An unusual predicament...

After finishing the Citron shawl and a test-knit project, both within the past week, I was down to two projects on my WIP queue. TWO. Seriously? This from the woman who used to regularly have a dozen or more WIPs going at any one time.

Granted, ever since my big WIP knit-down frenzy in January 2009 (I started with a record-high 17 WIPs and ended with only 8), I've pretty much managed to keep things under control, usually with something around 5 or 6 projects going at a time. Part of this feat I credit to my increased use of the "hibernate" status on Ravelry. My WIP count never includes hibernating projects. But even my hibernating WIPs count is at only 5, so I think that's pretty good!

However, today I finished one of the two WIPs that were left after Citron. A pair of socks I'd started back in January. I was up to the heel part of the second one when I quit working on them. I just cannot seem to get the same intuitive hang of heels on toe-up socks as I have for cuff down. I always end up having to rip back at least once because I do something wonky to them. And it really doesn't help to let more than four months pass since you last worked on them! Yikes.

Generic k3p1 ribbed socks, toe-up, slipped stitch heel. 

Yarn: All Things Heather Sock Yarn, Winterberry colorway.

However, finish them I did, and once I changed their status from "in progress" to "finished," my little WIP widget looked like this...

Dude! ONE WIP!!! One??? Really??? Oh my. As much as I will admit that projects finish much faster when I knit monogamously on them, I just can't handle having only one WIP at a time! What can I say? It's a sickness.

Now, I know I will have another test knit project coming up soon -- a garment for me this time, not a baby garment, and one that requires handspun. So right now I am diligently spinning up some beautiful purple merino fiber for that project. (Sorry. Forgot to take a picture. I'll catch it next time.)

But since the knitting part of that project is still in the distance a bit, I thought it a good time to cast on something for me that I've been wanting to make...

This is the pattern for Nantucket Red by Thea Colman. It's been in my queue for a while, and I'm going to make it from one of my all time favorite yarns, Elsbeth Lavold Silky Wool...a pretty, golden, mustardy shade.

I love the rustic-ness of this yarn. It's soft, from the silk, but it's got a nubbiness to it that just makes me so happy. And since my February Lady Sweater, which I also knit from this yarn, is irrevocably too large on me now (though I may try one last ditch effort to try and get it to at least stay on my shoulders before giving up and giving it away), I am looking forward to having another Silky Wool garment to wear. And it should be perfect for fall, too!

And, of course, I cannot go without a good carry-around project. That will be another pair of socks made from some Zitron Trekking XXL that I bought a couple years ago with a specific recipient in mind. This pair is going to be a Christmas gift.

I'm going to go with yet another toe-up pair, that way I can control the length of the cuff. (And darn it anyway, I am going to master that toe-up heel if it kills me! LOL) And while Trekking XXL has over 450 yards per skein, I bought two, just to be safe, because said intended recipient has some kinda big tootsies, and I don't want to have to make the cuff short just to accommodate yardage. I love when I think ahead like this. 

And it just dawned on me. I think this may be the first time this year that I have not had a shawl on the needles! Plenty of those in my queue. Dare I add another project? Hmmm.... ;)