orinda5: Stitches in time and space

I have recently finished a couple of projects that have been on the needles for over a year. Not because they are large projects - just because of various extended hibernation periods.

One of my finally finished projects is my Ishbel shawl out of Serenity Sock by Zen Yarn Garden (that little bit of cashmere makes it so wonderfully smooshy!).

I started this in March 2009 during the part of my pregnancy when knitting (and even reading) made me nauseated. I'm not sure why I decided that this was the moment for me to knit my first lace shawl, but everyone was making them - and they all just looked so lovely.

I made it through the stockinette portion just fine. But for some reason I screwed up on each repeat of lace in a way that my preggo brain could not find and fix - leaving me to rip out and re-do multiple times. I finally refused to rip back again and just shoved it in a bag.

Months later in the throws of gift knitting, I pulled it out for a status check. I was easily able to find the last elusive mistake and fix it without ripping anything back.

Now it was back on my radar - ready and waiting for a little finishing time.

I only needed about 4 hours to have a finished Ishbel just in time to wear it for my birthday a few weeks ago.

Ravelry Link

I love how it turned out. I only wish I had done the large stockinette with the small lace border.

Knitting on this again brought me back to thoughts and feelings of a year ago. How things have changed!

I also recently finished a plain pair of socks that have been on the needles since January 2009.

Stitched into these socks are so many places and memories.

The yarn was a birthday present back in 2008 from my knitting neighbor pal who dyed it herself.

I wanted a pair of plain socks to work on at the Bohus Exhibit at the Swedish Institute.

I cast on both socks - trading off knitting time to keep them at about the same place.

The cuff and most of the legs remind me of this.

Then they sat until about April when they traveled to Yarnover - where I worked through the increases and decreases of a small gusset and added a piece of scrap yarn to pull out later for an afterthought heel.

They sat again until August - after the Cupcake had arrived, and I needed some easy and portable crib-side knitting. Thinking about finishing the feet on both socks takes me back to a specific corner Abbott Northwestern Special Care Nursury where I spent a lot of time.

That just left the toes and heels which I WIPed to FO during this year's Ravelympics

Ravelry Link

Although I didn't like to have a heel to knit after I felt like I should be done, the fit is fabulous, so I think I will probably do it again. There are a few gusset/heel details on my ravelry project page.

I was an Olympic junkie this year watching any event that was on, and consulting my Olympic iPhone app for up to date info. I finished the above socks in the WIP category, and

the Cupcake's Tulip sweater in the children and sweater categories.