Knit. . . W.I.P. round up

For the uninitiated, W.I.P. = Work In Progress.

You see, I haven't actually finished anything in the knitting line for a little while, so I thought it was time to share with you all those things that are part finished (or hardly started, depending on your viewpoint!)

So here's the run-down, in order of date started. . .

Heirloom blanket

The oldest W.I.P. of the lot is my "Heirloom Blanket". I started this project way back in August 2007, after listening to an audiobook by the Yarn Harlot, where she described making an "afghan" using up scraps left over from other random projects. The  idea was that it would be a way to fondly remember all the other things you had knitted, all wrapped up in this one blanket. The idea spoke to me. I embraced it, immediately! I think I cast on that same day. . . 220 sts on a big 6.5 mm circular needle and the "Heirloom Blanket" began. It now weighs almost 1 kg, is 6 ft 2" wide and about 4 ft long. It is a complete mixture of yarns, 8 ply/DK and up. Wool, alpaca, synthetics, cotton, mohair, blends. All gets thrown into the mix together and it comes out looking amazingly good!

Fish blanket

Next up is the interminable fish blanket. This was started in May 2008 and is a real collaboration with lots of people donating scraps of sock yarn for the blanket. Wifie has even knitted a few rainbow fish for the border. I am really putting a lot of effort into getting this one finished this year, and after an entire evening spent sewing on fishes yesterday I am up to 228 fishes sewn on now. I have decided to opt for a square-ish blanket rather than the rectangle I originally planned. The end is in sight. . . and I have to admit it does have a certain charm!

Rainbow bird socks

I started the Rainbow Bird Socks in May 2010, using a Vintage Purls pattern, some black Patons Patonyle sock yarn and some Vintage Purls sock yarn which I dyed in a rainbow colourway myself using acid dyes. I got the first sock finished in November 2010. Five months for one sock! Obviously I wasn't monogamous to this project though, I was busy knitting other things in-between. Since I finished the first sock I have had no motivation to even start the second, but once again, I am determined to get them finished this year as part of my ravelry 12in2011 challenge. I love the pattern, it is really beautiful and quite enjoyable to knit. The trouble is that on reflection, I just don't think I am really a knee-high sock kind of girl. Especially not colourwork knee highs, cos you have to increase to allow for fullness of calf, of which I have much. This means that the sock has quite a flared look to it. Anyway, it is a beautiful design and I am determined to finish it, even if I never really end up wearing them much.

Noro Summit Scarf

Last but not least, we have the Noro Summit Scarf, a relative newcomer started in February this year. This is to use up a ball of Noro Kureyon sock yarn which I have had for a few years, too in awe of it to actually use it. This year I decided it was time to set it free from the stash, and the construction of the Summit shawl/wrap had always intrigued me, so that became its destiny. I like how it's turning out, but other things have somehow got between me and it, like knit graffiti and other projects. . . but I should have this one finished in the next month or so.

That's it - just 4 W.I.P.s at the moment, which is pretty good I reckon. . . maybe next time I will actually have something finished to show you. A pair of knitted slippers has been ordered (I mean "requested") by my mother-in-law, so I will have to get on with those pretty quickly before she heads off on her European trip. . . in the meantime, the fish blanket is calling!