How to Cram a Whole Week's Worth of Posts Into One...Featuring WIPs and FOs!

As the late, great Frank Zappa would say...Great Googly-Moogly!!!  What a week...  My editorial and (sometimes) artistic assistant, Wilbur, already filled you in on the Great Summer Migraine of 2010 which struck late Saturday afternoon and continued into Monday after a cold front went through and the temps and humidity went back to tolerable levels.  He didn't tell you that, although I was pretty much a worthless slug during that time, I did manage to knit during those moments when it was possible to pry open at least one eye.  Both eyes open was a bonus!

He also finished my Random Thursday post by telling about our ill-fated excursion to see the President, so I don't have to tell you about that, other than the fact that, yes, I decided to take him to quieter pastures after it became clear that my former bulletproof dog ("bulletproof" meaning pretty much unflappable in situations containing lots of people and/or vehicles) was thrown off and skittish because of his lack of hearing.  A month from tomorrow will be his 13th birthday.  He doesn't have all that many days left, so my priority is making sure all of them are good for both of us.

There was no Musical Monday to write about since my headache kept me from attending Death By Banjo's Sunday afternoon gig.  Next week begins a new season of choral insanity, and I am giving serious consideration to how thinly I spread my voice this year instead of just jumping in and saying "Yes" to every musical opportunity that presents itself.  I have some choices to make regarding what serves my talents and abilities best and just how many nights a week I really want to be away from home at rehearsals.  Away from knitting, too, I might add.

So...since there was no Ten on Tuesday this week, that just leaves WIP Wednesday and FO Friday, and there is much to write about on both, so I'd better get busy!  First, the WIPs (Wipsen, if you speak Wilbur...)

Pattern:  Christmas Tree Skirt
Yarn:  Plymouth Encore
Colorway:  Cranberry and Dark Greenhouse
Purchased at:  Knitter's Mercantile
Needles:  #9
Date Started:  1/12/10
Progress:  85%
Only 120 rows to go...only 120 rows to go... 

Pattern:  Citron Shawl
Yarn:  Crystal Palace Mini Mochi
Colorway:  Jungle
Purchased at:  One skein at Knitter's Mercantile and one skein at either Paradise Fibers or Loopy Ewe (I can't remember which...)
Needles:  #7
Date Started:  4/9/10, taken out of hibernation 8/20/10
Progress:  40%
I bought two balls of Mini Mochi to make the Pretty Thing Cowl.  It took a little less than one skein, so I was left with a skein and a half that I didn't know what to do with.  I started playing around with this pattern and decided I really loved the thick, fluffy Citron.  I also realized it would need to be bigger so ordered another ball online.  Then, for no good reason, I put the project into hibernation for four months.  But now it's back and ready to be wearable by the time cold weather arrives!

Project:  Cradle Me Blanket
Yarn:  Bernat Softee Baby
Colorway:  Fresh Green
Purchased at:  Bargain Yarns
Needles:  #6 and #7
Made for:  Our first grandbaby
Date Started:  8/9/10
Progress:  5%
I decided to go ahead with this blanket, mainly because I couldn't find another color of washable sport weight yarn that spoke to me like this shade of green.  This is going to be a long slog, but I'm looking forward to being done with the edging (two more rows!) and starting in with the pattern.

Project:  Evenstar Shawl
Yarn:  Knit Picks Shimmer
Colorway:  Bayou
Purchased at:  Knit Picks
Needles:  #3
Date Started:  3/3/10
Progress:  45%
I am almost to the halfway point of this endless edging!!!  It's so hard to get a good picture of this shawl right now, and heaven help me when it comes time for blocking.  I may have to rent a hotel room with a king size bed for a day just to have room to pin it out.  Anyway, I hope you can see that about half (the left half) of the edging is done.  Slow and steady...

Project:  Merope Shawl
Yarn:  Malabrigo Sock
Colorway:  Rayon Vert
Purchased at:  Temptations
Needles:  #4
Date Started:  7/10/10
Progress:  55%
This is a fun pattern.  However, the farther I get into it the more I feel like I made a poor choice with the yarn.  I can't get this yarn to photograph very well, but my sense is the yarn is too busy for the pattern.  Can't decide, and really probably won't know for sure till it's blocked.  Every now and then my fondness for multicolored yarns comes back to haunt me.  I hope this isn't one of those time.

