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

Sunday, June 10, 2018

Year SEVEN: Self-Imposed Year of Projects - Update #23

Happy Sunday!

Today's post is brought to you by my not-allergies. Sneezing, stuffy nose, itchy & watery eyes.....but no allergies. ::sigh::

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
11. Hat for Little Man: started 19 April 2018; finished 27 May 2018
12. River's Edge Fiber Arts Falkland Merino (wheel): started 19 May 2018; finished 2 June 2018

As I mentioned last week, the Falkland Merino has been taken care of. I was kind of surprised by it, actually. With that mess of singles that I wound up just tossing in the garbage, I still wound up with about 190 yds of worsted weight yarn, using 83 g. So, if it was a 100 g braid, I only lost 17 g and based on the yds to g ratio, it means I only lost about 39 yds, which means it is a solid worsted weight.

In addition to that, I cleared off some other bobbins. I had four bobbins with little bits of spinning from last year's Tour de Fleece. I've been meaning to clean off the bobbins for awhile anyway and I wanted to test the Handy Andy with a smaller amount of singles.


I'm not counting these as FOs on my list because there's less than 100 yds total but I'll tell you about them, as they were taken care of this week. The top two are Sandy's Palette Merino & Silk from two different dyelots (this one on the top and this one below it). The light one at the top is about 10 yds of two-ply. The darker one below it is about 20 yds. The bottom two are Miss Babs BFL from two different bobbins. The barberpoleish one is about 43 yds and the less crazy one on the bottom is about 11 yds. These, plus the 190 yds of Falkland have been washed and dried and hanked and are just sitting out. I really should put them away...


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
10. Faerie Mountain Fibers Crazy Batt (EEW Mini Spinner): started 13 April 2018
11. Granny Square Blanket (1): started 28 April 2018

With the completion of the handspun, I'm back down to 11 WIPs. And I've even worked on a few of them this week.

My Paradiddle Prototype socks can now qualify as "socks" in the plural because I finished the first sock and started the second. I'm still on the cuff but I'm trying to avoid the wretched Second Sock Syndrome. So, the second sock has been started. I also worked a few rounds on the FrankenSocks, which isn't overly exciting since I'm just working on the foot of the first sock but it's still progress.

And then there are the Granny Squares. I finished up the fourth one and started the fifth. In the meantime, I took a look at the very first one. I lamented that my tension was so vastly different that it was a good 1/2" smaller all around than the other ones. And then I counted the double crochet clusters along the edge.

Kids, it was my first one and it should have been the template for the rest of them....but it has nine double crochet clusters along each edge. The other ones have ten. Soooooo.....I might just add another round to the first one to make it the same, or I may just call it good since I see mistakes in the first one anyway. But it's smaller because it's smaller, not because my tension was wonky.

In addition to that, I worked a few rows on the Returning Shawl. I did, unfortunately, discover that I made a mistake in the "spine" section. It's supposed to have a [k1, s1, k1] section and for two (maybe three) right-side rows, I did [s1, k1, s1]. I managed to fix one of them but there's a mistake and I am not tinking back the four or five rows to fix is. I can't be assed enough. So, there's a mistake and I just don't care. It's not super noticeable and if someone does notice, they're probably too close to my body for my comfort and will probably get smacked.

So, there were some minor disasters this week. Oh well.

Beyond that, I have a not-yet-started WIP that will be started on July 1st (if I can get assed enough to wind the yarn, find appropriately sized needles, and take a look at the pattern, which I should be able to do). You'll notice it down below in the list of Items for ME, at the very end. In the monthly thread in LSG (a Ravelry group), I may have somehow organized a half-assed KAL for Clapotis. It's been available from Knitty since 2004. I wasn't knitting then and I somehow missed the Clapotis thing in that I never did knit one. Someone mentioned that she was thinking about it, and I have added it and removed it, and readded it and removed it again from my Ravelry queue I don't know how many times. So, it's time to finally knit one. So, it started out with just two of us but I think my "official" list is up to 7 or 8 people right now, and who knows who else may join in. So, that's probably happening. We'll see how things go.


OMGLSGWTFBBQ Lists:

Children's Items
1. Stuffed toy for my Devil Niece (so-called because her initials are TAZ)
2. Undetermined hat for Stormageddon
3. Mittens for Stormageddon
4. Oliver for Stormageddon (worsted weight - Stunning String Studio from Stitches West 2018)
5. Lancelot for Little Man (worsted weight - green Plymouth Encore)
6. 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)
16. Clapotis (calls for Aran weight but I think I'm going to use this)

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)

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)



Part of me feels like this week was less busy, which is probably true. I kind of felt like I had time to take care of a few things. I've been woefully behind on podcasts so I managed to get caught up on Fuck This Knit and I've got an episode and a half of the Knitmore Girls to get caught up with (before the next one drops on Thursday and then I'll be behind again - woe!). I'm still five episodes behind on the Yarn Hoarder Podcast. We probably shouldn't talk about that. The reality is that, for me, it's easier to listen to podcasts than to watch podcasts. So, both Fuck This Knit and the Knitmore Girls are audio-only; I can listen while I do things like fold laundry or knit or clean up the bedroom or whichever room. The Yarn Hoarder Podcast is a video podcast and yes, I could just listen and do those things but she shows off things (her WIPs and her FOs and her daughter's amazing paintings and so on) because it's a video podcast and I'd like to see that. So, if I want to see those things, I can't be folding my laundry or cleaning or whatever. Hence why I'm so woefully behind on that particular podcast.

