Planning, because I don't have time to knit

Major Work-Related Thing #1 is done and sent off. Hooray! Now for Major Work-Related Thing #2, which won't take nearly as much time, energy, or nerves (she says that now).

Because of Major Work-Related Things, I have had very little time to knit. So the World Cup project is nowhere near done. Well, I guess it's NEAR done. I have about 10 rows of the body, and then the sleeves. I started one sleeve, just to make sure I have enough yarn.

Anyway.

Your little Dove is planning some self-designed items! Yes, folks, she is spreading her little yarny wings. Aren't you proud?

"What's in the works?", you may ask. Well, my mom found out about the DNA scarf. Since both she and my dad are microbiologists, she thought it was a great idea, and would I make one for my dad for Christmas? Well, I would, but he never wears scarves. So my mom decides that it would look great as a center cable on a vest! Which he wears all the time. So now I get to design a very simple sweater vest with the DNA helix down the front. I can't decide if I want the rest plain stockinette, or seed stitch, or run small cables, or what. I think I may use some sort of wandering cable to make just a simple zigzag -- to represent beta sheets or carbon single bonds. I'm thinking of using Wool of the Andes in Charcoal, or maybe some sort of gray, or navy, or some boring color like that. If anyone wants to recommend affordable wool yarn, lemme know.

Secondly, my husband wants a sweater. Or, more to the point, I want to make him a sweater. He wants a cardigan. Cardigan! What self-respecting 26-year-old wears cardigans??? And not cycling-style, either, with the high fold-over collar and zipper, but really, a Mr. Rogers-type cardigan. Whatever, though, it's his sweater and should be what HE wants. So I'm doing a simple cardigan with some basic cabling down the front and sleeves. Something like this, but without the tall collar, and a bit more loosely fitted. And maybe with buttons instead of a zipper, because I am scared of putting in zippers. In electric blue!Which basically means I'll take the basic measurements of a sweater like that, do my gauge, and plan the cables. And go! How hard can it be? I love my husband; he adoooooores bright colors, so he's fun to knit for. Plus, he actually appreciates everything I knit.

Thirdly, I came across a Picovoli-style T-shirt with a lace panel down the front. It looked so nice! It didn't have a pattern, though, but how hard could it be? Take a Picovoli, put a lace panel down the center front. Maybe I'll get REALLY adventurous, and put smaller panels down the sides. Racy!

So, ok, none of these are really DESIGNING as much as taking existing things and slapping my own cables and/or lace on them.

Fourthly, I have vague plans for a baby sweater and a couple of toys, but I'd be totally designing on the fly here, so I won't mention what they are yet.

It's a good thing my birthday is coming up and I can justify a huge yarn splurge!