Octo-Mojo

This year the focus among the Sheffield knitters group has been on knitting from stash.  But, it's now October, and we're all flagging a little bit, so Helen came up with the idea of a challenge to get our mojo back.

The challenge is to finish off as many WIPs as possible.

WIP = Work In Progress

People often ask "what are you working on right now?" and it's not as easy a question as you might think.  I don't know many monogamous knitters!  By that I obviously don't mean that knitters have especially complicated love-lives, I mean that it's rare for a knitter to be working on just one project at a time.

I like to have about 3 projects on the go.  One complicated and challenging, one simple, and one small enough to carry on the tram into work.

The problem is, it rarely works like this!  There are projects that get put in Time Out because they have misbehaved, there are projects that push to the front of the queue, and there are projects that beg to be cast on right now!

Look at that beauty!  This yarn is like the Holy Grail.  It's part of a collection hand dyed by Countess Ablaze inspired by Suetonious' Twelve Caesars.  A handful of one of a kind colourways are released each month, and there is a bit of a fight to claim your favourites before anyone else can click on it.  This particular yarn sold out in record time, less than 4 minutes after the update went live!  I picked mine up from the Post Office yesterday :)

As well as being a stunning colourway, this is my favourite yarn base in the world.  4-ply, super-soft, and sparkly.  So as you can imagine, I'm itching to get this on the needles!  I can hear it calling to me!

Then there are all the gorgeous smooshies that I bought at Yarndale, whispering in my ear about all the lovely things that they want to become...

But I must resist!  And here is why; as of the 1st of October 2014, these were the things that I had on the go:

1) Olly’s cardigan - needs 1 and a half sleeves, and the button band knitting. 

2) Myras cushion covers - the one new project I’m allowing myself to cast on, because I want it done before I next go up north, which I hope to be in less than 2 weeks.
3) Mams memorial shawl - about 65% complete so far. 

4) Kellys socks - working the heel of the first sock, so still plenty to do.
5) Chunky squares blanket - I’m not going to finish this, because it’s a part-work thing, but I’d like to catch up to the current update.
6) Dazzle scarf - I’ve been working on this since last Christmas, only half a ball to go, really should finish it! 

7) Tweedy Tubey - I want this done before winter properly arrives, but I’m not really expecting to get it finished this month as I’m only about a quarter done so far. 

8) Thinking Cap - I cast this on before breaking my wrist in January, and never picked it up again after. It’s a great big fiddly pain, but I want to get it done this year at least. 

9) Giant Red Cardigan Of DOOM! - If I get to this, it’ll be a bloody miracle, but it’s another one that I want off the needles before 2014 is done. 

10) Kyna - I started this after I’d finished last years Christmas knitting, it was supposed to be a nice, relaxing, selfish knit, and as such I never got time to work on the damn thing! So it’s been stuck with just the set-up rows done for almost a year.
11) Lace scarf - Included only because it’s on my WIP list, this is a no pressure knit that lives at Stephens house. There’s not a chance in hell that I’ll get more than a couple of rows of this done before Halloween!

The 'Progress' Part

I've already made some progress through this epic list.  With just 1 week until I need to hand the first 2 items to their new owners, I've been concentrating on those.  Olly's cardigan is now complete!

And Myra's cushion covers have been cast on:

I honestly don't think I'll get through the entire list before the end of this month.  But I'd like to get at least half way through.

At the end of this month I'm going on holiday.  I think I know what I'll be knitting while I'm away, and it's not anything on this list I assure you!  Holiday knitting has to be my favourite yarns, and no pressure.

After that, I have to start thinking about Christmas... but I'm trying not to think that too loudly just yet!