How Many WIPs Is Too Many?

Those of you who know me (in real life or through this blog) know that I'm not the type of knitter to have a ton of projects on the go at once. I typically have two or three things in progress at any given time, usually a small project (like a pair of socks or a hat) that travels with me to work and a larger project or two that gets worked on at home. I have a tendency to feel overwhelmed if I have too many WIPs going because I feel so conflicted about which ones to work on at any given time. So I'm finding myself in a rather strange spot at the moment. Right now, I have three active WIPs: my Swing Left socks, my striped Fibernymph Dye Works minis shawl, and my Floozy cardigan. I've also got a sort-of fourth WIP, which is a pattern submission swatch that is essentially a finished project, or at least half of one (it's an ankle sock pattern, and it made more sense to just knit a complete sock than to try to make a sock-shaped swatch). And I'm on the verge of casting on yet another sweater -- one with a deadline, no less.

It's been quite a while since I knit a sweater for the Mister, nearly a decade in fact, so when he asked me to make him one for the Mister Rogers Cardigan Party our local PBS station is throwing later this year, I couldn't refuse. I even found the perfect pattern:

Photo (c) Lion Brand

This is the Neighborly Cardigan from Lion Brand, a free pattern on the LB Web site. It was designed to look like one of Fred Rogers's sweaters (which were knit by his mother -- did you know that?), so I didn't have to try to find something close enough and adapt it. It's knit in worsted weight yarn and is mostly stockinette, so I'm hoping it will be a relatively fast knit. Knowing that the Mister isn't likely to wear it too often after the party, I suggested we pick a more affordable yarn and sent him to the Knit Picks Web site to look at color options. He picked this shade of Swish Worsted called Squirrel Heather -- which is, now that I look at it, remarkably similar to the LB used in the sample!

I am hoping that I can get something off the needles this weekend so that I feel more comfortable starting this project, though of course I'll need to swatch first. Fortunately we've got a quiet weekend ahead, and Saturday is supposed to be a perfectly miserable, rainy day, so what better to do than curl up with my knitting?!