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

Monday, June 17, 2019

Year Eight: Self-Imposed Year of Projects - Too many things happening this time of year (Update #24)

Woot woot! It's Monday! I'm late this week for various reasons, mostly attached to the end of the school year and all that comes with it...too many things happening! 

Let's get mooooooving :) 




FO's (Finished Objects): 

1. Age of Brass & Steam: started 10 August 2018; finished 7 January 2019
2. Sockhead for Little Man: started 29 November 2018; finished 25 January 2019
3. Cowl for Miss Sylvie: started 18 January 2019; finished 9 April 2019

It's mid-June. I have three FOs for the year. I'm not quite sure what that says about me other than I've probably not been knitting as often as I'd like to be. ::sigh::





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 201
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. Multi-Colored Merino Top (Viktor): stared 16 January 2019
14. Prototype Something Something Raindrops: started 11 April 2019
15. Vanilla Fingerless Mitts: started 16 May 2019

I really only spent a little time knitting this week and it was on the Vanilla Fingerless Mitts. I've finished the thumb increases on the first one so I'm at the point where I stick those on a holder and continue on my merry merry. But that's honestly all I've touched this week. We were busy. 



Design WIPs  (New section, specifically for design WIPs):
1. Messed Up Moss: started March 2009 - write pattern as PDF (iterations: firstsecond)
2. Susan's Hat: started 31 August 2010 - need new prototypes & write the pattern (iterations: firstsecondthirdminififthsixth)
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: firstsecondthird)
6. Fall in San Francisco: started 18 September 2016 - need new prototype & write pattern (iterations: firstsecond)
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: firstsecond)
9. Rastarmulke: started 20 November 2017 - write pattern (iterations: firstsecond)
10. Paradiddle Socks: started 19 October 2017 - write pattern (iteration: here)


I'll get around to all this eventually, yeah?




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 two and started the third...I bought a fifth, though, for more choices): We are into June...I'm on my 9th square. Soooo, that means I'm behind now, which isn't surprising. For June, that means I need to finish the 9th, and start and finish the 10th, 11th, and 12th square. 
2. Knit 1 dishcloth a month (average): I've not knit a single one. I really should...
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! Or something. Maybe not an Etsy shop...




This past week has been busy. I had meetings with teachers for both boys: Wednesday was for Little Man and Thursday was for Stormageddon. Little Man's meeting went an hour, and we're reconvening in the fall to solidify everything regarding a 504 Plan for school, related to his ADHD (and possibly the metabolic disorder as well). Thursday's meeting lasted all of 20 minutes and was mostly just a "here's what's being handed over to the SLP for next year" and a formal request for a fine motor & sensory evaluation. 

In between the meetings, I still had to work, get to Costco, and do laundry, and attempt to keep cool. The first part of the week was horrendously hot. We had blackout curtains and room air conditioners and the house was still hanging out around 77ºF (it was in the upper 90s-low 100s on Monday and Tuesday). The beginning of the week was not a fun time for anyone. Wednesday it started to cool off...but it was still in the upper 80s. 

Outside of that, not much else happened. Friday afternoon, as Stormageddon and I were on our way to pick up Little Man from school, I got a text message from one of my mom friends who just got home from Europe. Grab her kid and come over for wine. Who was I to argue? That bottle turned into....six or so (between her, her husband, and myself). Good thing we were walking...but she's been gone for almost two weeks so it was delightful to see her. 

Saturday, we did a few things around the house, ran some errands, and wound up visiting friends in Fremont...which translated to swimming, as well. And then we grilled steaks. The heat had finally broken so it was okay to actually cook outside for once! 

Yesterday, I took the boys to the county fair. Fairs have gotten expensive! Wristbands for the five of us (me, the boys, and the aforementioned mom friend's two kids) was $175....and there's a charge to get in the gates....and there's a charge to park.....and food is outrageous....but, everyone had fun and that's important.




Little Man got a bug bite near his eye again so we were dealing with some minor swelling. Nothing like what he used to deal with. A dose of Claritin cleared it up, for the most part, which was lovely.

All the rest of these are from yesterday at the fair. 





This was the first year Stormageddon could really go on any of the rides by himself (or at all). He enjoyed it immensely. 






Not seen in the above photo: friends' kids way up at the top! Little Man went on that one a couple of years ago and decided never again. Okay fine.




Stormageddon wanted to drive the bumper cars by himself but he wasn't quite tall enough.....but that didn't stop him from trying to snag a car for himself. 





Little Man has a known fear of heights. He went on the little roller coaster with his friend and was fine...and then they saw the bigger one. He actually went on it. This was his "victory" photo after he got off. 





Maybe a little jelly-legged...but he did it and I was so proud of him!






With school letting out this week, I expect to be even crazier for a couple of weeks until we settle in. We'll see how things go. I may even have a chance to knit (hahahaha!). 

I hope you've had a lovely week and weekend :) 

3 comments:

  1. What joyful faces your boys have at the fair, expensive time but what great memories have been created.

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  2. With all you do with your boys, I don't see how you find time to knit. Do you sleep? Lol The evening of wine sounds like fun. Glad you were walking. Those are some high temps for your area. Glad it has since cooled off.

    ReplyDelete