long-stalled projects

 So, I started sorting through the stuff I just consolidated into boxes and stuffed in the closet at the last minute when it turned out Martin had time to fix the drywall.

There's lots of stuff. Some of it I should probably just pitch, or there's also some yarn I should maybe consider giving away. (I wish I had a local knitting group; postage is expensive. If I could find a good charity that could use it I'd do that - I've read some women's prisons have crocheting or knitting programs as sort of a therapy thing, and they accept donations). 

But I also found a lot of stalled projects. One or two I might just pull the needles out of and pitch; it's been too long, it's something I wouldn't wear anyway, it's a very complex pattern and my poor brain cannot handle extreme complexity and things that take forever now.

But I also found a couple simple things I could finish up easily.

Like this:

It's a cowl (the newer name, at least for larger-diameter versions of these, is "infinity scarf"). It's knit of Reynolds' "Paris," a long-discontinued yarn. And while my brain may be kind of nerfed for knitting complex lace right now, I can still remember - this came from Stitches N Stuff, years and years and years ago. It's a velour-type yarn; the cowl is just knit all 'round in stockinette-in-the -round. So: super simple. I don't know if I put this away in a clean-up and forgot it, or if back in the days when I craved more complexity in knitting I got bored with it - but you know? I like it. I'd wear this. So I brought it out; it won't take long to finish (it's pretty close to long enough now and anyway I only have the partial ball that's attached to it left). 

When fall comes, this will be nice. I like scarves but if you're going to be outside on a windy day a scarf is less practical than a cowl. 

I also found this. I *think* the yarn is one of those Artful Yarns. (a search online tells me their "Pastry" matches). I kind of loved Artful Yarns back in the day; they were mostly novelty-type yarns and all of them came with a one-ball pattern on the ballband.

This is also all-knit, but because it's knit flat it's garter stitch. I don't love this one quite as much as the cowl but I'm still going to finish it because that's too much work to rip back. If I could think of someone it would work as a gift for I could send it to them. (It's not a *warm* scarf, it's a scarf-for-looking-cute-in, or I'd stick it in one of our local Blessing Boxes when it gets cold - my doctor, who is very plugged in to the "helper" community* says that some people who knit are making extra hats/scarves/mittens and putting them in Blessing Boxes in the winter, for people who need warmth but don't have it and can't afford it)

(*she was instrumental in starting a free clinic here for people who have totally fallen through the cracks and don't even have the federal health insurance)

Then again, I might feel differently about it once I finish it - again, it's almost done. As I remember this yarn was less pleasant to knit on then the Paris was....

I also found a kit that I got for Christmas at least a dozen years ago for a "dude-style" sweater (like The Dude, you know, as in Abides?) and maybe I get that out soon and try to work on it. 

(I also have the almost-finished Pocketses vest that I keep saying I need to block so I can do the button bands and the pockets on it). 

One of my goals this fall should be to clear out a few of the unfinished projects...