Multi-tasking

Since the new year, I've read that many of you have as a new year's resolution to finish projects before casting on new ones.  I admire that resolution although I know, for me, it's practically impossible.  Try as I might, I just can't seem to work on only one project (or two or three or ... you know what I mean).

I'm still working on my Autumnal Cardigan (much to Kiwiyarn's dismay, I'm sure, as she's my KAL partner and finished her Autumnal years ago -- or at least what feels like years ago).


I'm also in the midst of designing a cowl that I hope to release soon.  Knit in one of my favorite yarns, it's going along nicely but I'm only half-way done.

I also have on my needles a test knit that unfortunately hasn't been very successful and after frogging it back once, I'm facing the sad truth that I need to abandon it altogether and rewind my yarn for another project.  In a way, that's what test knitting is all about, right?  Helping a designer figure out what doesn't work so she or he can sort out the kinks.

So, while having a few different WIPs on my needles isn't exactly multi-tasking, I see it somewhat in the same way:  holding several projects aloft while tending to other things.  On a day like today when I have an entire afternoon free to do whatever I please, I know that I want to knit and to read.  Unfortunately, I'm not so clever as to successfully do both. I'm an avid reader, and I was feeling frustrated the other day when I had to choose which of my two loves to do -- knit or read.  And then I read Celtic Cast On's post about knitting while listening to an audio book.  As it happens, I was reading the same book that she was listening to and we've had a nice exchange about this novel.

Inspired, I got out Little Bee as an audiobook yesterday and am completely entranced.  It's not that I haven't tried audiobooks before, but I love the art of reading and have seldom enjoyed listening to a book as much as reading it for myself.  While I probably wouldn't be able to listen effectively if I were working on a complicated knitting project, I'm doing some vanilla knitting today so I'll be multi-tasking with glee after lunch.  What's my vanilla knitting for today, you ask?  The second sleeve of my Autumnal Cardigan!  Now, if only I could figure out how to knit, read, and cook at the same time....