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

Sunday, March 26, 2017

Year SIX: Self-Imposed Year of Projects - Update #13

Hello, happy Sunday, let's get going...you know, the usual :)


Finished Objects (FOs):

1. Pussy Hat: started January 10, 2017; finished January 16, 2017
2. Hermione's Everyday Socks (v2): started November 14, 2016; finished January 28, 2017
3. Frene Creek Farm Corriedale (spinning): started October 12, 2016; finished January 16, 2017
4. Pikachu Hat: started February 3, 2017; finished February 10, 2017
5. Trusty (v2): started December 22, 2016; finished February 24, 2017
6. Pussy Hat: started February 13, 2017; finished February 27, 2017
7. Pussy Hat: started March 2, 2017; finished March 8, 2017
8. Pussy Hat: started March 9, 2017; finished March 21, 2017

I finished up another Pussy Hat this past week. I've not washed it. I've not laid it flat to dry. None of that nonsense (yet). So, you know, no FO Friday (yet) either. Moving along...


Works-in-Progress (WIPs):

1. Wink: started January 5, 2015
2. Oh, She IS a Bad Nut: started August 11, 2016
3. Fall in San Francisco (prototype 3): started October 4, 2016
4. Smooth Operator Socks: started October 13, 2016
5. Stormageddon's Vest: started October 17, 2016
6. Morvarch Aardvark: started January 1, 2017
7. Messed Up Moss: started January 4, 2017
8. Stomping Grounds collection: started February 26, 2017 (no project page)
9. Hat Design: started March 20, 2017
10. Pussy Hat: started March 21, 2017
11. BMFA Handpainted Roving: started March 23, 2017


Since I finished up a Pussy Hat, I started another one, as one does. This one has a 2x2 ribbing but the knit stitches are all through the back loop. I think I'll switch to a regular knit stitch when I get to the stockinette section. I'm not that far into it, obviously, if I'm talking about what I'm going to do when I get to the stockinette section.

In addition to that, I also pulled Viktor down from his hiding place in a corner (away from Stormageddon's grabby hands and moving feet, mostly). Then I went hunting in my closet and found some Blue Moon Fiber Arts Handpainted Roving (that I somehow missed when I did my great Stash Organization in January...probably because it was in a different bag that I never did inventory and I probably should). It was an 8.5 oz pile that I split into four...well, I split it into two and then I split one of them into two again (I'll split the other one later).


This is toward the beginning of my spinning. Lots of raspberry, and purple and a little bit of green and there's also some dark blues in there but they're kind of hidden.


This is after I spun the first quarter, which was 56 g (just over 2 oz). Lots more pink and green toward that end, which is fine. I have no idea what it's going to look like when it's all spun and plied and I'm okay with that. I hardly ever know what I'm going to get when I'm done, especially if it's handpainted or otherwise variegated.

In addition to that, I did some work on my Stomping Grounds collection...mostly that I started doing some charting and math, which is interesting because it's for a colorwork piece and I've never done colorwork. Guess I'm going to have to learn, right?

I also decided that I didn't have enough socks going. I've got a skein of Wollmeise wound, needles in the project bag, and the pattern printed (Hoar Frost, if you're interested).....but that wasn't what I wanted to start. So, I went searching for already wound sock yarn or yarn I wouldn't have to wind (like Opal)....and wouldn't you know it, I came across a skein of Malabrigo Sock (probably in the Indiacita colorway but I'm not 100% positive).......and then I decided it didn't want to be a plain vanilla sock and I thought it might be a good contender for one of the socks in my collection. Of course, I don't have anything written down on paper yet other than a vague idea. No charts, no anything, really. I started doodling a chart in one of my graph notebooks, as one does. The next thing you know, I have a hat pattern.

Oops.

But, on the upside, new hat pattern. It still needs some tweaking, probably a good amount of swatching (in three yarn weights because why not?), but it's still a hat pattern. So, that happened.


