Finish-it-up-itis might actually exist

Because lookie...I finished DD2's mulberry socks:

And DD1's mulberry socks:

And my co-worker's baby gift:

And I wrote up the pattern for it:

And I've even started back onto my Elizabeth of York vest! But no pictures there yet - all I've done is started picking up more stitches along an edge. Not a huge whoop, but at least it's progress.

We may need a quarantine over here

Startitis has hit me hard, and what's more, it feels like it's only just getting started.

I'm continuing along on the bib I talked about last time, but I've gotten a bit hung up on the neckline edge. I want to do applied i-cord, but I'm having some challenges getting a good ratio of picked-up stitches along the edge. My first attempt gave me way too much i-cord for the size of the opening, so it rippled unattractively. Right now I'm tinking it back and I'll try again. I think I'm going to keep the ratio at front and back (or maybe reduce it by a quarter or something similar), and halve the ratio on the sides.

But shortly after starting the bib, it was pointed out to me by my BIL (visiting for the holidays and trying to prepare some tea) that we don't have a tea cosy in our house. (I've lived here for ten years and I'm only discovering this now. Sad.) So, naturally, I had to knit one...

The pattern is Irish Tea Cosy by someone named "Jo". I used the leftover royal blue yarn (acrylic) from DD1's Christmas present (the Ruby poncho/skirt), and there was juuuust enough (I did reduce the top by three rows once I realised I was probably going to run out of yarn) - about two yards left over. That's not enough for the drawstring and pompoms, but I think I'm going to use some of the leftover emerald green from the Ruby poncho/skirt for that. As you can see, there's very little left to do - just the sewing up and the creation of the drawstring.

Then I decided to start working through my Ravelry queue. First on the list was "Alabora", a free pattern for Turkish slippers by KatyaGuler. So I dug some sock yarn leftovers out of the stash and got going...

I like it. The designer states clearly on Ravelry that the pattern needs more write-up and test knitting, so it's definitely "buyer beware", but it's not too bad so far, it's obvious where increases and decreases are supposed to be. The only really challenging thing is that there are no gridlines on the chart, so it can be confusing to figure out how many stitches of a certain colour you're supposed to be doing and which row you're on.

Next on the queue-busting list was Skew. I'm using 2.5mm needles instead of the called-for 2.25mms to try and make it bigger, so it will fit my husband. I'm using the sock yarn which Santa left in my stocking:

And even after all that, I can tell by the "pricking 'o me thumbs" that there's going to be even more casting on in the near future. I'm planning to do my Sweetness pattern for DD3, which will be a store sample for my LYS until she's big enought to wear it. There's a specific design idea I want to hash out for a submission (although I've got a few months yet before the deadline). Someone with mad sewing skillz wants to trade me some of her work for a shrug for her daughter; and there's a fair bit of new yarn I've recently acquired that will probably demand to be put into service.

Moreover? This bout of Startitis seems to be contagious. DH has recently cast on for a new pair of socks even though he already has a few other things on the needles and declares himself addicted to finishing it as soon as possible.

Yes, I am insane

I'm actually thinking about next year's Christmas knitting.

• For my dad: a grey Morgan. DD2's teacher's one turned out so nice this year, and my mom loved it when I showed it to her - she said my dad would love one, and she suggested grey, to match his winter coat.I have to agree with her that it's totally my dad's style.
  
  
  
• For my BILs: sweaters: same pattern, but different colours.
  
  
  
• DD2: I might finish that hexagon blanket I started this year. I would be making an effort to get it finished sooner, but I had incredible luck at Value Village earlier this week and found a white eyelet bedskirt for $4.99 and a white brocade-ish bedspread for $9.99, both twin size. So the immediate urgent need for bedclothes for DD2 has been filled, or rather, it will be when she opens them up as one of her gifts on Christmas morning. But I still want to make her the one I started - it can be the blanket she uses in the warm seasons, or something.
  
  
  
• DH: I might actually get silly and make him the Dwarven Battle Bonnet.
  
  
  
• Any or all of DD1, DD3 and my niece might get fun cardigans, too.
  

But for now, I am greatly enjoying going back to knitting things that are absolutely 100% NOT Christmas knitting. Like this:

It's a bib for a co-worker whose wife is expecting. Guess what he's a big fan of?

Plus there's some other fun stuff being planned for submission purposes.

Of course, all this might go to hell depending on what I get for Christmas. :) It's sooo nice knowing I can give in to Startitis if I want to!