Y5: Self-Imposed Year of Projects - Update #40

Happy Sunday! Happy October! WOO! Let's get started.

First and foremost, my Etsy shop had an update yesterday. I have some "on sale" sets of stitch markers and some new ones and some Halloween ones and....yeah, the shop updated and that's lovely. You should go take a look.

Now, onto business as usual :)

FOs (Finished Objects)
1. Fire Socks: started April 15, 2015; finished January 6, 2016
2. Nottingham for Stormageddon: started January 12, 2016; finished January 14, 2016
3. Design proposal for Fire Socks: started January 13, 2016; finished January 18, 2016
4. Purple merino/silk spinning (singles): started toward the end of Tour de Fleece (July 4-26, 2015); finished January 29, 2016
5. Nottingham for Little Man: started January 17, 2016; finished February 1, 2016
6. Swirl Hat: started December 16, 2015; finished February 4, 2016
7. Swatch for Marly Bird class at Stitches West: started January 8, 2016; finished February 7, 2016 (no project page)
8. Fire Socks design (the actual pattern writing & photography part): started February 6, 2016; finished February 12, 2016 (link to the preview; pattern went live on Saturday, April 2nd)
9. Mountains Beanie: started February 9, 2016; finished February 17, 2016
10. Rathmore: started February 25, 2016; finished March 4, 2016
11. Dragon's Egg Socks: started September 2, 2013; finished March 9, 2016
12. Creeper for Little Man: started March 4, 2016; finished March 10, 2016
13. Mother Bear Project #1: started February 22, 2016; finished March 12, 2016
14. Asshole Corriedale (spinning project): started March 23, 2016; finished March 24, 2016
15. Pacific Waves: started March 9, 2016; finished March 25, 2016
16. Freeport Vest Frogging: started March 29, 2016; finished March 29, 2016
17. Pacific Waves: started March 31, 2106; finished April 2, 2016
18. Vanilla Latte Socks: started November 19, 2015; finished April 6, 2016
19. Snape's Stockings: started August 20, 2014; finished April 11, 2016
20. Pacific Waves: started April 3, 2016; finished April 15, 2016
21. Creeper Hat: started April 28, 2016; finished May 4, 2016
22: Finn & Suffolk blend (spinning): started April 1, 2016; singles finished May 27, 2016; plied May 31, 2016
23. Gex for Little Man: started April 8, 2016; finished June 5, 2016
24. Bridal Shower Lace Cloth: started June 20, 2016; finished June 27, 2016
25. TdF 1: 25%/25%/50% purple merino/silk & white merino (~ 540 yds; ~ 8 oz; DK/lt. worsted): started during TdF last year and finished the purple singles January 29, 2016; started the white last weekend, plied them on July 4, 2016
26. TdF 2: 25%/25%/50% leftover purple merino/silk & leftover kelly green merino (~ 20 yds; unknown weight; DK/lt. worsted): leftover bits that were plied on July 4, 2016
27. TdF 3: 100% merino, 50% hot pink, 50% grey (~ 50 yds; ~ 1 oz; DK/lt. worsted): started & finished on July 5, 2016
28: TdF 4: 100% merino, 50% rose pink, 50% navy blue (~ 50 yds; ~ 1 oz; DK/lt. worsted): started & finished on July 5, 2016
29. TdF 5: 25%/25%/50% leftover purple merino/silk & leftover hot pink merino (~ 10 yds; unknown weight; DK/lt. worsted): the purple was started during TdF last year and finished January 29, 2016; the hot pink was spun on July 5, 2016; they were plied on July 5, 2016
30. TdF 6: 100% merino, 50% leftover hot pink, 50% leftover navy blue (~ 10 yds; unknown weight; DK/lt. worsted): started & finished on July 5, 2016
31. TdF 7: 100% merino, rainbow gradient (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black, and white) (~ 220 yds; ~ 4 oz; worsted): started July 5, 2016; finished July 6, 2016
32: TdF 8: 50/50 merino/tencel, Fat Cat Fibers in Razzmatazz (three different skeins: two skeins are three-ply, one is around 245 yds of worsted and the other is around 120 yds, also worsted; one skein is chain plied, probably also a worsted weight, about 25 yds): started July 8, 2016; finished July 12, 2016
33. TdF 9: 100% white merino (~ 446 yds two-ply, probably sport weight; ~ 15 yds Andean Ply, also around a sport weight): started July 15, 2016; finished July 18, 2016
34. TdF 10: Superwash Merino/Bamboo/Nylon from Happy Hands Hand Dyed (~ 166 yds two-ply, probably Aran weight; ~ 14 yds Andean Plied, also Aran weight): started July 15, 2016; finished July 19, 2016
35. TdF 11: 60% BFL/40% Bombyx (Mulberry Silk) from Corgi Hill (~ 298 yds two-ply, probably DK/lt. worsted; ~ 25 yds Andean Plied, also DK/lt. worsted): started July 18, 2016; finished July 20, 2016
36: TdF 12: Unknown BFL, possibly from Yarn Hollow (~ 144 yds two-ply, probably Aran weight): started July 21, 2016; finished July 23, 2016

