Osborn Fiber Studio

Now that I once again have more than an average of five minutes a week to knit, I need to take a hard look at my unfinished objects. A re-orientation to my project basket, if you will. All I want is to tuck myself in a corner and spin some of the pretty yak/merino I just bought. But I get a little overwhelmed if I have too many things going, and there’s nothing like starting something new and exciting just to have it become another UFO hanging over my head. (Or stuffed in a basket. Or languishing on a spindle. I don’t keep my projects in bags that hang over my head.)

This day of reckoning is also immediately practical: on Friday, at the most southern crack of dawn, our little family is packing up for Maryland for a week. Being separated from the temptation of stash, this is a good time to focus. So here it is – version 2 of what I’ve been knitting and have knit in the last several weeks. (The prototype was here.)

First up: Carina’s wedding shawl! I finished it, but I’ll only show you a little corner since it deserves a post of its own, preferably on the shoulders of the beaming bride herself.

This project had the benefit of being the only project with a real deadline, so I poured on the gas. It was done before I realized what had happened (the benefit of projects that get smaller as you go), so I still had time to crank out this matching garter-stitch sash for Naomi.

It only needs a bit of blocking, though if I am honest with you, that might not happen.

Speaking of the wedding, we managed to find a dress for our little barely-toddling flower girl. But, it distinctly lacked bottoms. At the last minute I decided to make a soaker to match instead. I took this picture yesterday, but these soakers go so fast that I’ve already finished it in the meantime. However, it still needs to be lanolized between now and our leaving town at 3 am Friday.

Here’s a new kid on the block: the next installment of the Self-Imposed Sock Club. I’ve neglected sock knitting for a few months, but finally sucked it up and got back on the horse. I’m through the first one now, and we’ll see if I contract my first-ever case of Second Sock Syndrome. More on that another day.

The reward sweater continues at a sedate and stately pace. Below I include the two sleeves, to remind myself that I’m farther along than it feels like.

This sweater is still associated with A Prairie Home Companion. Every time we sit down on a Saturday night, with the band playing, this sweater comes out. It’s not even every week, but the homeyness (I won’t say homeliness) of the sweater and the show go together in my mind. It might be done for this fall. It might not be. I am content. Every few rows I spread it out and pet it. I love this pattern.

The reward sweater is unlikely to pick up speed if all the knitting time I have for really focused knitting gets co-opted by this little guy. It doesn’t look like much now, but this is a new Evenstar – the next installment of Lord of the Rings knitting.  It’s circular, it’s entertaining, it’s beautiful, it’s beaded, it’ll take forever. Starting it was my one real indulgence. I really want to be knitting it right now, actually.

By contrast, my reading knitting is in a sorry state. Most of my plainest projects are practically hibernating. I have barely had time to read anything since graduation, and when I do, I rarely have that extra bit of nervous energy hanging around that is handily used up by garter stitch. This might not change any time soon. I am contemplating just shoving these projects down the back of the closet. I used to pride myself on not doing things like that. Now I realize that just made me a self-righteous snot. Let the shoving begin…

I haven’t knit a stitch on this poor weaver’s wool shawl in six months. At least. Probably more like eight.

This little start of a sweater was pulled out of the basket a few times, but I tragically lost the other straight needle – finding it only when I pulled it out for this very photo. Something ironic about that. I appear to be almost a complete convert to circulars, as I don’t even remember the last time that happened.

Is this thing worth continuing on, as it’s barely started? I don’t even know. It’ll fit someone’s baby at some point. I doubt it’ll fit Naomi come fall, even if I were to finish it by then. It is covered in Meh.

My All the Shades of Truth is hearbreakingly close to being finished, but it sits in the sorry wad you see above.  I should suck it up and finish this one.

Enough depressing contemplation of plain knitting. The last item on my list is the blanket I’m teaching a class on – did I tell you about that? No? Well, let me tell you! I’ve been teaching through Michelle Hunter’s new book, Building in Color, since April. (I know, how could I not tell you?! Sorry!!) Just one or two strips a month, each strip teaching a new technique useful to multi-colored knitting. The class is halfway finished, and we took a summer hiatus, but we start back up a week from Saturday. I’m supposed to get two new strips started by then, plus it would be smart to finish the last one that I started, so this will probably be my main travel knitting this coming week. (I should probably just leave Evenstar at home. *sniffles.*)

Unlike when I taught through Hunter’s first book, this blanket is no sample, but will be my very own. In case you can’t tell by the color selection that practically screams my name.

I won’t bother you with pictures of my spinning, as it hasn’t changed much in six months. Spinning time is getting even harder to come by. I want to get moving again on the enormous Lothlorien spinning project. I do have some pretty punis on a spindle that are entirely superfluous fun. Maybe I’ll take those along as a distraction.

So there you have it – ten projects, three pretty much finished, two on the verge of being consigned to hibernation. Five active projects really isn’t that bad, aside from the fact that Evenstar is the only one I really want to be knitting right now.

Okay, I lie. Ten feels like WAY too many, and I am really fighting the desire to keep my no-hibernation record. I get stuff done, man! Is a little sweater going to beat me?! Even if it is too small and strange colors and made of petroleum byproduct?! NO!

We’ll see which side of me wins.

I’ll bring the blanket with me to MD, along with the socks, and All the Shades of Truth for when all I have in me is the knit stitch.

Thanks for your help on this little organizational exercise.

How many projects feels like too many for you? Are you faithfully monogamous? Do you have no limit at all?