WIP Wrestling

Being the Ravelympics event in which I did not participate.

Let's revisit that picture of my new stash storage solution from a few days ago, with a close up:

See all that stuff on the tops? WIPs! WIPs everywhere!

Now they are out in plain sight, it's time to tackle them. I therefore announce a concerted plan to squash them into submission, rather than squashing them under the sofa out of sight. No more casting on until a good load of them have been cleared. Let's assess the situation:

• Skein Queen Silk Feather & Fan Scarf (orange thing): this one, shamefully, was finished quite some time ago, but I haven't woven in the ends. That's all it needs. Maybe a blast of steam if I can get my old and neglected iron to do such a thing, but I don't want to block it as such. I really should just do it. Probably one for the coming weekend, with some other finishing work, hopefully.

• Luscious Llama Lace Scarf (dark blue in the middle): half a ball of Mirasol Miski to go. An evening's work, if that. Then gentle blocking, for which I can use the kit of blocking wires I bought at IKnit the other day. I'll aim to get the knitting finished on Thursday or Friday evening for finishing this weekend.
  

• Oil Slick Noro Iro Shawl (John Lewis bag): I did pick this up again the other day, mainly because I know Ting wants her 7mm circular needle back (sorry hun). Just one more loooong row of garter stitch to go, then the cast off. Again, one evening should do it, and more weekend finishing.
  

• Garter Rib Cherry Tree Hill Socks (right at the front): stalled because I've finished one and need to turn the heel on the other. The instructions for the heel are the white piece of paper you can see. I'm going to do that this evening whilst I watch a DVD, so that it can go back into circulation as my travelling project. With a few rows whenever I can in the office canteen/whilst commuting/at knitting group, it should get done reasonably soon. I can then cast on for a pretty sock.

• Lost In Music Colinette Shrug (hidden from view): I started this not long ago because I thought I should make one thing out of last year's Ally Pally haul before going again this year, and figured that the Colinette Zanziba in a lacy shrug pattern would make a quick knit. This failed because I mistook which week this year's show was, and it was sooner than I thought. Clearly I didn't stop myself going, even though I broke my own condition. Never mind. The pattern's OK but not all that inspiring. I'll get it done when I'm bored enough.
  

• Brownie Jumper (Liberty bag): a new one this, because, yes, I have finally decided to knit a jumper! An actual non-sock garment! The shrug above is too pointless to count. This is in lovely teal Kidsilk Haze, and I'm doing pretty well on it. I'm into the armhole section of the back, and I only started a week and a half ago, although I did have a very dull weekend at the parents' plus two long train journeys in that time. Progress will inevitably slow now, but that's OK. Given the scope of the project, I'll be content to have this done by Christmas. The KSH is pretty enough to deserve a picture here, though I have none of the jumper so far.

By the way, I'm not doing any Christmas knitting this year. Once I've finished that little lot above, I need to start work on my wedding shawl, and I have more sock yarn than should be humanly possible so really need to make more of those. And handknit socks are too precious to give away to the non-believers.

So yeah, expect an update on Sunday with at least a couple finished, blocked projects, or you have my permission to beat me over the head with a swift and winder.

And now an update on my poor, scarred Liberty holdall: I took it to the mothership (aka the Regent Street shop) this evening, and although deeply sympathetic, there's not much they could recommend even though they got the designer on the phone to check. The problem is that the water got into the seams and into the leather from underneath, so can't be treated from the surface and it's not worth tearing the whole bag apart to fix. Also not worth claiming on the insurance as they don't make this colour any more, so I couldn't get a replacement anyway. I am so last season, it seems. However, thankfully the staining has faded considerably over the last few days (I've kept it in a warm, dry room) and really is now only visible in certain lights at certain angles as a darker green on an already pretty dark green background, not that awful black that it was when it first happened. I know it's there, but it would probably look fine to a casual glance especially as the surface is shiny. I can live with it, and hopefully it will continue to fade down anyway. Still grumpy though. P.S. Jen, don't just comment, e-mail me and tell me how you are!

Finally, atheists represent! I will be mentally honking when I see one of these drive past!