What am I knitting?

People often ask me what I'm knitting. Since last November I've replied, "A red cable knit cardigan." Today is October 1, almost a year later, and I'm still knitting the same red cardigan. As a matter of fact I'm closing in on finishing it. A non knitter probably doesn't think anything of the fact that I've been on the same project for such a long time. However, a knitter knows something is up.

Here's what's been up for the past 11 months. After starting the red cardigan, my local yarn shop started a knit along of the Tangled Yoke Cardigan. That was too intriguing for me to pass up so I took a break from the red cardigan (2 sleeves completed) and knit the Tangled Yoke. Then, while at a Friday night knitting session at Tangled Web, I was charmed by the Clapotis that a co knitter was wearing. So, even though Tangled Yoke wasn't finished, I started the Clapotis as an airplane project. I did actually finish this, as well as the Tangled Yoke. In the meantime, Tangled Web was doing a Market Squares Bag knit along and you know who had to join in? However, I couldn't attend the class where we got instruction on entrelac so I had to teach myself how to do entrelac. That's when I knit and felted my little entrelac purse. With that done I was free to make the Market Squares Bag. But, alas, that became too big to carry on an airplane, so I went back to the red cardigan - I had never really forgotten it. So, I finished the back of the red cardigan and then went back to Market Squares. I finished the bag and felted it. I was so excited by it that I had to use up the remaining yarn. Once again I put the red sweater on hold, and moved into a felted wine sack. Now, I'm back to the cardigan. I have finished the right front and am close to finishing the left front.

So why am I not knitting on it right now? That's because I just spent my several free hours taking photos of my stash, and entering all the info onto Ravellry. (Now I know exactly how many unkit skeins of yarn I have squirrelled away in my closet.) Since I was already at the computer I thought I may as well justify myself to myself as to why I still don't have a red cardigan to wear.

I now have a new goal: finish the red item before the one year anniversary. I think I can do it, if I don't continue to get distracted. And for now, when someone askes what I'm knitting I can really say, "A red cable knit cardigan."

Projects complete in 2008: Tangled Yoke Cardigan, Calpotis, Entrelac Surprise Bag, Market Squares Bag, Wine Sack and red................???

As I reread this, the story seemed familiar. It reminds me of the children's book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. I guess I'm a mouse.