The Knitting Girl

My husband has been traveling for most of the year and I think he spent more time in Detroit than he did at home. However, somehow he found time to visit the local knitting store in Dearborn where he outdid himself in the thoughtful gift buying category and earned himself the coveted "Distinguished Husband of a Knitter" award. Under the tree this year was an Addi click needle set, 3 skeins of sock yarn, handcrafted stitch markers, and a set of magnetic ribbon pattern bookmarks!

All of this bounty forced me to look at my growing stash and WIPs. To this end, I have made my New Year's Resolution early. This coming year, I will finish my WIPs and knit from my stash. Of course, this does not mean I won't be starting new projects or purchasing oodles more irresistible yarn (I mean seriously, why set myself up for failure?) but it does mean that I will finish all my WIPs already on the needles in 2009 by the end of 2010 and look to my stash first when contemplating a new project.

What are my WIPs? I have a sweater for my husband that I'm currently knitting, two sock projects that are lacking their mates, a christening blanket that needs a lot of work, and a sweater that has been languishing away in my work basket underneath my current projects for over a year. I feel most guilty about the sweater as it only lacks sleeves and seaming. I stuffed it under my other projects to muffle its mournful lament and reproachful gazes. I took it out and looked at it about a month ago and I swear I could hear it rejoicing that it was once again being honored with my knitting needles. I reread the lace pattern and as I hurriedly stuffed it and the sweater back in the bottom of the basket, I'm sure I heard a soft sob.

To help motivate, I changed my Ravelry avatar to this lovely painting. "The Knitting Girl" was painted by William-Adolphe Bouguereau in 1869. In my mind, the woman is busy knitting on one of her WIPs and dreaming about visiting the new yarn store she heard was opening in the village down the road. I've also joined a new Ravelry group "2010 - the year of the WIP" which I hope will inspire me to finish my WIPs as I read, rejoice, and commiserate with the other WIP group members.

What projects do I have planned for the upcoming year besides my WIPs? My two sons have each requested sweaters, my husband would like more socks, a lace scarf for a retirement gift, and I want to make myself a sweater and socks. I looked at my stash and I have the yarn for all these projects! All this planning and organizing is hard work. To reward myself I think I will visit the Woolie Ewe in Plano tomorrow and take advantage of their 40% off sale to Ravelry members. After all, 2009 isn't over and if it's on the needles in 2009 it will be a WIP.

Happy Knitting!!