This is going to be a pemanent UFO. It is about 2/3 of the back of a sweater designed by Kaffe Fassett on size 2 needles - Rowan wool and cotton and a variety of other Rowan yarns. Intarsia. You can see some of the strings that would have to be woven in on the back side if it were ever to be finished. I started this a very long time ago, never could get the gauge even, hate all the ends, and finally decided I would not start it. I'm not going to frog it, but maybe, as was suggested by Sandy, a knitting buddy, make it into a pillow. Or a bag. Just not something that requires more knitting. I don't mind size 2 needles, and now have gotten to the point where I can control my tension better, but I am DONE WITH INTARSIA. On yarn this fine, weaveing in the ends shows; and it would take longer to weave them in when it is finished than knitting the thing. I have enough of the yarn left to make at least a short sleeve sweater - maybe even a long-sleeved one, in stripes perhaps knit cuff to cuff. Sort of the same shape as Vivian Hoxbro's Kimono? Oh, maybe someday.
I did just start a new shawl for my friend Sheila - it's Alberta from Stahman's Shawls and Seaman's Scarves. Sheila bought the yarn on our trip with Jean Moss to England and Scotland in 2004; dyed mohair, from a women's collective in the very north of England. The yarn is sort of scratchy and stiff but softens up considerably when washed. Here's the start: the yarn is about fingering weight and I would normally knit it on a size 3 but for the shawl I'm using size 6 circulars from Knitpicks Options set.