37. Rainbow Gradient Cowl: started August 5, 2016; finished August 6, 2016
38. Gex for Niece: started June 28, 2016; finished August 19, 2016
39. Diagonal Owl Dishcloth: started September 1, 2016; finished September 2, 2016

40. Fall in San Francisco (Prototype 1): started September 18, 2016; finished September 21, 2016

Nothing new going on here....I decided to rename my hat so I changed that on the list. That's it, though :)


WIPs (Works-In-Progress) - carried over year-to-year
1. Wink: started January 5, 2015
2. Caffe Macchiato Socks: started May 7, 2016
3. Corgi Hill Polwarth/Tussah blend (spinning): started July 21, 2016
4. Oh, She IS a Bad Nut: started August 11, 2016
5. Fall in San Francisco (Prototype 2): started September 28, 2016
6. Design Submission: started September 26, 2016

Yeah.....let's talk about what's going on over here. My Caffe Macchiato socks continue to lengthen. I've finished up the double gusset heel decrease and am just working on the foot right now. I finished up the gusset decreases on Thursday.

I really do like how these turn out. They kind of....I hate to use the word "hug" in this scenario, but that's the best word. They kind of hug your feet. That works for me. It's not perfect for everyone but for me, it's a good one.

I've also been working on a new prototype for a hat design...and working on the design submission. Aside from photographing the sketch & schematic and adding the photo of the swatch, it's ready to go.

Somehow, I think I've lost my mind. But that's another story. I've not worked on much else this week, to be honest. Well, I take it back...I did do a shop update yesterday. Getting everything ready for that took a significant amount of time because of photographs and descriptions and making sure everything was set up correctly. I think I added something like 25 items to the shop. Whatever, it's done.

In my "WTFCRAZYLADYOMGLSGBBQ" lists:

Children's Items

1. George's Vest (for Stormageddon - probably the largest size; YOTH Little Brother from Stitches)

2. House Hat (one each for Stormageddon and Little Man - worsted, two contrasting colors)

3. Arthur the Alien (for Little Man - worsted; any colors)

4. Holiday Countdown Stockings (for the family - Aran/worsted; four colors)

5. Mirkwood (for Little Man - worsted or bulky; any colors)

Items for ME (selfish knitting, FTW!!)

1. Vanillaish Socks (using one of my Harry Potter Yarns)

2. Paradiddle Socks (using a solid or semi-solid sock yarn)

3. Hermione Hearts Ron (sport weight; solid or semi-solid - Plucky Primo in Petunia?)

4. Hermione Hearts Ron Fingerless Mitts (sport weight; solid or semi-solid - Plucky Primo in Petunia?)

5. Classic Silk Mayfaire Camisole (Miss Babs from Stitches Midwest)

6. Stormont (worsted; solid or semi-solid)

7. Sockhead Hat (sock; any colors)

8. Moab Shawl (sock; any colors)

9. Prowl (DK; solid or semi-solid) *need pattern*

Secret Sock Club Bags - Pick a bag at random; do pattern with yarn

1. Scotch & Soda Scarf (using Briar Rose Fibers Wistful, leftover from my Icarus Shawl)

2. Jabberwonky (using KP Felici in Abracadabra)

3. If You Know Where To Go (using KP Felici in Green Veggies)

4. Gardener's Socks (using Malabrigo Sock in Indiacita)

Stranded Knitting

1. University of Wisconsin Ski Hat

2. University of Wisconsin Christmas Stocking

3. University of Wisconsin Button Beanie

4. Xanadu Snowflake Cowl

Christmas/Charity Bin

1. 198 yds. of Heaven (worsted; any colors)

