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

Sunday, February 11, 2018

Year SEVEN: Self-Imposed Year of Projects - Update #6

Hello and happy Sunday :)

FOs (Finished Objects)
1. Adare: started 30 December 2017; finished 5 January 2018
2. Luck o' the Irish Cowl: started 31 December 2017; finished 14 January 2018
3. Rasta Scarf: started 19 January 2018; finished 10 February 2018
4. Rastarmulke (v2): started 10 February 2018; finished 10 February 2018

It's true! I have a finished item! Two even! The Rasta Scarf is finished, and I've even woven in the ends. Actually, it was gifted yesterday so the best you're going to get for photos are of the boys wearing it.




Yes, these were taken yesterday morning and yes, the boys were still in their jammies. It's how we roll on Saturday mornings. Also, Paw Patrol. 

I also finished up another Rastarmulke. It's a little pointier than the first one, which I'm going to attribute to gauge issues. I was messing on DPNs and I'm under stress so my gauge got tighter as the crown shrunk. 



This is not the greatest photo. I took it right after I finished weaving int he ends. Like I said, it's a little pointier....not a big deal. 

So, I'm awesome this week :)


WIPs (Works-in-Progress)
 These are carried over from the last Year of Projects....or longer.
1. Wink: started 5 January 2015
2. Oh, She Is a Bad Nut: started 11 August 2016
3. Smooth Operator Socks: started 13 October 2016
4. Stomping Grounds Collection: started 26 February 2017
5. Hat Design: started 20 March 2017
6. Garter Stitch Baby Blanket: started 6 July 2017
7. Unnamed Hat Design: started 14 August 2017
8. Shetland Neck Wool (support spindle): started 8 September 2017
9. Gamer Bag: started 28 September 2017
10. Paradiddle Prototype: started 19 October 2017
11. Returning: started 14 January 2018

I'm just going to warn you now: at least two of these projects are being frogged, quite possibly this week. I'm going to frog my Bad Nut shawl. I'm still frustrated about the dropped stitch marker but I'm also not happy about my yarn choice so I'm going to change it to something else. I like the yarn (for a big box acrylic), I love the project, but the combination of the two isn't working out. I had been fighting with whether I was going to frog it as I got further along in the pattern because I knew the yarn wasn't working for me....and then I dropped the stitch marker.....and then I started working on the stitch counts and I was doing really well........and I've not worked on that in a few months and the time has come to just start over. ::sigh:: So, I think that's what's going to happen.

In addition to frogging that, I will probably also frog the gamer bag. It was a prototype design and I'm not happy with how it's turning out so I think I'm going to frog it. I may or may not make a bag from the yarn. We'll see how things work out.

But those frogging events haven't actually happened yet so they're still sitting on my WIP list. Once I actually frog them, I'll move them to the FO section. They were part of my Ravellenics planning from last week. So, I actually knew last week that I was planning to frog these two projects and I've still just not done it. Maybe by writing it down, I'll actually do it this week?

In actual progress knitting news, I worked on the Paradiddle Prototype socks this week. I have a couple more rounds and I'll start the heel on the first sock. I either have 2 or 3 pattern repeats left before that point. I don't remember off the top of my head. I know I added at least 3 this week. I was working mostly on the scarf but when that was getting too large to comfortably take places, I switched to the socks.


OMGLSGWTFBBQ Lists

Children's Items
1. Stuffed toy for my Devil Niece (so-called because her initials are TAZ)
2. Undetermined hat for Little Man
3. Undetermined hat for Stormageddon
4. Mittens for Stormageddon
5. Oliver for Stormageddon (worsted weight - needs 3 colors, would need to buy...maybe do it with 2)
6. Lancelot for Little Man (worsted weight - green Plymouth Encore)
7. Dandy Sir Cephalopod (worsted weight - Red Creek blue, probably for #1 on this list)

