this week, I’ve been taking 4 projects with me for my bus knitting. (I may be insane.)

the HP bookscarf has been living (forgotten) in the tote. no progress on that in ages. Vintage Velvet still lives in the tote as well, though progress on that has stalled, since two new projects have been added this week: the cowl and Twist.

the cowl is finished, except for the seaming up. I really should get that done since it’s been freezing (or really close to it) this week.

I’ve also been actively working on Twist on the bus, though it doesn’t really seem like it. I’ve finally finished the ribbing today and am about to start cabling. woohoo!

other than that, not much else has been going on. I’m thinking NaKniSweMo may have been a not-so-great idea. I fear the holiday knitting is suffering. (then again, it was suffering before too. bugger, I really need to get back to that.)

apologies for lack of photo progress. life is going chaotic right now.

I’ve been playing with the knitting machine a bit more. I finished the knitting part of the Harry Potter scarf on Sunday night:

and then I started a hat to practice ribbing. I finished the ribbing part last night, and now I need to take it off the machine and then I’ll hand-knit the decreases at the top. I think I’d be better off hand-knitting the next time I need ribbing (at least in mass quantities). no pics yet.

I’ve also been making good progress on the Vintage Velvet:

the loop of yarn near the needle is about where the first ball of yarn ran out. I figure I’m about halfway through the second ball now.

k-chan #2 was felted back when the clogs were, but I still haven’t taken the time to sit down and sew the handles in place.

I’d also set a goal last month to finish L’s mittens from last year by the end of the month. unfortunately that hasn’t happened. I think I’m going to sit down tonight and at least get a good start on the second one.

and as a wrap-up, I’m a bit bummed to report that I spent absolutely no time knitting socks during socktoberfest. =(

NaKniSweMo starts tomorrow. I’m trying to decide (still) if I want to participate and whip out a sweater this month, or if I’m better off focusing on the holiday knitting. tough call.

holiday knitting has kind of stalled. I need to sit down and start something (anything? everything?). then I can pick and choose what to work on. but I haven’t yet.

at least the overall knitting mojo hasn’t died. Vintage Velvet has sort of become my default project (I’m nearing the end of the first ball of yarn) when nothing else will do. The Candy corn bag is nearly finished - just needs some handles, and maybe a trip through the machine to felt it. k-chan #2 has been felted, I just need to sit down and sew the other end of the handle on.

life is getting a little crazy, so the blog may be quiet. (well, quieter than my usual.) I’ll at least attempt to keep ravelry up-to-date, so the sidebar will reflect progress. (Knitwars will also be kept up - got to keep leveling up, ya know)

and now for a rant about the Bond USM. works great for large stretches of stockinette, no doubt. (that’s why I’m working my Harry Potter scarf on it). but they tell you ‘don’t let the knitting hit the floor’. what they don’t tell you is how to keep it from doing so once it gets to an unwieldy length. and so I’m working it in blocks at the moment and need to figure out how to rig them into something scarf-like at some point. (kitchener? three needle bind off? not sure yet). they do have a customer service number you can call, but that’s only open until 4pm Eastern time. right, because the only time I use the machine is during Eastern time’s business hours. grr.

Startitis is kicking in big time, what with all the holiday knitting plans and all.

let’s start with the old WIPs:
the mittens just need thumbs. they’ve been in that state since Sunday. I really should finish them this week.

the HP bookscarf has a whole 3 rounds added since last seen. not really photo worthy.

new WIPs:
I started a pair of the Fiber Trends clogs for myself today.
the poinsettia wreath was started Monday. I have 8 petals done, I think.

there you have it - a week’s gone by, and that’s where we’re at. doesn’t feel like much.
(sorry, no pics this week. I’m being a slacker.)

here’s hoping that if I start this, I’ll continue it, and I’ll at least know what to talk about once a week.
(this will also be my first attempt linking images from flickr, so bear with me)

with the holidays approaching, there’s a lot to work on. I got tired of losing my WIPs (and UFOs), so I dedicated a shelf to them. theoretically, this will help me locate them quicker when I need to force myself to work on something on a trip or some such.

so, here we go. this will also help me get honest with my WIPs on ravelry.

from the top of the progress bars:

the plain mittens. these will go to one of the yarn shops (most likely the Yarn Cafe) that’s collecting mittens for the winter. (hmmm… after seeing their mitten graphic, I’m thinking maybe I could embroider a snowflake or something on the back… or maybe I’ll leave them plain. we’ll see.)

brown waffle socks. for dh. I know, it doesn’t look like much yet - I’m still working on the first half of the short-row toe.

L’s mitten(s). these were to be last year’s xmas gift. my goal is to have them done by the end of this month.

k-chan #2. why is it still listed if it’s 100%? because it still needs to be felted.

furry bear. just needs to be stuffed and finished. (for some reason, the picture makes me think of the gingerbread man)

penguin in progress. yeah, doesn’t look like much yet.

sea lettuce. I love the way the yarn (Lucy Neatby’s merino in seashell) is knitting up. mom picked out and bought the pattern & yarn at Wisconsin Sheep & Wool, and swears she could never knit it (she knit us scarves when we were kids). so I’m knitting it for her, which isn’t all bad (especially since I love this yarn!).

the strap of the Tasha bag. (most of the pieces are finished, but not pictured. just need to finish the strap and the cables that go across the top of the side pieces). I have a ways to go on the strap - it’s folded at the point where the side of the bag switches to the strap.

vintage velvet. this is another slow-going project.

the Harry Potter bookscarf.

some of you may recall that I joined the MS3 group over the summer. that project is in hibernation mode. this is how far I got:

um, yeah. you can stop laughing now. pitiful, isn’t it? I think that’s still Chart A. some day I will have a beautiful finished stole. some day.

now, if you’ll excuse me, distraction is calling: