Knitting Doldrums

I have been desperately looking for something to get me out of my knitting doldrums. I had previously set out to use as many of the leftover bits and pieces in my stash as I could to make the kids some sweaters. I think this is where my problem started.

So far, I have only managed to complete one v-neck pullover. I have a v-neck sleevesless vest, which is for Cruz, still on the needles and am really struggling to get this thing finished. I designed the vest myself and used my leftover Manos del Uruguay yarn (bio on the company at http://manosdeluruguay.co.uk/manosdeluruguayyarns.html) which I had purchased many moons ago from a lovely knitting shop in Richmond, Virginia, U.S.A. called The Knitting Basket.

Here you can see me working in the round using 4 double pointed needles to complete the neck.

Needless to say, after completing the neck I was unable to pull the thing over Cruz's head. It didn't even make it past his forehead. I ripped out all of my hard work and will pick up even MORE stitches this time around. As an aside, I would just like to say that I HATE THIS YARN! I have found that it is easy enough to knit with but that it is incredibly scratchy, wears terribly and pills like you wouldn't believe. I have no plans to buy Manos del Uruguay again anytime soon.

On a brighter note, I have also been planning to do some creative dying with another one of my stash items. I can't even recall where I purchased this from (could have been Patternworks.com) but it is beautifully soft New Zealand merino wool that is called "Waterspun" by Classic Elite. There is no twist here, the wool is felted. I have spent the better part of two nights in front of the TV watching Farscape (on DVD) and getting all of the Waterspun onto a niddy noddy and into 100 gram skeins. I am hoping that with the assistance of my new friend Shirley, I will be able to turn this into something fabulous.


Honestly though, I just couldn't wait any longer to buy something that would make me feel like knitting. Yesterday, while in Christchurch, I stopped by the Arts Centre (http://www.artscentre.org.nz/) and popped in at the Wool Yarns and Fibres Shop and purchased these two beautiful skeins of handspun merino wool.

I was so moved by the colors that I couldn't wait to knit this up and rushed home to look through my patterns. I think that I will knit the Lacy, Leafy Luxury Shawl from Knitter's Winter 2000 issue. But, on closer examination, the pattern calls for four balls at 205 m each and I only have 732 m. What will I do?