17 UFOs in 2017
1. Wink: started January 5, 2015
2. Oh, She IS a Bad Nut: started August 11, 2016
3. Fall in San Francisco (prototype 3): started October 4, 2016
4. Frene Creek Farm Corriedale (spinning): started October 12, 2016; finished January 16, 2017 **DONE**
5. Smooth Operator Socks: started October 13, 2016
6. Stormageddon's Vest: started October 17, 2016
7. Hermione's Everyday Socks (v2): started November 14, 2016; finished January 28, 2017 **DONE**
8. Trusty (v2): started December 22, 2016 **DONE**
9. Design: Susan's Hat
10. Design: Little Man's Baby Blanket
11. Design: Paradiddle Socks (aka Little Drummer Girl)
12. Design: Pacific Waves Hat
13. Design: Fall in San Francisco Hat
14. Stash Inventory (photos, in Rav database) **DONE**
15. Dystopian Novel
16. Doctor Who blanket (1)
17. Doctor Who blanket (2)

We probably should not talk about these right now....


And in my "OMGLSGWTFBBQ" lists...

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. Baby Surprise Jacket (using....htNEVELE something something)

These are the only ones that are currently set up. I have plans to make a few more but we'll see how things go. With all the WIPs and such I have going, this may not be a good idea at this point. Or maybe I'll pull things from the lists below and put them into bags. I don't know.


Stranded Knitting
1. University of Wisconsin Ski Hat (kit)
2. University of Wisconsin Christmas Stocking (kit)
3. University of Wisconsin Button Beanie (kit)
4. Xanadu Snowflake Cowl
5. Unknown Christmas Stocking for Little Man (see also: Designs)
6. Unknown Christmas Stocking for Stormageddon (see also: Designs)
7. Unknown Christmas Stocking for Husband (see also: Designs)


Children's Items:
1. Stuffed toy for Miss C (SIL's foster child)
2. Stuffed toy for Mr. K (SIL's foster child)
3. Stuffed toy for Miss E (SIL's adopted daughter)
4. Stuffed toy for TAZ (brother's daughter)
5. Undetermined hat for Little Man
6. Undetermined hat for Stormageddon
7. Mittens for Little Man
8. Mittens for Stormageddon


Items for ME (selfish knitting FTW!):
1. Park Slope (fingering, specifically Mountain Colors Crazy Foot)
2. Worsted weight house socks (worsted, of course - maybe something like Lumberjack)
3. Classic Silk Mayfaire Camisole (Miss Babs Northumbria with modifications)
4. Evangeline (worsted; solid or semi-solid)
5. Lichen (Aran or Sport/DK; solid or semi-solid)
6. Moyen Age (fingering; one of my Vice Yarns? Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20?)
7. Ginny's Cardigan (DK; solid or semi-solid)
8. Drip Drip Drop (sock; solid or semi-solid)
9. Celtic Myths (worsted; solid)
10. Jag in Garter Stitch (DK; 2 colors)
11. Cobh (fingering; 2 colors)
12. Offhand Lace (bulky; solid or semi-solid)
13. Whitman (DK; any color)
14. Flax (worsted; any color - Misti Alpaca Harry Potter-esque one?)
15. Hoar Frost (Wollmeise that's wound in the bag)


Christmas/Charity Bin:
1. 198 Yds of Heaven (worsted; solid)
2. Comfort Food (Aran; solid)
3. Tombreck (worsted; solid or semi-solid)
4. Premie Spiral Hat (DK; any color)
5. Pumpkins & a Pattern (any weight, any color - gauge doesn't matter)


Designs:
1. Susan's Hat *started* - need new prototype & write pattern
2. Little Man's Baby Blanket *started* - write pattern
3. Paradiddle Socks - need prototype & write pattern
4. Pacific Waves Hat *started* - need another prototype & write pattern
5. Fall in San Francisco *started* - need another prototype & write pattern
6. Stormageddon's Baby Blanket - need prototype & write pattern
7. Cabled pullover (grey look-alike sweater) - need sketch, grading, swatch, prototype, & write pattern
8. Christmas stocking for Little Man - need charts, prototype, & write pattern (maybe)
9. Christmas stocking for Stormageddon - need charts, prototype, & write pattern (maybe)
10. Christmas stocking for Husband - need charts, prototype, & write pattern (maybe)
11. Stomping Grounds collection (everything: charts, prototypes, swatches, etc.) *started*


Spinning:
1. Miss Babs BFL
2. Sandy's Palette Merino/Silk (1)
3. Sandy's Palette Merino/Silk (2)
4. Faerie Mountain Fibers Crazy Batt
5. Wash & start processing Alpaca fleece from Lambtown
6. Wash & start processing Merino fleece from Lambtown


Other:
1. Stitch markers
2. Make sure my vintage patterns are in Ravelry (Workbasket magazines, leaflets, etc.)




