Moving Right Along

I try very hard not to be working on too many projects at the same time.  Sometimes knitting demands pop up (babies, birthdays, Christmas) that force me to put current projects on the back burner.  The problem with having too many projects going consecutively is it can often tie up the very needles you need to start a project, forcing you to buy more.  So far I've managed to avoid this conflict by maintaining discipline and purchasing a few stitch holders.

Right now I have more projects going at the same time than I've ever done before.  This past spring I started work on a ribbed winter men's hat, with no particular person in mind (Dad?  My friend G, who's been pestering me endlessly for a knit hat for about 2 years?)  I haven't gotten very far on that project:

At the same time, I took a knitting class on sweaters.  The catch was that we knit doll sweaters, to practice the different tips and techniques for sleeves, finishing, etc.  The sweaters are from a booklet called "The Little Book of Little Sweaters," published by Martha Moore, who is based in Sturbridge, MA (contact her at: The Running Rabbit in Sturbridge.)  I finished one, a roll-neck:

And got most of the pieces of another, a raglan-sleeve button up cardigan, done:

I paused the project as I was working on finishing the neck.  I loved this one, because I learned how to knit in a seamless pocket.  I really should finish it, because the sweaters are apparently the right size for American Girl dolls, and several of my young cousins are big American Girl doll fans, so I'd have a few things to add to the Christmas gift stash.

Both those projects got back-burnered due to the impending arrival of a longtime friend's baby girl.  I used to be a huge baby blanket knitter, gifting all my friends and relatives with baby blankets.  And then I hit my mid-30s, along with every other woman in my social circle and my family, and suddenly I couldn't go two weeks without a phone call or email saying, "Guess what!"  Madness.  I was getting carpal tunnel.  Plus, the blankets are too large to take with me in my bag for my commute, so I only have time to knit when I'm home, and with work and volunteer groups, I'm not home all that much.  But I've been friends with this woman for over 20 years, and I knit a blanket for her first baby, so I cast on for the blanket.  It's Jeannette Crews' Ridge Stitch Coverlet pattern, which is super easy - four repeating rows, of which one is knit and one is purl.  I can knit this while watching t.v., holding a conversation and drinking a glass of wine, and the pattern still works without a lot of counting.

FYI, the new baby was born July 6, and I'm only about halfway done with the blanket.  I console myself with the knowledge that it's summer and even with air conditioning, she does not need to be tucked under a blanket this heavy.  But fall is coming fast, so I'm trying to knit quickly.  It's problematic because it's hot and the last thing I want is a blanket over my legs when it's 90 degrees out.

And I've already started my holiday knitting - but that's a subject for another post.