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

Sunday, April 30, 2017

Year SIX: Self-Imposed Year of Projects - Update #18

Happy Sunday! I hope all is well with you and yours on this.....day. I'd say "fine" day but I know some people are dealing with snow in April (which is not exactly normal in the northern hemisphere this time of year, depending on where you live). Anyway, yes, Year of Projects...let's get moving :)


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
10. FlockSock Yarn #1: started April 5, 2017; finished April 5, 2017
11. FlockSock Yarn #2: started April 5, 2017; finished April 5, 2017
12. #initiateknitdesign challenge from ArohaKnits: started April 3, 2017; finished April 11, 2017
13. Knit Picks Bare Palette Fingering: started April 9, 2017; finished April 9, 2017
14. Malabrigo Rios: started April 9, 2017; finished April 9, 2017
15. Nashua Creative Focus Superwash: started April 9, 2017; finished April 9, 2017

I've not finished anything new. I'm okay with this. I think. I did post about the last three entries (my second dyeing adventure). You can find the post here.



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
12. Pussy Hat: started April 13, 2017


In this week's edition of "what I've been working on," we find that the honestly truth is.......not much. Stormageddon's Vest is still in time out. I'm still musing over what to do about the neckband. I suppose I could just weave in all the ends that are hanging about (because there are a bunch). Maybe not.

My Vanilla Socks grew a ton this week.


See? I went from three rounds to eleven rounds, which is 44% of the cuff and, if you're not a math nerd, it means my cuffs are twenty-five rounds total. So much growth!

The other thing I worked on was the Pussy Hat.


Excuse the craptastic photo. This was taken at night in a low-lighted room (with a red hue). It's grown at least another inch since that photo was taken and I'm probably closet to finishing it. I suppose I could, you know, measure it to make sure...but that would take effort.

Other than that, no knitting. No spinning. No stitch markering. Nada.



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)

Part of me feels like I should just ignore this list...but I know that won't get anything finished. ::sigh:: Maybe I'll get there soon. Or not.



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.)





It's been a busy week around here...like busier than I'm accustomed to for this time of year.

Last Sunday, Husband and I got a sitter for the boys and we went to San Francisco to Defend the Triforce. In the heart of Japantown there is a Puzzle Room/Escape Room. It's in the weirdest location (3rd floor of a tea shop that makes me think of little girl tea parties)...but, to be fair, it's a perfect location because what else would go up there? So, there's a Puzzle Room and they have a few different ones. Husband went a couple weeks ago with his coworkers and picked up a card for a different one: Defenders of the Triforce. It is Legend of Zelda themed, and seems to be based in the Ocarina of Time game, not that it matters. You don't have to have any pre-existing knowledge of any of the Zelda games to enjoy it...but it does make it that much more fun. There were eight teams and each team had six people (though one team had seven and ours had five). We finished third, not that it was a competition, but we also finished. A couple of teams didn't finish. We had a lot of fun and we stopped at one of the markets and I got a bunch of different Pocky flavors (okay, maybe just four but still...).

Monday, Little Man had Wee Theater after school so Stormageddon and I had time to do a few extra things. We took advantage of it and not only went to Target & Costco but we also made it to the gym. Needless to say, the afternoon was spent being a bit on the lazy side.

The rest of the week was filled with the usual routines including going to the gym, trying to find time to knit, trying to keep up on other things (cleaning, laundry, the usual...), and doctor appointments. Puppy went to the vet on Thursday. Turns out part of the reason he's been so damn itchy: fleas. He doesn't have an infestation, our house isn't infested, but he does spend time outside and he's had a few flea bites. His vet combed through his hair for about ten minutes, talking with me and gauging how itchy he actually was and in that time, we found one flea. Luckily, all the beddings had just been washed and he was due for a reorder of his heartworm medication. We're doing a heartworm/flea medication this time around. He's also going to get a bath one of these days. A proper one. And I can give him Benadryl (though we also have a bottle of Prednisone for him, as well). So, I've been doing that. Poor puppy.

Friday afternoon, I had finally had enough of the house looking like a tornado went through so we spent the afternoon cleaning and doing laundry. And I do mean "we" because Little Man and Stormageddon helped with the cleaning. Little Man cleaned his room, I cleaned out the fireplace and emptied the vacuum (both of which set my allergies off like crazy but that's not unusual for those activities), we did dishes, I vacuumed bedrooms, Little Man and Stormageddon cleaned up the front & living rooms (meaning they put toys and books away)...the only thing I didn't finish before Husband got home was emptying and refilling the dishwasher and putting away all the laundry. I did that afterwards though and all was well.

