Plans, plans, WIPs

As I mentioned in the last post, I have big plans for the new year.  Since my stash and I have a long distance relationship, I've been piling up a small mountain of yarn to take back with me based on what I've got in my queue.  Some will be for me and some - okay, a lot - will become various birthday and Christmas gifts.  Yes, I start early.

So my plan is to turn this. . .

. . . into knits in the next eight months.

One of my New Year's resolutions for 2013 is to make more wool socks for me.  I'm mostly motivated by my cycling in Ireland.  That moist cold really sinks into your bones and sticks around.  While I'm pretty well covered for sweaters and okay for hats, I really need some warm footwear.  For the last year, I've been an inactive member of Sock Knitters Anonymous.  This is a group on Ravelry with monthly challenges in the in three categories of theme, dedicated designers, and the mystery sock.  I plan on getting on the sock bandwagon and trying to complete a challenge a month.  I've got several socks lined up.  First is Hunter Hammerson's Chrysanthemum frutescens in Knitpicks Stroll, colorway Foilage.

I'm doing the theme challenge for January, "Flora and Fauna."  It's orange because, eh, why not?  It's winter and I need bright colors like nobody's business.  I'm also taking all this back with me for socks as well.

Also on the Sock To-do List For Me: Wendy Johnson's Norwegian Rose, Rose Hiver's Fireweeds, Cookie A's Twisted Flower . . . And probably a few more.

I'm also taking back a few sweater quantities for me.   I'm loving stranded colorwork at the moment, so I dug out my Falling Stars kit from Knitpicks in blues.  I might do the hat, but we'll see how it goes.

I need more bright colors, so I'm taking my Valley Yarns Longmeadow (colorway Coral) for Lizette.  This pattern came out in the Spring 2011 Twist Collective and received a lot of press when the Yarn Harlot blogged about knitting it.  Longmeadow is the recommended yarn and it feels soft and a bit slick.  I'm definitely using the wooden needles on that one.

In the new year, I also plan on learning how to crochet with some Debbie Bliss Ecobaby for a Calm Cowl.  I'm also taking my spindle and fiber along to revive my spinning.

This is the gift pile.  It is rather large, but it's not every present I'll make in the next twelve months.  Generally I try to get my Christmas presents done by the end of September.  Since my family can see this blog, I will not mention what these are going to become, but let's say hats, socks, and scarves are on the table.

  
The break has been productive, knitting-wise.  I finished scarf for my mom with her Quivit Luxury Blend from Windy Valley Muskox and a Fernfrost scarf in Hedgehog fibres Pure Cashmere Lace in Sour Cherry.  I also completed a Cable Baby Hat in Knitpicks Stroll for the baby.

It was great to play with luxury fibers.  My mom says that her scarf is very lightweight, but very warm, so I can't wait to play with her 100% quivit yarn sometime in the future.  The Hedgehog Fibres cashmere was fun to work with.  It's so soft and beautiful to look at, and when it was still a WIP, it was the Universal Stress Ball the week before Christmas.  (It was highly successful.)  As a finished object, just looking at it makes me feel better.  When I soaked it, it didn't run at all and it blocked out beautifully.  I have a few more skeins of her yarns, and I will be very sad when I run out.  This is when I wish I still had a job.  

    Well, tomorrow I fly back home, so it's time to cram the last of the yarn and fiber into the suitcase.  Thanks, US, it's been great, but I have a date with Ulysses.