Y5: Self-Imposed Year of Projects - Update #48

Hello and happy Sunday! We're here for my weekly Year of Projects update (and if you're here for some other reason, sorry...and I don't know what would have dragged you in otherwise because it's the Year of Projects today). So, let's get moving already :)


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
41. Fall in San Francisco (Prototype 2): started September 28, 2016; finished October 2, 2016
42. Design Proposal: started September 26, 2016; finished October 3, 2016
43. Caffe Macchiato Socks: started May 7, 2016; finished October 16, 2016
44. Corgi Hill Polwarth/Tussah blend (spinning): started July 21, 2016; finished November 1, 2016
45. Unknown grey wool (spinning): started October 7, 2016; finished November 1, 2016
46. Inventory of circular needles: done...no dates, but it's done.
47. Inventory of crochet hooks: done...no dates, but it's done.

Nope. Nothing to see here.


WIPs (Works-In-Progress) - carried over year-to-year
1. Wink: started January 5, 2015
2. Oh, She IS a Bad Nut: started August 11, 2016
3. Fall in San Francisco (prototype 3): started October 4, 2016
4. Frene Creek Farm Corriedale (spinning): started October 12, 2016
5. Smooth Operator Socks: started October 13, 2016
6. Stormageddon's Vest: started October 17, 2016
7. Hermione's Everyday Socks (v2): started November 14, 2016

Admittedly, it's been a busy week around here in some ways (and in other ways, not busy but we'll talk about all that in a mo')...which has led to not a lot of crafting, really. I did some knitting on Hermione's Everyday Socks, which was the bulk of my crafting this week. The plan of going back and forth and knitting the socks at the same time has been rather helpful. I almost feel like I'm going faster, but that may just be some sort of psyological fake-out going on there. I don't know. I've finished up twelve repeats on the first sock (the pattern calls for that, if I remember correctly) and I've got five on the second sock. So, I'll be going back to the second sock soon enough. 

In my "WTFCRAZYLADYOMGLSGBBQ" lists:

Children's Items

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

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

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

4. 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.) *started*

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 (well, goals, anyway because I'll probably still spin)...Viktor needs a tune-up anyway. I might even get around to doing it.

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*
5. Inventory of straight needles
6. Inventory of interchangeable circulars (cord lengths, stoppers, keys, etc.)



Around here, the weather seems to finally have changed to fall, which means we get up and there's dew on everything and you *might* be able to see your breath while you're outside. Maybe. It also means I have an excuse to actually wear pants (instead of shorts). And handknit socks. Finally. FINALLY.

Anyway, let's get on with it already! As predicted, we went to Half Moon Bay last Sunday and picked up some live crabs for a crab boil. Basically, you boil a pot of water, throw in the corn, shrimp, sausage (hot links, andouille, etc.), potatoes, and some Old Bay seasoning and when the pot is really boiling, you throw in the crabs, live. You need to have a HUGE pot for this because you need enough water to cover the crabs when you throw them into the pot. And then I got to teach my friend how to gut crabs once they were cooked (which took about 10-12 minutes - they float when they're done and the shells turn bright red). It's kind of gross but oddly satisfying to gut crabs. And then we stuffed our faces, because of course. We weren't going through all that work to not gorge ourselves when we finished.

Monday, I took my friend to the airport so she could head back to Minnesota. Aside from that, it was a pretty normal day. Stormageddon started snotting out his nose but that's not necessarily unusual for this time of year. I honestly didn't think much of it. We wandered to Sunnyvale to pick up our racing bibs & shirts for the Turkey Trot, which happened on Thursday.

Tuesday was kind of a crazy day. We had our Thanksgiving order arrive from Amazon Fresh, which meant I needed to get turkeys in brine. It was also Little Man's last day of school for the week. In addition to that, we had one of Little Man's classmates over for a little bit after school (her mom had a doctor appointment right at noon and pickup is noon-thirty). So, it was kind of a busy day for us.

Wednesday, Stormageddon was noticeably sick. He was snotty and coughing and just generally icky but he was acting normal and eating properly. As Little Man didn't have school, we ran a bunch of errands and I took the boys ice skating here in town. Every year, the city transforms the baseball field of the main park in town into an ice skating rink. You can rent skates, buy hot cocoa, and you can do it all while the sun is shining. Seriously, where I'm from, you need hats, mittens, heavy coats, possibly snow pants, and scarves to go ice skating but here, you can wear shorts and a t-shirt and not be freezing your backside off (unless you fall a lot - which I would).

