Illusions of Monogamy

I swear it isn’t what it looks like. Wait, wait, don’t go, it doesn’t mean anything, it won’t happen again, I swear!

I have very clear memories of a time when I was monogamous with a project. In these memories I was a serial monogamous dedicating all my time and attention to my one true love, the project du jour. Each relationship ended peacefully and I remained friends with the past project while I moved on to a new love. This is my memory. Unfortunately, reality shows that this monogamous really never existed. I was tempted by some novelty yarn (a Christmas gift for my mother) in the midst of my first significant project. In my own defense, I only cheated on my project du jour with gifts for others. This lasted for a few months, then I became the project slut that I am today, juggling multiple projects at once without a care in the world about the feelings of the UFOs I collected.

I made a New Years resolution to return to a life of serial monogamy this year. There would be no UFOs hanging about, mocking me, instead only a pure and undiluted dedication to my one true love (for the moment). This didn’t work, I am too fickle, instead of serial monogamy, I have sunk to a new level. Have you seen the progress bars over on the left? They don’t include my newest addition, a Vesper wrist warmer, it also doesn’t include my Falling Leaves sock (which I removed from their dpns in order to sink deeply into the comfort of Vesper), or the somewhat abandoned projects that are hanging out somewhere at home.

I started making my Vesper wrist warmer because my hands have been colder than usual this past week. When my body gets cold my fingers get exceptionally cold, and sometimes they turn white and numb. Until this past Tuesday night it hadn’t happened this winter. Tuesday, though, on my bus ride home first my right ring finger then my left ring finger did the white numb thing. My hands had been cold in the office all day before that happened, and are still cold as I type these words (fyi, my office is about 71 degs). The wrist warmers that I have in the office are big, loose, and bulky (made from Big Wool and stretched out of shape). It is hard to type with the Big Wool warmers on, so I decided to take my Vesper and create a snug, fitted, thin wrist warmer. Now I am mesmerized by Vesper, I have been utterly seduced by the way the stripes just come into being, and the colors, which make me think of Punky Brewster for some reason. I added some wrist decreases to the warmer and am doing a thumb gusset. On the bus this morning I did a scalloped edge/cast off, just to give the warmer a touch of femininity. Due to my torrid affair with Vesper, I am setting aside my shelridge farms sock for the time being, never fear dear sock, I am anxious to wear you too, so I will pick you up again.

Despite the fact that I am in thrall to my wrist warmer, Madli retains a place in the forefront of my heart. I am still entranced by the unpredictable changes of color in my Georgetown Helen’s Lace. Georgetown has prevented me from becoming bored with the simple pattern. Being able to use my size 5 Lantern Moons also helps keep Madli desirable (I did have to take an emery board to on of the Lantern Moons since it had rough spots). Now I am nearly done with Madli.

On Sunday I cast on for my Shetland Wedding Ring Shawl with Emily, who is doing the same shawl in gossamer cotton. I am using gossamer silk, it is almost like knitting with a spider web. The silk is so fine that you can barely sense it on you hand (the thin white line laying, barely visible, next to the brown worsted weight cotton, that is my gossamer silk). The Center (or should I say centre since it is a British pattern) is 362 rows of 247 stitches, over 89,0000 stitches are in the center alone, then there will be a border, then edging. My plan is to do one row each day. K doesn’t think I will stick by that, she is taking bets that I will be done much sooner than I think is possible.

Fichu and Brioche will be picked up again, at some point. In the meantime, I have been inspired by K’s Rogue cardi, so I bought the yarn (Peruvian Highland Wool from Elann), the pattern, and some new Addi Turbos, I am ready to cast on NOW, NOW, NOW! Oh, and don’t forget that I should be getting my Lorna’s Laces Shepard’s’ worsted in soon for the Twisted Floats Shrug, oh and the baby shower presents that I need to make, and a shawl from Lacy Lamb that is on order, and ….