Two steps forward, many steps back...

Okay, I've been procrastinating on this post for a while, but with good reason.

Basically, I had some WIPs and an FO to show you, but I haven't been able to get decent photos of them yet, and I know that, spectacular wordsmith though I am, you're probably not really here for the words, right? It's the pictures, be honest!

My Debbie Bliss Paloma is all nicely knitted up (has been for a while, actually), and it is my intention to post a good picture. Which requires daylight. Which requires someone else being in the house (or at the very least out of bed) during daylight hours to take the picture. That, and it's a cowl, and I have a spectacular cluster of pimples on my chin. They're not even doing anything, they're just THERE, have been for over a week, and I can't figure a way of working around them. I've tried. Really.

(And no, half a stick of concealer doesn't work. I've tried that too).

Also, this is my first invented-from-scratch pattern. First ever. I've it written up (though it is insultingly simple), and just need to do it in PDF format to finish. Which involves the resident computer expert here at Insanity Central to at least be out of bed at some point during the day (as opposed to getting up an hour before I go to bed and staying up all night, then going back to bed half an hour before I get up. Damn his schedule. Damn insensitive of him!). Oh yeah, and I need a photo for that, too. See above. In the meantime, a teaser. This yarn was made for moss stitch...

...isn't it yummy? Don't you just want to smoosh your face in it? Yes you do. Yes you do!!

Anyway, as soon as I get the PDF thing and the photos sorted, I promise. Jaysus, it's going to be such an anti-climax after all this build-up! I loves it though. It's all mine!

So anyway, in other work... that yummy Malabrigo Silky Merino I got a couple of weeks back is on its way to becoming another pair of Miss Potters...

...yes, it's only one so far. No, I haven't done the thumb yet. Yes, I did the plain bind-off because I always set fire to the picots when lighting my cigarette, and then and only then remembered that I've quit smoking and picots will never again be that kind of nightmare for me! Early days with the smoking thing, old habits to be broken, so we shall see how things work out.

So a couple of steps forward - a whole project completed (check). Another one almost (well, 50% ish) completed (check). More yarn being knit up than you could shake a stick at (though I'm limiting it to shaking my knitting needles at - check). So we're making a good dent in the stash, yes?

Well, kinda. Not really. Dents would be more evident if I perhaps didn't keep filling them in with more stash. Though on the plus side, that's the end of happy happy store-credit for the moment, so unless the shop sells out of my stitchmarkers any time REAL SOON, I won't be acquiring anything new. I'll jsut have to knit from stash.

(Go buy stitchmarkers. Now. Fast. GO BUY STITCHMARKERS!!! Pleeeeeeease! Aw, don't make me beg. Please nicely?).

Aherm.

Anyway, acquisitions for this week included an extra two skeins of the fabulous Rialto Lace I got last time. It is truly beautiful, but the sheer yardage of it is starting to freak me out somewhat. 1558 metres. What the hell do I do with that? I has ideas, lots even, but it has basically come down to this - one big-ass lace project that'll impress the pants off everyone, or two smaller ones that I'm way more likely to finish (and have room to block!)? What do we think? I have ear-marked projects, I just can't decide. Big or small? One project or two? Huh? Huh?

The Rialto was yarn that had been set aside for me, so I was just going to collect it and leave (no, I didn't think I'd quite be able to pull that off either. And guess what?). Then I saw the sale bins, and it was kinda downhill from there...

These babies...

...are going to be mittens. I think. Plain mittens. Maybe with a cable on them. Or something.

Then this...

...oh it's so pretty! This is going to become another Lava Flow cowl. I've made one already (different yarn), it's a beautiful pattern. This time I'm making it with the recommended yarn, and on a smaller needle, and with two less repeats, so it's slightly stiffer and shorter and snugglier. I am truly in love with this yarn though, I can't believe it was in the SALE BIN!! Obviously I was meant to have it. Obviously.

This baby was right beside (okay, kinda close to) the till, so I nabbed him too, loved the colour...

...guess what he's going to be! Single ball of silky DK? Aw go on, guess! ;o)

Finally, I had been perusing patterns online, trying to decide whether or not I should put them on my (ever-expanding) queue, when I came across this one, the Burberry Cowl. Very nice. Understated. Sleek, shiny, elegant. Neutral tones. Needed a yarn that would knit on 6mm. I found a version. Well, my version...

Ha! Started it this morning, was done in a few hours. It just needs grafting, and then it'll be done. Okay, maybe a couple of plain rows first, as, while it fits beautifully around my neck, getting it over my head is going to be a whole other kind of fun. Trust me though, it's pretty. Absolutely NOT sleek, elegant, subtle, swish, understated. More, urm, gregarious, in-your-face, if you will. Proper pics tomorrow when it's properly finished.

(Interesting conversation with my brother on this one. Check out my project notes). 

So to summarise...

Good thing: I've knit 2.7km of yarn so far this year.
Bad thing: Given that I started with over 46km of yarn, that's not really much of a dent. Especially given then a quarter of the year is gone already.
Even worse thing: I've acquired a whole new 10km of yarn since mid-January. That's a 21.4% increase overall. Not good.

Another bad thing: little yarn piles and WIPs were starting to build up all over my (very small) room. It was looking less like yarn skeins, more like tribbles. Tribbles with needles. More every time I looked.
Good thing: I tidied it up today. A place for everything, everything in it's place.
Even better thing: While tidying, I found a Dairy Milk Fruit & Nut, a packet of Tayto Cheese & Onion, and a Snickers. Score! (Snickers has been bequeathed to the babby brother, on the condition that tomorrow he takes pictures and installs PDF Edit).
Really bad thing: I have come to the worrying conclusion that in my haste to clear the yarn and put as much as possible back up in the attic, I may have accidentally tossed my blood glucose monitor in the wrong bag. Oops. Coma in 3.. 2.. 1.. where did I leave that chocolate?
:o)