work(s) in progress

Is it raining where you are today? It's pouring rain at my house this morning and I couldn't be happier. After a summer full of going and doing, we are happily staying and being during these last weeks of August. Rainy days make it even easier to do just that. Tommy and Annabel are playing "Cootie" in superhero costumes, laundry is going, vacuuming is on the agenda, grocery shopping can be put off until tomorrow (hallelujah!) and once all the necessary things are done, hopefully there will be plenty of time for picking up a work in progress.

I got a beautiful new knitting book back in the spring and have been patiently waiting to buy yarn until I got some birthday money in July. When we were up in PA a couple weeks ago, I stopped by a cute little yarn store to pick some up for my first two projects. 

Laurel Cowl

I love this beautiful cowl pattern and chose a 100% wool yarn to ensure maximum warmness since I'm always freezing in the winter. (Yes, I'm planning now, in August, for being warm in January since I never seem to get it exactly right. Hopefully this will be the year that I'll figure out the exact wool-to-body ratio. Wish me luck.)

Lori Shawl

 I've never knit a shawl before (or worn one for that matter) but I'm excited to try something new and have something beautiful and warm to drape over my shoulders all winter long. And how about that color?  Love it. 

This project is from a different book and is more for fall and spring wearing since it's knit in linen, but I've been working on this for YEARS and am finally (Finally!) ready to start knitting the sleeves. Hopefully it'll be ready to wear when the first crisp days of Virginia autumn roll around. Down here, that might not be until October so I still have some time. 

"I'm Catwoman."

 Obviously this isn't a work in progress, but I love seeing the kids enjoy their hand knits. Annabel's Nesting Squares Blanket keeps her warm in winter and also makes a perfect superhero or princess cape. Win!

If I get tired of the above projects I have a couple others in the bottom of my knitting basket, but right now, these are all I need to relax and enjoy a rainy August day. What projects are you working on these days?