WIPCrackAway Recap

When I joined in on the WIPCrackAway KAL, I thought there was only one UFO sadly hibernating in my knitting basket. But as the 8 weeks of the knitalong progressed, I discovered that one now-finished object simply made way for another. Rummaging in the depths of the knitting basket began to remind me of scrabbling carefully in a hill of compost and soil, searching out the first new potatoes. Oooh! Found another!

One by one, the FUFOs (I have coined my very first fiber-related acronym! It stands for FORMERLY UnFinishedObject) began to add up to an amazing total of FIVE when the knitalong ended last week. And here they are, all in one place. First, the Hay Hauler Helmet:

Does this hat look vaguely familiar? It was a fun experiment last February, teaching me much about the structure of a tam. Which this clearly is not, because when I realized how much more yarn would be needed for an actual tam, I cast this one off as a cap, and put it aside for another think.

When I pulled it out this month - only 9 months later - I remembered how much fun it had been to tinker with. I decided to carry on making it up as I went along, adding features that might make it a useful barn hat. I picked up stitches on the cast off edge and knitted earflap shapes and a panel long enough to cover the back of my neck and - hopefully - stay tucked well inside my barn coat even when I'm leaning into feed barrels and tossing flakes of hay. I use a "skipping stones" motion for tossing hay flakes over a fence and into a paddock, but on a more vigorous, full-body-involvement scale. It's a perfect opportunity for snow to go down the back of my neck. I would very much like to prevent this. Stay tuned.

I think you've already seen these other four FUFOs as they came along on the needles: two pair of socks, one wisp of a scarf, and one buttoned neckwarmer. I'll just put this picture here to have them all recorded in one place.

Here's a ravelry link to my WIPCrackAway project page, for anyone raveler interested in the specific yarns or other details of these items. Project links for everyone, raveler or not, are now here! If the link doesn't work for you - I am still not clear about whether non-rav folks can see the pages, does anyone know? Could someone not on ravelry please click the link and let me know? - just ask me in a comment and I'll happily share any info of interest. UPDATE: thanks very much, Dani, for letting me know the link on this page doesn't work for you! I'm sure rav has already worked out a way to do this, so I will research and see what needs to be done :)

And ANOTHER update: the links posted on the next page should now work for everyone, raveler or not. If there  is still an access problem, please let me know and I will start adding detailed project pages here on the blog. Thanks!  :)

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This screenshot explains why it seems like a good day to post about knitting:

Note the bitter irony of the huge emphasis on "warmer."

(And it certainly never reached 30F here yesterday! What a fib.)

After a series of days like this,

spending at least a little time each day

knitting up warm things

using pleasant yarn

seems very, very sensible.

Something constructive to do

while thawing from chores.

And thinking, and waiting.

 Waiting to hear back from possible porch carpenters.

Waiting to hear back about Tsuga's possible beau.

Thinking about the amazing fact that in a single afternoon

without even leaving the house

I spent two thousand dollars.

(Not crazed extravagance: propane and auto repair.

Still, somewhat alarming. Deep breath taken.)

So...on a happy, productive, cozy note...

I'd like to share my arrangement for knitting these days.

You may wish to try something similar!

Key components:

1. Fire burning merrily.
2. Piper on hearthrug, just like a dog in a novel.
3. Laptop on table, three windows open in screen:

Click image to embiggen.

To the left: the goatcam.

To the right: Finished Object Radar.

(This rav feature displays FOs in realtime, as they are posted on ravelers Project Pages. I can't watch video while knitting - some folks can - but just glancing at the screen now and then to see a wild variety of fiber project images as they appear is good fun.)

On the far right, almost off this screenshot, is an audiobook.

For me, audiobooks and knitting go together like...

goats and hay.

Time to bundle up for another round of chores.

I hope you enjoy a lovely Saturday, whatever the weather!

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