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Mama, wife, knitter, blogger, spinner, wannabe something or other. That's enough, right?

Sunday, April 24, 2016

Y5: Self-Imposed Year of Projects - Update #17

Hello and happy Sunday :) It's been a whirlwind around here so let's get going....

FOs (Finished Objects)
1. Fire Socks: started April 15, 2015; finished January 6, 2016
2. Nottingham for Stormageddon: started January 12, 2016; finished January 14, 2016
3. Design proposal for Fire Socks: started January 13, 2016; finished January 18, 2016
4. Purple merino/silk spinning (singles): started toward the end of Tour de Fleece (July 4-26, 2015); finished January 29, 2016
5. Nottingham for Little Man: started January 17, 2016; finished February 1, 2016
6. Swirl Hat: started December 16, 2015; finished February 4, 2016
7. Swatch for Marly Bird class at Stitches West: started January 8, 2016; finished February 7, 2016 (no project page)
8. Fire Socks design (the actual pattern writing & photography part): started February 6, 2016; finished February 12, 2016 (link to the preview; pattern went live on Saturday, April 2nd)
9. Mountains Beanie: started February 9, 2016; finished February 17, 2016
10. Rathmore: started February 25, 2016; finished March 4, 2016
11. Dragon's Egg Socks: started September 2, 2013; finished March 9, 2016
12. Creeper for Little Man: started March 4, 2016; finished March 10, 2016
13. Mother Bear Project #1: started February 22, 2016; finished March 12, 2016
14. Asshole Corriedale (spinning project): started March 23, 2016; finished March 24, 2016
15. Pacific Waves: started March 9, 2016; finished March 25, 2016
16. Freeport Vest Frogging: started March 29, 2016; finished March 29, 2016
17. Pacific Waves: started March 31, 2106; finished April 2, 2016
18. Vanilla Latte Socks: started November 19, 2015; finished April 6, 2016
19. Snape's Stockings: started August 20, 2014; finished April 11, 2016
20. Pacific Waves: started April 3, 2016; finished April 15, 2016

Nothing has been finished that I'm aware of. I should have my latest hat ready for an FO Friday post this week but other than that, nada. I'm not even mad...


WIPs (Works-In-Progress) - carried over year-to-year
1. Wink: started January 5, 2015
2. Finn & Suffolk singles: started April 1, 2016
3. CashSilk Fern Scarf: started April 7, 2016
4. Gex for Little Man: started April 8, 2016

I highly doubt any of you noticed but my WIP list is slightly smaller again this week. I frogged my Ice Socks. On Wednesday, I lamented that things were not going well and had not been going well for quite awhile. Later that afternoon, I looked at the socks, tried them on, strongly disliked what was happening, and I pulled the needles out and rewound the yarn. I've started doodling for a new project using the same stitch pattern and I might have something that works. Maybe. I don't know. But, the socks were frogged.

In other WIP news, Gex continues to grow. I'm getting ever closer to finishing. Other than that, I've not done much else. I did a partial pattern repeat on the scarf earlier in the week but that was about it. I'm dreaming of my next project. Again.

So, we'll see what happens.


In my "OMGCRAZYLADYWTFLSGBBQ" lists...

Children's Items
1. George's Vest (for Stormageddon - probably the largest size; YOTH Little Brother from Stitches)
2. House Hat (one each for Stormageddon and Little Man - worsted, two contrasting colors)
3. Arthur the Alien (for Little Man - worsted; any colors)
4. Holiday Countdown Stockings (for the family - Aran/worsted; four colors)
5. Mirkwood (for Little Man - worsted or bulky; any colors)
6. Something for a baby (not mine) - sweater probably, maybe a toy or socks or lots of things...KNIT ALL THE BABY THINGS!

Items for ME (selfish knitting, FTW!!)
1. Vanillaish Socks (using one of my Harry Potter Yarns)
2. Paradiddle Socks (using a solid or semi-solid sock yarn)
3. Hermione Hearts Ron (sport weight; solid or semi-solid - Plucky Primo in Petunia?)
4. Hermione Hearts Ron Fingerless Mitts (sport weight; solid or semi-solid - Plucky Primo in Petunia?)
5. Classic Silk Mayfaire Camisole (Miss Babs from Stitches Midwest)
6. Stormont (worsted; solid or semi-solid)
7. Sockhead Hat (sock; any colors)
8. Moab Shawl (sock; any colors) *need pattern*
9. Prowl (DK; solid or semi-solid) *need pattern*

