Summer's Over....

I was on vacation for the past month, and knitting furiously the month before that, so no posting.  Now I'm back, so we'll go to the normally scheduled sporadic posting rather than the far from a computer and busy sporadic posting.

I visited family in the US and brought back yarn for a few projects.  Three projects were UFOs, one a kind-of FO that I'd shown off before, the Amethyst Wrap by Gardiner Yarn Works, a wonderful wrap that just didn't have enough length to be actually useful to me.  Now, with another two skeins, it should be an excellent addition to my fall/winter scarf/stole collection.  I love stoles that you can use as scarves and warp around your shoulders if you get cold.  The other two are Blaze and a Hedwig that I'd left before coming to Japan.  I thought Blaze needed more yarn, but maybe not...I'll keep going to see how much I get done, and then get some from someone on Ravelry if I do in fact need more.  I know there's a couple people selling full bags, and I'm sure I can make another something from that awesome yarn if I had it!

I've already finished the individual pieces of the Hedwig, thinking I'd gift it while in the States and be totally shot of it, but then forgot I had it and didn't finish it.  Oh well, it's an easy FO.

Speaking of FOs, I finished one wedding blanket but not the other.  Deciding to re-start using fiddly intarsia and Fair Isle techniques after being 60% of the way finished using less fiddly but obviously flawed Fair Isle really does not bode well for deadlines.  It's now just over 10% done, super fiddly with up to 20 different balls of yarn attached at a time and 245 stitches per row.  And of course, all I want to do is knit something else!

At least with this one, I can't knit and walk, so I get to go WIP-basket-diving for carry-able projects.  First up, some gloves I started as a test knit, so I can have gloves with fingers this winter.  If it's as extreme as this summer has been, I'm worried!  Hottest summer in 113 years in this area.  Like being in Satan's armpit, walking off the plane wearing heavy wool trekking socks, hiking boots, and my Rogue hoodie to a wall of heat and humidity.  Ew.

I also organized my yarn closet and added shelves before leaving for break.  I put all of my projects with patterns chosen in separate bags on shelves, along with my roving and project scraps, and then put all of the extra yarn in a Space Bag and sealed it.  I still have all the pretty yarn on the main bookshelf in the living room area too.  The goal is to empty a shelf or two before un-sealing the etc. bag and pulling things out of there.  We all know how I am with goals though....and at this point, I could almost fill another one with yarn too.

Back to the beginning of my circular train of thought, I got yarn for another five projects with patterns and an unknown quantity without.  I got yarn for a pair of Thujas for a friend who'd worn hers out over the past two winters, as well as yarn from a stash-busting friend including two luscious laceweights I've been wanting to try and enough Dark Horse Fantasy for a sweater.  That bunch I was considering passing on to another friend with a wool sensitivity, but I love the color so much I may keep it for myself!  I had yarn from KnitPicks for two work vests when their kits were on sale, and two books I'd forgotten I'd purchased, the Knitter's Companion and Cookie A's awesome first book, Sock Innovation.  Oh jeez, I just realized I have buttloads of awesome sock yarn and an amazing sock book at my disposal....this may have just destroyed any thoughts of productivity for the rest of the day!

The other yarn that I have to fill a whole 'nother space bag of etc. yarn in the closet is the leftover blanket yarn.  I have over six skeins of the cashmere/wool blend from the cabled blanket and an as yet unknown but probably fairly large quantity of yarn leftover from the colorwork one, including the two skeins of not-my-colors that ended up in what I purchased.  Maybe more Fiber Trends clogs with those...the ones for my uncle didn't fit him, they were too small.

Well, that's enough words for today.  Tomorrow (or in a couple of days, whichever), pictures!