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Sunday, November 3, 2013

Y2: Self-Imposed Year of Projects - Update #44

Happy Sunday :)

You know what that means, right? No?....wait, what? No? Seriously? ::sigh:: It's time for my Self-Imposed Year of Projects update, silly!


Finished Objects (FOs)
1. San Francisco Fog Fingerless Mitts: started January 2, 2013; finished January 10, 2013
2. Don't Blink: started January 16, 2013; finished January 16, 2013  (links to one I made last year using the same yarn)
3. Dalek Dishcloth: started January 16, 2013; finished January 21, 2013 (links to one I made last year using the same yarn)
4. Woven Rib Dishcloth: started February 8, 2013; finished February 11, 2013
5. Icarus Shawl: started March 15, 2010; finished February 14, 2013
6. Little Granite Dishcloth: started February 16, 2013; finished March 2, 2013
7. Grandma's Favorite Dishcloth: started March 4, 2013; finished March 27, 2013
8. Garter Stripe Baby Socks: started March 3, 2013; finished April 4, 2013
9. Petal Dishcloth: started May 21, 2013; finished May 22, 2013
10. Petal Dishcloth: started May 22, 2013; finished May 23, 2013
11. Mama's Vanilla Socks (round 2): started June 29, 2012; finished May 24, 2013 
12. Petal Dishcloth: started May 26, 2013; finished May 29, 2013
13. Mini Petal Dishcloth: started June 6, 2013; finished June 10, 2013
14. Eat Your Monkey Socks: started November 29, 2012; finished June 15, 2013
15. Sand Stitch Dishcloth: started June 18, 2013; finished June 20, 2013
16. Roman Stitch (Variation) Dishcloth: started June 21, 2013; finished June 23, 2013
17. Grandma's Favorite Dishcloth: started June 28, 2013; finished July 25, 2013
18. Choose Your Own Adventure Dishcloth: started July 26, 2013; finished August 4, 2013
19. Greyson: started July 5, 2013; finished August 27, 2013
20. Pumpkin Cloth: started September 1, 2013; finished September 1, 2013
21. Grandma's Favorite Dishcloth: started September 19, 2013; finished September 22, 2013
22. Grave Cloth: started September 22, 2013; finished September 22, 2013
23. Franken Cloth: started September 22, 2013; finished September 23, 2013
24. Witch Cloth: started September 23, 2013; finished September 27, 2013
25. Soooper Seeekrit Swap Project: started September 4, 2013; finished October 3, 2013
 
26. Susan's Hat (V2): started October 14, 2013; finished October 18, 2013
27. Little Man's Pumpkin Hat: started October 20, 2013; finished October 23, 2013

28. Freeport Vest: started March 7, 2013; finished October 30, 2013

Did you see it? Did you see what I did?! Right there...the last one! I finished my Freeport Vest. Okay, not "100%-I-Can-Wear-This-Today" finished...but it's off the needles. It needs to be washed, blocked, and the ends need to be woven in...oh, and the toggle (button) needs to be put on. But it's done as far as I'm concerned. It's definitely going to need blocking because the front rides up due to a lack of stitches for half the front. I'm sure it'll block out and it it doesn't, I'll have to rip out the button band and do it over again (which I really don't want to do so I'm going to try to block the crap out of it). I don't know why I procrastinated on the armholes for so long. It seriously only took an hour and a half to finish them (and half of that time was spent trying to make sure I had an adequate number of stitches on the needles). So, it's done :)

Works-in-Progress (WIPs)
1. Baby Surprise Jacket: started May 27, 2013
2. Traveling Vines Socks (Adult): started May 31, 2013
3. Dragon's Egg Socks: started September 2, 2013


It means I'm down to just the three WIPs now...and, of course, I'm itching to start something new. ::sigh::

I spent some time on both the Dragon's Egg Socks and my Traveling Vines Socks. I'm still working on the second chart on the Dragon's Egg Socks...I only worked a couple rows. I'm almost to the toe decreases on the first of my Traveling Vines Socks...which means I can really start getting the pattern ready for testing and all that. We shall see. I do have to do some math for the heels of the other sizes.

And the Baby Surprise Jacket? It's been calling me but I just haven't pulled it out. 


Children's Items 
1. "Little 16" Newborn Socks
2. Alvin Sweater
3. Milo

Items for Me (Selfish Knitting FTW!)
1. Rose's Wrist Warmers
2. Zombie ViXen Fingerless Mitts

Household Items
1. Halloween Creepy Cloths (2)
2. Assorted Harry Potter Cloths
3. Assorted Doctor Who Cloths

Designs (which may or may not be soooper seeekrit)
1. Little Man's Baby Blanket
2. Susan's Hat (4 versions) (yes, I've sussed out one version but it's still on this list)
3. Assorted dishcloths (set of 12?)
4. Traveling Vines Scarf
5. Traveling Vines Socks (baby and adult-sized as well) - yes, this is a WIP...still working on it...
6. Pinwheel Market Bag
7. Anything else that comes along (I have a notebook or two or seventeen somewhere with potential designs and random ideas)


I'm not quite sure where to go next...but perhaps my most recent stash enhancement will help. 