Secret Sock Club Bags - Pick a bag at random; do pattern with yarn
1. Scotch & Soda Scarf (using Briar Rose Fibers Wistful, leftover from my Icarus Shawl)
2. Jabberwonky (using KP Felici in Abracadabra)
3. If You Know Where To Go (using KP Felici in Green Veggies)
4. Gardener's Socks (using Malabrigo Sock in Indiacita)

Stranded Knitting
1. University of Wisconsin Ski Hat
2. University of Wisconsin Christmas Stocking
3. University of Wisconsin Button Beanie
4. Xanadu Snowflake Cowl

Christmas/Charity Bin
1. 198 yds. of Heaven (worsted; any colors)
2. Phillip and Mr. Grum (sock yarn; any colors)
3. Comfort Food (Aran; solid)
4. Fine Fella (worsted; solid or semi-solid)
5. November Leaves (Shelter from stash) *need pattern*
6. Skinner Hat (sock; solid or semi-solid) *need pattern*
7. The Shoemaker's Hat (bulky; solid or semi-solid) *need pattern*
8. Roll Out The Barrels (cotton; any colors)
9. Sweeny Todd Scarf (worsted; any colors)
10. Bridal Shower Lace Cloth (cotton; any colors)
11. The Snowmen Cometh (worsted; any colors)
12. Sunburst Dishcloth (cotton; any colors)
13. Starfish Cloth (cotton; any colors)
14. Seamless Circular Cloth (cotton; any colors)
15. Tombreck (Aran/worsted; solid or semi-solid)
16. Premie Spiral Hat (for hospital donations - sport or DK; any colors)

Designs
1. Ice Somethingsomething (knit prototype and pattern for submission)
2. Susan's Hat (make proper - photos, pattern, etc.; knit new prototype from Babs K2 from Stitches)
3. Little Man's Baby Blanket (make proper - photos, pattern, etc.)
4. Paradiddle Socks (knit prototype - see "Items for ME")
5. Pacific Waves Hat (knit prototype, pattern for submission? self-publish?) *I've started this*
6. Stormageddon's Baby Blanket (design process, knit prototype, etc.)

Spinning
1. Spin approximately 4 oz of either a grey wool or white merino to ply with the purple silk/merino listed in the FO section above.

Other (for things that are fibery/crafty in nature but not specific to knitting or spinning)
1. Organize my handmade stitch markers
2. Make more stitch markers (to sell? donate? hoard?)
3. Organize my books/magazines/loose patterns. *started*


I've added to my lists and changed a few random things. Nothing major, just noting that my Ice Socks are no longer socks and that I have more baby things to make and that I need to get a grip on my books and magazines and loose patterns.

I've actually already started that last thing. I started by going through my loose patterns. I have three binders with loose patterns in sheet protectors. Two of the binders are very full and the third one has some room for more. So, I went through the patterns and created a spreadsheet, three actually, with the following categories: pattern, type (bag, sweater, hat, etc.), yarn weight, yardage, and needle size. Now I have a list of all the things I've printed....or, at least, the ones I can find. I'm sure there are more in other places right now (including a folder in my knitting bag). The next step is going to be actually going through my patterns with a critical eye, deciding what I really want to make and, thus, keep and what I'm willing to get rid of. Then I need to go through my queue and make sure I have everything queued properly. I need to do the same thing with my books and magazines. I've already given my books and magazines a combing but I imagine it could use another.


Okay, anyway, moving along..........

This week started out rather warm around San Francisco. We spent some time in the pool on Sunday, and things like laundry were delegated to "nighttime" activities because they created more heat in the house. I wish I could say I had photos of the boys in the pool but we forgot the camera. Oh well. We had our friends over again (because it was warmer at their house as they live on the other side of the Bay), and it was all very exciting. Or not. Whatever.

I also caught some lovely bulky cotton in a destash. So, I now have around 800 yds of Andes in five colors (~ 160 yds of each color)...which also means I owe you a Stash Enhancement post but that might be a week or two or three out. But that happened on Sunday...I think they arrived on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Most of the rest of this past week has been spent doing "normal" things, now that Little Man is back on schedule. I think Stormageddon and I went to the gym one day, we've been walking to and from school, we've been to Target and Costco and Safeway, we've watched the same movies over and over (Minions, Up, and The Peanuts Movie have been the big three...).

