Enter Autumn, stage left

I’m sitting here writing this post accompanied by a large mug of coffee and open windows, which are letting in the slightly chilly night air.  This is a sure sign that autumn is almost upon us here in the Mid-Atlantic.  For this, I am grateful.

I seem always to be grateful for the coming of autumn, with its crisp breezes, cooler temperatures and promises of winter.  It’s arrival, to me, means the end of summer’s oppressive tyranny.  Consequently, autumn is one of my favorite times of year, full of harvest festivities, beautiful colors and apple cider.  Perhaps most importantly though, it’s arrival also signals the annual onset of the knitting itch.

This year, however, the itch has seemed to manifest itself in the form of a mild case of knitting ADD.  Seriously…  it’s true!!  I can’t seem to finish anything.  On the other hand, I seem to be able to start many, many things and flit from project to project with nary an end in sight.

So, to start the updates, I thought I would tell you about some of the knitting that I have worked on… or started… or started planning… or thought about planning… over the past few weeks… during the blog silence, as it were.

First up, I’ve been working on my Endpaper Mitts and my Fiddlehead Mittens.  I know, I know.  These patterns are not overly complicated nor are the finished projects very large.  I should be finished by now.  In my defense, however, please reference my previous mention of self-diagnosed knitting ADD.  Both projects are coming along well, just not quickly.  Sadly, my recent knitting ADD has also been coupled with a relative lack of time in which to knit.  With regards to my Fiddlehead Mittens, both outer mittens are finished and I’m past the thumb gusset on one of the liners.  Of my Endpaper Mitts, the first is finished and the second one is well on it’s way to the thumb gusset.  I really just need to get them done.  You know, like I just need to get my Wave Blanket done…  or my second Earl Grey sock…  You get the idea.

Anywho, moving on!  If you couldn’t tell from my recent exploits, I’m a bit enamored with stranded knitting.  This has left me with the feeling that I want to undertake a large – perhaps more impressive – project.  Something bold.  Something fun.  Along these lines, I have been inspired by chawne‘s take on the Min Ulla set.  Predictably, I have purchased a pile of yarn and started designing some patterns for use in my own set.  While I love the original pattern, I didn’t want to blatantly copy chawne’s project.  Additionally, I wanted the opportunity to play with designing some stranded patterns.  So far, the set of patterns I have on hand includes some more traditional-looking Fair Isle bands and also squirrels – squirrels with top hats and acorns…  I’m excited!  So excited, in fact, that I’ve cast on before even completing all of the designs.  More details about this project to come in a future post.

Next up, my Rhinebeck project.  Sadly, I’m not feeling my original House Colors project that I started for this year’s trip to the NYS Sheep and Wool Festival.  You remember that project, right?  Lovely yarn.  Great lace pattern.  Wonderful project all around.  Unfortunately, it’s just not one that I feel like working on right now.  So, I have been on the search for a replacement.  I think that I have settled on creating a companion Octopus.  That’s right, an octopus.  I also think that he might just have to be a socktopus.  “What exactly is a socktopus?,” you may ask.  It’s an octopus that wears tube socks, of course!

Finally, I impulsively purchased a skein of tosh vintage in the absolutely gorgeous Nutmeg colorway and some HiyaHiya Stainless Steel DPNs while in New York City this past weekend and cast on for a new pair of Dashing.  Surprisingly, I have successfully fended off the knitting ADD long enough to finish these mitts earlier today!!  As you may have guessed, a FO post will be coming soon for these.  First, though, I need some decent photos.

Other knitting project ideas have also been playing around in my mind these past few weeks including the Adult Tomten Jacket, Akimbo and Dr. G’s Memory Vest, but I think that I’ve rambled on long enough for now.

Sorry about the lack of eye candy in this post.  I simply have not been taking photographs of my knitting recently.  If you really need a fix of photography RIGHT NOW though, why not check out everettgraphs?  I have been posting photos over there fairly regularly and also have some other types of post in the works for the near future, including a tutorial on creating an iPhone tripod mount and some reviews of photography related iPhone apps.