Projects Part I: Yarn

I've been promising posts of substance (such as it is) for awhile now, so here is a bit of an update on projects currently in the works. After completing my sewing room clean-up and reorganization (I did take pictures, and planned to write about it here with before and after shots but the photos just don't do it justice, so trust me when I say it is much improved and highly functional). As I was saying, after getting everything *under control* I wrote a new project to-do list, shown above. This is what I reasonably expect to accomplish this year, not counting Christmas presents.

And happily one can already be crossed off the list:

I finished this baby blanket a few weeks ago, after practically working it twice, having run out of my variegated yarn on the first go, and completely unraveling and restarting with a different yarn. This is for my college roomie who is expecting her first little one any day now. I love making baby blankets for any friend who is expecting, but particularly for old friends; as I crochet I think of them and fondly remember people and places and conversations from years ago.

Amy is peering in at the next baby blankets in the queue - a blue/green/white one for a neighbor here in Maryland who is expecting a boy in April, and a yellow and green one for another dear friend.

And here, in poor lighting, is my bag of other yarn of sufficient quantity to make more baby blankets... not for anyone in particular yet, but I have materials at the ready.

If people stop having babies long enough for me to catch up in that category, I really want to get back to this blanket. It is a really cool diagonal pattern that I'm working in colors to match our living room. I would love to finish it before I decide to redecorate.

And lastly, here's some lovely superwash wool that I bought, um, before Amy was born, to knit socks. I got approximately 45% done with one sock... and... well... we know how that goes. But it actually was going just fine before I abandoned the project, so I'm thinking of re-familiarizing myself with the technique and trying it again, with the goal of completing two pairs by next winter.

And for extra credit, I have a HUGE bag of scrap yarn that I'd love to knit into doll clothes for Amy's friends. I do want the knitting practice, because I would love to make sweaters for A&W at some point... but I'm not even putting that on the list for this year. I think I have enough to keep me busy for a little while.