Procrastination is a Serious Affliction

I've got a serious case of "Mathitis" The symptoms are:
• Clenched stomach when contemplating my notes.
• Accumulation of many quick finished projects from patterns written by other designers.
• Occasional inability to even enter my workroom.
• Guilt.
• Despair.

I'm supposed to be writing the pattern for this:

Lace Tee from Claudia's Silk Lace.

Instead, I made this:

Juliet from Zephyr Style ... way too big for me : >( ***

And this:

adaptation of Doris Chan's Cinnabar from Everyday Crochet, also too big for me***

And THIS!!!!!

Babette Blanket from Interweave Crochet

There are too many problems with the Lace Tee. My mind is boggling from the math. The pattern repeat is making it really hard to grade into sizes. The sleeves need to be reworked as set-in or else the larger sizes will have sleeves that begin at the elbow (not attractive)

I decided as long as I am reworking the shoulders, I will knit it circularly instead of flat. That's a good idea, but the calculations are making me nuts. I thought I found someone who would do the math for me, but she is too busy. Aargh!!!

And I'm not even going to show you the number of new designs of my own I have started (some are even completed) while procrastinating on this one....of course, I still need to write the patterns for them.

This one may end up in the file marked "Forget it".

*** I think I may be imagining I am bigger than I actually am, since everything I've made myself lately is too big. Blankets, however, always fit.

Lifetime Project Completed!!!!!

The Koigu Kimono Jacket is finished! I had challenged myself to complete it this summer and I am only 2 days past my deadline.
I am not counting myself out over 2 days, since I have been working on the blessed thing for about 3 1/2 years!!!

There are more than 20 different yarns. All the large (4"x4") squares and about 90% of the 2"x2" squares are made from alternating ridges of 2 different colors. Sometimes I used contrasting colors and other times, variations of the same shades.

The basic color theme was pink and turquoise, with white, purple. a bit of yellow and a bit of green. I just went through all my sock yarns and pulled out everything that was pink or turquoise, then improvised off the other colors that were included in the variegates. Most of the yarns are Koigu, but others joined in when the colors worked.

These are my most favorite colors, although I often say I never met a color I didn't like for something. The very first time I was allowed to pick my own colors for my bedroom, I was in the 6th grade. I chose a rich, warm, pinkish coral for the walls and a deep rich turquoise shag rug. My mother took some old, carved furniture she was replacing and painted it white, then antiqued it with gold, but it was funky, not French looking. She kind of Jackson Pollocked the gold paint onto the white by flicking the paint brush, then wiped it with a rag. Maybe she did it by accident - but it looked all streaky and fabulous. Then she put the gold paint over the carved flowers and wiped it off so all that stayed gold were the deepest crevasses.

If it really looked the way I remember it, I'd probably still like that furniture today.

And my kimono would fit right in!

I am having a little let down after finally being able to try it on.

It's too big..

Not a lot too big, just enough too big that I feel 'wrong' in it, if you know what I mean. I made the smaller size and the measurements sounded good on paper, but my critical eye tells me if it were a couple inches narrower and the sleeves were 2" shorter, and the sleeves weren't quite so wide, I would love the way it looked on me, instead of just loving the way it looks.

Also, it is very heavy! I never thought sock yarn could end up so weighty. I am storing it folded but am pretty sure that after wearing it for a few hours, it will grow. It is warmer than I thought, so I probably won't get to wear it that often.

Now I understand why people make fabulous modular blankets instead of clothes. Blankets are never just a little too big.

Fingering 55

Yes, there is another one. If I could figure out a way to photograph both my hands at once, I would have loved to show you the pair!

This is a Flower Gauntlet made from Claudia Hand Painted Yarn Fingering 55. It is 55% silk, 45% merino. It is wound tightly, and is much springier than other silk/merino blends I have used. A real pleasure for the hands, both while knitting and while wearing. The color is called Marooned.

It actually comes in every one of her 108 color ways. Need some? Contact me for details.