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

Sunday, April 2, 2017

Year SIX: Self-Imposed Year of Projects - Update #14

Hello! Happy Sunday! Happy April! Happy spring! Happy Happy! Let's get going on today's update.



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
9. Pussy Hat: started March 21, 2017; finished March 30, 2017

As expected, I finished up my fourth Pussy Hat this past week. I even took some photos but I'll wait until I get around to an FO Friday to post those. Or something. I also haven't washed it (or the third one)...I might want to get around to that.


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. BMFA Handpainted Roving: started March 23, 2017
11. Vanilla Socks: started March 30, 2017

With all the WIPs listed, I thought I could use another. It occurred to me that I didn't really have any knitting I could just take places with me (like swimming lessons or the indoor gym place). As a result, I went stash diving for some already-wound sock yarn and came up with some of my oldest stash: Colinette Jitterbug in the Teals colorway. The stash page says it was entered in 2011 but I'm pretty sure I bought it in 2009 (and it was entered when I was doing my first attempt at The Great Stash Organization, which was in 2011 - the dyelot gives the date it was dyed, which was in February 2008 so I couldn't have bought it before then). Anyway, here's a photo:


This was taken on either Thursday or Friday and I've knit quite a bit more on it since then. If you look really closely, you can just see the not-pattern emerging. Basically, I took the garter ribbing idea from the Vanilla Latte Socks and I'm doing two stripes of garter ribbing down the leg and foot of the socks (the rest is in stockinette). I'm currently at the heel turn. Yeah, I think this is the fastest I've ever knit socks before. I imagine I'll be slowing down again soon but we'll see.

In addition to that, I also pulled out my Smooth Operator Socks. Now that the heel has been put in, I'm just working down the foot. I've probably got another couple inches to go before I can start the toe. Of course, if I work on it at the pace I worked the sock above, it won't take me that long.

Everything else.......well, yeah. I really should just pull out the vest and finish it. It's not like I have all that much left to finish (armholes, single crochet around the neck, weave ends, wash & block). And everything else...well, I should just get going. We'll see how things go. For now, I've only worked on the socks and the Pussy Hat I finished above.



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)

I really need to make a consorted effort to work on these. I mean, I've finished four things off the list, which isn't bad considering that it's April. However, there are a few things on this list that have no reason not to be finished or further along (the blankets, for example - seriously, lay them out, cut them evenly, cut strips, tie strips, wash, done - not super hard but time-consuming)...but there are plenty of items that are definitely "long term" projects (the dystopian novel, the design projects, etc.). So, there's all of that. I should just get going on that.


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.)





I had hoped that this week would be a rejuvenation period. No one was going to be sick. I was going to get back into the gym. Things were finally going to be on an upswing.

And then the Gods all shook their heads and laughed and laughed.

Sunday last, Stormageddon came into the bedroom crying and holding his ears. He doesn't do this unless he's got an ear infection. After a trip to the after-hours pediatric service (because it was Sunday night), two looks in each ear and a strep test, the verdict was: ear infection. He just got over one! So, he was put on a heftier dose of a different antibiotic. ::sigh:: Okay. That's an easy one to handle. Ear infections aren't a huge issue (unless it's Little Man and he's leaking goo out his ears - ew - but even that's not that difficult). Fine. Good. Great. Grand. Wonderful. No yelling on the bus!

And then Little Man was acting oddly on Tuesday, overly tired, generally grumpy. Tuesday night, he came into our room and said, "Mama, I puked in my bed." ::sigh:: Strip the bed and put new sheets on, wash the icky sheets, dose of ibuprofen, and an email to the school (at 2am, mind) saying he'd be out on Wednesday. A trip to the doctor (not his usual one) and the verdict was viral tonsillitis and pink eye (which was supposedly caused by the tonsillitis). I had them send a note to the school regarding the pink eye (which also proves we weren't just trying to get to spring break early). Wednesday night, Little Man came into our room and said, "Mama, I puked in my bed again." ::double sigh:: Strip the bed and put new sheets on, wash the icky sheets & jammies, and another email to the school (again, at 2am). I stopped by the school on Thursday to drop off his homework, pick up his spring break homework, talk to his teacher, and I stopped in the office. Things haven't exactly gotten any better from there. He's not puked since then but he's been running a fever off and on, complaining about this or that hurting, coughing.....I have no idea what's going on with him. I'm pretty sure it's not tonsillitis, though. I suspect he'll be going to the off-hours pediatric clinic today and if not, his regular pediatrician tomorrow because this is bullshit.

At least Husband is okayish. He overdid things on Wednesday (he went into the city to go to a "going away" party at the office for one of his coworkers) and has been out of energy for most of the rest of this past week. We were all kind of out of steam, really, because of the kids being sick.

