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

Sunday, April 8, 2018

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

Happy Sunday :)

Today's post is brought to you by Spring Break. During Spring Break, we try not to strangle our children as they wrestle on the floor for the thirtieth time in the last hour. No? Just me?

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
5. Gamer Bag: started 28 September 2017; frogged 16 February 2018
6. Oh, She Is a Bad Nut: started 11 August 2016; frogged 16 February 2018
7. Garter Stitch Baby Blanket: started 6 July 2017; finished 3 April 2018
8. Pattern submission: started 19 March 2018; finished 3 April 2018
9. Tiny Narwhal: started 5 April 2018; finished 6 April 2018
10. Tiny Narwhal: started 5 April 2018; finished 6 April 2018

I had four finishes this week. I wound up the yarn for the Garter Stitch Baby Blanket last week and I finished it this week. It's even had a bath and the ends have been woven in. Unfortunately, it bleeds like crazy so I'm going to have to try to set the dye. It's cotton yarn so my usual soak in citric acid and water followed by a steam in my veggie steamer isn't going to work. I mean, I can use the citric acid but I'm also going to need salt for this one. ::sigh:: I'm not that fussed about it since it doesn't have to reach its destination until September so I've got some time to try to get the dye to set.

In addition to the blanket, I knit up two tiny narwhals. I picked up a few MochiMochi kits at ImagiKnit in San Francisco in November: the narwhals (you have enough in the kit to make two), Flapjack Frogs (you have enough in the kit to make three frogs and a lily pad - I'm pretty sure it's a "tiny version" since the original is for worsted weight yarn), and Tiny Turtle (you have enough in the kit to make two). I have a little yarn left and I might be able to get a stripey version out of my leftovers. I'm not sure yet. I might have to try it. They knit up very quickly. I knit both bodies in less than an hour and a half and they maybe took just over two hours total to make from start to finish.



They truly are teeny tiny. I'm not entirely happy with the tusks on either one but they'll work. It's all a bit fiddly as it's a small amount of sock yarn on US #1 needles (DPNs specifically) and, of course, you start with very few stitches. But they worked out well and it was a good little palette cleanser.

Lastly I finished up my pattern submission....just under the wire. They wanted all submissions by this past Wednesday and I sent mine off Tuesday evening. It's all done via email so it's not like I had to overnight anything. I should know by tomorrow if my pattern was selected or not. I'm not too fussed about it either way. I mean, I'd be thrilled to have something else published but I'm not going to cry about it if it's not chosen. So, we'll see.




WIPs (Works-in-Progress) These are carried over from the last Year of Projects....or longer.
1. Wink: started 5 January 2015
2. Smooth Operator Socks: started 13 October 2016
3. Stomping Grounds Collection: started 26 February 2017
4. Hat Design: started 20 March 2017
5. Unnamed Hat Design: started 14 August 2017
6. Shetland Neck Wool (support spindle): started 8 September 2017
7. Paradiddle Prototype: started 19 October 2017
8. Returning: started 14 January 2018
9. Frankensocks: started 1 March 2018

With a couple finishes and no additions, I'm back down to nine WIPs. I've even worked on a couple of them! I mean, with all the other things going on, I'm surprised that I worked on anything else but here I am, killing it this week :)

I pulled out my Returning shawl a couple different times this week, not that I got very far. My rows are growing so, naturally, it takes longer to knit a row. But, I got through a couple rows.

I also pulled out my FrankenSocks. I had to do some math to figure out how I wanted the rows to work out with heel placement and length and such. I had intended these socks to use up scraps...but I might run out of some of the yarn.....except I have more of all the yarns in my stash. ::sigh:: So much for using up scraps. Oh well. But, I pulled them out. I've finished the cuff of the first one (which is Italian Plum from Cascade) and I've started the first stripe (which is a neon green from Creatively Dyed). Exciting times.

I think that was it, other than thinking about my Stomping Grounds Collection again. I do that once in awhile while I'm at the gym. I'm going to have to revisit that collection of designs. And get going on them. And maybe buy more yarn.



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 - Stunning String Studio from Stitches West 2018)
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)



This week was our first week of spring break. So, I've had both boys at home, together, all week. Everyone is still alive.

On Sunday evening, our friend and I went to see the Warriors basketball game over in Oakland. It was my first professional basketball game and even though we were way up, you could see everything.






In addition to that, it was Star Wars night so there were tons of Star Wars themed...things. The opening where players come onto the court was done to various themes from the movies, the dance breaks and such that happen involved either a troupe of dancing Stormtroopers or a conglomeration of various characters (Leia, Chewbacca, Obi Wan, Luke, etc.). Also, they had Star Wars/Warriors mashup merch like t-shirts and inflatable lightsabers.  I came home with three t-shirts (one for me and one for each of the boys).

Other than that, we tried to keep our sanity. We went shopping, we went to the gym and the library, we had a lunch date......and then I came down with "something." I'm still not quite sure what it is other than a sore throat, crap in my throat, and a nasty cough. So, we laid low the rest of the week.

Stormageddon did manage to get himself TWO black eyes this week.



This is the second one. It's the worst of the two, though the other one broke skin...this one had a sizable egg and some good bruising.

Anyway, I hope you've had a lovely week and weekend. We're off to places for a couple of days and then we'll soon be back to the grind :)

2 comments:

  1. Hot dang that boy and his black eyes. What'd he do? Glad you had a fun time at the Warriors game. Hope you're healthy now.

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  2. Oh I hear you on thinking about the ends you'd have to weave in when wanting to try contrast sock parts. I had 10 for each sock but did a total session on the couch one weekend. And yes, I'm happy about the length and fit of my Flax. I ain't rippin' anything back on that sucka! I is done.

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