All in all it’s been a dissapointing weekend for me. Both of my teams lost. So I consoled myself by watching video clips of one of my favourite shows and now I look forward to January 22nd as if it were the Christmas.
I was sufficiently cheered to also give new thoughts to the contest I’m running. I’ve had such a great response I thought I’d add more yarn to the pot and I thought that I’d change the first prize to something different. So the new first prize will be 3 balls of Shadow in Redwood Forest, giving the winner enough yardage to complete a shawl, and 2 balls of Regia, enough for one pair of socks.
Second prize will be the original first prize booty, which is Wool of the Andes, Bulky weight in Wine, Elann’s Highland Wool in a dark red, and a one of a kind Opal colourway.
And third prize will be 3 skeins of Brown Sheep’s Naturespun in Charcoal, which should be enough for a hat.
Remember that you still have until Tuesday to enter the contest and I will allow multiple entries. I’ll just count the entry that’s the most accurate! I have been knitting away on the Mystery Project with all the watching of sports that’s been going on and I’m happy with my progress. I’m also happy with the process and product, which is a first for me. I look forward to Tuesday when I can share more of my thoughts with you on this projects.
I’ve had sweaters on the brain again and while I dreamt of two sweaters in November, I now have a third that’s just bubbling in my thoughts. It’s the Klaralund from the Noro Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton Collection, Book Number 2. Kim was kind enough to lend the pattern book to me and I have just been drooling over some of the designs. The only problem is that I’m cringing over the price of the yarn, but I think it would just be so worth the experience of knitting and having a luxury item in Noro Silk Garden.
Of course the other problem is when do I fit this sweater into my schedule? I have two shawls to finish and I want to start a third. Then there’s the myriad of small colourwork items I want to do as well. I’m really not sure how to prioritize the items on my list. I’m not sure how I feel about having too many projects on the needle either. I’m already getting a bit panicky at the thought of how many I have going on right now. Any suggestions would truly be welcome.
January 7th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
Hi!
I just found your blog through the Hidcote KAL..and I want to take a stab at your contest. I did some research through your blog archives and I am guessing that you are making Ariann. I love that sweater, it’s on my to-do list as well.
Here’s hopin’ I win! (He-he =) ).
January 7th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
Hey there, I tried to post before and nothing showed, so if this ends up being a double post I apologize.
I found yoru blog through the Hidcote KAL, and I would like to take a stab at your contest.
AFter doing some “research”, mu guess would be the Ariann sweater that is so hot right now.
It’s on my to-do list as well.
BTW, it’s beautiful!
January 7th, 2007 at 11:40 pm
Prizes look wonderful - its just too bad that I can’t figure out what you are working on! The Noro sweater is beautiful. I can’t help you on how to handle multiple projects - I have too many myself. Lately, I’ve been focusing on just one at a time until its finished. I really try to have one big, and one sock/small, going at a time.
January 8th, 2007 at 2:33 am
For me, the more projects on the needles the better. I tend to have knitting ADD, so if I can switch projects often then I can keep knitting without getting bored. What you may want to do is have one large project going like a shawl, afghan, etc. Also have one pair of socks going all the time, and maybe a colorwork project going, too. In other words, one project from each style or type of knitting that you enjoy. No need to panic. Knitting is what you do for pleasure, so if it is causing some anxiety, then change how you go about it. Just remember that you have no one to answer to about your knitting but you. You can do whatever you want! And go for the silk garden. It’s just yummy!
Sue
January 8th, 2007 at 3:46 am
Dear Opal,
It has come to my attention that you are a Duke fan. As such it pains me to inform you that I can no longer be your Friend, as Duke is Evil Incarnate, doing not the work of the Devil but in fact the work of the *Blue Devil*. It is the Sworn Enemy of My Team. We defeated you once - will it ever happen again? I hope so. I look forward to the day that you renounce this Crazy Allegiance and come back to the side of Light.
Cordially,
Carrie
(PS Just kidding, but it’s true, Duke is the enemy… can you figure out who?) :)
January 8th, 2007 at 5:09 am
I suggest what I call “knitting backwards” through your projects. Whichever one is the most recently started, finish that one first and then continue in that order. It is how I approach my stash sometimes, starting with the most recently purchased yarn and going backwards from there. Good Luck!
January 8th, 2007 at 8:44 am
Okay, I’m one of those weirdos who basically only works on one thing at a time. Sometimes I have a two things going (one large/one small project) and even then I just don’t feel like I make enough progress on both of them with my limited knitting time. I don’t know of any suggestions for organizing or prioritizing…I think it’s more of a personality thing…with people at both extremes and in the middle. I do try to remember that I will (hopefully) have many years to knit and try all kinds of things and that I need to lower the “gotta make it RIGHT NOW” thoughts a notch.
January 9th, 2007 at 4:40 am
I often have a bunch of things going at once as I go through major bouts of startitis. There is an attendant (but almost unconscious) process of constant, low-level analysis:
Do I like this?
Do I have enough yarn for this?
Do I *still* like this?
Do I really think this color works?
Do I *really* still like this?
Is this coming out that way I thought?
…and so forth. A Lot of things fall by the wayside, as you can imagine :) But sometimes, I wind up with several things that I really *do* want to finish. A work rotation gets set up then - SO many rows on this, a pattern repeat or two on that, one square on the other one, so many rounds on the one over there…
Usually when something is very close to being finished, I will ignore the rotation for a day and finish it up. And then back to the rotation…
January 9th, 2007 at 10:58 am
Is the project a baby cardigan?