WIPS

Once upon a time, when I lived in London, and Liberty's was my corner store (I kid you not!), I didn't have a stash (truly), I didn't have multiple WIPS (truly), *I used to pop to Libby's in my lunch break, buy some Rowan Yarn, take it home and knit it up into various garments*, usually within 3 weeks.   repeat from *to*

Then it all changed.  In 2001 I started my own yarn store, and a large family, and the time I had to devote to knitting diminished.  I did, however, still have an appetite for yarn, and for starting new projects, hence my obscenely large stash, and out of control WIP situation.  What I am about to declare is more a kick up the bum for me, than for anything else.  I've made this promise to myself before and not stuck to it, but I feel the time has come to stick to it.  I plan to get at least half the WIPS currently on needles, currently in zip lock plastic bags, languishing in my knitting pile, finished.  This will be a start, and not too daunting.

Once I am down a few WIPS, I can allow myself the luxury of casting on the first stitch of an exciting new project.  That's the plan anyhow!

This particular project, the Flukra Shawl, is my introduction into lace shawls (albeit not too lacy).

I've been knitting it in a huge favourite of mine (and many others), Wollmeise Lace, colourway Maus Jung.  The project started in April, and I took it with me to the UK as a therapeutic project to keep me sane during my Mum's last few days battling cancer.  I was using Knitters Pride cubic circulars, and twice the needles snapped on me, mid row, so my yarn overs and stitch markers tumbled off and I had to frog back to the garter stitch section.

After this, the project sat sadly in my knitting bag, until I recently decided to tackle it again.  This time Addi Turbo's were used, to avoid the snapping syndrome, and I'm actually really enjoying knitting this again.  I think it was, perhaps, unsuitable to knit during my harrowing time with my Mum in May.  I was too emotional and distracted to give it any thought, and it turned out that my spindle was my trusty therapy when I was there.

So, this is my first WIP that needs to come off the needles, so that I can say I have finally knit a shawl.  I see myself knitting many, many more shawls, as there are so many gorgeous patterns out there, and my handspun is just calling out to become a shawl.