Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Spoiled for choice

I don't know why, since I have a lot of stuff on needles right now, but I feel like I need one more big project in play. I want to see a pattern and fall so deeply in love that I have to start it right now. And magically have the right yarn and needles to do it with.

I see a lot of great designs that fit this description, but I keep getting tripped up by one critical point: will I use it? If I can't, can I reasonably gift it to somebody who will?

This rules out countless sweaters I adore, and a lot of time-intensive shawls too, and - since I finally realized I can just cut one out of felted wool - cowls (mostly), and mittens... because I live in Toronto and I don't care how gorgeous they are, knitted mittens are just not going to cut it for me in the super cold weather we get here. Double layer felted wool mittens, yes. Which reminds me, I need to sew a pair for myself and not just to give away.

There are some bright spots in the horizon though.

Like the vest on the cover of Kathi's new book... might leave off the hood, might not, but I had a Fair Isle vest for many years and really miss it - you'd be amazed how useful a stranded vest can be.

And have you seen the ads for Quince and Co. yarns, complete with the gorgeous patterns designed for them? I love them all so much, and I know I'm going to ignore the easier-to-sew thing for this cowl. Plus, is it bad of me that I love this cardi, even though it's pretty much exactly like my Carrot? Which hasn't gotten any more figure-flattering by the way, but I still love it.

Anything by Cecily Glowik MacDonald - whoa. That woman is brilliant. I keep seeing patterns I like on Ravelry and when I look over to see who the designer is, it's Cecily. Or Veronik Avery. I also always fall for anything whatsoever photographed by Jared Flood, whether it's designed by him or not.

Anne Hanson? Totally going to knit one of her cowls at the very least, if I could ever choose one over another to start with. Everything she does is intricate and stunning.

Yeah, I've been hunting, and I'm tempted in a lot of directions but the hunt keeps on coming right back to whether I can justify the time, at this exact moment, for something I already have or can acquire more quickly through another medium. I know the day will come when I won't reach for practicality all the time, but right now: gotta. And one Fair Isle vest (100% justifiable) is only going to keep me busy for a month or two, at best. What then?

You can see how I'd be pretty excited last night to stumble across the listing for this new book from Kristin Omdahl, to be released February 22nd. There are several projects I long for now that my house is freezing and I get the point of the whole wrap concept, but her Summit American Yak Wrap? That thing is just calling my name. Not only does it look like an interesting knit, but you can wear it a ton of different ways, and that makes it harder for me to find some reason it won't work for me.

There's a catch, of course: it calls for rather a lot of yarn, and I'm supposed to Not Be Shopping until my physio is all done and paid for. On the other hand, it would look very weird if I did it in several different stash yarns, and I am always a fan of the weird.

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