yes, I'm still knitting

Hello! Bit of a news blackout, sorry. I have been knitting, but not taking pictures.

Currently being worked on:
Cashmere Diamond Fantasy shawl for my Grandma. I'm 5.5 repeats in. The pattern suggests 6 repeats for a scarf and 10 for a shawl. So far, there seems to be loads of yarn left, but it's a point upwards pattern, so the rows are getting longer. I'm pretty sure I can get 7 repeats out of it, possibly 8. It's quite hard to tell how big the shawl is since I'm knitting it on straight needles. I might transfer it to waste yarn and stretch it out once I've got to 7 repeats. And then I'll take a picture.

Secret Christmas knitting. Only one project of several planned ones is currently happening. It's gorgeous, but secret until after Christmas.

Cashmere shawlette. I'm copying Kerrie and knitting a Cobweb out of some leftover cashmere sock yarn. It's pretty and easy, perfect for TV knitting and non-wool.

Forecast. I'm about halfway down the ribbing on the body. I'm planning to get this finished once all the Christmas knitting is done, or use it as a mindless project when everything else is too complicated. The yarn's wool and not particularly soft, but I don't think it'll be too much of a problem since it's not as close fitting on the arms as Arisaig, apart from the wrists. Maybe one to wear with a long sleeved top.

Thanks for the sympathy about woolly itchiness. Some googling suggests wool allergy as such is rare, but lots of people have sensitive skin and react badly to itchy wools. The yarn I used for Arisaig, although fine, isn't very soft. It's the sort of very grabby wool that would work well in fairisle knitting or something you wanted to steek. But possibly not the sort of thing you want to wear next to the skin. I think I'll think harder in the future about the texture of the yarns I use. It intrigues me that most of the time I haven't knit things to wear next to the skin. Without thinking too much about it, I've chosen non woolly yarns when I want something soft, e.g. a silk Clapotis. I've been intending to make another Clapotis out of something less drapy than silk for ages, but I've never found anything that's both structured enough and soft enough to consider wearing round my neck. Perhaps I already knew that wool was a bad choice and therefore, subconsciously or consciously, avoided it. Anyway, enough navel gazing. Moral of the story - when choosing yarn, think about texture and feel against the skin as well as colour, gauge and the overall look.