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

Sunday, January 13, 2019

Year Eight: Self-Imposed Year of Projects - New Pretties! (Update #2)

Happy Sunday! Let's get going. There have been some minor changes between last week and this week :) Just an FYI...



FO's (Finished Objects): 
1. Age of Brass & Steam: started 10 August 2018; finished 7 January 2019

So, I know I said last week that there was a possibility that I could finish a project and that we could all laugh because there was no way that was going to happen.......yeah, it happened. 

I know. I'm just as surprised as you are!

To be fair, I only had like two rows left on the shawl and I had purchased another skein of the yarn, which had arrived.....so it wasn't going to be difficult. I managed those last two rows and the bind-off.....and I won at yarn chicken. I'm not even kidding. I have another skein of the yarn because I won at yarn chicken. So, not only did I finish the shawl, I won at yarn chicken. It's even been washed and blocked (well, I hung it up flat over the shower door on a towel)........but I haven't woven in the ends yet. Soon, I think...maybe. We'll see. But the knitting and washing is finished, so I've got that going for me.






This is the pre-washing, pre-blocking shot that I took just after I finished the bind off. You can even see my little ball of leftover yarn....not much at all!

😮



WIPs (Works-in-Progress) (These are carried over year to year):
1. Wink: started 5 January 2015
2. Shetland Neck Wool (support spindle): started 8 September 2017
3. Returning: started 14 January 2018
4. Faerie Mountain Fibers Crazy Batt (EEW Mini Spinner): started 13 April 2018
5. Granny Square Blanket: started 28 April 2018
6. Clapotis: started 29 June 2018
7. University of Wisconsin Ski Hat: started 28 July 2018 
8. Abracadabra Socks: started 7 August 2018
9. Purl & Loop Weaving Project: started 28 August 2018
10. Campfire Socks: started 17 October 2018
11. Herbivore: started 15 November 2018
12. Ewetopia Stripey Socks: started 15 November 2018
13. Sockhead for Little Man: started 29 November 2018

Design WIPs  (New section, specifically for design WIPs):
1. Messed Up Moss: started March 2009 - write pattern as PDF (iterations: first, second)
2. Susan's Hat: started 31 August 2010 - need new prototypes & write the pattern (iterations: first, second, third, mini, fifth, sixth)
3. Little Man's Baby Blanket: started July 2010 - need new prototype & write pattern (iteration: here)
4. Chunky Scarf: started 6 October 2012 - need new prototype & write pattern (iteration: here)
5. Pacific Waves Hat: started 9 March 2016 - need new prototype & write the pattern (iterations: first, second, third)
6. Fall in San Francisco: started 18 September 2016 - need new prototype & write pattern (iterations: first, second)
7. Stomping Grounds Collection: started 26 February 2017 - need prototypes & write patterns 
8. Unnamed Hat Design: started 14 August 2017 - need various weight yarn prototypes & write pattern (iterations: first, second)
9. Rastarmulke: started 20 November 2017 - write pattern (iterations: first, second)
10. Paradiddle Socks: started 19 October 2017 - write pattern (iteration: here)

In the land of WIPs.....well, I obviously added a section specifically for Design WIPs, which may or may not help. It means that I have a total of 23 WIPs, but only 13 of them are actual projects. 

With that said, I'm not sure I actually worked on any of the design WIPs this week, which is perfectly acceptable, honestly. 

In non-design WIP news, I worked on a couple things this week, in addition to finishing up the shawl noted above. I finished up two crochet squares, which means I'm ahead in my challenges, having finished a total of four already. I've started the fifth and I'm on the fifth round...but each subsequent round gets longer, of course. I'm actually trying to get ahead on this one because the next 6-8 weeks are going to be crazy because of auction-related work. I also procured another cake of the yarn on Friday afternoon. Based on the math, I should wind up with 35 squares (or thereabouts)...I might get a sixth, depending on how things pan out. I figure what I'll wind up doing, after I finish all five cakes of yarn, is lay all my squares out and see how large my blanket would be. Then I can decide if I need another cake or not. But for now, I'm on the second cake, I have 12 squares finished (total) and I'm ahead for my challenge in that I have four squares knit already for this year. 

