I’ve got three and a half WIPs on my needles today! I’ve never been a monogamous knitter because I like having a project for every occasion. Projects with simple, repetitive passages are perfect for knit night. Charted work and cables are better for the patio or kitchen table. All of my current WIPs are projects that have swathes of stockinette stitch interposed with more complicated areas. This ensures that I’ve always got something to work on.
#1: Martha Pullover
The first of my three and a half WIPs is Martha, a new take on an old favorite as described here. This is lovely, rhythmic stockinette stitch at the moment, but will soon require a little attention. I’ll need a little more focus once I reach the hem detail that is planned for the lower edge. I think I’ve got about 2 or 3 inches to go.
I’m working the Martha Pullover in Rowan Cotton Cashmere and I’m really enjoying it. The cotton content is lofty and light compared to most cotton yarns and the cashmere adds a buttery softness. It’s a DK/Light Worsted so it’s a little tough to push those heavier stitches with my newly healed wrist. (I haven’t written about it here, but I fell and sprained my left wrist about six weeks ago. It’s only just starting to feel strong again.)
#2 & 2- 1/2: Together Apart
The Together Apart shawl by Melanie Berg is actually two shawls, so it counts for one and a half of my three and a half WIPs. I don’t often have an opportunity to knit an item that is not a product of my own brain. As you can imagine, I choose those rare projects very carefully. I started Together Apart as a travel project for our spring beach vacation back in April.
This simple but engaging shawl calls for two colors in opposing color ways. I’ve had these watery shades of Mad Tosh Merino Twist Light in deep stash for a long time, just waiting for the perfect project. I’m working Together Apart in Antler and Well Water. I’m thinking they’ll look beautiful layered up over my denim jacket this fall.
This is a perfect Tipsy Knitters project because there are swathes of garter stitch alternating with charted lace. I can generally get through a garter section in an evening without paying too much attention. I’m alternating the two shawls to prevent “second shawl syndrome” so they are both proceeding well. This is such a relaxing knit.
#3: The Big Secret!
Don’t we all love a secret? I do! And I know that when a stack like this arrives in the mail, A Big Secret is sure to follow. The third of my three and a half WIPs is a project using my favorite yarn, Weld from Hudson+West Co. in Charcoal. This color is a deep gray with heathers of cream and black. It is gorgeous! I’m enjoying the soft silkiness of every stitch.
Without going into too much spoiler detail, I can say that there are long passages of stockinette stitch juxtaposed with candy twist cabling so I can choose which type of knitting I want to do. It’s the perfect WIP.
So that’s it for the moment. Like everyone, I have “long-tail WIPs”. Some are in the finish-or-frog pile, some in the finish-someday pile, but we’ll leave those for another day. I hope you’re knitting today and that it is alternating between challenging and relaxing!
Cheers!
Cheryl
