the wool and the finished one, but finding words to cover the pain-in-the-arsedness of the left mock cables is beyond me. Safe to say I'll not be making a second pair as written.

Go Fetch: SnB knit: CO45 seems to be to go, all packed up in it's zip lock bag, ready for it's outings on Saturdays, and here is it's picture for the four people left on the planet who haven't seen Fetching Mitts.

Police Hot Socks Blanket: long term project: finished the extra square down the side making it 8 squares wide, I'm glad I did, I could have made a pair of socks with the extra ball I found, but I'm happy it's in the rug. May even finish by the end of the month. That'll be a sad day, I'll miss it!

If I keep having difficulties with the left Ornette sock, I'll do a couple of rows a day and swap it with the CPH. There's a only a couple of days in each of the CPH, Bannisters and sock blanket to get them finished, which was my whole idea of having focus and finish project a week - to get rid of my almost done projects.

So this week, I HAVE added to stash, but it has a specific project: some Orange Blossom Chubby to make the other Cookie A's PDF sock pattern - Stricken Socks, not the best photo, silly camera! (and some secret secret stuff for presents). I'm not going to cast it on just yet, it's ready for the needles I'm using on the Ornettes.

I'm not counting my PRIZE of silk merino, I'm going to enjoy having won it for a little bit - then wind it into a ball when I choose what to make with it.

And Last but Not Least: To Rip or Not to Rip:
I've ripped my Diamonds cotton top. I've not knitted a stitch in months and months; I didn't knit elastic in the rib (it needed it); the actual pattern, though gorgeous was a bit too lacy (really am too old for too lacy); the yarn doesn't suit the pattern (too thick, would be better in thinner yarn); I had just started the 3rd 50g ball (not a lot of time invested); I've lots interest in it (sad but true). I've never actually done that before, I usually plough on and finish; maybe if I haven't finished it within a year it's time to give it a miss, so I did.

The next thing to have a really good think about is My Oblique - I've invested a lot more time into this one, almost up to the armholes in the all-in-one-body.... It's year is up in January, I'll see how I go with ploughing through CPH, Banniters, blanket and Ornettes.. these I want to finish.. I just don't know about the Oblique, perhaps I should look for a pattern to make it in instead. That would make it easier to rip I guess.