I’ve been on a bit of a knitting tear of late. One of my goals this year is to knit from stash which sounds easier than it is. I did go on a yarn-buying spree just before the new year so I stocked up on sweater quantities worth of yarn. I started my rampage knitting big projects with big yarn and even small projects with big yarn to knit fast and have a sense of accomplishment.

I made Bob the Sal Paradise Vest from Nikol’s new book Literary Knits. I love the concept of the book and lots of patterns in the book look fabulous but, in the end, I’m disappointed in this vest. The neckline is too low and the silk/wool blend yarn I used stretches so now the neckline is even lower. I think this will be getting frogged and either knit into a new vest or I’ll just make Bob a new vest with different yarn and pattern. Because of the unusual construction of the Sal Paradise vest, I don’t think I’m smart enough to re-engineer the neckline.

I made myself the Agnes pullover from yarn in my stash but ended up buying a ball of contrasting yarn for the pockets. They look darling but the double thick aran yarn UNDER the already bulky yarn sweater made me look super-dumpy. So, I pulled out the pockets and frogged back to the split for the pockets and then reknit the bottom of the sweater in the round. Once blocked, the sweater grew a lot. And it still makes me look dumpy. And its hot. Even for me. Have been debating frogging it but I’m not sure what I’d do with all that bulky yarn if I did…

Next up is the modified Bella mitts which I knit out of a mysterious ball of Lion Brand acrylic chunky. Great color but why in the world did I have a big ol’ ball of acrylic is beyond me. I used a modification on Ravelry to make the mitts  more mitten-ish and less sparkly vampire lover length and I love them! Didn’t use much yarn at all — just under 100yds. And now I own mittens that fit!

I completed one Laurelhurst sock but I’m too lazy to cast on the other one. I was so happy to work on the colorwork and was feeling like such a pro mastering the two-handed colorwork with continental- and English-style knitting that you’d think I’d be dying to cast on the second sock. But no. Hello, second-sock syndrome!

In a distinctly pinky turn, I finally used up the one ball of Louisa Harding Kimono Angora and made a pair of the Gardening Mitts. They were warm and cuddly and ridiculously girlie. When my friend Juli complained of having frozen fingers at work, I gave them to her and she seemed pleased to put the pinky princess mitts to good use.

And while we’re talking about pink, I did finish my NaKniSweMo cardigan, Levenwick at the beginning of January. It was also a stash burning project, using up a mess of confetti pink Peace Fleece. Its still a little scratchy even though its been dipped in wool conditioner and I wear it with long sleeves. It turned out nicely though I find the neckline a little wide and the whole cardigan is a little big overall. I really need to start blocking my swatches. The pocket is a fun detail.

So, of the six most recent knits, I am happy with half of them. The Levenwick is a meh. Agnes is a meh. And poor Sal is a FROGGER. My knitting odds are not so good right now, huh?