Fridays are for finished things!

I have two finished projects this week: the Big Snowy Owl from the Purl Bee and the Schmidt vest I started about six weeks ago. The owl was probably about seven hours of actual knitting, although it took me a week to finish it, due to a variety of factors. The first was that I didn't have any polyfill to stuff it with, so I had to make a trip to the craft store for that. Then I didn't have any size 15 double pointed needles to do the eyes with, so I had to borrow some from a kind friend. After that, I had to wash the eyes because the grey yarn I used had so much spinning oil left in it that it smelled bad. Finally, when the eyes were dry, I was able to sew them on then knit the beak! I think I may make a few more of these owls, but I might just size them down and do them with worsted- or fingering-weight yarn. I think some tiny owls would be fun. They might even make nice Christmas ornaments. I'll have to let that idea marinate for a little while.

The Schmidt vest finished up much faster than I expected, but it probably helped that I was stuck in traffic for about an hour a few nights ago. You see, I thought it would be no big deal to go across the river to Indiana and back to buy some needles. It's only a mile across the bridge to Jeffersonville and the buses were running every half hour or so, so it couldn't be that bad, even with Shermageddon. Or so I thought. The flaw in my plan was that there was a Taylor Swift concert that night at the Yum! Center, which happens to be located right next to the bridge. So not only was there the usual rush hour traffic trying to leave downtown, there was additional traffic trying to get downtown for the show. It was gridlock. There were people (in heels! and sassy pants!) actually walking across the bridge faster than our bus could cross it. What should have taken an hour, at most, took two and a half. But that worked to my advantage, as I was able to knit the armhole and the collar while I was on the bus. I was even able to weave in all the ends. Once I finally got home, I gave it a good, long soak in some Eucalan and laid it out to dry. I think it looks pretty good with the Barbara Walker braided cable I used. I just hope it fits my brother in law. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

In WIPs news, I've begun knitting the little flowers for my Hydrangea bag. The pattern calls for plenty of them, but they knit up very quickly and it doesn't take much effort to weave in the ends. If I put in a little effort this weekend, there's a chance I could have the better part of them done by Tuesday. I may decide to to save that for my commute, though, as I'm feeling like I should do a little more on the striped intarsia socks that are taking me forever to finish. We'll see how that goes - I might also decide to cast on another baby project such as the super-secret one I have in mind for my friend Molly. It's going to be awesome! And I hope no one tells her what it is. It's a surprise for her baby shower. I sure hope I get an invitation.

Anyway, that's all I have for tonight. I hope you have a nice weekend, Friends!

This project-starting thing keeps happening to me.

I can't stop starting new projects. It seems that I'm compelled to make new stuff. In the past few days, I've started a felted bag and a stuffed owl. I've thought about starting some baby booties. I've also thought about starting a baby hat. I feel like I've exercised a great deal of restraint having begun only two new projects.

The felted bag is a Noni pattern by Nora J. Bellows, Hydrangeas. I bought the pattern at least two years ago, but probably more like three, when I was on vacation up in Michigan. Back then, I didn't have the skill level to complete the project, but I knew that I would definitely want to make it someday, so I shelled out $8 for it. Of course it called for 5 different colors of Cascade 220, none of which ever seemed to be available in any yarn shop I'd ever been in. I tried to buy the yarn for it at Broad Ripple Knits when I was there last weekend, but there was only one color that was even close to what was specified in the pattern, so that's what I bought. I ended up ordering the rest of the yarn from Webs, which should be arriving any day. It doesn't look like much, yet, but once it's felted and the flowers are added it will look awesome.

The stuffed owl is a total impulse start. I was goofing off, looking at my friends' activity on Ravelry, when I saw that one of them had favorited the Big Snowy Owl pattern from Purl Soho. The pattern called for Blue Sky Alpacas' Bulky yarn, but I happened to have a bunch of Cascade Lana Grande leftover from when I made Jared Flood's Umaro blanket last winter. I cast on yesterday afternoon, and by the time I realized it was bedtime, I had knit all the way to the top of the head. I stuffed it this afternoon and expect that I will do the ears tomorrow night at Stitch 'n' Bitch. This is a fast, easy project. I may even have enough yarn to make one more, which might take care of some of these baby projects.

The other projects I've considered starting are from Ysolda Teague's Whimsical Little Knits, which I bought last weekend. I've had Tiny Shoes in my queue for ages, and I've been thinking I might also want to make myself and Ishbel, since everybody (& their brother) on Ravelry seems to have made one. The baby hat I've been considering in another Little Owl Baby Hat by Irina Poludnenko. I made one last winter for my friend Kate's little girl and I think it's high time I made another. I think I'll make it in Rowan Lima again, but this time in brown & natural.

Well, that seems to be it for tonight. I hope to have a finished objects post soon, so keep your eyes peeled, y'all. Until next time.