A miracle: no WIPs

I finished two projects today, leaving no works in progress (WIPs) on my official Ravelry project page. This is the first time it has happened since I started using Ravelry to keep track of my projects. Since I usually have two projects on the needles at any given, it's quite unusual for me to finish both so close together.

I'm feeling ambivalent about this. On the one hand, there's great pride in the accomplishments. Both projects turned out beautifully. (I don't have pics yet, but will take them soon.) On the other hand, it's a little bit sad not to have a project to turn to at the moment. My needles look forlorn and lonely.

Of course, they won't stay that way for long. I have so many projects queued up, both on Ravelry and in my own mind, that I can't wait very long to start something else. I just need to make up my mind which two projects to do next. There are several things I want to knit for myself. I think the fingerless gloves in laceweight alpaca will have to be the next thing I start. I also have some super-soft yarn I need to use to make baby caps. Then there's the mp3 player cozy and the journal cover I want to make for myself. But I probably shouldn't have two selfish-knitting projects at the same time. Decisions, decisions.

Yarn Crawl Awesomeness!

Yesterday morning, I got together with several other members of our friendly local knitting and crocheting club for a "yarn crawl," which is like a pub crawl, but to yarn shops instead of pubs.

We went to two yarn shops, ImagiKnit in Tullahoma, TN and The Knit Kit in Shelbyville, TN. In between the shops, we grabbed lunch together at Applebees. I bought yarn and patterns at the first shop, but nothing at the second, primarily because I couldn't think of a specific project to use it for. I will probably go back there soon and buy yarn for a baby project for my friend Amy's new daughter. My Ravelry queue is getting out of control, though.

It was so much fun to see new yarn shops, feel all the nice yarn, and to spend the time with friends who also appreciate yarn and don't think I'm strange if I rub it on my face (because they've done it, too)! We shopped, we conspired to share patterns from an expensive pattern book, we ate, we talked, we even had an impromptu sock-knitting lesson in the car. It was a blast!

I can hardly wait until the next one, set for early September.

Sweater accomplished

I've done it! Finished my first project that I designed myself, the celtic cross sweater for my dad. I'm very pleased with how it turned out. The picture above doesn't show the cross to its best effect, but it does prove that I have in fact finished it!

Having a new project I am so excited about really gave me the kick in the behind that I needed to finish this one, when the stockinette got too tedious. Otherwise, it might have taken until Dad's birthday (in November)!

Now I need to decide what to do with the design. I am considering posting it on Ravelry and debating with myself whether to charge for it or make it free. I've checked, and there are no similar patterns for sweaters on Ravelry. It took a significant amount of time and effort to create the design, and it seems to me that it deserves the respect of being paid for. On the other hand, as a pattern-buyer, I'm not sure I would want to buy a pattern that includes only one size. I think I may compensate for that by offering my suggestions in the pattern itself and email support for needs above and beyond that.

Well, that can wait. Time to start on that cashmere wrap...