Watcha Working On?

As I intimated in the previous post, I have not been monogamously working on my Whistler. So what have I been working on?

One thing is the Lead and Follow scarf that I've been working on sporadically since last July. It's been my "last resort" project as it doesn't have a deadline, or even a sure recipient. Work on it was rather pain-staking in the beginning because of the 20-row repeat on the lace pattern, and the fact that the "return" rows are not plain purl (which is often the case with lace).

I've done enough repeats now that the pattern is "in my head"--not memorized, but the logic of the pattern has revealed itself. The 20 row pattern is broken down into four-row groups of similar shaping. It's been fun to see it grow. I don't think it's quite half way to its final length, but it's definitely getting there.

An extra spur to work on the project was seeing it in a yarn catalogue I got last week:

You can see it on the bottom right of the page. It was a fun surprise to recognize something I was working on being highlighted in a catalogue.

The second project is even better for travel knitting. I saw this sock yarn at Red Purl and could not resist it:

Pagewood Farm St. Elias Hand Dyed Sock Yarn in colour, Butterfly

The colours were perfect for someone I know. It's been the nicest sock yarn I've worked with yet--not only how it handles and feels, but the way the colours blend. It's beautiful.

The pattern is very pretty as well. (Firestarter by Yarnissima.) It's well written and the cable is charted. (Thank goodness! I love me a chart!)

Besides a pretty cable pattern running up the side, it has a unique and interesting gusset done in reverse stocking stitch.

Progress has been fairly steady on this project as well.

And, no, I haven't stopped working on the Whistler all together. It does seem I haven't had a lot of time to sit and knit at home, but I try. I have gotten the second sleeve past the first section of three-colour stranding.

The technique of intarsia in the round that I outlined here is still impressing me with its ingeniousness. It's getting easier and more natural all the time.

But now that I'm down to two colours again, things should fly until I get to the next three-colour section.

PS: There has been one other project, but that will have to wait for the proper time to be revealed...