If there's a knitting deity s\he hates me

The title says it all. I've had a bad weekend knitting wise.

It all started with my decision to clean my Rose Red my lovely, green, Felted Tweed hat. My first lace project, my first project with any degree of difficulty really. Oh how I loved that hat and how it was complimented by so many people. I was very proud of it. Note the past tense there. My decision to clean it involved putting it in the washing machine with some other delicates as it is allegedly machine washable. Well...not in my washing machine it isn't.

This is my Rose Red now.

With my hand for scale.

Bah. I should have known from the noise our washing machine makes on it's spin cycle, both for delicates and everything else, that it was throwing the contents around. At least I know if I want to do a project involving felting my washing machine is great at it.

On the plus side I can now knit a hat with my new Scottish yarn without worrying that I have too many hats already...if such a thing ever is a problem.

On to my second kick in the teeth by the knitting deity...

My February Lady Sweater.

You may recall I thought I was running out of yarn. I couldn't understand exactly how I was running out as I knew I'd bought more than the recommended yardage for my size but sure enough I was definitely running out. I knit the sleeves shorter than I'd planned and was pretty sure I'd make it.

I made it to here, about half way through the cast off on the second sleeve.






That's where I ran out of yarn. Curses. I threw a bit of a hissy fit and being pretty far from a perfectionist made a decision I know would make many knitters toes curl. I unpicked what I'd cast off already and tinked half a round before that then cast off again. One sleeve is half a round shorter than the other but really, you can't tell. I've never been a perfectionist, there are other little mistakes in the cardigan but that's OK. I claim I'm following the same view of the rug weavers who include an intentional mistakes as only God is perfect. That's it.

I was pleased though, my FLS is finally finished. Done.

In spite of the little issue with the sleeve I'm really happy with it. I love the colour, the yarn is great and it fits really well. I also love the way the buttons work with the yarn. It still needs a little wash to neaten up the stitches (by hand of course!) but I'm wearing it at the moment as I'm so happy it's done I don't want to have to wait for it to dry! Please excuse the rubbish modelling with only semi-dry hair, one day I'll buy a tripod and get better pictures of me wearing my mitts.







Now it looks like all turned out well doesn't it? I suppose it did. I have a lovely new cardigan and the little adjustments I had to make are hardly noticeable. I should be really happy and for the most part I am, honestly, I am.

The thing that makes me not happy, the thing that made me have a new hissy fit, well...

I was sorting out some of my stash and tidying things away and under my balls of Debbie Bliss Rialto 4ply I found this:



I knew I had enough yarn for the pattern, I knew I'd bought enough. There may have been swear words when I found that last ball.

What have I done to deserve this?

I think I may have an answer to that one. I think I am being punished for this:



That's my pile of WIPs. Note the cuff of the second glove in the pair I'm making for my mum's birthday, her birthday which came and went earlier this month. Oh dear. Also the fish scarf started back in January and four socks, a first of a pair, a second of a pair and a pair knit in tandem.

That's a lot of WIPs, I don't think I've ever had so many on the go at once. I have decided I'm going to get them finished and I will NOT be starting any new projects until I've at least finished the glove, the second Monkey sock and the March mystery socks. I confess I swatched for another cardigan yesterday but I didn't cast on, I'm not going to cast on. No new projects. If I even hint at starting one shout me down.

At least the baking deity likes me.

These went into the oven:



These came out:



I can comfort myself in my annoyance with peanut butter and banana muffins, yum yum yum!

I'm looking forward to next week when I shall be blogging daily, oh my. I'm a little nervous and unsure about some of the days but I think I'm ready and I'm excited.

I hope everyone has a great week.