Husband continues to improve, albeit quite a bit slower than he (or I) would like. Up until yesterday, he had been on an alternating schedule of just under two hours with his medication. So, basically, day and night, every twoish hours since the surgery...yeah, sleep was not good for the first half of this week. But yesterday, he started weaning himself off the medication. He basically took medication four times yesterday: when he woke up, right before he ate lunch, right before he ate dinner, and right before bed. He says he's fine as long as he's not eating/drinking so, really, he just needs the medication for that. And speaking of eating, he's been able to eat....well, it's not solid food....more like baby food for adults. For example, I made French Onion Soup (America's Test Kitchen version, without the cheese & croutons) and he threw it in the blender...he can eat that. We picked up some of those Udon Noodle thingies (these ones) and he did the same thing with throwing it into the blender. Other than that, lots of frozen fruit bars and beef and/or chicken and/or veggie broth. And water, of course. And tea, because he likes it.

Unfortunately, I've been stress-eating and I've gained a teensy bit of weight back. I've been trying not to eat things I shouldn't (Nutella, I'm looking at you, you delicious goodness in a jar) but the other problem is that I've not been going to the gym and it's been rainy so we haven't been walking to school. It's fine. I know it'll come off once I get back into the routine. I made it a point to go to the gym yesterday morning. It was pretty brutal. And then I mowed the lawn. And weed whacked. And leaf blowed. And stuffed the compost bin with some branches from some trees we removed (and replaced with fruit-bearing trees instead). I might be a little sore today. I'll probably go to the gym again today. We'll see.

The boys are...well, they're being boys, really. Little Man is over his ear infection and pink eye...but not til it moved to his other eye and other ear (within a day - meaning last Sunday - he had both in both). I kept him home on Monday and the pink eye notice finally went out on Wednesday. You know, after the kids had been exposed five days prior. Whatever. Stormageddon finished up the medication for his ear infection but he was fine after about a day on medication, to be perfectly honest...but you know, finish the course. Little Man was given ear drops for both his eyes and ears. He was not a fan of either one and I can't say I blame him. His ears were gross, though, because they were draining. I know that means the tubes are doing their job but it was still gross.

I mentioned before that it's been rainy. That means the snails and worms have been out. Stormageddon and I went on worm rescue missions a few times this week at Little Man's school. I think we saved probably a dozen worms this week. I can't bring myself to pick them up with my fingers so I use one of my club card keyring thingies to do it. In addition to that, we visited some snails.


Stormageddon's lower body, for scale. This snail was rather large. We found him on the front sidewalk one morning.



Stormageddon was fascinated. This was in the middle of him asking, "whasat?" (What's that?)



And a close-up of the snail.



We found this snail on Friday as we were leaving Little Man's school. I spotted it and made sure none of the kids stepped on it (Little Man and one of his friends, specifically). They were fascinated with the coloring on the spiral. It's very different than the one we found at our house earlier in the week.


Little Man wanted his picture taken while we were at school one day this week. He's so adorable.




And Stormageddon had fallen asleep that day. Oh well.



In addition to the rain, it seems as though all the flowering trees are blooming (which is probably why my eyes have been itchy - damn allergies). This photo is actually from the day Husband had his surgery (and it's out front of the hospital) but you get the idea.


It means that some of our fruit-bearing trees are also blooming. Specifically, our little apple tree is full of flowers right now. It's kind of amazing considering how small the tree is (yes, it's going to grow). It probably has at least a dozen (probably more) flowers right now. Even our apricot tree has a couple. Our lime tree won't bloom for a bit yet, which is fine. It's a citrus and will bloom when the orange and lemon trees bloom...which isn't right now. Our orange and lemon trees are in their fruit stage so we have an abundance of fresh oranges and lemons (Naval oranges and Meyers lemons).



