Progress has been made in more ways than one

First of all, I have knit about 75 rows of the Celtic shawl. Further than I got before I frogged it the last time. Very happy about that.

Second, I think I am learning my limits on the stash thing. I have enough yarn now that if I want to go knit something, I have plenty to do it with. Some of it is very pretty, and some of it is utilitarian, but it is there.

There are several yarns I still want to buy, but the price tags would be enormous if I bought everything I wanted, plus, I am running out of space to put it in. So the Hazel Knits Baroness may be mine next month, since it's about $20, or January, if it's still around. Since Yarntini has gone up everywhere ($27.99 and up), it is on an "as funds/gift cards permit" basis, and only if there's nothing cheaper available. She has a martini colorway that is multiple neon greens that I love to bursting.

I have neon green in Sockotta, but I don't think it's anywhere near Yarntini quality. I haven't knit with it yet, so I don't know. The reviews I've heard aren't promising, but I'll test it for myself. I can always make crochet doilies out of it.

I used one gift card to buy some Kauni EQ yarn (the rainbow-colored one) from Knit+Purl, which is on back order and should be here soon (this week would be nice, I'll have to check). The lady I spoke to about it being on back order says the 130 grams is enough for a pair of socks, plus a few grams over.

I also purchased some yarn this past weekend to make some hats with for the SHIP Support Group and Socks For Soldiers. Unfortunately, I read some group posts immediately afterward saying that all yarns are not created equal and that everyone should stick the the SFS recommended yarn list when sending stuff for that group. So those hats I'm going to be making? Mine. Can't blame anybody but myself for that one, unfortunately.

That's all the yarn I have coming in. If I can get a nice design idea, I may buy another sock yarn for a Cherry Tree Hill contest, since I didn't exactly put my best sock forward on the other contest. I still don't think I know enough about knitting to make a design work. I have one, I just don't know how to put it in action.

I still need to order needle sizes in between 0, 1, and 2 to get gauge on the SFS socks. I'm knitting a swatch on size 1 lace turbos right now to see if it will match one of the two gauges needed for this project. Please God, let it match the smaller needle gauge so I don't have to kill myself on size 0 needles. I don't like knitting on size 0's. They feel like I'm knitting boat rope with toothpicks.

Oooooo, and even more progress has been made. I have decided there is no way in heck I'm knitting any more of the baby duck dress in that awful acrylic yarn I was using. I wanted to stab myself with my own circs. I'm going to find a nice solid color superwash wool (maybe some Smooshy or Araucania), preferably under 20 bucks, follow the pattern size, and embroider something on the edge to match. Or not, if it looks good plain.