Little Man had a blast ice skating. He used that blue thing so he didn't fall as much. Don't get me wrong, he still fell...quite a bit, really, but he would have basically been butt on the ice the entire time without that. So, I call it a win. Stormageddon and I, however, did not fare so well and we pulled off our skates early.

Wednesday evening, one of our friends' parents arrived for Thanksgiving. They live down by San Diego and instead of flying back to Wisconsin and trying to split Thanksgiving four ways (between their children), they drive up and visit us instead. The boys adore them, which helps immensely (they don't have grandchildren.....yet....I'm sure it'll happen eventually). Unfortunately, Stormageddon was getting worse and by the time 8pm hit, he had thrown up four times in two hours and had spiked a fever of 102F (while he had ibuprofen in his system - I don't even want to know what his fever would have been without it). So, I took him into the after-hours pediatric clinic. His ears were clear, his lungs were clear, but his pulse-oxygen level was around 95 and he was breathing hard. Not to mention the pukes and the fever. The pediatrician was stumped because a run-of-the-mill cold wouldn't cause the high fever, though the congestion combined with a cough could cause the vomiting (coughing til you puke type of deal)....but we had nothing else to go on. And then I said, somewhat off-handedly, "with my luck, it'll be strep." Her ears perked up and she said, "wait, what?" and I repeated what I had said. She asked if he had been exposed (uh, yeah...his brother attends a germ factory on a daily basis and Daddy just got over it again). She said it would be unlikely because of his age but she'd give him a swab to check. It can cause high fevers and vomiting in small children. Fifteen minutes later: strep diagnosis, script for amoxicillin, and off we went. Well, after another 45 minutes because she wanted to make sure he could tolerate the apple juice because he was dehydrated. I got home late that night.

Luckily, he was feeling much better on Thursday, which was Thanksgiving for the USians. We were up early to drive down to San Jose for the Turkey Trot. It's a 5K/10K race that happens on Thanksgiving. We have been doing Thanksgiving Day 5Ks since we met, basically. We used to do the Berbee Derby in Madison but when we moved to California, we needed to find a new one. So, we found this one in San Jose and it's pretty decent, completely flat, but there's almost 30,000 people so "race" isn't an accurate word. We walk it anyway. Between the walk to and from the car, the winding around to get to the start and the winding back after the finish line...our 3.1 miles turned into 5 miles. I was okay with that because we were doing the full Thanksgiving later that day. We also got medals. So, now I have two medals from the Turkey Trot (and two different shirts).

We had eleven people at our house for Thanksgiving: the four of us, our friends' parents, and our friends from Fremont and their children (five people). We did the turkey, stuffing, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, corn, and rolls. Our friends brought dessert (seriously, they left us with FOUR pies - two pumpkin, a pecan, and an apple). It worked. We did one smoked turkey and one regular oven-roasted turkey. The smoked one was pretty good, though I prefer the old-school way.

After dinner, I was formally introduced to Cards Against Humanity. I knew the premise as I had played Apples to Apples before but this was the first time I had done CAH. I'm a fan. We're going to need to own this one.

And that's cranberry juice, not beer or other spirits.

So, we're looking good by this point, right?

Hahahahaha.

No.

I woke up on Friday morning, late (for me), feeling like death warmed over. My throat hurt, I was congested, I was coughing, and I ached all over. I basically didn't do much of anything on Friday. I mean, I did dishes, and some of the laundry was done but that was it.

Yesterday wasn't much better but I gained some functionality as the day went on. I managed to get a few random things done. I made the bed in the back room, did some dishes and laundry, and I even got some knitting done (the socks, of course). But, really, I stayed in my jammies again yesterday. Of course, I can help Little Man with his Legos, even if I'm in my jams.

We worked on his AT-ST he got for his birthday. Actually, we finished it. It's somewhat delicate because of the way the legs are attached but it works well and he likes it.


Anyway, that's about all that happened this week. I hope you've had a lovely week and weekend and such. I need to get back in here with some Stash Enhancement (from my Claudio Sanchez Box)...we'll see if that happens.