First up this week, I have a final finished project that I zoomed through this past week. This is the Mountain Ridge scarf (a free pattern on Ravelry), and I used up the leftover almost full skein of Hedgehog Fibres Sock and Kidsilk Haze that were the remnants from a sweater project last year. I did one less repeat than was called for in the pattern so it’s a slightly smaller width-wise but it came out a nice long length, perfect for wrapping. I also (yay!) used up all of the sock yarn skein and have just a little bit of the mohair/silk lace left which I’ll use in a scrappy project at some point, but calling both of these “used up” and out of stash.
Otherwise, I’ve been working on the now very long final rows of my Quill shawl. Design is by Helen Stewart and I’m using 3 colors of Spun Right Round Sport for mine. I am using this for a group challenge over on Ravelry that needs a project with 600 yards or more in it, and in weighing out my skeins, I was WAY under that (despite the pattern calling for around 700 yards) with my current progress. So I’m adding in an extra lace section at the bottom in the pale peach color, and I’ll likely also add in a few more rows of the brown for the final edging to try to up my yardage amount to that 600 yard mark.
I did spend a bit of time this weekend also getting the last 2 projects cast-on for my Cast-on Mania January/February. If you’re interested in what I’ve got on the go for those, you can check out my COM Starts page here. I did manage to finish up several of the things I cast on over these 2 months, but I’ll start whittling down this last as we go into March. I am on the fence a bit about this method of starting projects. On the one hand, I generally like to work on just a few things steadily so I see progress and a finish on them in the relatively short term. On the other hand, it sure is nice to have a project started where I can grab a project bag and work on whatever suits my fancy at that given time and not have to go digging for yarn or needles or the pattern to get something started to work on.
All of those cast-ons aside, I’ll be starting a few other things this week to kick off March, like a new handspinning project and a new pair of socks. Hope everyone had a good weekend and will have a good week ahead!
Knit One, Spin Too 
The scarf is lovely but the dog is my favorite…look at those eyes. What a sweetie…they are so wonderful tolerating us humans. I remember one time I put a tutu and lights on my dog, Abby, for a Christmas parade and I don’t think she ever forgave me. It was so humiliating for her but by the time I realized it the damage was done. Abby passed many years ago but I am still apologizing to her.
The shawl is gorgeous and the edging is really pretty. I have loads of WIPs but I feel better now seeing your list of cast ons! LOL! Have a great week.
She is a lovely girl, our Lizzie, and mostly patient with me. 🙂 LOL – yes… cast ons for the last month or so have been kind of over the top!
That scarf is just lovely!!! I marvel at how you are able to work with “halo” yarns, they drive me nuts with fiber flying around! I think it’s really cool how you’re able to add frills to your projects whenever you need them!
This one really wasn’t too bad. It’s got a thin thread of the silk to keep the mohair mostly in place.
The scarf will be so nice and cozy. It will keep the chilly wind at bay. I’m not thinking Lizzie is thrilled about modeling lol. I looked at your list of WIPs. How fun to have so many items to choose from. You seem to finish things quickly so having multiple WIPs might be a good thing for you. your shawl is lovely. How clever to add a bit of lace to meet the yardage requirements.
It is definitely nice and warm! LOL – she was not. But I also picked early morning and she wanted to play ball and run around instead of sitting. She is a kind soul. We will see how the multiple WIPs works out!
I usually have five or six projects in the works, but I do think any more than that tends to bog me down some. It’s easy to keep the more challenging projects parked if I’m looking to get a quick “fix” of progress. I’ve heard it said that you should try to rotate projects in 30 minute increments. I haven’t tried that yet, but I do try to work on at least two different projects every day.
I think a 30-minute or 60-minute block of time on something complex daily does help move it along and not let you “forget about it” too easily. That said, I don’t always want to spend an entire day of craft time on something complex, so having an easier thing is always useful, especially for waiting rooms and downtime. I haven’t normally had this many WIPs on the go at once so I plan to divide and conquer – working my way thru them in some semblance of monogamy rather than trying to get some time in on all of them!
Love your scarf model. Your Quill shawl looks beautiful. Sounds like you have lots of fun projects to work on.
I do – and I’ve been enjoying have a variety to pick from. My model is long-suffering. She doesn’t love the task but she will work for treats 😉
That is one gorgeous pooch. The scarf looks so soft and squishy. I love the look of your shawl!
Thank you on all counts! Lizzie is an absolute love – she’s goofy and cheerful and always up for an adventure.
Haha, oh poor Lizzie, she’s a great model but has the face of a weary pooch used to the indignity of dressing up! It’s a beautiful scarf anyway, and good luck with all of those projects!
You described it exactly! It is not her favorite task but she’s a good sport. Thank you!
Both of these projects look great! I really love the colors on that shawl, though.
Thank you! They aren’t my usual choices but I love how they look.
The scarf is beautiful and the model superb. The shawl looks like it is coming along nicely. I tend to have three or four projects on the needles at a time. I do think makers should do what makes them happiest. We are all a little different in our approach and that is a good thing.
I agree – it should be fun and enjoyable! And to your point, everyone has a different measure for “fun and enjoyable” 🙂
Is it just me, or does it seem like every time a new project is announced, there’s a rush to finish it before the deadline? I’m so glad you finished your mountain ridge scarf! It looks so good and I’m so excited to work on the scraps for my scrappy project.
Could be – I have a couple of challenge groups I participate in and they tend to be deadline based. I’m enjoying working with all the oddments right now!
The scarf is gorgeous, but the model is the star of the show! I also love quill, that is coming along nicely.
She is a good egg – I appreciate that she is willing to put up with my shenanigans when she really just wants to play with her ball. 🙂