Interweave Knitting Lab was this weekend and I wandered to the marketplace on Friday afternoon with Little Man (who was extremely well-behaved for the two hours we were there and promptly fell asleep on the ride home). 

Anyway...stash enhancement...in no particular order (except to keep things within booths together):

First up: Canon Hand Dyes (shop)


Charles Sock Minis

I can't remember the color of the base...but it's lovely


William Sock in Christmas Zombie

It's black :)





I won't lie: I debated about the minis for a good five minutes before conceding that I only am going to live once. So, I bought them. The idea is that I'm going to have to further split up the minis by half...so I can have matching socks. But, the thing is...there's only about 500 yards in that set and while that's enough to make a pair of matching socks, I'd like to be able to stretch it a little. That's where the skein of black comes in :) That's my alternating stripe. The lovely purveyor of Canon Hand Dyes, Amy, gave me the idea. She also helped further enable me, as you can see from the other two skeins I picked up (the Christmas Zombie skein was very intriguing and I can't wait to see what it does).

Next up: Invictus Yarns (shop)






I picked up the first skein because, let's face it, it reminded me of Doctor Who...even if it's called "Hermes OOAK" (OOAK, by the way, is craftspeak for "one of a kind"). The second skein is self-striping and it screams Slytherin to me. I think it has a future becoming a Harry Potter sock of some sort, quite possibly Snape's Socks. 





I visited a few other booths and picked up some yarn.

From the top:
1. Jacob/Alpaca/Mohair blend from Toots LeBlanc & Co (website) - approximately 1000 yds of sport weight, I believe...maybe worsted. 
2. Sincere Sheep (website) - this my not live with me for too long...I love it but I have a friend that may love it more :)
3. Pigeonroof Studios (website) - even though this is sport weight, I have a feeling it may still become socks...it's superwash :)
4. Bijou Basin Angora/Viscose (website) - the photo does not do this yarn justice! It's a plain grey color (not the red that's showing up)
5. Knitted Wit (shop) - again, picked up because it reminds me of Doctor Who...I think I have a problem. 

There was more than just yarn at the marketplace, however...



In addition to the yarn, I got a free package of stitch markers from Sincere Sheep and another free one from A Needle Runs Through It (shop). That's also where the Halloween and monkey project bags came from. The "thing" at the top of the top photo is a DPN project holder from Chicken Boots (website).

I also visited with the fabulous Talana of Daydee's Doodads (shop). I've met her before (which involved knitting and drinking beer on one of the hottest days ever in the Bay Area) and she's quite lovely. She has project bags that I've been eying for awhile and I finally picked up a few :) Also, she had turtle stitch markers...I couldn't say, "no" to The Lorax and turtle stitch markers! Yes, the top two project bags in the photo below are of The Lorax...knitting :)


 
Aside from that, this week was also Halloween and Little Man found himself the perfect costume...


He saw the Sully costume at Costco and decided that he wanted to be Sully for Halloween. How could I say, "no" to that? So, he went as Sully and I went as Boo (yes, I have pigtails, a pink shirt, and grey pants on...and yes, people got it). We walked up and down our street (which is only a block long) and we met a ton of the neighbors. Oh, and candy of course. 

That night, however, tragedy struck. Back before I married Husband, I had some major dental work done in the form of five dental implants (2008). I have five metal rods screwed into my head and five replacement teeth attached to them. They're supposed to be permanent structures in my mouth...except they're not. So after trick-or-treating, we were sitting outside handing out candy, I was eating Dots...and out came one of the teeth. It wasn't the first time it has happened so I wasn't totally shocked but it still sucked. Luckily, I already had the dentist appointment scheduled for yesterday. We were supposed to have a consultation (meaning we had a bunch of x-rays done and we talked to the dentist in his office) and a cleaning. Welllllllll.....I wound up having the consultation, two fillings, some minor gum removal, and my tooth put back in. ::sigh:: I didn't even get the cleaning done! That's not going to happen until mid-December. 

Soooooo....last night was Local Designer Night at Nine Rubies, which is my new LYS here in California. The plan for yesterday was to go to the dentist in the morning and get all that done, go grocery shopping between appointments, and then go to Nine Rubies without Little Man. Things didn't go according to plan. My second appointment took almost 2 hours and by the time I got home at 6pm, Little Man was being a turd with Husband and my mouth was numb and I looked like an idiot. But dammit, I was going to Nine Rubies. So, I packed up Little Man and off we went, limp face and all. 

Want some proof?


Yes, that's Carrie Sullivan (blog) and I at Nine Rubies and my face was not cooperating. ::sigh:: So, there's Carrie looking all fabulous and I look like the Hunchback of Notre Dame's older sister. Oh well. At least I don't always look like that. I imagine her photo looks much the same...

By the way, yes, she is fabulous and I was so glad to finally meet her (since we both live here!). 



