Assessing

It's the last day of August...August!?  It's a little disconcerting how quickly summer flew by.  As I  look back over the last 2 months it looks like the Eyelet Cardigan and Trekking Socks took all summer to knit. (Actually I did knit the Vintage Victorian socks, too.) 

The road taken over the last several months has been paved with many good intentions. Intentions do not mean goals have been met.  It does mean the WIPs are now way out of hand.  Jóhö, poor Jóhö as she has come to be known, has languished, wallowing in neglect.  It would be wonderful to finish her up during Lolly's PS finishing up month of September, but I fear that is not to be. There are other WIPs that should be finished first. Mountain Stream, Susan's beautiful scarf design, that I thought would make a nice gift, really won't take long to finish up and will make a nice gift for Smith's aunt when we visit in October.

When was it that I started Cutaway and what happened that she was abandoned? She was moving along well as spring brought warm temps and my  thoughts turned towards a cotton sweater. That is just wrong, but there you have it.  Thank goddess more progress was made than the WIP picture shows.  The back and one front have been finished, the second front is half way there, and one little flower, to use as embellishment, has been knit.  Again, she really shouldn't take too long to finish.

The Trekking Socks have become my constant companion, as I work toward finishing them before Labor Day.  Sadly, they didn't make it on as many Trek's as was intended, but maybe Labor Day they'll be able to make one last Trek for a photo shoot.  The true object of my desire, at the moment, is Seraphim.  It is conceivable that I could have Cutaway AND Seraphim ready to wear at Rhinebeck, but my first choice is Seraphim.  This is pure and simple knitting and, like Jóhö, the wonderful yarn is from Plain and Fancy Wool Co. The intention is to not give her much time until the socks are finished and progress has been made on Mountain Stream. 
Don't hold your breath.

Comments

[Lolly]

You are being too hard on yourself, dearie! It's the process (a friend of mine always says that... can't remember who at the moment... )

I totally forgot about Cutaway - she was a PS knit too, right?

[Vera]

You have so many great projects, and you'll get to them in time.

It's all about the process :-)

[Kim]

"Spinning" happened...hehe. You have a new love, vying for your attentions....

Seraphim looks lovely and will keep the chill away in upstate New York in October :-))))

[Carole]

That's a lot of WIPs for you. But I have faith that you'll get it under control soon. Oh, and hey, the word over there on the left is "festival". Squee!

[hillary]

I wouldn't worry about all the WIP. You'll get it all done in due time.

[Kim]

I think Castonitis hits all knitters every summer. But hey, there are no deadlines for knitting, right? And you certainly got more done on your knitting this summer than I did! I can't even seem to finish all these little projects, let alone an entire sweater!

[Laurie]

My head reels from all those WIPS.

[Kathleen]

Boy, you really are hard on yourself with the knitting--downside to blogging and keeping any other records of WIPs.

[Sarah HB]

Oh, I hear you.....sometimes our thoughts get pulled in a new direction and we just don't want to work on a specific project.

Good luck with Serephim.

[Norma]

Oy, I'm going to do a post like this soon. I've got too many things that need to be finished. I'm planning on trying to do some in September, and trying not to cast on anything new until I finish at least two. My Trekking sock is not done, either, and I will *try* to finish it this weekend, but I don't know......work is still kicking my butt.

[Roxie]

But you NEED a variety of projects on the needles. You need a traveling project (trek socks) and a casual project (Seraphim shawl) and a concentrating project (lace)and sometimes you NEED a certain color to feed your soul. It's getting those sweeater pieces sewn together that takes a concerted act of will for me. Power and blessings to you!

[Jennifer]

I had forgotten about cutaway! Having some long term WIPs isn't a bad thing. It may give you something to knit when nothing new strikes you.

[Dianna]

Margene - you absolutely amaze me at all you produce! You're more productive in knitting even while learning to spin than I could ever think about being! You do beautiful knitting, and your spinning is equally fabulous.

[wool winder]

I also have a few projects started and languishing. Who doesn't, right? Time to show and tell, especially if I don't finish one of them by tomorrow.

