The Next Big Thing

Okay, technically, the Ohio Star afghan (my largest current WIP) isn't quite finished. The border is done, but I've decided to add a final edging, which looks nice and does a dandy job of minimizing curl.

That said, with completion of the Wyndfael cowl, my active project list has shrunk from six to four (two scarves, one shawl and the aforementioned afghan), so it's time to start thinking about the next big thing.

And this is where things get a bit dicey. For weeks, I've been tantalized by the prospect of casting on a rainbow shawl using lovely fingering weight yarn (Charlemont, Valley Yarns). The pattern is roughed out, and the yarn is wound and at the ready.

Unfortunately, just as I went to retrieve the yarn from the cupboard, a wayward thought popped into my mind and whispered in a sultry voice, What about that other shawl project? You know, the one that's been on your to-do list much, much longer? The idea was to pair the delightful Helen's Lace (Lorna's Laces) with the variegated Rayon Metallic (Blue Heron), a combo that seemed promising. Here, too, the pattern is roughed out, and the yarn is ready and waiting.

So, what's a knitter to do? 

In theory, I could cast on both and work them simultaneously, but that approach has several glaring flaws. I'm a slow knitter, so it simply means when true cold weather hits I'll have two partially complete shawls, rather one done (or nearly so). It also adds two new projects to the WIP list, which puts me back where I started.

While I'm trying to wrestle this decision to the mat, perhaps I should just pick up the afghan, start working the final edging, weave a few ends, and see what revelations emerge.