Anyway, this was a very long post and I applaud you if you made it all the way through! Next Saturday is Little Man's birthday. I believe we're having a bouncy house, cake, brats, and smoked something or other...nothing too fancy (and he doesn't need anything). I'll probably have photos from that next week. 

I hope you all have a lovely weekend and a fantabulous week :)

32 comments:

  1. Nice stash enhancement! I went to the New England Fiber Festival yesterday..and also stash enhanced...much of it for presents...I had one of my "crowns" fall out too..It was at the movies with my nephew and I was eating sticky candy..what a PITA and I did not have am appointment..but they took me right away...

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    1. We should just really avoid the sticky food....but it's so good!

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  2. Ooh all that dental work sounds unpleasant, at least you have lots of pretty pretty yarn to pet. Love the Sully costume, too cute!

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    1. I do have new pretty yarn to pet :) That helps!

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  3. Man. You sure know how to buy. And your husband is so understanding. My hub would have a heart attack if I came home with a haul like that. Glad you bought some of Toots' yarn. Her stuff is awesome. I like that Xmas Zombie skein. And the ombres? Ooh!
    Bad Dot candy! Yikes and ouchie on the dental work. Helps cute Sully! I wanna give him a hug.

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    1. Husband doesn't know what I bought as we went while he was at work and I hid it away in my closet before he got home. Shhhhh!

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  4. Ah the stash ..... The mini skeins are to die for. And a new lys - sounds like heaven!! Look forward to seeing the birthday pictures.

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    1. It's not a totally new LYS...it's been my LYS since the end of February but it's still sort of new to me :)

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  5. Oooh, lovely yarn :D I really HAVE to visit the US sometime in my life, you seem to have so many indie dyers with fun yarns :)

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    1. We do have those. I've discovered that indie dyers are all over the place, though :)

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  6. Wow, I was prepared for maybe two or three skeins....I love that deep green skein, that is amazing and I don't even like green! Poor you and your dentist work, but good on you for carrying on to you LYS...that's the way!

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    1. I may have gone a bit crazy. Good thing I'm on a yarn diet, I suppose...

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  7. You do realise I absolutely hate you right now? ;-) All of these are soooooo lovely! I envy you...

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    1. Yes, ma'am, I do. But I suppose that's why I won't be buying any yarn for awhile...too many skeins in my stash already :)

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  8. Oh so much goodness in this post-minus the dental part {shiver}--I despise the dentist! I seriously want everything you purchased-especially those project bags! You and Little Man were adorable in your Halloween dress-ups-what a good mom you are!
    xxoxoxo

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    1. I'm not a fan of going to the dentist either. But, it's a necessary evil, I suppose.

      Also, you could go check out the shops for the project bags...not that I'm enabling you or anything :)

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  9. Look at all that gorgeous loot! Did you leave any for anyone else? LOL!

    I love the Canon Hand-dyes especially. I'd never have been able to resist all those minis. The colours are just so awesome.

    I had three dental appointments in the last five days so I can totally relate. On the first one they wanted to drill out an old filling and fix a broken tooth - and then they had trouble freezing my jaw. Hours later all that freezing was still fully in effect and everyone at work had a good laugh at my expense.

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  10. yarn porn.. I've died and gone to heaven!

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  11. Ok I'm not sure what went before the yarn, I won't lie but yarn !! All that yarn and now I love the rainbow colours and well I love it all and just can't wait to see what you knit up with them all!! Oh yes the other thing is how cute is Little Man as Scully you sure coulndn't have said no to him!

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    1. It may be awhile before I get to some of this yarn. I have to do some figuring on what I have and where I can use it.

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  12. Great yarns! What a wonderful haul!!!! I love the turtle stitch markers. Have fun with everything.

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  13. I don't even know where to begin! WOW....................so much wonderful stash enhancement. And all the accessories too. Too fantastic for words even. And little man................I LOVE Sully! So he would have gotten extra treats at my house.

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    1. I think Little Man got a few extra treats because of his costume :)

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  14. HOLY MOLY! You're stash acquisitions are amazing! I don't know how anyone could resist that rainbow of minis! You're going to have a full spectrum of stripey socks!

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    1. Apparently not a lot of people did resist. She only had five sets when I went on Friday afternoon.

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  15. Sigh. Yep. Knitting Lab was supposed to be my getaway for myself. I guess the upside is that my stash hasn't grown in size. Also, now you can cheer yourself up with the idea that "at least I got to go to Knitting Lab" whenever something goes wrong. You picked up some beautiful stuff!

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    1. I had hoped to go without Little Man but that didn't work out too well. At least he was well-behaved!

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  16. Oh! Little man is so cute in his outfit! And is he getting spoiled next week! Oh well, mommy was spoiled this week ;-) I love the yarns you bought, and as you said: you only live once! Hear hear!

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    1. You have no idea how spoiled he will be next week. Husband's parents sent something, Husband's sister is sending something, Husband's sister-in-law is sending something, Little Man's namesake is sending something, we bought him a few things, and we told everyone coming to the party that he doesn't need anything...but we think something may show up here and there. ::sigh::

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