Project Fever...This is Your Real Problem...

My hands are restless. I am so desperate to start my next project (crochet no less), I almost can't stand it. But I will stand it, because that's what a responsible crafter does... But look at the pretty colors...
So here's an update of what I've been up to since last week, with pictures! I feel pretty good about my level of crafting dedication, considering I have a major dissertation meeting coming up a week from tomorrow!

Felted Laptop Condom
I queued a pattern from Vogue Knitting's Quick Gifts months ago when I bought a new swanky laptop. It's pretty and I wanted it to stay that way, hence the need to knit a protective cover for it. At a Superbowl Sale, I bought the yarn, Louet Riverstone in Aqua! Fabulous yarn. I want to make the Unisex Knock-Around Cashmere Pullover out of it... Anyway, back to the current Louet project. I was all set to start this bag. Problem was neither I nor the library had the book. So a few weeks ago, I finally broke down and paid the $12 to Amazon for my own personal copy. When it arrived, I eagerly opened to the pattern, and was thoroughly disappointed at the close-up. Let's just say the pattern consisted of two rectangles sewn together on the bottom and sides, and weird top flap about 25% the width of the body, and a pocket sewn to the front. The pictures on Ravelry looked so much more sophisticated...So I pondered and hemmed and hawed and finally decided to design my own. I'd already made a swatch which my friend Jake felted for me, so I had a vague idea of how the yarn would behave.

Behold, the knitted fabric. Since I took this picture, I seamed up one side using single crochet. I like the extra bulk this gives the side seam. Hopefully it will make it more durable. Also I plan to have the zipper run across the top and along one side, so I decided not to guesstimate a partial seam on the other side.
And last Wednesday, Sarah, listening to me lament the horrors of my local Wal-Mart's yarn selection, offered to take me to the Jo-Ann in Warwick! We got there and I was able to find yarn I wanted and this luscious fabric to line the Laptop Condom (the moniker is also her doing:))
With the yarn, fabric, zipper, and thread, I have been super motivated on this project. I will be going to Sarah's house tomorrow to felt up the bag so I can hopefully sew it together at SnB on Wednesday! Hurray for constancy!

Scala Socks
I actually knit about 10 rows on sock #2 this week. No point in posting a picture since it basically looks the same. I'm so close to the heel flap, but I hate them so much, that I can only really inflict them on myself in small increments. However, I do think I may actually finish these by the official start of summer. At leas that's the plan. With this project though, you never really know. I've switched from DPNs to Magic Loop, so that may help. I really just think the inelasticity of this yarn is the problem, but if I can finish them, I will put that out of my mind...

Nantucket Jacket
I have been waffling on how to do the sleeves for this cardigan. I hate seaming, but of course, learned after the fact that I should have slipped the first st to make life easier for myself. Better late than never, right? So I cast on for a sleeve, adding an extra stitch at each end for this purpose. Then life got in the way, and I forgot I had done this. Yup, you guessed it! I frogged the whole thing. After taking off a few rows in bewilderment, and counting and recounting the stitches, I decided it would be best to discard the work done and begin again. Only as I ripped the needles from the work, did the light go on. After some incredulous choice words, I continued the frogging process. Once the sleeve was once again just yarn, I contemplated knitting it in the round to prevent seaming at all. The specter of twisted stitches, however, quickly brought me back to reality! I will knit the sleeves flat with two selvedge stitches marked by the thin stitch markers I bought months ago, still unopened:) I feel much better now that there is a plan. The plan is to finish this project also by the start of summer...It'll take a miracle...

Beaded Zip Bag 2
It's official. I love crocheting! If the beginning of this post wasn't proof enough, I also have been working on a second beaded bag. They're so cute and functional! I crochet slowly, so they take a while, but it's worth it. Look!


Although I rely on Sarah for the lining since she has a sewing machine, I hope to finish this bag by the end of the week. I think it would work well as a small clutch:)

Wisp
Umm..so if I have to admit to dropping the ball, at least it's on a project that really won't serve a purpose until mid summer...But really, it's pathetic how little I've worked on this. I shuffle it from bag to bag, and occasionally detangle the yarn, but other than that, nada. In fact, I don't even know where I am in the pattern, and will probably frog it and recast on. Jeesh!

Coming up
So of course I am trying to finish these projects so I can start new ones. You knew that. I want to start the Ripple Afghan desperately, so I think that will be my at home, movie/tv watching project. I also need to cast on two birthday projects and finish them by SnB next week. Whoa! But I think I will be able to finally cast on a summer top on June 1st. And if I'm not done by then with these projects, I'm doing it anyway. No point in knitting cute tops during the winter!

Until next time...