Ch-ch-ch-changes

Time, of late, has not been my own. The little time that has been mine has been limited or with a different focus. It shouldn't be such a suprise, then, that my approach to knitting is going to have to change along with everything else in my life.

The only thing new I've started in 3 weeks is a washcloth for Old Flame's mother's birthday, and that's pretty much out of necessity rather than desire for the project itself (although the colours are very pretty and if you go ask Spidey , she might show you which of these limited edition cottons she has left).

Other projects on the needles are not portable. I'm rarely in one place for long enough to settle into the large projects (dividing time between work, Mum's and Old Flame's) and none of those places are conducive to concentrating on lace or aran knitting even if I was prepared to heft the bits along with all the other luggage.

However, a knitter has her needs and those needs must be met. I need pretty things, dammit. Pretty things I can conquer without feeling like a complete idiot.

I need a beret to keep my head warm on morning walks with the dogs, thick socks to go under hiking boots, and a suitable project to knit when Dexter comes on free to air next month.

So I'm thinking this beret in some Annie Gregg handspun I bought last year in Tarcutta, a retake of the Thuja socks in some Caressa DK (maybe) and this balaclava in Debbie Bliss DK silk for the Dexter project because he wears a silk mask sometimes.

Unfortuantely, I also have to knit this into about 6 metres trim for a Christmas in July outfit. OK, so I don't have to, but the yarn was a swap (and therefore free), as opposed to $17.95 a metre for the maribou feather trim.

(photo stolen from AmandaJ)

And is this a good time to mention that I want to reduce my boodle by two-thirds by the end of 2009? It's not that I have too much, you understand, just that I want to have less. Stop that laughing right now or you'll be struck off the potential recipient list.