Aside from the granny square blanket, I also worked on the Sockhead Hat for Little Man. I tried it on him yesterday and he says it's ready now but I talked him into making it a little bit longer, so he can grow into it a bit. He agreed...so maybe another inch or so and then I'll start the decreases. 

I had intentions to work on my Ewetopia Stripey Socks...but I didn't get around to them. They're probably going to be shorty(ish) socks because I don't think I have the yardage. I might wind a ball of black (Tosh BFL Sock or Canon Hand Dyes Charles Sock...I have black for both of those...or maybe BMFA STR-M...I have a black one there, also) and use it for the heels and toes. I haven't decided yet. I should maybe hold up some black yarn to the sock-in-progress and see how strange it looks. I might need a grey instead. Who knows. I just need to stretch the yarn a bit so I can have two socks. 


Mooooving along :) 


OMGLSGWTFBBQ Lists

Challenges (this is new for 2019)
1. Knit 2 granny squares a month (average) until I'm out of yarn (for the Granny Square Blanket in my WIP list above - I started with four cakes, I've finished one and started the second...I bought a fifth, however): I am ahead with this challenge as I have finished four squares.
2. Knit 1 dishcloth a month (average)
3. Submit and/or publish 4 designs this year


Children's Items
1. Oliver for Stormageddon (worsted weight - Stunning String Studio from Stitches West 2018)
2. Minecraft Socks for Little Man (fingering weight - Tosh Sock in Plaid Blanket?)
3. Mittens for Stormageddon (probably worsted weight of some sort)
4. Tardis Beanie (worsted weight - Cascade Yarns Venezia in Blue Velvet Grey)
5. Holiday Countdown Stockings (worsted weight - might need to buy yarn for this one...) x2 sets (because 2 children)
6. Smaug Hat (worsted weight - Malabrigo Rios in Archangel)
7. Mirkwood (bulky weight - MadTosh Chunky in either Charcoal or Lowland)

Items for Me (Selfish Knitting FTW!)
1. Fornicating Deer Hat / Basic Lined Hat (worsted weight - Barrett Wool Co. Worsted Weight in Huron & Stationery from Stitches West 2018)
2. Pembroke Scarf (fingering weight - pick anything 400+ yds, it should work)
3. Brickless (worsted weight - Miss Babs Yowza in Celebration)
4. Nightlock (fingering weight - Sun Valley Fibers Merino/Nylon Fingering in Onyx & Sunshine Yarns Classic Sock in May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor)
5. Honey Badger (fingering weight - one of the BMFA STR that I got from Carrie)
6. Park Slope (fingering weight - Mountain Fibers Crazyfoot in Shamrock)
7. Irisa Cowl (aran weight - pick something 200+ yds and it'll be fine)
8. Flax (worsted weight - Misty Alpaca in the Harry Potter colors)
9. Xandu Snowflake Cowl (as a hat; fingering weight - G. Sheller Merino/Silk Fingering in Natural & YOTH Little Brother in Caviar)
10. Spider Slouch (worsted weight - Plucky Scholar in One Hit Wonder)*
11. Moyen Age (fingering weight - Vice Yarns special order)
12. Pop Blanket (worsted weight - box of Knit Picks...may need to order more)
15. Morvarch (fingering weight - Wollmeise that I used the first time)
16. Down the Rabbit Hole (self-stripe fingering weight - White Birch Fiber Arts Merino/Nylon Self-Stripe in Rainbow Ash)
17. Tombreck (Aran weight - hand-dyed Malabrigo Twist or handspun Purple BFL)
18. Stormont (worsted weight - MadTosh 80/10/10 in Molly Ringwald)
19. Rose's Wrist Warmers (DK weight - using Aran instead; hand-dyed Malabrigo Twist?)
20. Northeasterly (Sock or DK weight - but really, I can use whatever as long as I have enough)* 

Dishcloth Patterns (for Challenges - these are just ideas!)
2. Kitchen Towel (as a washcloth - leave off the top/mirror bottom)
3. Tribble

Designs
1. Stormageddon's Baby Blanket - need prototype & write pattern
2. Cabled pullover (grey look-alike sweater - Old Navy hooded sweater with cable) - need sketch, grading, swatch, prototype, & write pattern
3. Christmas stocking for Little Man - need charts, prototype, & write pattern (maybe)
4. Christmas stocking for Stormageddon - need charts, prototype, & write pattern (maybe)
5. Christmas stocking for Husband - need charts, prototype, & write pattern (maybe)

Spinning
5. Alpaca (from Lambtown 2014)

Dyeing
1. Sock Blanks (10) from Vice Yarns
2. Anything else I find in the stash...or pick up along the way....

