nothing gained, nothing lost

Well.

In spite of having the most comments ever in the history of Too Much Wool yesterday, today I don't know what to say. I'll be boring.

On Tuesday I met Cara for coffee. (I had coffee, she likes lemonade.)

I went to Purl and didn't buy anything because the Harlot's challenge was ringing in my ears. I knew I didn't need a single thing, and so I bought nothing. I'll be honest; after my post yesterday, I knew I had too damn many things 'in progress' going on, and if I bought any more yarn I'd feel sick. "Too much wool" at this point may just mean what I've got collected under my roof, considering my current rate of productivity. We might need some kind of mathematician to figure out the logistics of the current situation and if/when it might be remedied by constant and diligent knitting.

The constant and diligent knitting has not yet begun.

First of all, I'm hampered by being in the middle of a very good book. The second in a row by this author, and I think I may like it even more than Cloud Atlas. I suspect that these books may not be to everyone's liking, but I love them. (Remember, I'm weird. Don't go buying something just on my say-so.)

I did knit a few rows Monday night on the alpaca smoke ring. This is a WIP that I didn't even mention in yesterday's parade of unfinished delights. Being the third in my series of flared lace smoke rings, I can pretty much knit it on auto-pilot. I like auto-pilot. Why I can't seem to acheive this state of automatic reverie with the freaking sw***r is really beyond my ken. Stockinette stitch is not auto-pilot to me. I get all bent out of shape worrying about the evenness of my tension. (Btw, it seem that Elann.com is out of the smoke ring pattern. I'm going to sit around and think that this has something to do with me. Shut up and don't tell me otherwise, ok?)

All the comments yesterday made me realize one thing:
People think I'm better and/or a busier little knitter than I actually am. Folks... if I'm not blogging about my 2" of progress on something, its quite likely I have made NO progress at all.

So, after responding to at least a couple of people that I really needed to get back to the sw***r, I did it. I knit about 3 rows as of this writing. The stockinette is about to put me to sleep, but I'm within several inches of being done with the body of the accursed thing.

In a spirit of appreciation for all of your understanding, friendship, compassion and comments (especially the comments) I present to you a picture of my current state of WIPedness.
Clockwise from top left:

1.KSH scarf from Knitters magazine
2.heavy worsted sock, singular and toeless,
3.Eriskay gansey
4. a hat
5. Estonian mitten (bottom)
6. fingerless glove (top)
7. an aspiring sw****r.

Interestingly, #'s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are all stalled at the stage in which I need to make a decsion. RE: when to start decreases or split for armholes or decrease for mitten tops or hat crowns.

Fascinating.

This list does not include two other pairs of socks (damnit, 3) that are in progress and nowhere near finished. None of those are high on the list of things I'm going to pick up, so I don't even really consider them WIPs. Ditto the cotton tank top which is seasonally inappropriate and not flattering. And Klaralund I just chalk up to the lamblike instinct to do what everyone else is doing. I don't think that Silk Garden will ever turn into Klaralund. Just thinking about that expensive mistake makes me feel queasy.

Honestly? Arrayed thus on my coffee table, it doesn't look bad at all. I suppose, somewhere in the back of my mind, my unfinished objects include things that I've never even started, but have stash for.

Now, the guilt trip.

I've said precious little about current affairs recently. I'm going to continue in that vein.
Short and sweet.

Susan is offering a sock pattern for sale, the proceeds of which will go to victims of the Indian ocean disaster.

Stephanie-who-need-not-be-linked is offering an incentive to those who donate to Doctors Without Borders/MSF. This is my personal charity-of-choice.

There's not a thing I can say that your conscience hasn't already said to you.

Please, do what you can. And then do a little more.

Comments

[Cara]

When you say "I'll be boring" and then mention my name in the next sentence, that's not code, for like, "Cara's boring." is it? Huh? You can tell me.... ;)

The sw***r looks really good - the yarn is exactly the way you described. When you lay it all out like that, it doesn't seem like too much. There's a project for every mood. As it should be.

[geepsie]

Of course Elann's sell-out has to do with you. That's how I linked and bought!

[GailV]

I, too, associated Elann's sell-out with you. Unfortunately for me, I discovered the run on the pattern you created AFTER they were all gone...and I never got one (sob). So, my thoughts were more on the lines of, "dammit, shut up about the smoke rings already so others stop buying up all the copies of the pattern."

[Emma.]

Hardly a large pile !
See,everyone wanted you to feel better about being just as bad [well nowhere near,actually] as we/they are re:WIPs,UFOs,etc.
There's always a point with big projects where you have to either just plug away at it or ditch it behind the sofa for a few months,when you can greet it with renewed enthusiasm,especially when you realise how little there is left to do.

[Beth S.]

Oh Cassie. That little pile? That's nothing. Nothing at all!
But I completely understand the feeling. 2005 is going to be the year when I pick up all the stalled projects and be decisive about them. I'm going to graft what needs grafting, count what needs counting, and knit second socks. Yes ma'am! :-)

p.s. People will bid furiously for that Silk Garden on eBay, I'm sure of it. So don't fret about that either. :-)

[Mary Beth]

That, by no means, is an obscene pile of wips, right, ladies? I bet that hat would take one evening, and the toe on that sock would be quick too. Of course, you would cast on for the second sock immediately, thereby creating another WIP by finishing the first - damn socks! Oh well. It's January. Weeks of bleak, grey, cold weather = hours of happy knitting! You.are.not.alone - Just think of me up here in CT trying to live.within.my.stash.

[claudia]

This knitting thing is supposed to be fun, right? Fun = good. Anxiety = bad. Get rid of the bad any way you have to.

That is all.

;-)

[Margene]

It's the process Cassie. Just enjoy each wrap of the yarn around the needle. Stockette can be very soothing and meditative. If you make a decision and it sucks you can always frog. It's ok to frog.
We all could knit from our stashes for awhile and think how very fortunate we really are. Knit prayers into your sweater...that might help.

[Adelaide]

What!!??!! You were out drinking coffee with Cara and visiting Purl yesterday??? Why weren't you at home knitting? Me thinks the lady doth protest too much.

[Adelaide]

Comment # 2: Knitting sockinette is like quilting.

[Norma]

How's that red SWEATER coming?

[Donna]

These look like great projects to me and since I have taken up to a year to finish a pretty basic sweater, I understand about stockinette being boring. The good thing is that it won't go out of style so taking along time won't matter.

[Arow]

The smoke ring shortage IS your fault! I bought the pattern from Elann on Tuesday, thinking of yours. :)

[Beth]

Your mitten needs a friend as badly as mine does. BTW, I'm leaving my pile of lonely projects out for a while to mock at me as I walk by. Maybe that will "encourage" me to work on one or two. It's just an idea.

[Karol]

Where can I buy a copy of the flared lace smoke ring pattern? I have been looking everywhere. Thanks Karol