There are a few upsides to everything, however. Our little garden is growing. We have sprouts for squash, cucumbers, watermelon, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and something else that it escaping me right now. It also means that I've done some work outside. I spent several hours this week weeding and putting down potting soil and peat moss. My left forearm still hurts from several days ago. Squeezing anything causes a good amount of pain. Okay, that's not a good thing but it shows that I did actually do something.

I'm also getting caught up with the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe). I've seen a bunch of the movies, out of order, and there are a bunch I've missed. So, we're working on getting me caught up. Prior to the last few days, I had seen the following: Captain America: The First Avenger, The Avengers, Iron Man I, Iron Man II, Iron Man III, and Captain America: Winter Soldier. Over the past few days, we have watched: Doctor Strange (which is what started this whole thing), Captain America: The First Avenger (because I hadn't seen it in awhile and was forgetting things), Captain America: Winter Soldier (again because I hadn't seen it in awhile and was forgetting things), Thor (which neither Husband or I had seen), Guardians of the Galaxy, and The Avengers: Age of Ultron (which I had seen parts of but not the entire movie). I think we're going to go for Thor: The Dark World, Ant-Man, and Captain America: Civil War later today. Then we might start the television serieseses (Agent Carter, Agents of Shield, Luke Cage, Daredevil...). Watching all these movies is why I was able to get half a sock finished.

Even though we've had illnesses running through the house, a few things happened:


We found snails. Of course we found snails. When I was weeding, I found a rather large colony again.



My boys. Love my boys. This was last Sunday, I believe. Stormageddon went to the after-hours pediatrician just a few hours after the photo was taken. And Little Man wasn't sick (yet).


Same shirt because this was last Sunday, when I took Stormageddon to the after-hours pediatrician. ::sigh::


On Tuesday, Husband had his post-op appointment with his ENT. Afterwards, we (meaning the three of us because Little Man was at school) went to breakfast not too far from our house.


I've taught this child well. He loves to rub yarn on his face. Such a little yarn snob.


One day this week, I took him to Costco with me. He fell asleep on the way home. When I got him inside the house, after waking him up, he proceeded to cry in the living room for a bit and then we discovered him sleeping like this. He slept like this for probably an hour and a half. No, I'm not joking.

Speaking of joking....and I'm not joking about this but because it happened yesterday, that's what made me think of it.

Stormageddon has a habit of bringing us TV remotes when he wants to watch a show. About three days ago, he did something with the remote for the sound bar under our TV in the living room. Translation: he lost the damn remote. We tore the house apart looking for the damn thing and could not find it. Three days. We kept having to adjust the volume manually in the middle of movies (remember all those Marvel movies we were watching? Yeah, had to adjust during those...). Anyway, Husband ordered a new one and it arrived yesterday......just when I found the missing remote. Where was it? The first place we should have looked: the fridge. No, I'm not kidding. I found it wedged on a door shelf between the Grey Poupon and soy sauce. Three days it had been in there.

::sigh:: Silly children.


Anyway, I hope you're all having a lovely weekend. Maybe I'll be back with FO Fridays and some stash acquisitions and such. Maybe. We'll see how things go.

6 comments:

  1. Man, I bet your family are VIP's at the clinic; they ought to know you by now. Did you guys ever get as sick in Wisconsin? But of course Little Man was just a baby right and didn't go to school yet.

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  2. Yes, I always need a simple wip on the go for car knitting, or tv knitting. Love the yarn you picked for yours.
    My, oh my your family has had quite the winter. I hope this is it, and I was thinking the same as Stefanie - the clinic should give you frequent flyer points!

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  3. Oh the glamorous life of a Mom of boys! So much puke! It's amazing you get anything done for yourself. Once all the men are hale and hearty you'll a vacation!

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  4. I had to laugh a little at the sound bar remote being put in the fridge. Your Colinette Jitterbug yarn looks like it will make great socks. Great totable project.

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  5. Oh my...what an adventure in child rearing....it's all coming back to me! LOL!
    I hope everyone is one the mend now and don't be hard on yourself about your projects as I am sure you do a zillion other things throughout the day! You socks look great and really pretty yarn. I just printed off the Vanilla Latte socks before I even rad your post. I am so happy to be back sock knitting! Love the remote in the frig! LOL! Have a great week! Congrats on your finishes!

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  6. oh, your poor little ones!! I've been there on the puking sheets thing... James pukes so much more than Lila ever did, so when he had norovirus over the christmas break, there were a couple of nights where I ran out of crib sheets and had to use our sheets, tucked under the mattress... and then a different big sheet when he puked on that.... so tough when the littles are sick! You are such a good mom, Renee. Oh, and your sock is looking good, I like that teal colourway!

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