[Sharon]

To every project there is a season....and maybe another season....and still another season. Truly, you will finish what you want to finish, and if you don't, there's a reason. And there's no need to judge whether it's a good or bad reason. It just is. (See how zen I can be when it's not MY UFOs we're discussing?)

[Teyani]

You're truly going to make it with the trekking socks :-) yay!
Seraphim.... *sigh*... gorgeous.

[Stephanie]

The last day of August? Whoa. How did that happen? The only good thing about it being the last day of August is that I'll see you soon!

[peg]

Why is it January 1 is the start of the year, but we find September more of a start of things? I know what you mean about getting a few things on the FO list.
I am busy writing down requirements for a few planned projects, as I head out for a 2.5 week vacation - on my own - to visit at least three planned wool shops and a wool dyeing house!!

[Lucia]

You're way ahead of me: I still have just the one Trekking sock, and of Bitchin' Mittens I can only say: mittens? what mittens? As the air grows cooler, though, my thoughts are turning knitward again.

[Beth S.]

That *is* a lot of WIPs for you, isn't it? (And yet only a pittance for some other folks!) Don't forget how preoccupied you have been with spinning--you're still being productive, just in a slightly different mode.

I think you could easily finish Cutaway before Rhinebeck, but if your heart insists on Seraphim, then that's what you should do. :-)

[Karen]

I don't have a lot of WIP's right now, but my knitting has definitely slowed down since I discovered spinning. I think I am ok with that.

[Katherine]

There's lots of great hiking time left!! It may be past the deadline for the KAL, but you can still take the socks out for a good time! And I don't think it was wrong to drop Cutaway when the warmer weather came. It's not as fun to knit warm sweaters in the summer. You chose all the right kind of projects for warm temperatures. Dude(tte), it's all about the process, right?

[Kim]

Don't be too hard on yourself! I found most of my knitting slipping by the wayside this summer too, but as the first hints of fall hit the air my knitting mojo is coming back. Enjoy the rest of the summer and I know you'll get all your WIPs done in good time :)

[Laura]

I've been thinking of my Mountain Stream scarf as well. Susan's patterns are so beautiful - and Mim's... oh decisions decisions... I'm trying to force myself to WAIT to start anything new until I've got a few WIPs moved into the FO column. You have more WIPs than I remembered - they're easy to forget about when we start a new project, eh?

[lisa Co. Springs]

But isn't it nice to have such a variety of things to work on---you'll have no reason to get bored.

LOVE the new picture of the boyz---Kramer would fit right in :)

[Birdsong]

Things do seem to get away from us... but think of all the great spinning accomplishment you have made! This will remain known as the summer Margene discovered the joys of spindling.

[Kelly]

At least your going to finish your trekking socks on time! The other stuff will get done eventually. Just remember knitting is supposed to be fun so don't be hard on yourself. I have quite a few wips myself!

[christine]

I agree with you on the Seraphim...........I can't wait to get one on needles.

All of your UFO's are pretty far along........you should be able to finish all of them by years' end, which, BTW, is 122 days from now......

[julia fc]

It's nice to know that even you, "'it's the process" ZEN needle Margene of the Mountains have moments like this. It makes me feel like you might be an earthly creature after all. ;-)

[Theresa]

My whole plan for this year is just to start projects recklessly and not worry about finishing. So far, it's working really well ;)

[Stephanie]

Summer? What happened to summer? You'll have those lovely WIPs finished in no time.

[Kim]

Wow grrl, you're processing like mad over there! Susan's Mountain Stream scarf is SO beautiful.

It's finally cooled down up here--hope it has for you, too. There's a perfect Autumnal nip in the air, just in time for your fiber festival!
xoxox

[Beck in Fl]

Not only August has flown by but this whole year has been like that for me. I can't seem to grab hold of any week before the next one starts!

[Pat K]

So you have a few projects on the needles. Look at it as a measure of your unbounded creativity!

[Wanda]

That's so funny that you think you'll be able to put Seraphim down! Hah! You don't even begin to know the lure that is Seraphim. Hopefully you're able to resist to at least finish up Mountain Stream, but after that, who can say? ;-)