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Starting Stockpile out Right!

Foliage Hat:
I have the worst poker face.
One week down, three to go! Malabrigo Stockpile is off to a great start - I've already completed two projects and cast on for two more!  My non-stockpile projects aren't feeling terribly neglected, either (well, I still need to start the sleeves for Tyler's sweater, but I'm pretty sure that will happen sometime this week, if not this weekend).   Here's the lowdown:

1.  Foliage Hat - Malabrigo Worsted in Vaa (to replace the one I lost a few years ago) Finished!
2.  Madison Hand Warmers - Malabrigo Worsted in Vaa (to match hat) Finished!
3.  Metheglin Cowl - Malabrigo Rios in Solis and whatever odds and sods I have sitting around in Worsted, Twist or Rios!
Madison Mitts at twilight.
4.  Robin's Egg Blue Hat - Malabrigo Chunky in Charrua (my favorite color!) In Progress
5.  Travel Shawl - Malabrigo Sock in Aguas In Progress
6.  Button Bunnies - a ginormous version in Malabrigo Rasta - I have a full skein of Soriano, a half-skein of  Oxido, and a tiny bit left of Zarzamora
7.  Textured Circle Shrug - Malabrigo Rios in Glazed Carrot


Above: Travel Shawl
Below: Vintage Socks Redux

So what other projects are on the needles?  I've still got three - THREE! - socks going.  I know, I know - I think it's ridiculous, too.  I have a simple sock that is my "train knitting" (now that the car's fixed, it will become my "conversation" project when knitting in public....assuming I leave the house in the foreseeable future ).   It uses the free yarn from Stitches and a pattern from Nancy Bush's Vintage Sock book, one of my favorites (I've actually knit this pattern before, too!). 

I'm also knitting a pair of Huron Mountain socks from Nancy Bush's Knitting on the Road - one of the first sock books I ever got (also my go-to book when it comes to socks)!  I'm knitting mine with some gray Scholler + Stahl Fortissima Sock that I got in a swap many, many moons ago (my swapping days have long since passed) and what's left of a very generous skein of The Wool Dispensary's Useful Stimulant  superwash BFL in Circus Popcorn.  I LOVE the way these are knitting up! 

Colorwork!
Finally, I'm preparing to cast on for sock #2 of my test knit for Two Sticks and Sheep's Fireworks and Folly e-book (which is part of the Malabrigo Freelance Pattern Project!).  The first one knit up super quick and look how cute it is!  I don't knit many toe-up socks, so it's fun to get out of my usual norm with this one.  The pattern for these socks will be available soon on Ravelry, and Amy Duncan (the designer) has given me her blessing to post spoiler photos on this blog. Enjoy!

Sock Spoiler Alert!
Meanwhile, I'm definitely starting to feel a little bit of panic as I think about my holiday gift knitting - there are still a few more projects that need to get done (or closer to done) before I'll be able to relax.  I'm sure it's all doable in the 2+ months that remain, but I don't like to sweat it....and I'm definitely starting to feel a few beads of perspiration! Perhaps I'm also feeling the crunch because I want to release 1-2 more patterns this calendar year.  A little too ambitious?  Probably.  But if you saw my design queue, you'd understand!

P.S. Don't forget!  ALL of the patterns in my Ravelry Shop are 25% off til Oct. 31st when you enter "Stockpile2011" at check-out!
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