The Half Way Point

Has been reached. My leafy top now measures 12 inches.. and I still have 10 or so grams of wool left over. Will this be enough to bring the length to 16 inches? I don't think so. Close—I think. But....

I do have 2 partial skeins (left over from the matching socks) and I think 1 of them will be enough for me to reach my goal. And both partial skeins—Plus 1 more full one-- will allow me to make sure the shell reaches the desired finished length of 24 inches.

Meanwhile MORE mystery yarn has arrived from my sister in Japan—It's coming faster than I can knit it up!   I think this yarn is all synthetic.. its a beautiful wine red--and lace weight fine.  And bonus present for the holidays will be put to good use buying Principles of Knitting. I don't NEED the book—but I suspect I will enjoy reading the book—and maybe will even learn a thing or two.

I haven't DONE everything there is to do with knitting.. Never did a big project that needed to be steek'd, nor have I done thrums, and I have only done a scant row or two of twinned knitting. But I know about these techniques. But I don't know that I know everything there is to know about every technique. I still have things to learn, I am sure.

I have developed my own stitches patterns (a few simple lace patterns) and my own cast on (a double chain stitch cast on.. that has a matching selvage stitch (not my design) and a matching bind off (also my design.) And I have a new edging I just created--to be used for the bottom up shawl I have planned.

But there is always something new to be learned—and this is the book to do it for me.

My square peg hat is done... Well the knitting and most of the finishing is done.. This is a hat that will profit from a good blocking. It took, in all about 100 to 125 yards.. (or 1 full 80 m ball, and not quite half of the second.)

I continued the look of the mitered top down onto the sides of the hat. It's a short hat, pill box style—thought the way the brim stands out, it's also sort of like a pork pie hat... A bit interesting and a bit different. I have started to write up the pattern –including charts. When ever I can, I like to include both row by row (or in this case, round by round) directions, and charts. Some people love one one -or the other--so it pays to have both! I tend to prefer written directions... but I can and have knit things only using charts.

I think the yarn I am using (LLH Savanna Colors) has been discontinued, but there are many similar yarns that would work.. And to prove that, I will double check my directions (once written up) by knitting it again in a different yarn—I have already found some yarn in my stash that will be a good choice!

As for the other skein and half of LLH yarn?--I was inspired  yesterday by  knit a cabled hat.. (I am so rarely inspired by cables)--so since I have finish the square peg hat... I will next  knitting up a cabled hat--then, after that, a second square peg hat! (I have just completed the cast on for the cable hat but not a stitch more!)

So.. my queue is growing by leaps and bounds..

A light blue sparkly bottom up shawl, a cabled hat, a pattern to write up, another version of the square peg hat. Plus—I still am working on the leafy shell.. As noted, it's half done—which also means another half still needs to be knit! And then there are socks—lots of socks!

I have been working on a semi secret sock project (It's no secret I have been working on socks—the secret has been what kind of sock... and the patterns for them and the socks themselves) I have more secret socks to knit up; and to document. And I have other socks—public socks—as it were—in my queue, too. I never finished all the socks I planned to knit this year—and I have been dreaming up new ideas for next year's socks, too!(Next year? Next WEEK!)

I have plans for a lacy scarf from some of the yarn I got early this year from my sister—and now—6 new skeins of lace weight yarn... and then there was talk of a dark turquoise (teal?) little sweater, knit from sock yarn (with socks to match )--both to match my turquoise skirt and vest and jumper. Which reminds me... Sewing--I have sewing to do, too!

What am I doing here, when I have all this knitting to do!? (and a Dr. appointment this afternoon, too!)