KFYS, PS, WIP Wipeout

You know, I thought I would be so focused and organised. I'd knit from my stash; I 'd follow Project Spectrum for colour inspiration; I'd get that pile of works-in-progress down to a manageable level. Well, now it's June, half-way through the year, and more than half-way through the PS and KFYS periods, and how's it going?

I have paid no real attention to the Project Spectrum plan. I think it's because we're given too much leeway! "Work with black! or red! or metallics!! And no hurry, you have two months!" Nope, can't do it.... Other things get in the way, and PS just gets left out.

Knitting from stash has been fine, except that (ahem) I have once or twice bought yarn, just like in the old days (just a bit, here and there, and on sale, and if I think, "I'll make a scarf," then I put it back down) and have put it in the closet and not got around to using it.

And I've seen stuff in the stash that I'd like to use, so I start another project, like this baby blanket for no baby! This adds to the WIP pile! So I may just have more active knitting projects now than when I started this plan!

The blanket will have used up 4 balls of Paton's Cotton Chunky, which was discontinued about the time Arthur was born! One ball for the middle, a bit of leftover blue log-cabinned around that, another ball of pink for the next round of log-cabin, and yes, it's a bit assymmetrical, because I just finished off each ball on the last band of the round. Then I had a ball left and didn't want another plain pink round. So I'm picking up the stitches as if to log-cabin, knitting a row, and then am attaching the garter zig-zag border as I go. As you see, I have some way to go, and we can all be nervous about the amount of yarn that will be needed.

I did finish a pink blotch sock.

It's plain stocking stitch, which is why it was done relatively quickly... and it's a bit tight. It might work, but before I graft the toe and make another one, I thought I would try a Broad Ripple, but with more stitches and smaller needles.

I can't imagine a sock on 3.25 mm needles holding up very well, so I'm doing it on 2.5s, and I added 2 stitches to each pattern, so I have 64 instead of 56.

The pink ones are 64 stitches, but this pattern, with the eyelets, should have more give. It's all trial and error with growing feet around here. (Right....) This is some of the yarn I bought recently, Regia Nation, 5388, half-price. I also got some green and white, 5389, at the same time. Just big stripes! Stay tuned for more sock news....

And we shall have even more lovely yarn in a week or two... In the pile I got last week, there were a couple of skeins of whitish wool. They would make a hat or mitts, but are not too exciting in their present state. And as school is ending and we are all at loose ends for a bit, I figured we could amuse ourselves with a bit of Kool-Aid dyeing! I'm buying every flavour I can see, so we should be able to make a fine mess. The kids are keen to do the "handpainted" option, rather than just put it all in a pot with one colour. Oh, boy!

And a clematis for your viewing pleasure...