A question

Ok, I was brave. I’ve finished knitting Angelica, and she is currently drying on an ironing board next to the radiator, on top of an old towel, with her sleeves and hips folded over so that they don’t hang down and stretch. I sloshed her a little in some wool and silk washing liquid, rinsed her, wrung her out in a towel, and have laid her out a little stretched out in the hope that this will make her fit correctly without making her stretch a lot overall (so that she doesn’t sag while I wear her). Ooooooh I hope this works ok. The sleeves aren’t that great, but I reckon the blocking process complete with a long sleeve black t-shirt will fix that. I’ve also washed the Polar Lace Leaf pullover for the first time today, and am now covered in hairs from it. When it has dried I will shave it and try wearing it again to see how much it pills after washing. Luckily, I did the silk before the Polar. Otherwise Angelica would suddenly grow a green beard.
Anyway, the question is, what to knit next? I have quite a few projects on the go, but most of them quite small or quick. Only Clapotis will be a long time coming. The others, if I get my arse into gear, can be made within a couple of days knitting. So I’m thinking, what garment should I have a go at next? I want it to be practical, and use stash I already have, as the stash is in dire need of reduction. And I don’t want it to be too complicated right now – I have to be able to put it down easily so that I can go from studying to knitting to studying without losing my place or getting stressed about stuff.
I’m not popular or clever enough to do a poll on here, so I’m very happy to sit back and see if anyone posts any comments. Here is a list of things I’d like to make. Feel free to suggest something else as long as I may have the stash for it!
1) Lace Leaf Pullover in Knitpicks Sierra. I want to make this because the Polar was so pilly, so that I have a sweater I can wear to work or to the pub without covering everything in green hair. I know the pattern and its quirks now, and it is pretty quick to knit, and there is enough winter for me to have it worth knitting in such a warm yarn.
2) Hourglass sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran. I have the yarn from frogging the evil ribbed cardi, and need to find something to use it up, and this seems like a good idea. Stocking stitch in the round, so lots of brainless knitting when I’ve been using my few brain cells to write the dissertation. Practical design too, as it is simple, and if it fits ok will be ok for work and for dossing about in. And I’ve been lusting after making it for a while – long before I got the book.
3) Angelica mark 2. You already know I had a problem with getting enough yarn to knit this pattern. I’ve made it, love it, and even tho the first one is far from dry, I’m contemplating making this one straightaway as it is quick, simple, and the yarn is sitting on the armchair arm and I keep staring at it lustily. Kerrie went to a lot of effort to dye this yarn for me, and I think I owe it to her to knit it soon.
4) Union Market Sweater from Interweave Knits in Alpaca Select. I bought the yarn just for this pattern, and I have no idea how hard it will be, but it is beautiful, and will take a long time because of the tiny needles and yarn.
5) Sirdar Ballet Wrap cardi. I have some DB Baby Cashmerino on a cone, in a light green, so definitely a spring to summer colour. I’ve wanted to make a ballet wrap cardi since I started knitting again, and the pattern is your standard Sirdar/basic format – no knitting in the round, a little bit of moss stitch ribbing, and extremely practical (it is even the length to cover flabby tum bits till they flatten out a bit).
I think that’s it for now. Socks, scarves etc will always be on the needles so that I have a choice when I decide to knit. I like to have small things as well as garments on the go, but what garment to make? Incidentally, most of my stash is in two big plastic trunks, but some of the stash is sitting in carrier bags behind the sofa for want of anywhere else to live (including the Sierra and cashmerino aran). That might skew the results a bit, but I’m looking more at gratification than using whichever yarn.
Hmmmm, wonder if anyone will reply, and what they will pick?
Oh, and one day I will get the stash page up, and some updated links. But both are going to be a looooong list, so for now I just can’t be arsed 😉