A Plethora of Projects

I have made myself a knitting schedule. (I'm starting to think I have a problem, for which I should seek professional help.) Projects and intended dates are as follows:

Kimono Styled Sweater: Begun Sept. 30. Everyone already knows this is the current project. I need to have it finished by October 27 for an event - the last opening reception at the gallery where I work before I leave my job for the big move. I hope to have the sweater finished sooner than that. So far I'm only at 5 inches complete, but this weekend I will definitely (craziness?) have the initial cabling done - we're spending the weekend at my MIL's - and after that I should fly through the rest until I get to the neck band. Goal: 9/30-10/20.

Modified Fetching Convertible Mittens: I have previously made these twice, for myself and then my friend Rachel. Then my mom was visiting and I showed mine off, and now I get to make some for her! We stopped by Ewe Knits in Virginia Beach while she was in town, where she picked out some 100% baby alpaca. It's a DK weight instead of a chunky so I'm going to have to further modify my already modified pattern, but it should still go really quickly. I need to have it finished by the beginning of November when DH and I fly out to California to visit M & D. Goal: 10/21-10/24.

Crochet Shopping Bag: For my Newport market shopping. This one is meant to occupy my down time while we're in California on the aforementioned parental visit. Goal: 10/31-11/07.

Corgi Sweater and Matching Booties: Yes, corgis come from Wales, and yes, I believe Wales gets a little chilly. But MY corgi has never been to Wales, and despite his fairly thick coat, he has lived his whole life in the sunny south, in NC and VA. Plus he's got a little bit of arthritis these days. So in order to protect him from the frigid Rhode Island winter, I'll be making (and designing!) him a nice knit sweater plus some little leather-soled boots to keep his feetsies warm in the snow. This will be a superwash wool of some sort. We go to Newport 11/20, so I need to get this done not much after that. Goal: 11/08-11/20ish

Leo Sweater for Brendon: Begun 9/19. Apparently among the most popular of the men's sweater patterns floating around out there. This is a WIP, and will be sort of my background project over the next couple of months. The back is complete, with the ends woven in and everything. I tell you what, working on #3's and 4's is tough on my hands. I was knitting this thing until I couldn't hold the needles any more. Future work on the Leo will happen in between other projects, when I get bored with them or when I finish one early. If it's not done by the time we're in Newport, all my knitting attention goes to it, and ideally it'll be done by December so there will still be lots of good sweater-wearing time this year. I don't like to have UFOs. Drives me kookoo. Goal: 9/19-11/30.

Assorted Holiday Gifts: Actually I don't have plans for these yet. They may not even happen. At first I was optimistic and thought, "Sweaters for everyone!! Mom, Dad, MIL, Brother, DH, maybe even one for me, too, Merry Christmas to me!" But... yeah. Now it's October, and I already have a knitting schedule through the beginning of December, so the sweaters are DEFINITELY not happening. Now it's more like, "Socks all around!" - if that. Even that is a bit ambitious. Still, as to Brendon, if he's willing to forgive a very late Christmas present, I've been eyeing the Durrow sweater at MagKnits lately. That is, should I choose to make him two - scratch that, THREE - sweaters for one winter! (In addition to the Leo I'm working on, I also made him the Jolly Roger out of Debbie Stoller's The Happy Hooker in black with red - it's quite punk and lovely.) Maybe sweater year will be next year. I'll start in June.

INTO 2007: I've been dreaming of afghans, and I think January-February may be dedicated to a really stunning one. What it will look like, I don't yet know, but it should be really nice just sitting under it as it's in progress while in RI. I also have plans for a really gorgeous project bag made with a combination of felted wool and recycled sari silk. I have made some sketches, browsed through handpainted wool, and scouted the best prices on the sari silk already, and I likely won't start it until mid-February at the earliest! After that, it'll be time to think about short sleeves and lightweight fibers, as I head down to Jacksonville and brace myself for the upcoming summer.

And other things are bound to pop up in between. That's just the way it all... unravels.