As the pile grows

I've been really busy for the past couple of weeks, and not generally able to get to that wireless connection... but here goes.

The Squirrel and Oak Mittens are finished! This is the first thing I've finished and can use that was made from my handspun yarn. I've already worn them a few times... they're really warm.

The only modification I made to the pattern was to do the thumbs in stripes rather than continue in the pattern. I like the way it looks -- the stripes match the stripes in the cuffs. My only regret is that I only did one row of black at the base of the thumb, rather than two rows. Oh well.


I've also finished the Emperor's secret Christmas socks, finally. I just got out of the sock mode for a while, and I'm still not reaching for them now, but at least my one Christmas knitting project has been finished, handed over, worn once, and are now washed and hanging to dry.

Meanwhile, I've picked up the Truly Tasha's Shawl again, and made some pretty good progress on it. I just want some simple knitting for now, and I really do want to have that shawl. If you troll through Ravelry you can see many great examples of finished TTSes and it's really inspiring. I'm trying really hard to do two things: one, to knit only from stash until I'm working again, and two, to finish what I started during one particularly bad gush of "startitis" that I had last year. I've got a beaded lace scarf going, the Celtic Tote, a Pi Shawl, and gosh I can't even think of what else. When I feel like I can start something new, it will be the Juno sweater, or the

Ropes and Picots Cardigan from the Winter 2008 Interweave Knits. I've got the yarn for both in my stash... either one would be used right away... hmm. Anyway.