Damson: Finished!

I'm quite happy with myself - my very first shawl is finished! It's not the first one I've started, but I did finish it. I blocked it as best I could while at my brother's. I might re-block it later to open up the lace a little more. This shawl is also my very first Ysolda project.

Pattern: Damson

Needle: 4mm

Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss in Winter Night - 440 yards

Damson makes for an easy first shawl. It is knit in garter until you reach the chart and the 2 rows of edging are really easy.

15 Days left!

Wizard's Chess. We all remember Harry and Ron playing it in Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone. But that's not the game I'm talking about. The game of Wizard's Chess I'm talking about involves knitting. And WIPs. In HPKCHC, Wizard's Chess is a game where up to a total of 10 points, you can work on a few WIPs. Instead of just a 'finish all the WIPs you can' it gives a little more focus. Which is nice. The points are tallied like this: Pawn (1 pt), Rook (2 pts), Knight (4 pts), and Queen/King (5 pts).

My first WIP is my pair of advent socks. A knight. I get a clue for the socks every weekend. Clue 3 came out last night because the designer's midnight is my 6pm. (yay Germany!) I'm still working on clue 1.

Second WIP is Damson, a rook. I have about 30ish or so rows left to finish. And then all it needs is some blocking. My goals for both Damson and the socks is to have them finished and wearable by Christmas Eve morning.

Last WIP is my Traveling Woman shawl. Another knight. I don't have an exact size to aim for with this one. It's easy to increase the size of TW with the first chart. So to finish I need to do as many more chart A repeats as it will take to make me happy. And then I can do the finishing chart. And be done.

These three WIPs get me my ten points. I have more than three to finish, if I'm lucky, I can finish 5. That will get my remaining WIP count down to two. Yay!

17 Days left!

I figured out last night that acrylic, at least Red Heart, really hurts my hands. To the point where every time I knit with it, it shot pain through my right hand. I'm not going to knit with something that hurts my hands. So I'm pretty much all done working with Red Heart. I'm also taking a break from all acrylic for awhile. Wool makes my hands (and me!) happy. The good news is that this happened after I finished the presents I needed to get done.

Finished:
Fun Fur Scarf
Midnight Blue Beanie
Present for Mom

WIPs (for me):
Aquitine Pullover
Traveling Woman
Damson
Advent Socks

My goal for December now is to try and get three of the four listed completed. So, everything but the sweater. I want to try and get Damson and my advent socks finished before Christmas. In enough time to block Damson so I can wear the two of them on Christmas Eve.

24 Days left!

There are 24 days left until Christmas. And I'm so not ready. There are presents left to do. Not just for family but for me too. I have plans what I want to wear to the family gathering on both the 24th and the 25th. Namely my shawl but I'd also like to wear a beret too. December will be the month where I focus on the things that I need to do and my WIPs. Here's the list of each.

Need to do:
Fun Fur Scarf
Midnight Blue Beanie
Present for Mom
Scarf/Hat/Mitten set in both green and black

WIPs:
Aquitine Pullover
Traveling Woman
Damson
Accompanist's Gloves
Advent Socks
One Row Scarf
Gretel

My goal of December is to finish four things for me and all of what I have to do. The need to do list is easy, once I focus. It's hard sometimes, because I'd be happier just knitting what I want to. On the list of WIPs, the ones in italics are the ones I'd like to finish before the new year. If I finish more, great! If I have to pick two, it'll be Damson and the socks.