WIP Wednesday 51: Bobbing Along

Even though I haven't won anything on anyone's giveaways - there's been quite a few recently, so I thought (hoped) a little something might come my way - I've kept going. Pretty much exclusively on Tracy's Shawl - it's so rewarding to see the progress, and as the number of stitches keep reducing, of course it's getting quicker to knit; I only have the last chart, and half of the penultimate chart to go, and then it's complete.


So that means I've done nothing but glance occasionally at the Candleflame Shawl - I don't feel guilt, as I have a long time until the deadline even begins to loom (Spring 2012).



And I had a lucky find ... I pick up old patterns regularly, from the charity shops. The biggest challenge with them is substituting the yarn (always discontinued). Not so much the gauge/tension, but the yardage - I have an unreasoning terror of not having enough yarn to complete a project, and realizing only when I need that one final skein ...and then discovering that it is totally out of stock everywhere.

I also have a dreadful memory. So in a little notebook (thanks, Mooncalf) that goes everywhere with me, I have a list of 4 or 5 projects, the kind of yarn I need for them, and how much of it I might need. Just in case.

They get ticked off and replaced with new ones as I work my way through them. I found a pattern that used Wendy Monaco, and lo and behold, while searching for dog treats in QD, I found Robin Picasso Chunky, 100g/150m, which is also for 6 1/2mm needles (a rough guide is the recommended needle size being the same). The pattern says 12 st x 17 rows, the yarn says 14 st x 20 rows.


At this time of day (or any other, actually) it is impossible for me to make the gargantuan mental effort necessary to do the maths for this comparison/conversion. So I bought 5 - or was it 6 - balls, and we'll see how it goes. A swatch, sez you ? Nary a chance of it, sez I. Where would be the mystery and excitement of the unknown in that ? Of course, if anyone feels like educating me with the likely mathematical results, go right ahead.

And the last thing I want to talk about today is the difference a small amount of time makes. here is a trough in mid-May:


And here it is now, end-July:


I am trying to summon up enough fortitude to go out there with the secateurs and cut back all the petunias. I have read that, if fed, they will retaliate with a fresh flush of flowers that will go through til the end of summer ....

Pop on over to Tami's Amis for a round-up of lovely WIPs.