Sailing on the Big Project Wave

Ever since I dropped out of the Sock Madness I've been fully focused on Big Projects. When that mood takes me, I should really sail on the Big Project Wave. Come July and its temperatures of 40°C I will probably resort to smaller projects that just dangle from the needles instead of burning a hole in your lap.
After a few days of 25-30°C we're back down to just under 20°C, so I am very happily still on the Big Project Wave.
Anemoona showed a link to her project page and she will be re-knitting a top that turned out too small for her, and I was inspired to cast on another big project.
It would be my fourth on the needles, so I really shouldn't.

Still working on the Stonehaven Sweater sleeves when I'm too tired to focus on the intricate lacework of Songe d'été, and patiently waiting after that is the Solstice Sweater with the lovely brioche yoke. There are all cast on and true WIPs. And there's a single pair of cotton socks currently in hibernation, which will be the first project I pick up when it's too hot to even touch your own skin.
I can of course muse on the coming projects. And the best part is that the yarn has been bought and is in readiness for swatching.

1. Anam Cara Kilt Hose
   There's a scrumptious light grey 6-ply sock wool lying ready for these. They will be a gift for Kat's boyfriend, and I can ask for several precise measurements so I don't have to fit very often. Not having a car is making stuff like hopping over for a fitting much harder, but I'm sure we'll manage. We just have to still get used to the fact that going over for a visit is going to take a lot more time.
   
   
2. Pumpkin Ale Cardigan
   A few months back I bought Lana Grossa Cool Wool Big in a medium (Zaphira) blue for this. The pattern was recommended by Snorrepot, who has knitted several of these. The lace panel on the back is very interesting, and it has pocketsssss. Of course, I might lengthen the sleeves and body, but we'll see once I actually cast on. I probably won't get around to this until the fall. All the cables will require extra concentration and keeping track of rows too.
   
   
3. Selma top
   We used to call these garments "spencers" in the eighties, and I remember my father had a burgundy one with stripes at the top. Spencers and waistcoats over a blouse really fit my clothing aesthetic, but aren't very practical because of my general body shape. With pear-shaped bodies, you'd ideally let any overgarment stop past the widest point of the hips. Still, I have three skeins (861 meters) of purple Geilsk wool in my stash that may be enough. I'll also get really good at purling, because most of this is purled. I am hoping the wool won't be prickly through the blouse I will wear under it, but usually I also wear a camisole, so there's two layers of cotton it has to poke through. I'm sure it wil be fine.
   Not very high up on my list because of style and itchiness issues. I may have to lose 30 kilogrammes before I have the balls to wear this. (Like I ever...)
   
   
4. Distinto
   A shawl in brioche, which will make it extra scrumptious. A yellow-and-grey merino skein I picked up at the Knit & Knot fair last year combined with a solid grey from Fyberspates. Will there be enough contrast between the two? I don't know. Do I really need another shawl, when I pretty much only ever wear my Unikat Erigineia? Who knows.
   At least it will be a nice break from knitting really big garments if I ever need one.
   
   
5. There are three more shawls in my queue I might never knit, but I do have yarn for. Incidentally: the same skein for two of them. Perhaps a better project will come along and the yarn gets a new purpose. But see number 4 for existentialist angst concerning shawls.
   
   
6. Pamina
   Knit in lace-weight yarn and with a beautiful lace pattern, this is a summer top along the same lines of the Songe d'été. Probably slightly easier to knit as well.
   I have 1600 meters of turquoise Alpaca Silk Lace set aside, which should be ample! It also is hip-length, which is lovely. I might even be bold enough to wear it with just a pair of leggings if it's long enough. For summer, so this is a good next project.

And then there are two projects I would like to do, but are more long-term projects.

• Rip up the harvest cardigan, sort the yarn by dye baths, and use it to knit this sleeveless cardigan. The jury is still out whether I should because yes, it's a pretty colour, but it pills a lot, it really isn't the best quality yarn and it is also really itchy. I might be better off knitting something else, or buying better yarn for it.
  And then suddenly the question becomes: did I really want to have this garment, or is it just an excuse to re-use yarn that is not being worn in the garment it currently is? And does this yarn warrant the extra effort of making another garment out of it just because it's a pretty colour?!
  
  
• Knitting for Eisirt is really fun, and I have another sweater he approves of. He loves to wear turtlenecks and even wears a shawl around his neck in winter if the collar of his sweater is too wide. He lives in his sweaters and since he only has the one, it is showing signs of wear. That means as soon as the Stonehaven is done, I should really cast on another, so at least he can switch sometimes. I chose this pretty thing, with cables, that will really be pretty.
  He won't wear something that fitted though, so I'll probably knit a size too large for him. And I haven't a clue what kind of wool I will use for this.

There's so many fun hours of work in this! I can't wait to get started. But first: Songe d'été is calling me. There is linen and lace to be knitted.

In other, somewhat related news; I re-arranged some tags recently. Any big garment will now get its own "Project: {name}" tag, so its easier to read up on everything and the project-related posts don't clutter up the list of random knitting posts mostly about socks and plans. None of my garments will warrant the same amount of posts as the Elf Chain or the Hexagon Blanket does -- or so I hope! -- but it does organise rather well. I've also been looking into a specific userpic to go with this, but that's harder to do with LJ's restrictions on size. I'm not a graphic designer.