Self-Imposed Year of Projects: Update #33

Is it odd that I feel like I only update my blog on Sundays? At least I'm consistent. My Self-Imposed Year of Projects has forced me to update on a regular basis. I wish I had more time for updates but for now, Sundays are going to have to suffice.

So....it's Sunday and that means that we're doing an update (#33). Seriously? That many weeks?! I honestly don't feel like I've been doing it for that long but the numbers don't lie...or so I'm told.

Anyway, on to the update...

FINISHED OBJECTS
1. Claudia: started January 3, 2012; finished January 10, 2012
2. Mama's Simple Skyp Socks: started May 22, 2011; finished January 9, 2012
3. Little Man's Cobblestone Baby Blanket: started July 2010; finished February 2, 2012
4. Dalek Dishcloth: started February 6, 2012; finished February 8, 2012
5. Baby Traveling Vines Socks: started September 18, 2010; finished February 17, 2012
6. Snail Hat: started February 18, 2012; finished February 19, 2012
7. Lothlorien Hat: started January 25, 2012; finished March 5, 2012
8. Habitat Hat: started April 10, 2012; finished May 8, 2012
9. Mini Sweet Girl's Pumpkin Hat: started May 31, 2012; finished June 4, 2012
10. Pine Forest Baby Blanket: started February 21, 2012; finished August 4, 2012
11. Sassy Girl's Simple Baby Cap #1: started August 4, 2012; finished August 5, 2012
12. Double Bump Dishcloth: started August 9, 2012; finished August 11, 2012

WORKS-IN-PROGRESS
1. Little Man's Giraffe: started May 11, 2011
2. Icarus Shawl: started March 15, 2010
3. Honey Badger Don't Give a Shit Socks: started January 23, 2012
4. Hermione's Everyday Socks: started March 6, 2012
5. Sweet Girl's Hippo: started May 10, 2012
6. Mama's Vanilla Socks (round 2): started June 29, 2012
7. Go Pack, Go!: started August 18, 2012 

PLANNED HATS (at least six)
1. Hermione Hearts Ron
2. Ogre Babies!
3. NIN Hat
4. Godric's Hollow Hat
5. Raglan Hat
6. Bergen Street Tuque
7. Nolan
8. Candy Cane

OTHER PLANNED PROJECTS
1. Shaun (as in Shaun the Sheep)
2. Curly Snake

3. Adipose (was supposed to be for Ravelympics Ravellenic Games but I didn't get there)

I won't lie...I've got a serious case of Startitis. I want to CO all the things! But, I'm having some restraint...some. After finishing the blanket and hat for Sassy Girl, I've decided to spend some time working on some neglected WIPs, specifically my Icarus Shawl and Sweet Girl's Hippo. Up until this past week, I hadn't touched my Icarus Shawl for months...well before we moved. I hadn't worked on the Hippo since before we moved, either, but I had worked on that more recently than the shawl. 

Anyway, I brought the shawl out of it's unofficial hibernation this past week. If you're not familiar with the pattern, it has four charts. You're supposed to work on the first chart in full, then you work it in sections (one section of the first chart is supposed to be repeated five times and then you work another overlapping section just once). After that you're supposed to work the other three charts once each. So......I was working on the third repeat of the five repeat part of the first chart when I started thinking about how big this shawl was going to be. I wound up doing some research and it seems like the finished shawl is huge...and that's if you follow the instructions and knit with lace weight yarn and US #3/3.25mm needles. 

I'm not doing that.

I'm making this shawl with a DK weight (Briar Rose Wistful) and US #6/4mm needles. If you think about it, it was going to be huge in laceweight...and here I am making it with DK weight. I started thinking about it and I've decided to make a smaller version. Instead of doing five repeats of that section of the first chart, I've done two and moved on. As far as I know, I'll follow the pattern as written from this point on. It should result in a smaller shawl...possibly even a shawlette. We'll see how it turns out. 

I also picked up Sweet Girl's Hippo again. I'm almost done with the main body. I actually worked on stuffing the body before I realized I was going to need some regular toy stuffing. I have a bag somewhere...but do you think I could find it? Nope. So, I did what I could with the poly pellets and then had to go out and buy stuffing (we did that on Friday).

This is a little trick I've learned through the interwebs. I honestly don't remember where I learned about this little trick for poly pellets. Basically, you buy some of those little knee-high stocking nylon things (the kind that come in the really small plastic containers) and put the poly pellets in them, tie off the top, and there you have it: poly pellets that are controlled and unable to fall out through holes in your knitting. Granted, in the above photo, it looks like a boob. Sort of.

Then you kind of have to make it look like a log to get it in the toy since the hole is so small.  This is what it looked like after most of the poly pellets had trickled down to the bottom of the nylons (where they're supposed to be). There are a few up toward the top but not many.

Then you stuff the end with the knot down into the poly pellets a bit. Now that I have the fluffy stuffing, I'm going to put that in over it, which should keep the knot in place and help keep the poly pellets from wriggling their way out of the nylons. 

I had to take a pause on this project, though, when I couldn't find the fluffy stuffing. Now that I have it, I can work on it again. 

I also spent some time working on Hermione's Everyday Socks, too. I'm getting closer and closer to the point where I can start my decreases for the toe...on the first sock. ::sigh:: Then I'm going to have to pause on those socks for a little while until I either finish up the body of the Hippo pictured above or find my stash of US #5 DPNs (I did the CO for the socks using US #5s and then switched to the US #1 circulars). I think I can finish them about the same time. That way, I can start the second sock and then continue on with the Hippo about the same time. 

As you can see, however...I wasn't able to stave off all my Startitis. I started the Brandon Ribbed Beanie but I've re-named it Go Pack, Go! because it's green & gold and will be going to a Packer fan. I can't say which one and I won't be able to show pictures because it's Christmas knitting....so, I'll have to make a post about it to be scheduled after Christmas. Or something like that. We'll see how that works. I only started it an hour or so ago so I'm not even far enough to warrant photos yet anyway. But, the yarn was purchased at ImagiKnit a couple weeks ago...

Anyway, that's about all I know for right now :) I hope you've all had a lovely week and continue to have another lovely week!