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It's been a wild half a year. I work in advertising and we launched two products in October, then again in February and finally updated all materials for the new sales cycle in June. Unfortunately three quarters of our team has been freelance and I had to fire someone very nice who couldn't handle the job, All this translates to stress, very long hours, and more stress.

I have been knitting all along but making little progress on any one project. I took this past week off so I could focus on deep cleaning and organizing my home, which of course, includes my knitting projects.

I'm happy to report I've got two FO! I've got to weave in ends, then I'll post them.

Meanwhile, I've made progress on several other projects. First, I just love the pattern for the Mondo Cable Shell. I'm using Covington from Classic Elite. It's a mercerized cotton and tends to split easily so I switched to a lace needle. It's knit from the top down but you start with the back yoke, then the fronts, left then right, then you join the entire piece and knit in the round. It's mindless knitting except for the shaping and cable cross but otherwise it's going quickly. You knit in the edging for the neckline and sleeves, so minimal finishing. What could be better?

The next project is a cardigan using Katydid, a cotton ribbon from the Verde collection also from Classic Elite. The pattern is was written for me at The Skein Attraction in Teaneck, NJ and was designed around some wonderful buttons I found there. It's a straightforward knit with some shaping for me, so I can knit on the bus. I finished the back last night.

Next is the Ishbel shawl, pattern from Ysolda Teague. I'm making the small size using some fingering weight merino from No Two Snowflakes by Nicole Feller Johnson. I got this in a Secret Pal exchange and the color is called "Lovely Lady". It knits beautifully and I'm enjoying a project that moves quickly!

Finally, I picked up the sock I began for one of my nieces months ago. I'm using an 8" needle instead of DPNs and they are size 0 which is incredibly difficult for me. I only agreed to do this because she and her brother stood in my LYS shouting "Socks. Socks. Socks." Oh, the things we do for love.