Pattern:  Mystery Blue Thang
Yarn:  Rowan Tapestry
Colorway:  Whirlpool
Purchased at:  Temptations
Needles:  #9
Made for:  Christmas gift
Date Started:  8/16/10
Progress:  15%
Another cute little holiday mystery thang that I can work on in my sleep.

Pattern:  None
Yarn:  Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend
Colorway:  Moss
Purchased at:  Temptations
Needles:  #6
Date Started:  8/14/10
Progress:  35%
This is just something I'm messing around with to see how it turns out.  I'm not wildly in love with the colorway.  If I wore this with an orange shirt, it would scream "Deer Hunter"!!!  What I thought would be lovely autumn shades has made a serious turn toward camo, so I don't mind using it to play around with an idea that may or may not work out.

Project:  Pine and Ivy Shawl
Yarn:  My Name Is Yarn
Colorway:  Moss 'N Berries
Purchased at:  My Name Is Yarn
Needles:  #3
Date Started:  3/30/10; frogged and restarted 8/3/10
Progress:  20%
Glory Hallelujah!!!  I'm finally through that endless edging and into the body of the shawl!  Ok, only two rows in, but no more aggravating edging!  I tried to get some good pictures of this yarn so you could see how easily it would blend against silver or gold needles.  Oh, and speaking of needles, I just noticed the pattern instructs me to go down to a #2 needle when I finish the edging and start the body.  Um...not gonna happen.  I am not spending another $27 on another needle for this shawl.  I have plenty enough yarn to make the whole thing on #3s and that is what I shall do.  I do remember reading in the KAL that several people inadvertently missed that little instruction and their shawls turned out just fine.  Mine will, too!

Now that the WIPs are caught up for the week, and we are back on the correct day, here is FO Friday!!

Pattern:  198 Yards of Heaven
Yarn:  Berroco Ultra Alpaca
Colorway:  Turquoise Mix
Purchased at:  Temptations
Needles #8
Date Started:  8/15/10
Date Finished:  8/16/10
Yays:  OMG...this was the easiest shawl EVER!!!  I literally knit 90% of it while suffering from a migraine.  If you've ever wanted to knit a shawl but don't feel confident with all the YOs and decreases, this is the pattern for you.  I was worried about it being big enough, as the unblocked dimensions were only 25"x15".  However, after vigorous blocking, it is a lovely 41"x25".  I am already planning to knit another in Malabrigo Merino Worsted Stonechat to match my Brattleboro Hat.  LOVE this shawl!
Nays:  You've gotta be kidding, right???

Project:  Mystery Grey Holiday Thang
Yarn:  Rowan Tapestry
Colorway:  Lead Mine (what a great name!)
Purchased at:  Temptations
Needles:  #9
Made for:  Christmas gift
Date Started:  7/17/10
Date Finished:  8/14/10
Yays:  I really love how the two strands of yarn blended.  When I started knitting this project, I was only using one strand, and I really disliked the way it turned out.  This was an experiment that succeeded beyond my wildest dreams.  This project still needs to be blocked, ends woven in, and buttons purchased and sewn on, but I'm considering it finished.
Nays:  The fact that I can't show you the whole thing...yet.

Project:  Seaweed Scarf
Yarn:  Crafts Meow Soft Serve
Colorway:  Blackberry Tea
Purchased at:  Knitter's Connection
Needles:  #4
Date Started:  7/17/10
Date Finished:  8/19/10
Yays:  When I saw this yarn at the Crafts Meow booth at Knitter's Connection, I immediately fell in love with it and knew it had to go with my cowboy boots and denim jacket.  By sheer serendipity, the pattern was for sale right next to the yarn, and I thought it was a match made in heaven (or at least in Columbus).  This pattern is the perfect travel project, it's easy to memorize, and it works up quickly.  I'm thinking of making another one of these in a lighter, more mohairy yarn.
Nays:  Ok, I'll admit...about twenty pattern repeats from the end, I started twitching a bit.  I think I could have made it a bit shorter, but I'm still quite pleased.

And there you have it...the wipsen and the fosen and the soaken and the blocken.  I'm off to hear some good power pop tonight, a baseball game tomorrow night, and knitting groups in between.  Keep yer knittin' goin' and have a great weekend!