In My Queue

I haven’t been very official about it, but the last couple of months I’ve cut myself off from buying more yarn.  (I know.)

The fact of the matter was I have not been knitting as much as I’d like to, and I really need to start working from my stash.  I’m trying to see how long I can go with just working from what I have on hand.  As I’ve begun to accept the fact that this whole cooking-non-stop diet journey my son is on, along with the growing intensity of our homeschooling, my knitting design is just on hold.  I’m honestly okay with that.  I’ve been praying that God would just let the things that I shouldn’t be doing just fall back, and that’s kinda what has been happening.  Family first.

That doesn’t mean knitting has to stop.  Just the intensity of knit design is on hold, and sort of has been for a year.  Knitting is still therapy to me, and I’ve been pursuing other designers patterns to soak up and enjoy while I work through my stash, and just give myself a bit of grace this year.

So here are some of the ones at the top of my queue:

Catboat Cardigan by Amy Christoffers

So, I may have cast on this one before Christmas but then put it aside as deadlines for gifts crept close.  I chose this pattern specifically because it uses alpaca, and I have a big stash of brown alpaca in dk weight that I got super cheap when my yarn store closed.  I have learned that alpaca wool behaves very, very differently than sheep’s wool, and it needs a design that understands this.  Plus, this designer is solid, has some great alpaca based designs, and I know it will be a delight for my brain to work through and not frustrating.

Hearth Slippers by Dianna Walla

I have a ton of worsted weight wool in random colors.  Part of me really wants to order some stunning color combo in Quince and Co. Lark, and really do these well.  But I’m keeping my eye on the prize of stash busting.  Slippers for everyone (or maybe just a ton for me) until my stash of random balls of worsted weights are gone.

Pom de Pin Cardigan by Amy Christoffers

Maybe I should just name 2016 the year of knitting Amy Christoffers’ designs.  I have longed for this one since the second it has come out and I haven’t had the chance to make myself one.  The only problem with this one is I don’t have yarn for this one in my stash.  So this is the one I will be window-shopping for yarn (and who knows, maybe splurging around my birthday?) that is just perfect.  Because everything about this sweater is perfection.

Seed Stitch Tea Cozy by Churchmouse Yarns and Teas

I could really use a tea cozy or two for as much as our family is obsessed with tea.  I just really don’t want an obnoxious one.  This one is simple and pretty, and the least obnoxious tea cozy I have ever seen.  I may need one for each teapot.

Blue Leaf Headband by Adrienne Krey

I have a bunch of yarn for this that is leftover from a previous design of mine.  Silje loves to wear these kinds headbands in the winter when she is in town, and I expect that I wouldn’t mind one either.  In fact, maybe I’ll just make a bunch of these to have on hand for gifts and stuff.  It’s just pretty, and looks like a great stash-buster.

Reine by Alexis Winslow

This is another one of those that I have been wishing and thinking and hoping ever since it came out.  I actually do have a great yarn for this in my stash, some undyed fingering alpaca from the same yarn store closing.  The only reason I have not cast on this project yet (besides I have others to finish) is that I can’t decide if I want the creamy, undyed color for the sweater, or if I want to play around with some natural dyes using some plants from my garden.  I’ve always wanted to do that.  I meant to play around with dyes last autumn, but I couldn’t decide what I wanted to do, and I ran out of time.  So this will be another daydream project this year before it actually becomes a reality.  I just like the natural cream color too.  I’m indecisive right now.  Dying sounds fun.  I mean the color stuff, not actually dying like to the grave.  That wouldn’t be cool this year.

White Pine by Amy Christoffers

I don’t have yarn for this one either in my stash.  But…but…but…

Darn you, Amy Christoffers.

Marsellus by Whitney Hayward

This one was just put out by Quince and Co. this month and immediately went into my queue.  I would want the sleeves full length, but that wouldn’t be that hard of a mod, and from the pictures, it looks like it has that option in the pattern.  I would live in this.  I love it so much.

Manzanilla Pattern by Joji Locatelli

This one also just came out, and it is a bit more trendy, but I’m thinking looks super cozy, and wearable in several seasons here in the frozen tundra.  Also I need to stop looking at designs I love when I don’t have enough yarn for it.  There might be a yarn I have for this, but I’d need to do some digging, and verify it would work and I have enough skeins (and the texture would be suitable for this design).  But it’s a big possibility.

Bare Branches by Alana Dakos

This design is so elegant, so simple, so interesting.  I just love so many aspects of it, I can’t pick a favorite.  But it’s on my list.  Don’t ask if I have yarn for it.  Just don’t ask.

Once we find out if this baby coming is a boy or girl, I expect to do a ton of stash busting in that area, as baby things use up those last bits and pieces of everything.  I’ll probably do a post with all my favorite baby patterns.  I’ll stash bust then.

But really, if I knit up 2-3 sweaters worth of yarn in my stash, I totally have earned a quick shopping trip to the yarn store.  At least in my book.