Time?

Where does the time go? Seriously? I feel like I've got a list of things to knit - and not just stashed yarn that MIGHT turn into something - but a list of things I HAVE TO knit for people ASAP.

First up is the sweater I'm finishing for my neighbor, Louise. When Ken and I moved into our home 4 years ago and Louise found out I knit, she mentioned a "bea-u-tif-ul" sweater she had never finished. Every now and then I would show her my WIPs and she would, once again, tell me of her unfinished sweater. Over this past summer, her mom stopped by one afternoon and said "Louise tells me you knit and I was wondering if you can help me with something". Turns out it was Louise's mom who had been knitting the sweater and she was wondering if I could help her finish it as a surprise for Louise. Of course I said yes and a few days later found the sweater hidden on our front porch. Here's where it starts to get interesting. The pattern, as I was told, is from an old Better Housekeeping-type magazine that is no longer published. My guesstimate dates it to the 70s or early 80s (at best). The "cream" yarn is probably an acrylic and I was given the working yarn and an extra ball, with no ball bands. The back and two fronts were knit as separate pieces and the arms were knit flat from the cuff to underarm. All the pieces were then joined on a circular needle to continue for the yoke. The work stopped three rows after the joining. Because the sweater sat so long in storage, the safety pins that were clipped to it (denoting what each piece was) began to oxidize and caused the yarn to turn a light brown-tea color. However, the unused ball is probably still closer to the original state, so when I use them together the difference will be obvious...and there's no getting around this. I've been reseaching dying acrylic...which is not easy...and am entertaining the idea of letting the whole sweater soak in a "tea bath" for a day or two. I hate to detract from the original sweater - but I would be remiss to not make it the best I could. After charting the lace/bobble pattern I ripped back to the original join, corrected the stitch count and have gotten 5" done of the yoke. It's a slow process. Mainly because bobbles and I are NOT the best of friends. I've finished the working yarn that was attached and have started using the last ball. I hope I don't run out of yarn because then I'll have a bigger dilemma on my hands than just correcting the color. At this point I probably have 6 hours of work left for a Christmas deadline.

Next on the list is a cardi for Ken. I've started it. The back piece is done and I've started the fronts (or was it the sleeves) as two at a time. This is really a quick knit from the Norah Gaughan Men's booklet - but it's also been easy for me to set aside to work on samples and test knits BECAUSE it's for my husband. Oh, and I've also lingered because it will require a zipper which I: a) don't have yet; and b) have never attempted. Hooray for new and scary techinques!

Lastly, I told the kids I would knit them dinosaurs when I bought the pattern back in July. JULY! I have the yarn - they each got to pick their own ball of Noro - but I can't muster the energy to knit on dpns or knit "little" things. Too many ends to sew in and sew together. I'm bad with knitted toys that way. They are a quick and fun knit with a great end result...but the process, well, not so much.

I'm currently working on yet ANOTHER baby blanket (my 5th or 6th this year?) for a co-workers adopted grandson. She's really a great lady and her son and his wife deserve a handknit. But my heart isn't as into it as I would like so I've just been knitting it on the train. It'll be done by the weekend, no doubt, but eh is the best I can say.

Well that's it for me...just a reminder to sign up for the Rhinebeck Giveaway Contest (you can win via Twitter or cell phone now!) if you haven't already!

Happy Knitting!