Yesterday, I was peopled out. Little Man had a birthday party to go to in the morning (10:30am-2pm) and then we went to a BBQ after that, followed by Costco. Oh, and I went to the gym yesterday morning. Madness. By the time we got home around 4:30pm, I was done. The boys were playing in iPads, Husband was playing Zelda, and I was dinking around online. I also mowed the lawn.

So tired.....

Here are some photos from this week:


I took this at Target. The local Target (and apparently other Targets across the country) have the red balls out front dressed as Mario and Luigi. Mario Kart 8 came out this week, hence the decorations. And the boys love Super Mario Bros. 


There are two reasons I post the above photo: firstly, Stormageddon likes to play in the dog food (meaning throw it all over the place and not clean up - but he's cleaning up) and secondly, because he found his Hawaiian shirt and decided to dress himself. Please notice that it's on backwards.


Further proof of him dressing himself. At least it went on upright. He usually tries to put it on from the neck and gets frustrated when it doesn't fit right. 


Oh, on Friday afternoon, Little Man lost his first tooth. The new one had grown in behind and the baby tooth was solidly not moving...and then he bit down on something on Monday and it started to wiggle. By Friday, the only thing attaching it was a little piece of skin. We played with it a little and I told him it was time to just pluck it out...but he was scared and asked me to do it for him. He prepped me: he got me a couple of paper towels, got me a glass to put water in, and had me sit his butt up on the counter. He closed his eyes and was prepared for it to hurt and I pinched the tooth between the paper towel and it was nothing. I finished and he said, "that's it? That was easy." So, he lost his first tooth. He got a whole dollar for that tooth. Inflation and all that. I think I got quarters for my regular teeth and 50¢ for molars. I got screwed on my molars, though. I had four baby molars that never fell out (the first baby molars you get - all four)...that's $2 I never got. And no, I'm not kidding. They did not fall out on their own. I had them pulled when I was probably 28 or so and then had surgery to implant titanium alloy posts into my jaw and...I don't know what to call it (the actual name is the maxilla bone - the bone where your top teeth are rooted). As a result, I have five porcelain teeth (the four baby molars and one other tooth that did fall out on it's own). ::sigh:: If he's lucky, he won't have that issue...but if he does, we have proof that it's genetic (both my half-brother and I have had this issue) and the insurance should cover whatever we do to fix it. So, there's that.


And lastly, the face of a lady that is so over cleaning. But that was on Friday. Had I taken one yesterday, it would have been similar and it would be because I was over people. 

I hope you're having a lovely weekend :) 

6 comments:

  1. I am charmed to bits by the backwards shirt of the self-dresses boy. Already striving for independence!

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  2. Totally relate to that face - both for the cleaning and the people. lol.

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  3. A busy busy week for sure. No wonder you didn't get much crafting done.I feel for your puppy. Poor thing. You must be so proud of both boys helping you clean. Escape rooms are a big deal here right now. Sounds like fun too.

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  4. Pocky's look tasty! I remember when we got Zelda one year for the kids and I got hooked on it...me..who is not a game player at all. The kids were glad when I went back to work so they could play with their Christmas present! LOL! Love the backwards shirt dressing....progress! Little Man is really growing up and so glad you got the fleas in check before you got infested...in carpeting that can be a real issue. I don't know how you get any knitting done with your schedule! I hope you get time this week but pat yourself on the back as you got lots done even if it wasn't in your chosen craft. Have a great week!

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  5. Your posts always take me down memory lane - remembering fondly those little boys days. The shenanigans may be different, but there seems to be some universal little boynesses that spans the ages. I've got a picture of my youngest (a little younger than Storm) sitting on our couch (with the cushions pulled off), having dumped out a whole box of (I think it was) Grape Nuts, and one by one, he's trying to put the little chunks back into the package. My first inclination was to have a "mommy meltdown", but fortunately, my sense of humor kicked in and I grabbed the camera instead. I know you know it already, but when your boys are grown and you'll be even more glad you've recorded these things here for you and them to reminisce, but who knows... maybe even for their posterity. ;^)

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  6. Love the yarn colour of your Vanilla socks.
    Anyone can wear a shirt the right way round - it takes character, creativity and genius to know that this one boy looks absolutely rocks a backwards shirt, lol. Good on him for realizing it.

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