Spring is here

I did get the afghan seamed. It is blocking on my bed at the moment. Still have a bunch of ends to weave in so it won't technically be done until tomorrow (or whenever I finish those ends.)

I did cast on for Abalone. Am about 1/3 done.

Still plugging along on Citron. Only one section left before the ruffled edging, but the rows are getting longer and longer.

Melody III is hanging out in the purse and getting a bit knit on it every now and then.

When I finish Citron, I plan to cast on for Brandywine in Yarn Chef's Mulligatawny in the Bramblebush colorway, or Wandering the Moor in Yarn Chef's Mulligatawny in the Midnight Showers colorway. When I finish Abalone, I think I'll do the Vine Bolero I was thinking about last time. The yarn (Sundara's Aran Silky Merino) is the same base as the Yarn Chef Daube I'm knitting with now. I'm trying to keep myself down to one shawl and one sweater plus the ever-present purse Melody.

In the first quarter of Stashdown, I knit/sold/gave away 2.6 times as much yarn as I bought. I'm okay with that. I was actually able to free up a few yarn storage containers. I need to keep that ratio for the rest of the year to get the stash down to a managable, less guilt-inducing level.

April plans -

- finish Merrywood II

- finish Citron

- finish Abalone

- start and finish another shawl

- start and finish another sweater

Mid-March Update

Best Winter Ever is over looks like. But after 3 snowfalls over 10" and snow still around until about a week ago (and almost continuously since the first snowfall in mid-December) I'm actually looking forward to spring this year.

In knitting news:

Finally finished my constantly morphing tee. I kept changing my mind about what I wanted to make with this yarn, but never ripped out what I'd already done. I can't believe it turned out this well!

The yarn is Yarn Chef's Cider sport weight in Log Cabin. Love it.

And all my afghan blocks are done - here are the last 3:

I may or may not seam them together before the end of the month. We'll see.

Right now I'm trying to finish my Citron shawl and then I want to knit another sweater or two before it gets too warm. I have lots of shawls queued to work on this spring/summer when it's just too hot to have a sweater on your lap. I have 19 patterns and yarns matched up on my ravelery project page (status: hibernating) but have yet to decide which is next. If I want to knit something I can wear before next fall, that leaves Abalone, Loppem II, Raindance, Vine Bolero, Green Gable, Pas de Valse, and a raglan I will make up as I go.

Thinking out loud...

Abalone - a short-sleeved open-front cardi. Yarn: Yarn Chef Daube (50/50 wool/silk worsted single) in a pretty blue green (I think - it's not here yet.)

Loppem II - loved the first one so much I want to knit it again. Yarn: Dream in Color Classy in Chinatown Apple. It may be too soon to make this again though.

Raindance - a short-sleeved tee with a keyhold back. Yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed in a blue-grey.

Vine Bolero - lacey cardigan. Yarn - Sundara Aran Silky Merino (same yarn as YC Daube) in a gorgeous green.

Green Gable - a simple tee with a lacey bodice. Yarn - Sundara Sport Merino in an awesome brown/turquoise combination.

Pas de Valse - a loose, swingy cardigan knit at a fine gauge. Yarn - Yarn Chef Mulligatawny in either a pale terracotta or a medium blue.

Raglan - I want to make a ribbed raglan in a pretty green Yarn Chef Cafe au Lait.

Abalone would be quick and wearable. I did just finish Loppem #1. Felted Tweed is probably a bit too wooly to wear by the time I finished it. Vine Bolero would also be quick and wearable, but I'm not sure I want to make another green cardi right now. Green Gable would be good. Pas de Valse would be a bit of a slog. Maybe I should save that for trip knitting. The raglan would have long sleeves, so maybe that should wait 'til fall.

That leaves Abalone, Vine Bolero, or Green Gable. Right now I'm thinking Abalone. I could wear that up through May probably.

Thanks for helping me decide! ;o)