What's on your needles?

Well, let me tell you.

Phoebe is still on the needles... body is 15 inches long, one sleeve is finished and the other is about 6 inches long. Quite a bit larger than in this picture, but still... maybe 70% done.

Floral Felted Tote by Nicky Epstein, which I have from the holiday issue of IK. I have completely finished one side... and that's all. Just one lonely side, and to think I bought the yarn for this nearly six months ago ::shame:: so it's about 40% done.

The Clapotis which I really don't even want to mention... except that I pulled it out of it's hiding place last week so now I must acknowledge that it exists. I have not touched it since around Christmas. probably 50% done.

Twisted Flower Sock I love you, I really do, but I messed up on the last row and I'm avoiding ripping back (yes, I know it's only one row... shut up, I hate you). Not terribly larger than in this picture. I'd say, 55% done on this sock (which means, what, 27% done on the pair? Oh the shame)

I did just finish a Dulaan hat. I will be casting on another in Encore Chunky. Probably the Avalanche Hat pattern. It's not on the needles yet, but let's face it, it will be soon.

So with all this in mind, I bet you can guess what I did this week. That's right, I worked dilligently at completing my in progress projects so that I can rid myself of the terrible guilt.

HA! In your dreams sucka. I cast on this little trouble maker:

Yup, it's the Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin' Sock Club sock kit from February. Since the April one is at my parents' house, but not yet picked up (therefore not yet in the stash, right?)

Yes, it's suggestive, and yes knitting with STR Mediumweight on size 0 needles kind of sucks. But overall, I love it. I especially love how the colors are spiralling so loverly all around.

That is all... tune in next week when our heroine loses all self control and casts on projects with every set of needles she owns.

I've got your intarsia right here

So I bought the IK Holiday magazine back in November and on my way home from Barnes & Noble I was flipping through (while driving, 'cause I'm safe like that) and I just *had* to go to my LYS and purchase the yarn to make this Floral Felted Bag by Nicky Epstein. And then it sat in my stash. All $50 worth of cascade 220 (no I didn't spend $90 on the kit... I'm very clever, ask me how).

Well this weekend I decided to no longer be slave to my yarn and I cast it on. Here I am thus far...

It is pinned on the bottom so you can see the pattern clearly. This is my first Intarsia, in fact it's my first color work. Those of you who can count will note that there are in fact 10 seperate strands of yarn back there. Bobbins? I don't need no freakin' bobbins!

I'm on row 33 of 58, no two rows are alike so I have to sit with the pattern in my lap and check every ten stitches or so. On those occaisions where I have thought I knew how the rest of the row went... I didn't. Knitting back in intarsia sucks fatties, so I've decided to forgo that little annoyance and just do the damn thing right.

A close-up-

It's so pretty! Except for the dog hair on the right there... whatever, you own two Golden Retrievers and not have hair EVERYWHERE I dare you.

I have not added the french knots/stem stitch embellishments, I'll do that once I finish the chart and start on the bottom of the bag. Before I start the chart again on the second side. It actually went much faster that I thought it would, and while it is certainly labor intensive knitting (don't forget to twist, and then when you flip the work over be sure to untangle everything) I find it very rewarding.

Tomorrow, I've got some new stash to flash... including....

My Rockin Sock Club kit! hooray socks!