Next

Since I'm anticipating finishing Fearless in the next week or two, I'm already champing at the bit to start something new.....

1. UFO - Tina Shawl (started Spring 2005). Look at the picture. See that little square in the middle? I've got that done, along with about 8 rounds of the first border. Obviously, this is going to take awhile.
2. Lochleven Fair Isle - my own design, charted but not yet swatched. A fairly traditional Fair Isle cardigan in greens and blues.
3. Pictish Fair Isle - my own design again, charted but not swatched. A non-traditional overall Fair Isle with two large figural panels in the front. I see this one as a cropped jacket in shades of red (not sure yet what my contrasting color is - maybe a mossy gray-green).
4. Fisher Gansey - A traditional fisher gansey. I'm using Michael Pearson's Traditional Knitting book as inspiration for this. This, too, will be red.
5. The Circumnavigated Cardigan - the DHKG knit-along with my stash yarn in oatmeal heather.

Brigitte, this is the best on-line picture I can find of the Circumnavigated Cardigan by Medrith Glover. Not a photo, but a line drawing that shows the actual construction of the cardigan. Apparently, this pattern is a favorite for knit-alongs and knitting classes (judging from the Googled list I looked at). There's no seaming - when you're done, you're done.

Oh, just found a good picture of one from Spinning Jenny's Knitting Pages (scroll to the middle of the page)... looks similar to the sweatshirt jacket I just finished, doesn't it. Apparently, it uses lots of neat techniques - short rows, fused pockets, etc. and uses any yarn, any needles, any gauge.

Notice that there are two Fair Isles on the list? Remember my quandary when I said my designs were starting to talk to me? It's because I was trying to push two sweaters into one. Once I saw the light and realized that they were really two completely different designs everyone quieted down.

I'm going to order some yarn so I can swatch away on the two Fair Isles and the gansey. When I finish Fearless, I'll get back on Tina and see if I can get her revved up again (You notice that I make no promises of finishing her, just getting her started again). Swatching for three sweaters will probably help me decide which sweater to tackle next - if I'm still bamboozled by the whole thing, I'll just poll everyone and let you all decide for me!

Of course, there's still the charity knitting. I found this adorable baby sweater at DogsStealYarn. And I just happen to have lots of Mission Falls 1824 Cotton in the stash.

There's also the Christmas knitting - yes, only 3 months to go! I've got several projects planned for that but I can't talk about it here. Suffice it to say that I've got more projects than time right now. Especially since violin lessons started back up after a summer hiatus and I'm studying for a management course for work. Oh, and there's work, too. You know, that activity that means that I can afford yarn?

And just so I don't forget... the Spearfish sock has finally reached the foot! I've discontinued the lace pattern on the foot (a common tendency of mine - I often prefer plain sock feet). Things should go faster now that I'm not having to refer to a chart.