FO: Multnomah Shawl

I've been doing the knitting thing again lately. Must be these long winter days of sub-freeezing temps.
This weeks finished object is this little shawl made with Socks that Rock mediumweight sock yarn in the Monsoon colorway.

I got this yarn in a barter deal with my friend Blogless Carla a few years ago. I did some sewing for her and she paid me in yarn. Since then I've tried to turn this yarn into something a few times. One of those attempts almost cost me this finished object, but more on that in a minute.

Just over a week ago I was going through my stash doing some "shopping" so I could cast something on without spending any money. I found a basket of all my pretty handpainted sock yarns. I really don't have much desire to knit socks anymore and some of my favorites are just too pretty for my feet so they've just sat awaiting a nice small project to become. I brought my selections down stairs to my computer and after a quick Ravelry search I found a few possible one-skein projects. I had also just supported the Wool & Co. drive to raise money for Doctors without Borders so I had access to the free patterns they offered as a thank you gift. One of them was a pair of cute fingerless mitts. I decided to cast on for the mitts. I got the first one to the thumb gusset and just wasn't happy. They needed to be just a tad bit looser and I didn't have the next size up in double points or a long circular needle and didn't want to spend money so I frogged them. Then I found the Multnomah pattern on Ravelry. Gotta love free patterns!

Disaster struck after I was through the third lace repeat when I ran out of yarn. I had seen many completed projects in the same yarn and yardage I was using so I was confused. I know my gauge was right on but there was no denying that I was out of yarn and no where near complete. Then I remembered a scarf I had knit with another STR yarn from Carla that I never liked and thought maybe it would look okay with this and I could combine the two. I dug it out of its hiding place in the front closet and started frogging.

Then a miracle happened. I had made this ugly scarf out of both STR colorways, alternating them similarly to the Chevron Scarf but in a drop stitch pattern a la the Clapotis. I never liked it because it rolled and the colors just weren't my colors.

Once it was frogged I had enough yarn to complete the Multnomah.

I love the colors of this yarn. I've been wearing a lot more green lately and just bought some new grey slacks so I think I have a new outfit. I like small shawls like this because I wear them around my neck rather than over my shoulders like a traditional shawl. They fill in the space in my open necklines and don't hang down like a scarf and don't get in my way.


Now I'm being a Patriot and knitting a helmet liner for our troops. After that I think I have a few projects planned for some other reclaimed frogged yarn from unfinished projects that just weren't destined to become FOs.

What are you working on? How long do you let an unfinished project sit before saying forget it and frogging it so it can become something else? Or do you let UFOs marinate for a while and then eventually get around to finishing them? What is the longest a project sat unfinished before you finished it or frogged it?

Giveaway Deadline Extended!

I extended the deadline to comment and win a crafty Tshirt by one week.

Go here and comment to enter!!!!

Haitian relief give away

EDITED: Because I was kind of late in posting this and my readership is low now I'm extending this give-away one more week! So if you have donated ANYWHERE to any charity that is helping in the Haitian relief effort (this includes text donations from your phone or personal calls to George Clooney!) take a second to comment on this blog and you are entered. You can double dip if you entered Emily's contest too.


Once again I have let my blog sit idle. My life has been busy and I just haven't been motivated to type out long posts. Facebook status updates are about all I have motivation for lately. (If you aren't already my friend and really are interested when I'm leaving for a rehearsal or watching American Idol send me a friend request: Beth Wood Oberle).

Any way...

This morning while driving Sarah to school the radio reported that there had been another 6.0 after shock in Haiti. I have only been peripherally following all that is happening down there because I just can't handle it. I learned quickly after 9/11 that I can't allow myself to get sucked into the never ending stories of human suffering after a tragedy of that magnitude. Especially during these short, dark, dreary days of mid-winter. There just aren't enough medications out there to keep me from spiraling down. Regardless, there is just no way to avoid the awful reality of what is going on there and the massive efforts that are being made by groups large and small and by intrepid individuals to reach out and help.

My friend Emily posted a give away on her blog this morning to try to encourage those of us who hadn't yet "gotten around" to donating yet. I encourage you to donate, enter her contest and then come back here and leave me a comment too.

Saturday I did some cleaning and rearranging of the remaining inventory from the store and found some goodies. I am going to copy Emily's great idea and do a give away. For everyone that donates to the Red Cross or Doctors Without Borders and leaves a comment on this post before Sunday (1/24/10) I will enter you into a drawing to win your choice of one of these T-shirts. Like Emily, I'm going on the honor system but blatant spam comments will be deleted. (Now is not the time nor place for ads for Viagra thank you very much.)

A great way to donate and get something back for yourself is to go through my friends at Wool and Co. and donate to Doctors Without Borders and get a bunch of fabulous knitting patterns free! One of their suppliers, Knitting Fever has graciously agreed to match donations up to $50,000! It is a win-win for everyone.

I have this "Stitch Happens" shirt available in white or pink and in sizes Large, Extra Large and 2XL (pink only). Indicate in your post what size and color you'd like if you win.

This "Queen of Unfinished Projects" shirt is available in Large or Extra Large. Indicate the size you'd like in your comment.

I have already made my personal donation but in order to add to it I will donate $5 from every shirt sold as well. If you would like to buy one of these shirts ($20) drop me an email (beth @ myeclecticmess.com) with the style, color and size you'd like and I'll send you a PayPal invoice to complete the sale. Currently I have two of each color and size available. Winner's selections will be honored first and then it will be first come first served. If I sell all the shirts I have minus the two give aways, it will add $60 to the relief efforts. That is more than many Haitians see in a year.

I will go through comments Sunday night after play rehearsal (or first thing Monday morning if I am just too darn tired) and have one of my daughters draw the winner's name. If I get over 15 comments on this post I will draw two winners so tell your friends to donate and post too!