knitty two shoes

I knit myself another slouch hat, this time in cream so it will go with pretty much anything. Its so easy to knit! I started it last Friday while my dad was undergoing chemo, and didn’t quite have time to  finish it that day so I finished it over a sleepless Saturday night.

I have wool moths. I don’t think they’re that common in Florida, so I have a feeling they might have come with some wool I ordered from somewhere. I have no idea what to do to control them. I haven’t noticed any yarn damage either, but a moth did fly out of one of my yarn baskets. I should be keeping it in sealed containers. If anyone has any tricks to turn off wool moths, please let me know.

I started work last night on this decreasing ribbed caplet. I’m making mine in chocolate brown Valley Yarn Berkshire Bulky. I like the way its knitting up so far. But its a safe project, almost like a hat except you don’t close the top. I want to start other things like shawls and cardigans, but I seem to be lacking the confidence to take them on. Maybe its just the way things are going in my life right now that’s dragging me down. I’m taking on so many big problems and dealing with a lot of stress, maybe I just don’t want a big project on my shoulders right now.

How about you? What do you work on when you’re stressed?

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I finished the hat for the boy, and it fits his big head. Now hopefully he’ll wear it. Not that it was difficult to knit or anything, I’d just really like it if he wore something I knitted for him.

I was trying to decide which mittens I want to knit for my next project. I’m not sure why I settled on mittens. I guess because I haven’t knit any in a long time. I don’t know why its such a hard decision, especially when the patterns (Bella’s mittens or Irish hiking mittens) are really not that similar. I think I’m going to do Bella’s mittens first because the yarn for those has been in my stash longer.

That’s what I really need to plan my projects around-stash busting. I can use up some Malabrigo in March, and knit one of the cardigans next month. I’ll just keep plowing through the list and stop looking at new patterns. Then I won’t be so tempted to buy yarn. I’ve done this before though-putting myself on a yarn diet. Goes about as well as regular diets.

Still, I’m having trouble finding motivation to knit. Maybe its because I’ve got a cold and just don’t feel great, but I haven’t been revved up to start anything lately. Its winter! This should be peak knitting time, but its not. This time last year I was working on my first cardigan, I think. I started it sometime in January. Now I’m doing nothing. I’m sure it will get to me soon.

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I finished up Porom and blocked it, according to directions. I think I liked it better before it was blocked. Its all saggy now, and doesn’t fit my head snugly at all. Still, I guess its a nice hat. I would knit it again. And maybe not block it the next time. The yarn, Rowan Cashsoft DK, was wonderful to work with.

I bought a skein of Dream In Color Groovy, which is their bulky yarn. I don’t know if I bought it with a pattern in mind, or figuring I’d find a pattern. I’ve got to get better about that! I should not buy yarn unless I have a specific pattern for it. Then I won’t have so much random yarn I don’t know what to do with.

The yarn for Otto take 2 arrived today. I really should jump on that. I’ve made that my first priority, and its been hard to not cast on something else that would steal my attention. I was really wanting to start Springtime Bandit but managed to hold myself off. Besides, I really should finish up Amelia since its been on needles for months, but none of that is happening until Otto take 2 is complete. But still, that evil little voice in the back of my head is begging me to cast something else on. I could do dishcloths for neighbors and use up some of that extra yarn.

What’s going on in your world, knitters? What’s on your needles? What are you dying to knit? Or crochet? I’ve got lots in the dying to knit department, but it will wait! Happy knitting!

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