UFO Fatigue/FO Frenzy

I think I have discovered a new knitter's disease - UFO Fatigue. I have spent the month of February absolutely bogged down by the most dreadful inertia about my UFO Resolution. I can't claim that the knitting mojo has deserted me, just the finishing mojo.

The UFO Resolution was instituted with several goals in mind; 1) To jump start my interest in old projects I may have forgotten about or lost interest in, 2) to clear out my stash to make room for new projects/hobbies, and 3) if I was fortunate, to come up with some "no new expense" or "low additional expense" gifts for the upcoming year (you can't call them "free" because the supplies cost something initially, as my DH frequently reminds me - engineers can be so literal).

For some reason, this year, the resolution did not seem to give me the impetus I needed to move forward on the UFO's. I made excuses and launched into new projects, without finishing the requisite 3 UFO's. New Christmas yarn and stash yarn beckoned and lured and I was sorely tempted. (I haven't admitted it here before today but after Elfine and Roza's Socks were completed, I cast on these beauties and I'm already half done with the second one - oh, the shame). I've spent the entire month of February wracked with anxiety and guilt.

But today, that all ended. My UFO Resolution was officially fulfilled at 12:35 pm when I cast off on Shifting Sands, in the parking lot of the Bloomington Ice Gardens, prior to Hockeyboy's playoff game. After arriving home, the scarf was washed and is blocked and drying as I type.

Now, when I started Shifting Sands, I absolutely loved it. I learned how to cable without a cable needle and Grumperina's pattern is an easy one to memorize, making this an ideal commuter project. The only issue that made this project an UFO was the rather scratchy polyester/wool blend yarn I used. It was just plain harsh to handle and knit.

The photos above were taken before the scarf was blocked, hence the curling bottom edges. But daylight was fading and I needed something to post. I will also do a post-blocking photo because I have to admit that the washed yarn has a beautiful halo and seems much softer now (if you can judge from wet yarn). If washing makes a great difference in the final hand of the yarn, I may wind all this yarn into hanks and wash it before attempting to knit anymore of it.

As for the other part of the title, now that I'm freed from the constraints of my resolution, my brain seems to be on fire with ideas for finishing a bunch of my other UFO's. I still have a couple of handbags that need linings, for which I have found handles recently. Even Samus, which has had me feeling quite deflated and discouraged is beginning to appear more "alterable," if that is a word.

So perhaps the Resolution has done it's job after all, just in a roundabout way. On the other hand, as you can see by the other two photos, I have some new lovelies that just arrived from Scout to beckon and lure. After all, I am FREE!

PS: Hockeyboy's team won their game. HB scored a goal and got an assist in the first period. They play again tomorrow. Woohoo!