Too much knitting, not enough time? Or vice versa?

I suffer from the classic knitter/crocheter conundrum: too many projects, needs, wants, wips; not enough time. But I seem to be in an unusual situation this week. Due to the fact that I had the stomach flu, the cold for 10 days, and now I have thrown out my neck, I have not blogged for a while. I know. Shame on me. Also, I had been doing some gift knitting for a fellow blogger/podcaster, and I wanted it to be a surprise.
So I have completed a bunch of projects to post. In the interest of not wanting to stay online for 3 hrs giving a blow-by-blow of each project, I will endeavor, instead, to give a brief synopsis. Here goes:

This is the Columbia Beret pattern by Sarah Pope, aka Blue Garter. I used Columbia Stock Ranch 2 ply wool in black cherry. Love the wool. Great feel. Very earthy. They reccomended fulling, which I did, but I wouldn't do again. I made the largest size due to my gargantuan head, and I think that it made it a little too big. This was a test for the next Columbia beret I was going to make:

This beret was made in rich soil for Alana Dakos from Never Not Knitting as a gift. It literally has no mistakes in it. That is right. No mistakes. But I did lengthen the top notch ties  because I found the original ones a little too short to make a half hitch.

This is the diamond head beret. I have discovered that while I love autumn colors, I don't look good in very many, with the exception of green. I am, in fact, a winter. So dark, jewel-toned colors look really good on me. I have a recent obcession with plum. This is with some Cascade 220 I had left over. I really like it.

This is a test knit sample of the shawl collared cowl pattern for and by Alana Dakos of Never Not Knitting. I was asked to use Becoming Art Yarn's bulky in Warming Earth. This is my first time using the product, and I liked it. I definitely would not have chosen this colorway. Just not my style. I don't have much to match it. But I can think of some people who would. The reason why the picture looks kind of funky is because I ran out of yarn and had to put the live stitches on waste yarn. In addition, there were no buttons. Alana wanted it sent out that way.
And last, but not least, was the French Press Slippers debacle. It was supposed to be a 1 day project. I ended up using up 2/3 of my Cascade 220, Cascade Venezia, and Brown Sheep trying to make this. It is an easy-to-follow pattern. But the felting was just madness.  I'm talking about apocalyptic, bedlam! Insanity! I must have gone through 5 pairs of slippers to get 1 decent pair. I cried buckets of tears. I was inconsolable. Finally I gave up and bought the crochet pattern version. For those of you who can crochet just as well as you knit, don't bother with the Meylinda Bernardi pattern. Buy the crochet version. It's easier, quicker, cuter, and you get more consistent results.
When I think of how much yarn was wasted with that project attempt that I could have used somewhere else, I nearly have a stroke. That is why there are no pics of that here. I am trying to block it out. But you are welcome to go to my ravelry page to check it out. There. I am now done with the longest post ever. Adios!

Amphibians and Reptiles

Well, this was the week for animals. Amphibians and reptiles. Toy animals, more specifically. Both were patterns from the Spud says! blog by Spud and Chloe. Both required the Spud and Chloe Sweater yarn. I used the turtle and grass colorways that were called for. I did the Ribbit and Tuck patterns. The ribbit I did just because it was so darn cute and because it called for a tennis ball as the body, which totally intrigued me. Also, I try to build up a stash of projects for people who are having babies because it seems to get away from me, and then I try to do 5 baby blankets all at one time and 10 other unrelated projects, which is happening to me now. And inevitably, one of them ends up being the baby blanket from hell. Then I end up being completely unmotivated to finish it and dreading it. Never work with baby boucle. So here is Ribbit:

Then there was Tuck. He is a completely adorable turtle. He is named Tuck because you sew on a plate under his shell that allows you to tuck in his head, legs and tail. It only took me parts of 2 days to finish. Totally simple and gratifying. I love him. His embroidery leaves something to be desired. The only scary part is that I made him for the daughter of a friend that is a world-class knitter, and I am terrified that either she has one already or that she will think that I totally suck. So here is Tuck:

In reality, I have 5 more projects to talk about, post, and add to my ravelry profile, but I am STILL waiting for the buttons to add. I am also waiting for me to feel better so that I can be in the pictures and not look psychotic. I have a horrific cold. Between the cold and the flu, it is debatable as far as whether I even have an immune system left. Well, see you next week, and happy winter knitting!