Various Things

I'm not sure what I've been doing in the evenings, but it seems like it hasn't been knitting. I feel like I've made no progress on any of my projects. Maybe it is just that I have too many in the design phase.

Jitterbug Sock
I did manage to get the heel turned on the first sock last night. I reached that point the other day and whatever else was going on, I didn't want to take the few minutes needed to pay attention while I turned it and picked up along the heel flap. But it's over now. On to the gusset and foot!

Celtic Project
I lied. It's not going to be either a hat or a scarf, and I knew that all along.
What I actually have in mind is one of those scarfs with the built in hood. I'm calling it a "harf", for hat+scarf, because it cracks me up. But it's not really a hat, because it isn't as fitted.
Any clue what I'm babbling about?
I haven't seen many patterns for them. If someone comes into the store asking for on, the usual suggestion is to make a widish scarf, fold it in half, and sew a seam as deep as you want it. This makes a rather pointy hood.
Actually, that's how I made one for my sister-in-law back when I was living in New Hampshire (only I crochted it rather than knit it). I wonder whether she still has it?
Anyway.
I had to stop at the yarn store last night. Since I knew Cynthia was going to be there, I took my swatches and tried to explain my concept. At first she looked at me like I was insane, then she, D, and Giggles realized what I was describing and were all like, "Yeah, ok, I've seen those." And we all remembered seeing a pattern in the store, but we couldn't find it.
It probably would have been helpful I had managed to get the hood piece knit before I showed it to her. All I had was the swatches I showed you the other day.
Anyway.

Bobbles? Really?
They liked the Hearts cable better than the XO cable. But then they all decided something was missing between the heart points and I should put a bobble there. (Where the arrow is pointing.)
Uh, I'm not sure that will work. I looked at the chart last night, and there are two rows there, but I don't know if it will interfere with the decreases/increases to shape the hearts. What it comes down to is I'll have to swatch that section to see. All this swatching is cutting into my knitting time.
Since I showed it to you, I worked another repeat, and I'm going to have to add some more rows between motifs as they bump together in an unattracive way if you just dive into the next one. Might have to consider bobbles there to to be harmonius.
It's not easy, this design business, and I'd like to get this wrapped up while the weather is still cold!

Fingerless Mitts
I was at the store because since my mom has taken to reading the blog on a regular basis, she has decided she wants a pair of my top-down fingerless mitts.
After some back and forth on e-mail during the day yesterday, she declared she wants a dark, solid color.
Which, happily, excludes any of my precious sock yarn stash since it is all varigated.
I had also offered to make a striped pair with leftover yarn from my Arrgyles, but she said no, which is for the best as it would have interfered with the pattern.
So I got a balll of Debbie Bliss Rialto 4ply in a marron color (#22011 to be precise). The guage should be good, but the content is 100% merino, which miss the whole "luxury yarn" point, but we didn't seem to have any fancy fibers in the right color and gauge. The yarn is, however, quite soft and squishy, so I think she'll be fine.
I'm not positive, but I think this is going to be the first time I use any Debbie Bliss yarn. (Aside from helping people fix problems in the store.)

Inspiration
This is the first sweater I ever knit. The yarn is Lion Brand Wool Ease in white with little colored speckles. The pattern was off the ball band.
I think I mentioned this sweater before.
Not bad for someone who had just learned to knit. The yarn choice was a bit unfortunate, it makes me itch a little, but that was right around the time I was becoming a yarn snob.
I bring this up because I wore it yesterday and as I looked at it in the full-length mirror in the bathroom at work I said, "Holy Smokes! This is the shape I want for Inspiration." So all that stuff they say about measuring a sweater you like is true.
It comes just to the top of my hips, so I can copy the length.
I'll have to measure the body as I might want a wee bit less ease.
But the only major change (well aside from the collar, I'm going to attempt a shawl collar) is that the arms are a bit on the big side on the upper arms, so I'll deffinelty have to cut down the ease on the arms.
But, basically, the fit is good, so I totally have a model now.
Of course, I have to swatch some more first.