2. Phillip and Mr. Grum (sock yarn; any colors)

3. Comfort Food (Aran; solid)

4. Fine Fella (worsted; solid or semi-solid)

5. November Leaves (Shelter from stash) *need pattern*

6. Skinner Hat (sock; solid or semi-solid) *need pattern*

7. The Shoemaker's Hat (bulky; solid or semi-solid) *need pattern*

8. Roll Out The Barrels (cotton; any colors)

9. Sweeny Todd Scarf (worsted; any colors)

10. The Snowmen Cometh (worsted; any colors)

11. Sunburst Dishcloth (cotton; any colors)

12. Starfish Cloth (cotton; any colors)

13. Seamless Circular Cloth (cotton; any colors)

14. Tombreck (Aran/worsted; solid or semi-solid)

15. Premie Spiral Hat (for hospital donations - sport or DK; any colors)

Designs

1. Ice Somethingsomething (knit prototype and pattern for submission)

2. Susan's Hat (make proper - photos, pattern, etc.; knit new prototype from Babs K2 from Stitches)

3. Little Man's Baby Blanket (make proper - photos, pattern, etc.)

4. Paradiddle Socks (knit prototype - see "Items for ME")

5. Pacific Waves Hat (knit prototypes in various weights/sizes, pattern for submission? self-publish?) *started*

6. Stormageddon's Baby Blanket (design process, knit prototype, etc.)

Spinning

1. Given that TdF happened and I SPUN ALL THE YARNS, I think I'm going to take a break from spinning for a bit...Viktor needs a tune-up anyway. At least my parts have arrived.

Other (for things that are fibery/crafty in nature but not specific to knitting or spinning)

1. Organize my handmade stitch markers *mostly done?*

2. Make more stitch markers (to sell? donate? hoard?) *started...never-ending?*

3. Organize my books/magazines/loose patterns. *started*

4. Toss the stash (fiber & yarn). *started*




I am so glad September is over, done, and gone. It was not the most fun month I've ever had. There was something on the calendar almost every single day this month. And most of them required some sort of action. I think there were all of two instances where there were things listed that didn't actually require me to do anything other than acknowledge them (like my brother's birthday). Honestly, September was a shitshow of a month.

Thankfully, it's October now and although my calendar is filling up, it doesn't appear to be nearly as crazy as September. Of course, i say tht now and by the end of the month, I'll probably be cursing about October, as well. Oh well.

Anyway, this past week......

Last Sunday, Husband decided to make beer. This isn't normally an issue. A little messy, perhaps, but it usually goes off pretty well. But last Sunday, things did not go well. He grinds his own grain using an attachment to the Kitchen Aid stand mixer. I'm usually the one that cleans it when he's done. It can't go through the dishwasher so I have to get in there with a brush and blow everything out and I turn the dial and such, to make sure everything is out. Sooooo, he went to grind the grain, not knowing that I had turned the dial this way and that from the last time he made beer...and he wound up grinding it too fine and it didn't work well. Well, it worked fine but we had a fine grain sludge at the bottom of the mash container...which means we couldn't get the beer to drain correctly...which led to a big mess on my kitchen floor. I wound up having to mop, which wasn't fun either. In addition to that, it was super hot last weekend. We spent time in the pool because it was so hot.

The heat continued into Monday and, as a result, we lost power for a couple hours on Monday night. Because it was scattered all over the Bay Area, we're pretty sure the problem was in the server room of PG&E, which probably overheated and a bunch of servers shut down. Also, this happened:

Mama got sick of trying to comb major knots out of Stormageddon's hair so he got all his hair shaved off. He's still adorable but he can no longer twirl knots into his hair, and I am grateful for that.

Tuesday turned into a shitty day because I managed to inadvertently break the garage door pulley system thingie. The garage door got stuck on Stormageddon's stroller on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning and I wound up ripping out the pulley system from the wall. Husband did manage to fix it but we don't know how long that's going to last. ::sigh::

On the update, this arrived on Tuesday:

That box, friends, contained about 28 POUNDS of cheese. Husband's friend's mama sent that to us (the mama of his friend that he went to stay with for a week in Septemeber...remember that?). So, our fridge is filled with glorious Wisconsin cheese!

In addition to the regular things that were happening.......our washer was still in a non-working order. And now it's Sunday and the damn thing still doesn't work and it's been about two and a half weeks! Thankfully, we're having Sears come over to fix the damn thing. Or, rather, attempted to fix it. If they can't fix it, we're getting a new one. ::sigh:: I'm really hoping that won't be the case. Because the washer was still borked, I wound up taking all of our laundry over to the laundromat on Friday night. I brought everything home to go in our dryer but I did four loads over there. ::sigh:: If we need to buy a new one, the earliest we'll get it is October 17th.

Yesterday, I went to Lambtown and I expect there will be an entire blog post about all that. Let's just say that some things were purchased.

Other things that happened this week:

I think I took those on Thursday....maybe. I honestly don't remember. My days all kind of meld into one another.


Anyway, that's about all that's going on. I think I'm going to write up a post about Lambtown and recent stash enhancements later this week. Exciting times. I hope you're having a lovely weekend!