UFO Guilt

I was working on the scarf a lot yesterday but I finally forced myself to put it down. I was looking at my site – specifically at the incredibly sad list of neglected projects in the sidebar – and feeling guilty. There are the two at a time socks that are very cute but still languishing together on the needles. Lily has been moving forward ever so slowly but – achh the linen – it makes my hands hurt to think about it. Stinko is still waiting patiently for her new blankie as her current one disintegrates before our eyes. It’s all just too dreadful for words.

I tried to assuage the guilt by pulling out Stink’s Blankie and giving it a little love. How pathetic is it that I’ve only added 3 strips since the last time I took a picture of this? As I worked on it last night I wondered if it would’ve been quicker to do individual blocks and sew them together at the end. I’m thinking yes – except for the sewing part. That gets me every time. If I’d have done this in pieces then it’s likely that the blocks would’ve traveled with me and that means they’d have seen more knitting time. I also feel much more successful and productive when I work on smaller projects. You know – short rows go fast so the inches add up and before you know it you’re done. Right? Or is that just me? Nah, can’t be.

The scarf will still get done well ahead of the deadline (pending more yarn ‘cause I’m short again) but I feel the need to wipe out a few more UFO’s. Maybe it’s the recently completed Fair Isle hat. Maybe it’s the cabinet full of yarn that I face while I sit and knit each night. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m going to the Fall Fiber Festival here in Virginia in just a few short weeks and I’d like to make room on the roster. I’m sure it’s all of that and one more thing.

The impending start of Sock Wars is weighing on me. I signed up a while ago and put it out of my mind but now it’s almost here and reality sets in. My girls are excited about it and I think that hubbo thinks it’s cool too but… oh the pressure! It’s horrible. There just aren’t enough hours in a day for me to have a chance at really competing. We all know that there are folks out there who have mad skills and knit super-quick and/or have time to knit uninterrupted. I have neither. I’m not really complaining – I’m just being realistic. My only hope is that whoever gets my name is more pathetic than I am or… then again… maybe not because if a knitter with mad skills gets my name then I’ll likely receive a very wonderful pair of socks – right? Hmmm…

Anyway, I went out over the past weekend and got the yarn I’ll need. The arsenal requires dk yarn which, naturally, I didn’t have. How is that possible? Anyway, without knowing who will her the socks it’s hard to choose a color but I found some nice Jaeger Matchmaker in a color I’ll call Pearl Grey. It’s superwash so I think it’s a winner. Last night I went to find my size 5 dpns (also required for the arsenal) and, apparently I don’t own any. Again I ask – how is that even possible? Although I hate them, I have many sets of dpns in every size - except 5 apparently. AC Moore here I come!