Serious Start-itis

Along with visits from Indiana, New York and L.A. relatives, the Chinatown bus ride, MoMA, and the wreck of the Orange-mobile, I have been stashing away yarn and developing a serious case of Start-itis, as recently diagnosed by the Yarn Harlot.

I just finished Stephanie's book, right around the time the Knitting Olympics wrapped up. Kudos to her for a brilliant idea, a wonderful book and general all-around knitting greatness. She's got good Yarma.

On to my Start-itis. Until recently, I had 5 -- count 'em, 5 -- projects on the needles. A summary:

1. The Warmest Spoil Me Sweater of Buttery Goodness in the Whole Wide World (TM) with the Blue Sky Alpaca Bulky in teal and orange duotone. Love the yarn texture, don't love the way I have to bully the yarn around the needles. Back is done, front is half done. I really need to push on this.

2. Elizabeth's Baby Blanket in TLC Cotton Plus white. I cast on the long edge, so even though I have three box repeats done, I've got 6 more to go. I also figured I needed to buy another skein, but it's in another dye lot, so I'll have to see if I can stripe it to blend it in.

3. A SOCK. Let me repeat, A SOCK. In Patons Classic Wool Merino in deep olive, which I bought a while back to attempt socks for Oren. I had been intimidated by the DPNs until now, and then one evening as I was drooling over sock patterns online, I stumbled onto this pattern, realized I had the same wool and dpns, and cast on. Actually, I think I had seen this pattern before and bought this yarn because I wanted to learn how to do a toe-up sock. Then promptly forgot about it. Serendipity is sometimes how you create it. I'm at the gusset increases.

4. Nifty Knitted Belt V.1 in Lion Suede's rose colorway. (I also bought fuschia.) On "my" show, they had this belt pattern, and I thought my youngest sisters would like it, being hip and all that. I love the drop stitches but for reasons of not paying attention, I haven't been able to stay on pattern as well as I ought. Still it ought to be my FO #8 soon, though.

Wait, wait, wait, Ginny, did you miscount? You've only posted 6 FOs on your blog.

Well, #5 on the WIPs list has crossed over to the win column.

5. As modeled by the boy, Spiral Top Down hat knit with Debbie Bliss Cotton Angora from less than one ball. I guess one double point project wasn't enough. I used Brittany Size 6 Birch needles, which could not be more comfortable. I love me my Addi Turbos, but wood needles feel so natural and yummy.

The yarn, while soft and washable, did get on my nerves a bit though. It does not hang together like wool, so I kept sticking my needle through the middle of the strand, which meant some snags developed. Then, once I was done, I found this review. Hmm. I originally found this yarn on sale at Stitch DC in the cream and red, then bought some more red at the Georgetown store's anniversary sale. I still intend to make Malcolm a sweater from the 7 balls I have left. Just have to find a pattern.

So the hat was originally supposed to be for the boy. However, as you can tell, Monsieur Pumpkinhead is right at the limit for the hat. I used the calculator and his head measurement and everything, but I guess his head is bigger than I measured. Since he can't wear it, I believe I will gift it, maybe to my cousin's new baby.

Will update on my stash enhancement next...