Items for ME (selfish knitting FTW!)
1. Brickless (worsted - Miss Babs Yowza in "Celebration") *
2. Honey Badger (fingering - BMFA STR L - one of the ones from Carrie)
3. Park Slope (fingering - Mountain Fibers Crazyfoot)
4. Maya's Shawl (bulky - Plucky Silk Merino Aran)
5. Companion Mitts (fingering - BMFA STR orange from Carrie) *
6. Forest Cardi (worsted - Baah Shasta in "London Blue" and....something....)
7. Flax (worsted - Cascade 220 in "Royal Blue" or Misti Alpaca Harry Potter color)
8. Jag in Garter Stitch (fingering - KP Palette grey and Artfibers Carezza)
9. Reichenbach (fingering - AVFKW Slick or BMFA STR-M in "Vintage")
10. Sockhead (fingering - Madelinetosh Merino Light)
11. Moab (fingering - Wollmeise in "Lavender")
12. Pumpkin Pie (DK - Kangaroo Dyer orange)
13. Age of Brass & Steam (DK - Berroco Comfort DK)
14. Anne's Sweater (sport - Artfibers something)
15. Moyen Age (fingering - Vice special order either grey or green)

Random Things
1. Pop Blanket (worsted - may need to order some yarn for this)
2. University of Wisconsin Ski Hat kit
3. University of Wisconsin Christmas Stocking kit
4. University of Wisconsin Button Beanie kit
5. Xandu Snowflake Cowl (fingering - two contrasting colors)
6. Granny Square Blanket (which means I need to learn to crochet)

Designs
1. Susan's Hat *started* - need new prototype & write pattern
2. Little Man's Baby Blanket *started* - write pattern
3. Paradiddle Socks  *started* - 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 - Old Navy hooded sweater with cable) - 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 *started* - need everything: charts, prototypes, swatches, etc.

Spinning
1. AVFKW Merino Silk
2.  Abstract Fiber Merino Tencel
3. Allons-Y Fiber Arts 18.5 Micron Merino
4. Allons-Y Fiber Arts Merino, Trilobal Nylon, Silk
5. Alpaca (from Lambtown 2014)
6. Ambrosia & Bliss Rambouillet Top
7. Anne's Fiber Expressions
8. Ashland Bay Fiber Merino Top
9. BMFA Handpainted Roving
10. Bramble Wool Farm Shetland Wool

Dyeing
1. Malabrigo Nube fiber
2. Gaia (worsted)
3. Euro Sock 6-ply
4. Whatever else I find in the bag...I have a bag...or maybe a couple of bags....

Other Fibery Endeavors
1. Stitch markers
2. Vintage patterns into Rav database
3. Inventory of books & loose patterns (update)
4. Inventory of PDF patterns (update)
5. Update yarn inventory (make sure it's up-to-date)/destash
6. Inventory project bags (Erin Lane, I'm looking at you)



I want to say that we had a benign week around here but I'd totally be lying. I think that's par for the course, really. We're just busy people.

Little Man had school this week. A couple of the kids have been out from the flu or other illnesses but we've steered clear of most of that. On Friday, we got an interesting (read: weird) email (and phone call) from the district. Apparently the water in half the classrooms/buildings at Little Man's school was running a weird brownish yellow color. Recently, there was a study done over in Oakland about the drinking water in schools in Oakland and many were found to have unsafe levels of lead or other contaminants. A lot of the districts are freaking out and having testing done. As far as I know, our district is not. But, CalWater was called and the district facility services were called and bottled drinking water was brought in....

This is all fine and well and I'm glad they were on it. But it makes me wonder, because we don't live far from Little Man's school, should we have been drinking our water at home or showering in it or washing dishes or....? It didn't have any obvious color issues or anything so we were probably okay. The water coming out at the school was obviously discolored, though it didn't have any odd smell to it. Whatever. Just more things to ponder.

