we're calling january a wash...

Usually at the end of a semester I'm wiped, but this time I was really wiped out and just kind of became an unfocused puddle for the remainder of the month.  So January is a wash and almost over..I'm still feeling pretty beat but the spring semester started last night so wonder woman is back in action again.  I did at least decide to only take one class this time...with a professor I adore and admire (and who actually remembered me and seemed to be pleased I was in his class).  While there will be a bunch of work....like i need to read "The Tain" by next tuesday, I'm looking forward to it.

I did finish up two simple projects.  One was J's scarf for christmas. It is 8 inches wide, because that is what he wanted.  The scarf is a bit heavy in the handle because the herringbone weave makes it dense.  But it is also warm and he's wearing it all the time, so I guess is a good thing.

Started:  Dec 2007

Finished Jan 2008

Yarn:  Classic Elite Inca Alpaca Red, 6 skeins

Needles:  #5 circs.

I also finished up a scarf for me that has been hanging around since October and Rhinebeck...my Quivik Scarf.

Very simple lace pattern, the softness of the Qiuvik makes the scarf.  I need to steam it to make the edges lie a bit flatter, but this will be nice to dress up some of my button downs and basic "nice" tee's.

Started:  Oct 2007, Finished Jan 2008

Needles #6 circ's

Yarn:  Windy Valley Musk Ox, 100% quivik

Pattern:  Little shell scarf, free with purchase of yarn

The other constructive and necessary thing I did was evaluate what I had lying around here as a UFO and decide what I was going to do with it. There were 12!  One is a sock, the Pomatomous socks, those are going with me on a plane at  the end of march to get done.  The constant twisting of the stitches is killing my hands but the second sock will be completed.  Another is FLAK, its  not going to the RIP pond, but I am going to pick it up next fall to do and finish. Just not in the mood right now for it.  I've got two lace shawls sitting...Melanie and Spring Shawl both from Heirloom Knitting.  the spring shawl can sit, the wedding i was going to wear it to has been postponed at least until 2009 (couple realized paying for school and wedding at same time bad).  My hope is that once I come out of the fog later in the spring that I'll want to work on both of them again but for the next few months they're going to wait.  I ripped out two other projects that had been sitting and obviously were not thrilling me.

A few other have been hanging around less than 6 months, so I'm not ready to decide about those yet.

Then there's the promenade shawl...garter stitch, garter stitch, garter stitch.  Mindless (good) but boring (bad).  I just have one side left to go.  I will finish it this year, but again I'm just not in the mood right now.  Yep, January has been a drain on the ole creative juices here at Tall Gal..

I did try several times to start a sweater for me, note the word 'try'.  I even did gauge swatches, washed and blocked, got gauge there, but when knitting commenced, gauge changed....reason why - my hands are killing me this winter with the up and down cold and the work load.  For small amounts of time I can maintain gauge, but then it goes either up or down, mostly loosening because I can't maintain the tension.  I'm not happy about this right now. 

J is getting a sweater - one where my hands seem to be behaving - Jared Flood's Cobblestone.  Good old Bartlett yarn comes to the rescue again.  It's hiding the minor variations in my gauge well, much better than the more refined, thinner yarns I prefer for my sweaters. He's a boy what do you expect...I put him in cashmere for a sweater and he'll felt it or do something else weird to it.

Bartlett is a man's best friend.... and mine right now till it warms up.  I hate to say it, but looks like worsted weights or better are my yarn of choice for the next month or so.  I will make my self a sweater, but I think until the weather gets a bit warmer and my hands aren't quite so tight, we're going to work on other projects...

By the way, grades are out...

The expository writing class I got an A, which I half expected after busting my arse for that class.  The class from hell...Intro to Old English gave me an A-, which i was floored by when I saw last night.  I really thought I had flubbed that one bad enough to land in the B range.  Either showing up every week, prepared, no matter how lousy my pronunciation was counted for more than I thought with the professor....or the 5 others who took it for credit did miserably on the final.

So now its the waiting game...waiting for the letter, which won't show until March, which means at least 5-6 weeks of minor anxiety.  I'm not that worried about it, but there is always a chance something could go wrong.  then the real fun begins.

Comments

[Charity]

I don't think I'd call it a wash, look at all the stuff you have on the go! The herringbone pattern is very nice, and the Cobblestone is looking great. :0)