It's COLD!

It is so cold out today. My outside thermostat says that it's 42, but I could see my breath when I took the dog out, so I'm kinda inclined not to believe it. I'm all wrapped up in my PNW shawl and am realizing how warm a shawl can keep you. So what do I do? Go stash diving to find another yarn to make a new shawl for this winter. I came up with a full pound of Weaver's Wool by Mountain Colors and the Shoalwater Shawl pattern by Fibertrends. I did this pattern once before and loved working on it, but I cut out too many repeats (to save yarn of course) and it turned out too small for daily use. So this time, I have a full 1400+ yards of yarn to play with, so I can make it as large as I want to. I think I'm going to do it in stockinette instead of garter, though. I liked doing it in garter, but I think I'll like the way it looks a little more in stockinette. And I'm going to do it a little more dense than the last one, light worsted on size 9's instead of 11's. I want this baby to be warm and snuggly for this winter. It's feeling like it's going to be a doozy of a cold one.
Our heater just kicked in, so while I'm defrosting before heading to work, I'll give you a WIP update!

Finished:

• Felted slippers (Christmas present) I've neglected to blog about these, post coming after I felt them.
• Stuffed Horse (Christmas Present) Also unblogged, pictures to come
• Jaywalkers in Tofutsies, I have to re-do the toe section on one, but they are essentially done
• The evil crocheted red thing that we spoke of last time. Pictures to come.
  

What I'm working on:

1. A warm, chunky sweater out of Elann's Peruvian Highland Chunky. I just have the neck to finish and one arm to go. I'll probably finish the neck this weekend and the arm next weekend. If all goes according to plan, that is.
2. DH's sweater out of cotton fleece. This sweater was a disaster the first time around, so I'm hoping the second time goes more smoothly. I'm just about 2 inches into a top-down raglan that I'm designing for him.
3. Worsted weight Jaywalkers, Christmas Present. I turned the first heel yesterday. These are my new travel project and are going so QUICK!
4. And now, the Shoalwater Shawl. Yummy, warm, soft, woolly goodness to be cast on today.
5. A felted cat as a work display. I have the two back legs to do and the tail, but I've stalled out on this. It's just painful to work on. The faux fur just makes things sticky and not stretchy and a little miserable. As long as I finish before Halloween, I should be ok.

Wow, 5 projects including my work related project. I'm doing good! Of course, most of what I've started recently wasn't even in the ravelry queue, it's just stuff that strikes me and I cast on for. Such is my life as an ADD knitter!