All the projects

The sock is going well.  Straightened out nicely.  I messed up the ribbing a little bit, but instead of frogging, or starting the pattern right half way through I'm just going to let it flow with the messed up ribbing of the cuff.  I'm almost cherishing the mistake.  I thought something else was messed up enough to have to frog it, and I found I was sad, that I wanted to preserve the knitted immortalization of my breakthrough.  It's kind of like inscriptions in used collectible books.  Some people find the imperfection like a preservation of history, it gives the book more story.  And that's how I feel about my socks.  I feel it coming on that i will make tons of socks, and have no more problems asking Washingtonian sales clerks about hunting socks that seem so foreign to them.   My feet shall forever on be toasty.

I have a lot of projects going on as my mom comes into town.  I want to finish two things I'm half way through for Jackie.  I also want to finish Kiana's doll (though I think all I have to do is sew her mouth on) and Karson's guitar, and Shelly's hat so that Mom can take that all back with her to them instead of shipping it.  Hey, I'm poor, haha.  But I really want to finish the cabled scarf I started for mom so long ago.  She really deserves a finished project that she can use for once.  I just don't think it's going to happen with all the stuff I'm excited about making for myself or other things and can't put down.  The stuff that Jackie and I are working on together and the idea of knitting for yarn at a LYS.  Can't pass any of it up.  It's so wrong that mom go on the back burner as she always has, because it's the nature of being a mom.  I really want to break the cycle.  Maybe, just maybe I can.

I almost got out the pirate coat to measure the other night, but I didn't feel like making a big mess, and lately I find that I only get to knit is short spurts (which I really don't like).  

I want to splurge on a Loop d Loop jersey I've found yarn for (or rather found the pattern for the yarn) and have my first knitted torso garment.  But the money should be used for activities with mom, and I'm still so dubious about my belly in a knitted shirt.

it's time for the cowl.  i've decided that i can make the pattern up, for the most part, maybe a little help with the hood, but again, I think I'm making it harder in my head than it really is, as with everything.  I'm going to do a test run with the mustard orange "unknown fiber" boulder of a ball I've got, then get to work.  Also, all hood's with an extension I've seen knitted have the "extension" too high on the head, it makes it fold instead of flop, so I'll have to figure out something there since it won't be just an.... extension of the pattern, but a bobble.... extended.  Enough about the cowl cus I can't stop using that word.

I think I'll knit it separate, and knit it in the other direction so that it can slowly, gradually and evenly decrease, centered in the back of the head.  I also think i'll have to use crocheting for the "straglies" i want around the bottom, because knitting isn't versatile enough, but since I plan on felting the whole thing, it shouldn't matter too much.  I'm very worried about the % of shrinking though.  I'm bad with multiplying things that are measurements squared.  And the unknown fiber trial won't felt.  ...or shrink.  eep.  Better safe than sorry.....very large it is.

I also can't stop buying magazines and books with garments that I LOVE but would look horrible in at this weight.  The "when I get thinner" days seem forever in the future...what if I never knit any of this stuff.  Maybe knitting can be inspiration.  But I'd hate to spend so much time and money on something i can't wear yet....or maybe ever.

I'm weeks away from trying Margarita's idea of knitting in the hot tub (bath tub for me)  If you care little enough about the project (or it doesn't effect it) it would be the coziest thing ever.