So, in lieu of no-excitement life around here, have some photos :)



Wearing Daddy's hat. No, it's not a good photo but he's so frickin' adorable that I can't resist :)


Stormageddon has discovered the lure of the iPad. Yes, we let our almost-20 month old son play with the iPad. Little Man was able to play with it around the same way so we're just being fair. And he loves it.


Oh look, the hat also fits Little Man :)



Pre-swimming lesson selfies in the car. We left reaaaaaaaaally early on Thursday for swimming lessons, as we were trying to get Little Man to take a proper nap and he would have flipped out if I had left when he could see me. We left almost an hour early...so I took the "scenic" route (re: drove through town instead of getting on the overly-congested 101 - that's US Highway 101, if you're not local). As a result, Little Man and I took goofy photos in the car for a little bit.


And since I'm spending a good half hour on a bench while Little Man is in the pool, I brought knitting. This was where Gex was hanging out on Thursday evening. I'm at the point where I'm going to start the hem so I think I'm going to go to the sleeves instead...I'm debating whether I'm going to do the turned hem called for in the pattern or if I'm going to do something a little different, in order to make sure the bottom of the sweater and the cuffs of the sleeves will lay flat. Because it's a test knit, my inclination is to do it to pattern specifications buuuuuuuuuuut, the other half of me wants something Little Man can wear in the end. I mean, he'll be able to wear it but I want it to behave itself. So, I'm back to pondering...


On Friday, I wore my Monkey Socks. These have been finished for almost three years and I still love them. The yarn is from Sun Valley Fibers and it is holding up very well. I've tossed these in the washer and dryer more than once but I usually handwash them. I've still not quite gotten over the fact that I managed to felt my Vanilla Socks, which were knit from a superwash sock yarn...so although these have lasted almost three years and have gone in the washer and dryer a few times, I'm still internally worrying that they're going to felt and I'm going to have to gift them to Little Man (which is what happened to my Vanilla Socks - once he outgrows them, I'm probably going to turn them into coasters or something...I don't know...). But, there's more to this photo and why I'm including it. Julie over at KnittedBliss is co-hosting an Instagram challenge (April 22-May 1) wherein you have a "subject" to photograph each day and you label said photo with #CraftyBlissChallenge. Friday's "subject" was "something you're wearing." Well, that's what I was wearing. Yesterday's "subject" was "I'm reading...," which, for me, could be any number of random things including a book for Stormageddon, listening to Harry Potter on my laptop, scrolling through stitch dictionaries, or catching up on blogs. Today's "subject" is "Making progress on....." and we'll see what happens with that one :)


Happy Earth Day from Fishface and Bubbleface.


Lastly, Stormageddon tried wearing Big Brother's shoes. Well, one of them...he couldn't find the other one and he didn't exactly do well....but he's cute, which is always good.



I hope you're all having a lovely week. I need to get back in here for an FO Friday and a Stash Enhancement and.......yeah, I'll wander in this week, I hope :)

7 comments:

  1. I'm wearing my Monkey socks today, they've got to be at least 7 years old and still going strong....might be time to make another pair though.

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  2. I need to wash my handknit socks. I keep forgetting. They're kind of big for me though except the toe up ones. I bet the little one has so much fun when he just has you as he can do whatever he wants. He's adorable. It sounds like you have to travel far for swimming? No local places in San Mateo?

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    1. It is in SM but it's on the south side and we're a block from Burlingame so it takes 20 minutes to get there, minimum...which isn't to say that it's super far away in terms of miles because it's only about 3 miles away.....but if we take 101, we have to deal with rush hour traffic and the exit for the SM Bridge, which backs up for a couple miles. Soooooo, yeah. There's all that.

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  3. As we're having our first (unseasonable) 80 degree day in Indiana I wonder what it's like on the coast (any coast) when it gets hot. I'm expecting it to grow humid as the day goes since we're supposed to get rain for the two days following. Anyway...your post made me think about the weather. Love that little sweater you're making your son. I totally get wanting to make it something he'll wear. I wonder if it's a problem changing up a test knit so it will work for you. I've only done one test (crochet) so I really don't know. But now you've got me curious.

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    1. Well, I've talked to the designer and it's not something that's going to change the yardage (much) but it will change the look, slightly. I plan to do the button bands similarly but we'll see what happens when I get that far. I think if the designer were looking for exact copies, I wouldn't be changing anything but she wanted to make sure her math was correct (and we've all found a couple mistakes because it's multiple sizes) and that we understood the directions. So changing the bottom band isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

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  4. The monkey socks are looking fine and the sweater is coming along nicely, glad you can taylor it a little.

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