In addition to that, Stormageddon had his speech therapy classes this week. He goes on Monday and Tuesday mornings, for a half-hour each. We're working on his "mmmmm" sounds right now. His new favorite thing is saying, "my ____" because they play a lot of "my turn; your turn" so he's been telling me "my shower" and "my chips" and "my brother," among many other "my" things. I'm glad he seems to like going. It just tosses a wrench into our Monday and Tuesday mornings in that it off-sets the time we got to the gym, and shoves our daily schedule back a good hour or so. There could be worse things in life so I'm not going to complain too much.

This week was kind of nuts for the auction, as well. It was the week where class projects and class basket items were due so the closet where we store everything is an absolute mess right now. There are boxes with blue tape and class numbers and items for which we still need to log and items coming in to actually make the baskets and there are other things stored in there as well (which drives me bonkers!).....it's getting crazy. We put baskets and such together in two weeks. Then the closet gets emptied out, things are made pretty, and we put everything back in there in a more organized way. Or, rather, that's the idea. Whether it actually happens that way is another matter entirely.

Outside of that, not a lot else happened. We ran errands, we went to the gym, I had a couple meetings, I did work for the auction, and I spent time cursing at my washing machine. Again. ::sigh::

Today, I'm taking Little Man to the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose. He caught me watching the trailer for the new movie maybe a couple weeks ago and he asked me about it....and I started telling him what I knew and then I remembered that it wasn't far from us. Turns out this child is truly my child because he wanted to go without a second thought. So, we're doing that later this afternoon.

He also made this:


Yes, that is a clown face with the word "It" cut out from paper and colored red. He knows it's my favorite book. He's definitely not ready for that movie (yet) but he appreciates that I love it. So, he made that and it's currently hanging next to our bedroom door.



This, on the other hand, is hanging on his bedroom door. It's the cover for a book that he's called "The Surprise," which is a Piggie & Gerald book that he's going to write someday. Or so he says.

Speaking of my children this week....





I took these photos on Friday afternoon. Little Man was licking the plate just before I took this photo. Yes, I have one of those children. Stormageddon is working on how to smile for photos. He's also potty training, as evidenced by the arm full of temporary Nightmare Before Christmas tattoos.



And then there's this, which I feel like is a very good representation of life in our house right now. Dump all the toys and play in the box. ::sigh::



Also, the snails are out again :)


I hope you've had a lovely weekend and all of that. I hope to be back next weekend but the weekend after that may be a bit dodgy :) 

7 comments:

  1. I AM JEALOUS!!!!!! I'm obsessed with the Winchester Mystery House!!!! I used to have a book about it, but leant it to someone and never got it back!!! I've watched everything I can find on it.....You have got to tell me all about it...and if you can take pictures....

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    1. Sadly, you cannot take photos inside the house. It's a strange place, not going to lie. I was particularly fascinated with the room she was in when the 1906 earthquake happened. She was stuck in the room for about 3 hours before (1) her servants found her and (2) they pried her out with a crowbar. I couldn't believe that she just decided to board up the front 30ish rooms of the house after that. I mean....how nice must it be to have a house large enough that boarding off 30ish rooms doesn't bother anyone?! Little Man loved it and wants to go back. There is an extended tour but you have to be at least 10 years old so he's not quite old enough for it.

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  2. The Rasta Scarf looks great! And your cute models do too! :)

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  3. I adore that scarf! You did a beautiful job! I love the colors you have in both the hat and the scarf. I'm glad someone got something done because I feel like I'm standing still! LOL! Glad you and the boys are staying healthy!

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    1. Honestly, I don't feel like I accomplished squat, even though I obviously did.

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  4. sorry about the frogging, but in the end you will be glad you did. I love the smail picture - reminds me so much of when my children were little and all the pet snails they brought into the house from our front yard. Good memories.

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  5. The kids' art made me smile. You got a lot done this week. You are a whirlwind. The boys look dapper in that scarf.

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