I discovered something today...

I have a problem. It's called caston-itis. Or better known as start-itis. I love, love, love the thrill of starting a new project. I love doing the math and figuring out how to modify the gauge to fit my yarn. I love fondling the yarn and searching for the perfect project. I love finding the perfect project then searching for the perfect yarn. I love the little tricks and tips to make the project my own. I almost never follow a pattern word for word, I always tweak something. I think the PNW shawl below is the closest I've ever come to following a pattern word for word, and even then I played with yarn and gauge to get a tighter, smaller shawl and didn't do the attached i-cord edging along the top edge.

I just love starting projects. Once I'm a week or two into them, I fade. It's no longer new, exciting, challenging. Now it's just knitting, following my notes or the basic guidelines of the pattern.

Don't get me wrong, I love knitting. I love how it relaxes me and how I can just let my mind drift and work through other issues. But the thrill of the new just isn't there anymore once I'm a week or so into the pattern.

So I cast on for something new. I plan and do the math and make the notes and the changes and tweak and perfect and I work on that for a few weeks. Up until the previous project calls to me or something else throws itself into my path.

And this, my friends, is why I have so many projects going and why I can NOT cast on for another until some are finished.
I have:

1. Oasis Tank - based off of the Ballet Tank from MagKnits, 6+ inches done. I'm halfway through the waist shaping and interest is fading quickly
2. Mountain Colors Socks - My own pattern. Toe up, with staggered cables. Pretty yarn, Fun pattern. Halfway through the foot of the first sock, need to figure out which heel to do and pick this one up again. Should be good to go once I figure out the heel. Then I have to remember what I've done thus far to make a #2.
3. Tofutsies Socks - Own pattern, Toe up. One down, one to go. This I'll cast on for and make it my project for the Oregon Trip.
4. Mountain Colors Jacket - Based on a Drops Design pattern. I have one front and most of the back done. My gauge is different, and if I remember right, I'm in between two sizes and making adjustments on the fly. This one got put away months ago, so I hope my notes are good enough to get me going when I pick it back up. Problem here - Most confusing pattern ever written. Having to translate it into proper knitting directions as I go as well as gauge and size changes. Oh yes, and not sure I have enough yarn. Gorgeous sweater. Must finish. Too hot to work with double stranded yarn!
5. Cotton Fleece Baby Sweater - Almost done. EZ pattern from Summer Vogue Knitting. Just finishing the i-cord trim. Boring, boring, boring. Quick knit, but the trim made me put it down. And doing the trim hurts my hands because of the angle I must hold the needles to make it work. And I don't know who it's for yet. The pattern was just so cute that I had to make it.
6. Cotton Fleece Sweater for DH - Ugh. In the process of frogging. Despite gauge being spot on and multiple measurements and recalculations, This just is too big. It looked ridiculous when he tried it on. So I will be reworking the pattern, again. And measuring, again. But it's a whole lot of black stockinette and I'm sick of it. It's also going to wait for cooler weather, I think.
7. Furry Black Steering Wheel Cover - Yarn is a pain to knit with. Bored. Dislike novelties. Will probably be frogged and the yarn put to better uses.
8. MS3 - I'm almost through the 1st clue. Great so far. I just don't have much time to work on it because it's my at home project. Also, I can only do 4 rows or so before the tiny yarn starts to drive me crazy.

So I guess I'm just at 8. I had been at 10. But I finished the PNW shawl, and I finished a small something for my down line SP9. Oh, I do have baby socks going for a display at work, but those will be done in a day or two.

And all I can think is about the red Cascade 220 in my stash and how fantastic it will be for a snuggly fall sweater. So I look at pattern, plan, swatch, and tell myself that it won't be cast on until something is done. I will finish the baby sweater first. And I need to finish the tank before it cools off. I have a few months before that happens, But I'd like to wear it some!

So, If you see me reaching for a fresh pair of needles and yarn, please, stop me. Wave my list at me and say "See, you promised the whole knitting community that you wouldn't cast on. What do you think you're doing?!?"

Doesn't help that I have two yarn shop stops planned into our trip to the coast, and I'm contemplating a third. Bad, Bad me.

But it feels so good to start something fresh...