If you're familiar with #konmari, you know that feeling "joy" is a big part of the process.

I ran across this vest/wrap as I was #knitkonmari-ing and, at first glance, not a lot of joy... mainly because it turned out a bit small/short for my liking.

It's the Weekend Wrap by Julie Weisenberger. I bought both the pattern & yarn at Blazing Needles in SLC with Margene -- when I joined her a few years ago for the knitters' retreat at Alta -- and those memories certainly do spark joy!

I have since re-knit the Weekend Wrap a little larger and much more to my liking. (And if I can't find that stray cone of Habu Tsumugi Silk to continue Lola, it might just be my "Rhinebeck Sweater.") But I have also kept the original because it is so very forgiving... if I just scrunch it up and wrap it 'round my neck...  voila! It's a perfectly wonderful lightweight neutral scarf. The armholes aren't even visible (can you see them?). JOY IS SPARKED!

I have also frogged a couple of projects that no longer spark joy.

From this:

...to this.

And this:

...becomes this.

There are a few (so far) more to frog, but this is a good start; these have already been washed and made into neat hanks, ready for the next thing.

I've begun the washing process for the JOY-filled knits with the items that are easiest -- those items made from superwash wool, or that requiring little or no shaping/pinning for blocking/drying.

I really didn't intend to hang those shawls on the line, but there are no points to pin out and they're hanging so nicely!

Lazy? I certainly felt lazy. (I am lazy.) (Yes, that's my flexible blocking mat also hanging on the line with a project affixed.)

Ooof! Repair to be made.

These were all thrown into the machine on the "handwash" cycle, and hung to dry -- either on the line or on my wooden drying rack -- except for Parcheesi, which I threw in the dryer on the lowest of settings. I am so happy to be heading into autumn and winter with clean & fresh knits!

_ _ _ _ _

Hello, 4-day Weekend!! I will be doing final prep for & photographing a wedding tomorrow evening -- my last wedding of the summer! A friend's daughter, a cousin, working an acquaintance's daughter's wedding (2nd-shooting with my niece), a co-worker, and now a former co-worker of my daughter's (working)... it's been the most wedding-est summer of my life! <3

On Saturday, I actually plan to dye some yarn. (Shhh!) The shop is in need, there are a couple of special orders hanging...

Sunday will be COLLAGE DAY! Art day was thwarted a couple of weeks ago, but that only means we've had that much longer to amass materials. OMG. I cannot wait to dive in.

On Monday... I've nothing planned yet for Monday. I might be ready to have a first look at the wedding photos by then.  ;)

And somewhere in there, time with the kiddos!!

_ _ _ _ _

Do you like the larger photos? Are they too large?? What are your plans for the weekend... whether 1-, 2-, 3-, or 4-day?? (Or more? Vacation?)

I gathered all of my cowls, shawls, and scarves the other day and threw them on the bed...

...to do some sorting.

There's a Purge Pile, a Frog Pile, a Purgatory Pile, and a Keeper Pile.

A few of the Keepers have already been washed and are drying (the ones that are less intensive in terms of blocking). I have had great success using my front-loader's handwash cycle for handknits. The hard part is finding places for drying!

Here's the Frog Pile (so far):

When you look at them this way...

Or this way (ooo, I love this one!)...

It might be hard to see any problems. But problems there are! I don't wear these shawls for one reason or another. I love the yarn, though, and I'd like to knit with it again! Here are the issues:

• I'd made at least three Baktus scarves using Opal Hundertwasser yarn and had done some riffing, back in the day, with varied success. That orange-purple one, in particular, has a weird shape.

• I like the Argosy scarf (above), also in Opal Hundertwasser, but would like it better if it were less matchy, just a tad wider, and maybe a bit shorter -- this may be a straight-up re-do with aforementioned mods.

• Lakedale was knit with yarn I'd dyed at Old Maiden Aunt in Scotland. I want to like it, and I've tried, but I just can't with that super ruffly ruffle.
• I'd knit a Simply Garter Shawl for my sister in Mountain Colors 4/8's wool. Wrong! The colors are great, but it's so... not right. Also, Sharon didn't like shawls.

Stay tuned for more #knitkonmari adventures... if I can take a break from PRISMA!