Other Fibery Endeavors
1. Stitch markers and/or stitch marker kits
2. Vintage patterns into Rav database & my Rav Library
3. Update inventory of loose patterns & books (spreadsheet & Rav Library)
4. Update inventory of PDF patterns (Rav Library)
5. Update yarn inventory (make sure it's up-to-date)/destash
6. Inventory project bags (Erin Lane, I'm looking at you)
7. Get the Etsy Shop up and running with all the things!



In California life, my birthday was last Monday, Little Man went back to school this week, Stormageddon went back to speech therapy this week, swimming lessons were had..... basically, we're back to our regularly scheduled life. Or something close to it (I haven't been to the gym in ages - maybe this week I start up again with that, also). 

This photo is actually from last week. I had a donut date with the boys on Friday, January 4th. We had dropped Husband off at the train station and then we hit the donut shop on our way to Costco.






Last Sunday, Little Man and I went to Target to take care of some returns. He got a couple "doubles" on Lego sets so we returned them and got one big set. He picked the Hogwarts train. So, he put that together on Monday. We also had a lunch date while we were out.






On Monday, the boys played outside for a little while and Little Man found a handful of houseless snails (aka slugs). I think one of them was a baby banana slug but I'm not positive. He put them in a much safer place in our yard (in the bushes, away from our silly dog).






Tuesday, like I mentioned above, Little Man went back to school. He also had a Cub Scouts Pack Meeting that night, which was the start of Pinewood Derby season. Last year, he missed Pinewood Derby and he was most miffed at me for quite awhile....so this year, we're doing it. 






Other than that, it's been a pretty quiet, get back to the routine, kind of week. And it's been raining off and on. ::sigh:: 









Stormageddon spotted this little butterfly in the bushes on our walk home on Friday morning. It's the same bush where we find many caterpillars (and now, their cocoons). I don't know how he managed to spot it but he did. 

Yesterday morning, I had breakfast with two of my mom friends. We ditched our kids (translation: they were all with their respective daddies), had mimosas, and a lovely breakfast. The rest of the day was spent at a birthday party and doing other things around the house. I think we finally took down the Christmas tree....maybe.....

I hope you're all having a lovely weekend! I might be back with an FO Friday post but don't hold your breath. 



Oh, before I forget....I was gifted this lovely for my birthday:





It is most likely Swiss-made, c. 1860, flax/castle spinning wheel. A friend of ours gave it to me. His mother purchased it before he was born, sometime in the 1960s, in Switzerland. It was well-used prior to that but has not been used since (she was not a spinner - she just thought it was pretty). From floor to the top of the distaff is about 60" (5'), give or take a little. It's in need of some TLC. The treadle is loose and the leather was replaced with some sort of nylon cord. Other spots of leather are well worn and in need of replacement. A few of the ivory knobs are broken (probably from our friend when he was a kid). Right now, it's sitting where my Majacraft Pioneer used to sit, and I did some rearranging so it would be up out of the way of my destructive children. 








I have a couple of feelers out about places nearby that do antique spinning wheel restoration and maybe we'll get it in working order. It depends on the cost, to be honest. I might have to sell yarn to get it repaired. Or something. We'll see how it goes :) 


Okay, NOW I'm done. I hope you've had a lovely week and weekend!

4 comments:

  1. So much going on and as I was reading I kept thinking of things to write in the comments. I think splitting projects and design WIPs is a good idea, as they are very different things. Well done on your completed project and I like you new challenges section. As for the spinning wheel, what a lovely birthday present! A belated happy birthday.

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  2. That spinning wheel looks really terrific. How wonderful that you had a perfect spot to put it.

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  3. Yay for winning at yarn chicken. That wheel is stunning!

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