This has been a pretty common occurrence around our house lately. Husband has been spending a lot of time sleeping (which is good for healing) and Stormageddon will climb up next to him, usually with the iPad, and watch Netflix. Yes, my 2.5 year old knows how to (1) use an iPad and (2) get to what he wants to watch in Netflix. And because it was funny, I caught Puppy in the photo. He was jealous because Stormageddon was getting the attention.



He got plenty of attention, though. Little Man wanted to cuddle with the dog. I took several photos but this was the best of the bunch...and of course neither are really looking at the camera. ::sigh::



Yes, he is most definitely my child.



Remember how I said he could find what he wanted in Netflix? Yeah. He found the movie he was after (Home, if you're interested). He is just like Little Man in so many ways. Little Man could work the iPad when he was little, too.

Here's another something that happened.



Yes, those are Stormageddon's bare little feet on the treadles of Viktor. When I was spinning this week (see above), he kept trying to touch the wheel and the bobbin (as it was spinning, no less) and the second I stopped to get more fluff, he'd try to wiggle in and get his feet on my wheel. I finally took everything apart and let him treadle with me. He giggled like mad. It's a good thing that I keep my wheel on a table in the corner of the bedroom (with a few plastic bins in front of it)...otherwise, we would have a big problem. I managed to spin the entire Tour de Fleece last summer and he didn't care...suddenly, he wants to get right in the middle of it. Oh well. He's already a yarn and fiber snob. I guess this is the natural progression. Little Man has tried knitting a few stitches (but just a few). So, you know, small victories.

I'm due for a stash enhancement post (but I'm going to wait until my latest acquisitions come in from Carrie - but it's going to be good, trust me), I'm due for a FO Friday post, I feel like I'm due for a book review or yarn review of some sort (it's been quite awhile since I've done either of those).......and I feel like there just isn't enough time in the day. Oh well.

Oh, randomly.....forgot about this....


The little Hulk tattoo on his arm is because he indicated that he had to go potty (by yanking at his diaper) and then actually went potty on the potty.

Yes, we're kind of half-assed into potty training. I'm not pushing it. Little Man wasn't fully potty trained until a few months before Stormageddon was born and, honestly, as long as he's ready by Kindergarten, we're fine. And no, he's not making a pouty face. He was actually just rolling his lip out (inherited trait from me - I do it, my brother does it, our dad does it...it's a common face on that side of my family).


Anyway....I hope you're all having a lovely weekend :) Maybe I'll be back this week. Maybe not. We'll see how things go.

5 comments:

  1. I am glad your hubby is on the mend. My oh my what a time for you. I just started my first pussy hat! Love the snail pictures. Reminded me of when my children were young and all the snails they would find in our garden. Yours is very big and beautiful. I love reading your posts - your life is so full and you have such a great attitude about it all.

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  2. I'm glad your husband is on the mend; what hell he's been through with yo-yoing strep throats. Tell him I feel his pain on not being able to eat properly. I went through that with some of my periodontal surgeries; all I had was jook, Ensure, and yogurt. I'll be going through that late April !@$#. Love seeing the boys as usual. I understand about not being able to walk. Do you have any workout DVDs for home on such days? I have two I use. Otherwise there are easy home workouts on Pinterest where you do jumping jacks, moutain climbers, burpees, etc. for 2-3x.

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  3. I'm trying to train my cat on the iPad. She can't do the navigation of course, but she's getting the hang of the fishing game!

    The snail pictures are so fun! Snails and worms, huh?! I guess that's life with boys!

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  4. That second snail's shell is very pretty. I don't see snails around here very often and they are never very big. I realize your picture doesn't provide much perspective, but it seems like it's really large. Your recently spun fiber is beautiful. And now you've got a little spinner! ;^)

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  5. Who wouldn't stress eat when the husband on the mend and the kiddos kept in with all the spring rain, and the ear infections and pink eye... it's hard getting exercise when real life is throwing a curve ball. Love those snail pictures- I have a soft spot for snails. I had a pet snail when I was kid. I loved it so much.

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