Time for a Blocking Party

Very soon, that shapeless blue blob that I've been telling you is a shawl for the past few weeks will start to actually look like a shawl. I finished binding off today, so tonight is all about blocking. I'm pretty happy with how the piece is looking fresh off the needles, but it is badly in need of blocking to help settle the stitches and stretch it out a bit so that it has more drape.

The pattern needs just a bit more polishing, and then once the shawl is dry I'll take some pictures and do final measurements so I can get it off to my tech editor.

That leaves just two patterns left for the collection, and true to form, I've left the biggest ones for the end. These are both multiple-skein projects, so I'd say it's unlikely I'll finish both by the end of the month, but I think mid-September is probably a reasonable goal. My plan is to start releasing the individual patterns in September and stagger them throughout the fall (releasing one about every two weeks), so I'm on track. I just need to get in my on-site photo shoot some weekend soon when the weather is good and I can stand to wear wool to model!

Until I cast on for the next collection sample, the only project I have active on the needles is my handspun socks, which frankly have been rather neglected. I'll finish them eventually, I suppose.

I'm just about to the heel of the first sock, and honestly I'm happy to let these languish a bit so I can pick them up from time to time when I don't want to have to think or count. There's nothing like a stockinette sock when you need a mental break!

One more thing I did want to mention about the shawl -- it officially pushed me past my Stash Dash goal of 7K! I'll likely get a bit more than that when Stash Dash ends this Sunday, but I was beginning to doubt that I'd hit my goal for a while there, so it feels good to cross the finish line well before the final minutes.