Year Eight: Self-Imposed Year of Projects - Almost, almost, almost, there! (Update #51)

Holy shitsnacks! I know, I don't curse much on the blog (I've had moments)...but seriously, how is it almost the last week of the insanity?!

Anyway, let's get going :) 


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
4. Vanilla Fingerless Mitts: started 16 May 2019; finished 24 June 2019
5. Dishcloth: started 9 July 2019; finished 16 July 2019
6. Clapotis: started 29 June 2018; frogged 16 July 2019
7. Dishcloth: started 16 July 2019; finished 26 August 2019
8. Large Sacrificial Goat: started 20 September 2019; finished 1 October 2019
9. Hufflepuff Hat: started 31 July 2019; finished 7 October 2019
10. Lederhosen Socken Hat: started 11 September 2019; finished 16 November 2019
11. Holiday Countdown Stockings: started 2 December 2019; finished 18 December 2019

As promised, I finished something this week: the little stockings. I made five in all. Two were white, one was navy blue, and two were a blue/purple/green variegated. All of the yarns were leftovers of Cascade 220 from various projects (the navy and white were left from Little Man's Gex Sweater I made a few years ago and the variegated one was leftovers from the Vanilla Fingerless Mitts listed above). I still have some of the white and variegated left and a bunch of the blue. I may have to make some more. But, silly me, I didn't take any photos of the finished ones before they were gifted so I'm going to have to work on that. 

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. University of Wisconsin Ski Hat: started 28 July 2018 

7. Abracadabra Socks: started 7 August 2018

8. Purl & Loop Weaving Project: started 28 August 2018

9. Campfire Socks: started 17 October 2018

10. Herbivore: started 15 November 2018
11. Ewetopia Stripey Socks: started 15 November 2018
12. Multi-Colored Merino Top (Viktor): stared 16 January 2019

13. Prototype Something Something Raindrops: started 11 April 2019

14. Tiny Turtle: started 7 November 2019

I've literally done no other knitting aside from the little stockings. I wish I were joking. It just hasn't happened.



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)

Keep moving along now, Sir. Let's just not talk about this right now. Sir, I said MOVE ALONG.

OMGLSGWTFBBQ Lists

Challenges (this is new for 2019)

1. Knit 1 granny square a month (average) until I'm out of yarn (for the Granny Square Blanket in my WIP list above): I'm definitely behind. I'm okay with it. As long as I work on them, it's all good.
2. Submit and/or publish 2 designs this year. And she laughed and laughed...

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)

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. Brickless (worsted weight - Miss Babs Yowza in Celebration)

3. Nightlock (fingering weight - Sun Valley Fibers Merino/Nylon Fingering in Onyx & Sunshine Yarns Classic Sock in May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor)

4. Honey Badger (fingering weight - one of the BMFA STR that I got from Carrie)

5. Park Slope (fingering weight - Mountain Fibers Crazyfoot in Shamrock)

6. Flax (worsted weight - Misty Alpaca in the Harry Potter colors)

7. Xandu Snowflake Cowl (as a hat; fingering weight - G. Sheller Merino/Silk Fingering in Natural & YOTH Little Brother in Caviar)

8. Pop Blanket (worsted weight - box of Knit Picks...may need to order more)

9. Tombreck (Aran weight - hand-dyed Malabrigo Twist or handspun Purple BFL)

10. Stormont (worsted weight - MadTosh 80/10/10 in Molly Ringwald)

11. Rose's Wrist Warmers (DK weight - using Aran instead; hand-dyed Malabrigo Twist?)
12. Northeasterly (Sock or DK weight - but really, I can use whatever as long as I have enough)* 

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

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. Sock Blanks (9) 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...

I can't believe that it's almost the end of the year! I feel like it took forever and yet, I have almost nothing to show for it. I suppose that's what happens when someone starts working and suddenly there's less time for all the crafting! I don't like it. I don't like it at all! I'm going to have to figure that out in the next year.

I think next week is going to be my wrap-up post and then on January 5th, I'll start my 9th Self-Imposed Year of Projects. I suppose that means I should start planning or something. I haven't even thought about that yet!

In California life, things are happening. The roof has been fixed, thankfully. I still have to wait for it to rain again to say that with certainty but as far as we know, it's been fixed. 

I'm still coughing my lungs out and it appears that I've got another hernia. I'm not happy about that. I'm heading to the doctor tomorrow, which will probably result in very little other than medication to make me stop properly. That would be nice. I think if I can stop coughing, the hernia will calm down. We'll see. 

The boys have been wired this past week because it was the last week before break. We've had meetings galore. Husband and I met with Little Man's IEP team this week. With the ADHD diagnosis and the corresponding struggles at school, we had him evaluated and he qualifies for services for both occupational therapy and educational services. The important thing is that we have it in writing. I also met with the school nurse regarding Little Man's metabolic disorder. His is 99% a non-issue so I haven't been crawling down her throat to meet but she did need to meet with me. So, after 1/3 of the school year, we've met and she has a basic idea what's happening with him (which, again, is 99% nothing).

In addition to that, I gave another kindergarten tour at Little Man's school. I wasn't supposed to, especially as I've been sick, but they were short-handed so I hopped in again. it wasn't too bad. 

Oh, I know what else happened....we had our Mama Gift Exchange and dinner on Thursday. So, those stockings I made were for five other moms. We have had a text message thing going on for months (seriously, it's been going on since like May or June) and we decided to do a gift exchange. I made stockings and they all got some chocolate and boozeamahol from me. One of the other moms got us all Dammit Dolls, a note book and pen (for us to get our shit together in the new year). Another mom found snarky sayings on things. I got socks that say "you crafty bitch" on them. Another mom had a kitchen towel that said something like "I need a cleaning fairy." They were all matched to us perfectly. Another mom baked all the goodies (shortbread, cookies, peppermint bark). We also got scarves from one of the moms. She had to laugh about mine. It's a garter stitch infinity cowl. She said I could totally make it (which is true)...but now I don't have to! And the last one gave us Snarky Teas, and a few other things. They other five moms also went in together to pre-order me the new Harry Potter knitting book by Tanis Gray. They've all requested Hedwigs. Maybe next year. 

That is my car selfie, wearing my cowl, on Friday morning while taking Stormageddon to school.

And that's the only photo you're getting :) 

I hope you've had a lovely week and weekend! Happy Solstice. Happy Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. Happy Kwanza. Happy Festivus. Happy happy whatever.