Knitting on the Back Burner

So far, this month hasn't been one for getting much done at home. I was in the car for about 2 1/2 hours today, driving to and from a meeting at Camp Bishopswood, and managed to listen to about 5 broadcasts of Ready, Set, Knit. I discovered the podcast this summer, but am still trying to get caught up to the present. I think it would be fun to participate in a knit-along in real time (I did the Vermont Felted Bag during the summer while listening to the early broadcasts -- still haven't actually felted it, though) but like to do things sequentially, so am about 20 broadcasts away from current ones. I also was very excited to find that a new Let's Knit 2gether was available today, and very disappointed to find out that the Red Sox did not have a Stitch 'n Pitch!

I'm wrapped in my Clapotis Shawl, even though I haven't yet taken care of the yarn ends. It is getting chilly early here in Maine but I can't bring myself to turn on the furnace until October at the very soonest. The shawl is quite nice, but not as big as a real shawl -- more of an in-between a shawl and a scarf. I'd love to do a real shawl, but can't decide which one out of the Folk Shawls book I should do first. Decisions, decisions.

ON MY NEEDLES
The feather and fan scarf has been coming along nicely, though lace knits up so much more slowly than worsted. I thought at first that it would be slow torture but am pleasantly surprised with the progress I'm making.

Zeben's socks are nearly up to the ankle. This pattern calls for you to do the heel after the rest of the sock is finished (it looks like you put the heel stitches on waste yarn, cast them back on and knit the rest of the sock and come back to do the heel). I've never done the heel that way, but am enjoying how quickly the socks (plural!) are moving along on two needles.

As mentioned above, the Clapotis is done, but not finished.

The jacket sleeves are untouched.

And, I realized that I have a couple of things on needles that I haven't admitted to. I have a half a lace-pattern cardigan half on and half off the needles. I made one many years ago that I wore until it could be worn no longer, but only got this one up to the armholes before putting it aside more than a year ago.

I have a lace scarf in the works that I started back when the boys were in 4th or 5th grade. It is one where you knit two halves and graft them in the middle. I've got one side done and then had problems with the second side so it sits in a bag now.

I have a green Lopi sweater that I made for Zeben but which was too tightly knit in the body (knit while watching regional swim meets two years ago) and too loosely knit in the yoke. I took the yoke out and need to re-knit it. I also have a Lopi sweater for myself that is up to the yoke, but laying dormant.

It seems to me there was another project I found the other day, but I can't even remember what it was, so you can tell it is quite abandoned.

I did take out all the socks I'd finished and sew in the ends and grafted the one toe I hadn't finished. I even wore a pair to work the other day!

Ah, new yarn calls me to start new projects like a siren -- maybe there is a silver lining to the busy start of the school year. It is easier to pick up and work on projects already in progress than to start a new one.