Going in Circles

THIS. CIRCULAR. BLANKET. IS. ADDICTING.  It's really the only project seeing any action these days.

I think once it's on a longer circular needle you'll be able to see the pattern a little better as right now is still just looks like a circular blob.  BUT- oh people, this one is going to be nice.  There's a little part of me that's sad that the baby it's intended for is due in the middle of May, because I kind of wish I could enter this in the Stampede.  I do have other blankets in storage, but I picked this pattern because I thought my friend would LOVE it and it feels like cheating not to give it to her.  On the other hand, this project is knitting up fairly quickly, if I wasn't completely sick of it when I was finished, I might cast on "part 2" and make that for Stampede.  Insanity?  Maybe.  Circular blankets are really addicting!  I don't usually like to make the same thing twice, but I may have to make an exception to the rule.

My goal is have the lettering section of this blanket finished by Thursday- and then I can get to the last feather and fan part.  (Which is 500+ stitches per row, so I imagine it's going to take a bulk of the time.)  It would be really, REALLY amazing to have this done by April 25th.  If I could have that done, I could cast on the actual Stampede project that I've been devoting so much time to.

That is, if I ever finish the pattern.

Here's a sneak peek at what I'm totally stuck on.  The thumb.  Specifically the gusset.  After a lot of working and reworking I'm really REALLY satisfied with where this project is headed.  It is only this blank space that I'm just stuck on.  It's like I've hit a creative wall and I can't seem to design my way out of it.

I've decided my best course of action is to just walk away.  Not work on it.  Not think about it.  Not do anything with it for a week.  Just knit and enjoy knitting other projects and then come back and see what it needs.  This pattern needs to be done.  I'm putting a "FINALIZE THIS" date for April 16.  I must have a finalized plan and have tested the yarn by April 16.  (I need to make sure the yarn I'm planning to use it color fast and not going to bleed on the white... what would be TRAGIC.)

And, this week, because I just needed something totally mindless one night that didn't require a lot of thinking, I picked up my Maui sock and made a little progress on that, because why not?

I seem to be big on the circular knitting right now!!  So I'll be on my couch, sitting in the sunshine spot going around in circles!