Knitting, which is gibberish to most of you.

Every few... months? I guess? I go through a phase where I don't want to read, write, knit, anything. I just want to sit and stare at the TV or listen to music or other types of doing nothing. I definitely wouldn't say it's a depression thing, although there could definitely be some sort of mild feelings of "ugh". I get those every few months. I'm pretty sure it's a lot more simple than that...



Usually a contributing factor is not wanting to knit what I'm working on. I've got a ton of projects on the needles, but none of them held any sway for me. I'd either messed up, or put them away because they were too complicated like the the Burridge Lake Afghan or the Seascape Stole). Some are too boring, like the Parcheesi Afghan which is for Sophie or the Clapotis. They're great patterns, and I'm excited to be have the finished project (more on Sophie's blanket than the shawl/wrap, but still) but garter stitch is dull as tombs and the stockinette/drop stitch pattern isn't much better. Then there are projects like the Swallowtail Shawl, which I'd screwed up at some point and didn't know how to fix it. There's other projects too... things that need handles or thumbs or eyes and then they'll be finished but I just haven't even bothered. There's a scarf that just needs the ends weaved in.

But the other day I decided to go through my projects and figure out what I wanted to work on that was more complicated than garter stitch stripes like in the Parcheesi Afghan. I pulled out the two lacey shawl/wrap type things I've got going. The Seascape Stole that I'm working on didn't have any errors, but it's pretty boring to work on, despite being lacey. And honestly, while I love the yarn and do think the pattern is really pretty, I'm not that in love with it. I'm a little tempted to rip it out and start something new. I don't know what's more ridiculous. Finishing something I'm not in love with, or tearing out hours of work.
The Swallowtail Shawl, on the other hand, I managed to figure out the problem with (I was missing two yarn overs) and now I'm trucking right along. There are only 28 more rows left of the pattern, and only half of those require real attention other than purling 5 stitches together every 10th stitch.

    

Triangle shaped shawl where the pattern is mirrored 

on either side of the central stitch

This is probably the most accurate shot for color, 

but it's still off. It's very vibrant and shiny.

See those little bumpies in a column near the top? 

Those are nupps. Kind of annoying but easy.

I also started a new project which is super duper cute! They are Totoro Mittens. I've had to start the first one twice. And need to start over. I have small hands, and the pattern is really vague about sizing (it only comes in once size, and you just have to wing it with yarn/needle choices to get it right.) I started with size 1 needles, too small. Size twos are perfect for the ribbing, but the pattern will be a little short, and is too tight on the thumb area (because it's an afterthought thumb and those suck). So I have to rip it back to the ribbing and move up to size 3 needles. THEN I'm going to rechart the entire mitten to incorporate a different thumb technique. Basically, an afterthought thumb is where you just plunk a thumb onto the palm. But look at your hand. Thumbs don't come out of palms. They come out of the side. Afterthought thumbs cause the mitten to shift/twist a bit, and if it's a tight mitten it totally screws up the sizing. So I'm going to be increasing basically immediately after the ribbing ends on the thumb side of the pattern, so I can add a thumb where it's actually supposed to go. OR I can leave a gap at the edge and add the thumb there after. I don't actually know if that even works. I'm going to do some research first.
But here's some shots of the progress before I rip it out.

The hole in the palm is where the afterthought thumb

would go. THUMBS DON'T LIVE THERE! 

Definitely needs recharting.

Another reason they need to be pulled out? 

See where it says "Rotoro"? Shitty.

I also don't like the way his mouth is, 

so that'll need reworking as well.

Well, this swallowtail shawl isn't going to knit itself, and Heidi should be getting here any minute now to hopefully make me look like less of an asshole for telling some guy he couldn't sit next to me. Sorry guy old enough to be my dad. This cleavage isn't for you. Not that its for my sister. That'd be creepy and weird. It's just there, but definitely not for him.

Anyway, Will just sent me a link to this and now I'm in love with this picture. Were I single*, I would take it in a manly fashion.
Because it's pretty.

*I am single. That's a TV reference which if you don't get, you are lame and sad and your life is probably very boring.