Projects in the wings

I was going to try to demonstrate the amazing cast on for center out knitting with 2dpns, but after I spent two hours trying to photograph the process, with the camera's remote trigger clamped between my teeth, causing me to drool in an unsightly manner, I decided there has to be a better way, and it is probably has to be video.  So that post will wait for another day.

Shopping in your own stash is pretty remarkable.  When I was a young and stupid knitter (all of six years ago) I would buy yarn just 'cause it was pretty!  And on some rare occasions I bought enough for entire projects even though I had little sense for yardage.  During the great knitting famine of 2010 and 2011 my stash sat tucked away in bags, to be honest I think it did a little breeding, there seems to be much more yarn than I thought I had.   And there is a wonderful cache of Rowan yarns!  Years ago we had a great knit shop in San Jose, beautiful light, splendid shop, with heaps and heaps of Rowan yarns.  I lurked and bought.   And then one day it vanished.  Ok maybe that isn't exactly accurate, I did move to LA for a few years; any number of things could have happened (although I think the economy might have been a huge factor).  But this lovely shop on The Alameda in San Jose was so pretty and lured me off my hill....  Suffice to say I now have Green Planet Yarn in Campbell, and Imagiknit in San Francisco to keep me happy.  They are there when I need to look.  I'm still on that yarn diet...  mostly.

Instead here are a few of the things that I am working on, and or plan to start in the next few weeks.  And one thing I hope to knit before I get old and saggy!

This stunning tunic from Vogue Spring/Summer 2010 has been started and frogged more times than I care to think about.  Honestly I picked the wrong yarn.  I had a variegated mauve and beige yarn in mind for this, but it is absolutely horrid.  I will knit this beauty (using the fabulous center knit cast on) when I find the right yarn.  (A clear violation of shopping the stash).

Jeannie Atkinson's Butterfly has been on my wish list for years.  I dove into knitting this when I had no idea what I was doing AT ALL!  And I  have an embarrassing amount of Kid Silk in my stash.  This is the summer for Butterfly...  two reasons; I now know how to read a lace chart, and I need something stunning to wear to the 2012 Gatsby Summer Afternoon.

This is from the Classic Elite site, I have knit this scarf in every yarn under the sun...  The scarf is called "Silky Alpaca Lace Scarf"  and should be knit in Silky Alpaca Lace weight.  I love the pattern, I have knit it in lace weight, DK, chunky...  Its a fun knit, easy repeat.  This is a yarn that I purchased for a tunic that I loved, and I thought it wouldn't stripe quite so much.  In a scarf a definite stripe works, in this tunic it was loathsome.  And I have enough yardage to knit 23 scarfs!!!

Pretty silk and mohair hand dyed, hand spun that I bought at a lovely yarn store in Colorado...  sadly I can't recall the shop's name, but it was in Boulder.

This is some terrific lavender alpaca that I purchased at Stitches West in '06?  It was all there was.  It is my perfect color, warm grey or soft lavender - just perfect.  Yardage wasn't on my mind when I bought it.  About two years ago I started Nadine from Kristeen Griffin-Grimes' French Girl Knits (pictured below), and very clearly I don't have the yardage I need.

Teva Durham's slip stitch kilt will be knit.  I've lusted after this piece for years.  I have no idea how to knit in color...  That might have to wait for 2013.  But damn this skirt is...  well it needs to be in my closet!

Intarsia and color knitting are the things that I hope to learn next.  Lace is easy by comparison!