Aside from attempting to get caught up on podcasts, I've also attempted to get ahead/caught up on some neglected housework. The basic laundry is usually done in a timely manner (putting it away properly is another matter) but this week, I stripped all the beds and washed all the sheets and blankets. This doesn't sound like a huge deal but both my boys have at least six blankets, apiece, on their beds. So it's not like I can just toss both their sheets into the washer at the same time. I have to wash Little Man's separate from Stormageddon's just because there are so many things to stuff in there.

I also took some time to go through my stash on Ravelry and I had a teeny "Come to Jeebus" talk with myself about my stash. I decided there were some things that just needed to be added to the destash. But adding them wasn't enough for me. I hauled out almost all the bins in my yarn closet and actually pulled the "new" destash items to the destash bins and I changed the "location" status on Ravelry to reflect the new place. I'm not going to lie, though, there were a couple that stayed in the not-destash bin because I was tired and the bin I needed was on the bottom and I just didn't want to by that point. I think it was maybe two skeins, however. I'm not that fussed about it. I might get a bug in my pants to move them eventually but for right now, I did some good work.

Outside of fibery endeavors, Little Man had a makeup swimming lesson this week in addition to his regular swimming lesson, we both had dentist appointments, and he had a birthday party yesterday. So, exciting things all around.


I'm not going to lie: we probably let the boys play on the iPads too much/often. But sometimes, we just need the downtime around our house.



Little Man and one of his classmates/friends found a baby ladybug. They were both fascinated. I wanted to get a photo of them by their school sign but they were more interested in bugs. As long as I get it before said friend moves in August. ::sigh::



As is common and normal around here, Little Man saved a snail again the other day from the possibility of being run over (probably by me as it was in our driveway). It was moved to our flowerbed.




I have no idea what's going on at Target but the balls out front are both dressed as Mickey and, of course, each boy had to have a chance to sit on it.



Yes, Stormageddon is still coming into our bedroom at night. I value my sleep too much to fight him........unless he wakes up in the middle of the night while he's in our bed and is otherwise inconsolable, which did happen this week. He came into our room one night around 10:45pm and around 2:45am, Husband rolled over onto him, which woke him and he was quite upset. He kept saying, "go nigh-nigh" and I said, "well, come snuggle with me," but he kept saying, "no, mama, no; go nigh-nigh" so I finally asked if he wanted to go to his bed and he practically fell off the bed because he was trying to get out so quickly. So, I got him to sleep in his own bed for the rest of the night. It was lovely.

We're also making a bigger attempt with potty training. He seems to have some interest in cool underwear and the notion that if he gets his cute little butt potty trained, he can go to swimming lessons like Brother......of course, he's going to have accidents and it's not going to be pretty but he seems to understand what's going on. We'll see how this all goes.

On Saturday, Little Man had a birthday party for one of the boys in his Cub Scout den. The had an animal experience with Jungle James, where someone (James) come in with animals, specifically some beetles, a scorpion, a bearded dragon, salamanders, a blue-tongued skink, and a couple of snakes. There may have been more than that.



This was an interesting scorpion. It fluoresces under black light and reflects a bright green. I still wouldn't want to meet one but it was neat to see.



I even touched some of the animals. The only one we weren't allowed to touch was the scorpion (the birthday boy got to hold him but otherwise, no) but all the other animals they could touch. I might even be okay with having a salamander as a pet. Maybe. Probably not.

While Little Man and I were at the birthday party, Husband and Thom took Stormageddon to a Porsche 70th anniversary thing. He came home with a t-shirt (Little Man got a 70th anniversary collector tin) but he also got to look cute in Porsches.




This last photo is hilarious. This is Thom's Porsche, which Stormageddon has ridden in several times. When he saw it on display, he walked up to it and started trying to open the door. Husband opened the door for him, he climbed into the backseat and buckled himself in. A gentleman came up to Husband and said something along the lines of, "Sir, you probably shouldn't let your son climb around in these as they're here for display." Husband looked at him and said, "Oh, you mean Thom's Porsche? He's the one responsible for the gummy worm residue behind the driver's seat." The guy looked at him and said, "Oh, you actually do know Thom" and walked away.

This kid is going to cause me so much trouble. ::sigh::

Other than that, just a normal week. We have almost two full weeks of school left, which seems asinine to me, especially since summer break is only 7 weeks. But, that's California for you.

I hope you've had a lovely weekend and week.

3 comments:

  1. You are so organized. You have such a busy life and yet find time to make these detailed blogs. They will be such a gift for your boys to see these week by week pictorial memories. Love your spinning - I have almost all my bobbins full so I have to start plying soon so I can spin more for Tour de Fleece.

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  2. Jungle James - what a great idea for a birthday party! That's funny about Storm and the Porsche. Good thing he looks cute in there! ;^)

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  3. LOL on the litte one and the Porche. What a cool scout meeting; I like how there are girls and boys alike. Today is the last day of school. Should we meet up at least once w/the kids? My girls are quiet around "strangers" so maybe an ice cream place or something?

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