WIP or rather Not WIP ....

Well, it has been a hectic start to 2008. We finally sold our business on 2 January - hurrah! and then took the (almost) grown up children to visit their grandparents in Suffolk. I would have taken lots of photos etc, but unfortunately had flu and couldn't be bothered. Anyway, back home a few days later to tidy up the house and engage more estate agents in a desperate bid to sell the house and move back to Bath from whence we came. At last we have some time to ourselves and to think about the new business and relax a little. I decided to do lots of knitting after some mammoth tapestry evenings where I made four Christmas stockings. Not, unfortunately in time to have them for Christmas, but then, there's always another around the corner. When I receive them back from the company that turns them from rough, fraying canvas into, I hope, beautiful works of art, I will take pictures and show you.

So, what to knit next ...... I finished off a sleeveless sweater for my son's friend. I was going to call it a tank top but this would probably give my age and social status away, so I won't. Probably the words 'sleeveless sweater' are just as revealing, but there you go. However, being far too idle to get the ironing board out and block the thing, it is just sitting there waiting. As is a tiny green cable jumper for a baby that I found at the bottom of a knitting bag. I don't know any babies, but someday a baby will like it, I feel sure.

In my knitting basket, I found the following...... more than I expected and so now feel morally obliged to finish them. After feeling very guilty, immediately my thoughts strayed to convincing myself I should start something else. Happily, I then pulled myself together and decided to take photos, put them on the blog and guilt trip myself into finishing all the WIP. So, here we go: Jumper No 1. Again for an unspecified child. This pattern is taken from a Jaeger handknit book and the yarn is a Sirdar Pure Cotton (unfortunately no longer made). The cotton is rather silky in appearance and knits very well. I have done two backs (guess who wasn't concentrating), and one sleeve, so this shouldn't take too long to finish.

Next up is another child's jumper. It started off as a birthday present for my nephew, but that was last year and I am not sure it will still fit. A Zoe Mellor pattern with Rowan handknit cotton. It is very tedious to knit and I can't wait to finish this one. Progress so far, one sleeve, half of the front.

Yet another jumper for a child here. A green spotty one. From the same Jaeger knitting book ... value for money, my friends .... did the front, and found it quick to knit but slightly boring. Also sick of this particular green yarn as I bought a large stash of it.

Last child's jumper coming up. As you can see the fair isle pattern is very clever. Again from the Jaeger knitting book. This is very, very slow to knit and as sewing/tying in ends is not my favourite pastime, this is going to take a long time to finish. However, I have included a close up of the pattern for you to admire.

Next a glove. I was given (under orders) a glove making kit from GetKnitted for Christmas, together with a set of KnitPicks Harmony DP needles (fabulous). Obviously it would have been rude not to start one. This is my first attempt at knitting a glove and it is ok. Suffering a bit on the second finger but hey, I can't imagine anyone is actually going to wear them in any case.

Finally, a green jacket for daughter. She often requests knitted garments. Sometimes she wears them and sometimes she doesn't. I often think, but no doubt am wrong, that there is a correlation between the number of times worn and the size chosen. This can vary tremendously. However, just in case daughter reads this blog, I will say no more. Except that she has very long arms ..... a trait from her father's side of the family of course .... which makes sleeve knitting very tiresome. Anyway, this is a Sirdar pattern originally for Click DK, but made in their new Luxury Cotton. Nowhere near as nice to knit with as the old pure cotton as it tends to split. The yardage is very poor as well as I reckon this is going to take around 14 balls instead of the 10 suggested.

Right, I've had enough of my failure to finish anything, as I am sure you have. Should you visit again, I hope you will see some progress.