Y5: Self-Imposed Year of Projects - Update #51

Happy Sunday! Today's post is brought to you by..........well, I don't know. Something funny because my friends back home are whinging on about the snow and the cold and I'm here in California dealing with rain and basic fall type things. Winter my ass. It doesn't get cold enough here. Winter here is like fall back in Wisconsin.

Anyway, let's get going!

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.

Move along. 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
8. Trusty: started December 16, 2016

Soooooooo, WIPs. I've actually pulled out things other than my socks. Firstly, I pulled Wink out of pseudo-hibernation. I stayed up late a couple nights this week to catch up on some podcasts (Knitmore Girls, specifically) and because it was quiet and I had no children clamoring on me, I worked on Wink. Now, I didn't get all that far, maybe 10 rows. But, you know, progress. 

In addition to pulling out Wink, I also pulled out the shawl and worked a few rows on that one. I still keep wondering if it's going to be long enough or wide enough.....I'm not sure how this one is working out for me. We'll see.

And, of course, I pulled out socks this week. I worked on the Smooth Operator Socks on Thursday morning. I'm almost to the point where I'm going to start the heel again. Maybe. I don't know. And speaking of heels, the heels on Hermione's Everyday Socks have both been turned. I did one during swimming lessons on Thursday night. I did the other one on Friday morning and now I'm just working on the gusset decreases. Exciting times.

Oh, and then there's a new one. In a(nother) loss of sanity, I said I'd test knit a hat for someone. The deadline: Friday. And in that time, I need to swatch properly, measure blocked and unblocked gauge, and knit......and I may have to do it twice because I already know I'm going to have issues with my gauge being off. ::sigh:: Like I said, loss of sanity. So far, I'm swatching. 

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

Let's start with the "big event" of this week, which actually happened last Sunday afternoon. Little Man's bedroom got a deep cleaning on Sunday. It's been needed for awhile but Husband went Lego hunting for a very specific piece (that we still haven't found - I expect it's under a couch or something like that) and that's what started the whole process. He's working on one of Little Man's Star Wars sets that he took apart. Little Man's room was in a state of "sort of clean but needs some work and organization." So, while we were looking for the piece, we cleaned. I got to the area under his bed (he has a loft bed from Ikea) and I noticed a faint smell. I was pretty sure it was going to be mouse pee/poop. We hadn't seen or heard from Frankie the little brown mouse in at least a week and we were really hoping that the encounter with Freddie the not-so-little black mouse we found outside and the Critter Ridder meant that he had left the house. So, when I smelled the faint smell, I was sure it was mouse pee/poop. I wasn't finding anything and I wasn't finding anything. Finally, Husband said, "the Lego we need is probably in one of those bins," indicating the two stuffed animal bins under the bed. So, I tipped one sideways and started pulling out stuffed animals because, of course, he has too many and the cover wasn't on. Just a glimpse and my Fight or Flight reflex kicked in and I skedaddled out of that room faster than you can say, "Quidditch." Frankie the little brown mouse is no more. I don't know how long he had been in the stuffed animal bin but everything in that bin was washed in the washer (except ones that are electronic - and there were only 2 and they were toward the top), the bin itself got rinsed out and then had a vinegar soak for a couple hours, then rinsed again with soap and then left to dry in the sun. I did find mouse poop behind the other bin but there was no indication that he had been in there. Soooooooo, ew. Not how I wanted to spend Sunday but there you have it. As a result, we moved a few things around, did some cleaning and organizing, and he now has a folding table set up as a desk, the stuffed animal bins are underneath (with covers firmly attached), and the dresser is now under the bed. 

So, that was our major excitement for the week. 

The rest of the week.....it was pretty normal, almost boring. 

Tuesday was an interesting day. Stormageddon was just a general crabby boy all day. He screamed and threw a tantrum when I put him in the stroller to walk Little Man to school. He screamed and threw a tantrum when we left school to walk back home. He screamed and threw a tantrum when I put him in the car when we got home. He screamed and threw a tantrum when we got to the gym. Ad nauseam. Anytime we went anywhere or came home, he was just a pill. I took the boys to the indoor gym place for them to blow off some steam. We were there for just over 3 hours. And then, round about 5:30pm, this happened:

He fell asleep sitting up. Perfect! I had a meeting to go to at 7pm across town so, you know, put him to bed early, go to my meeting, bing badda bing. 

Of course, this is my life and Murphy's Law is always in place. He was all snuggly, sleeping on me, cuddling, drank his milk, I got him in his crib at 6:20pm.......and then he proceeded to scream bloody murder for 20 minutes, then climbed out of his crib and started banging on the door. 

Yeah. That totally happened. 

Apparently he needed a little cat nap. So, he, Brother, and Daddy hung out, watched movies, played on iPads, and I went to my meeting. It was supposed to be a 2 hour meeting but it turned into 3 hours. I fully expected both boys to be awake at 10:20pm when I got home, with the iPads, and Husband snoring away in the bed. 

I was mostly right. The only difference is that Husband wasn't asleep. ::sigh::

In the midst of Stormageddon falling asleep sitting up, Husband and I were texting back and forth and he says, "uh, hey, can you find someone to watch the boys tomorrow after school until around 4:30pm?" to which I replied, "isn't that your work Christmas party at the brewery?" and he said, "yep, and people are asking if you're going to be there." Oh. Okay then. Cue me trying to find someone to watch the boys. Luckily, one of my mama friends stepped in and said she'd take the boys (and her daughter) to the indoor gym place and such so I could go to the party. 

She sent me this photo of the boys in her car (I cropped out her daughter, obviously). It worked out pretty well and the boys had fun. 

Unfortunately, Husband has photos from the Christmas party but I do not......except this one.

Yep. I had wine and I did some knitting. One of Husband's coworkers was laughing because I was knitting and me, being slightly tipsy, crouched down in front of her and said, "Sweetie, you're just jealous because I can knit socks and you can't," and she did agree to that. She also wanted to know how I wasn't screwing up with the alcohol in my system. I told her I almost did a few times. Oops. It was fine, though, I promise. 

Thursday was another one of those "RUN RUN RUN" days where I never quite caught up. Doctor appointment, rain, more rain, going to the gym, errands, swimming lessons....and Husband's car was picked up to be fixed (he got it back on Friday) and we had Air BnB guests arrive....and did I mention that it was raining?! There were flash flood warnings in the area because we got about 1.5" of rain. If that had been snow, it would have been around 18" of snow (it's about a foot of snow for every inch of rain). But we've had rain off and on this week so the ground was already wet and we just had more rain dumped on top. By the way, this rain is, in no way, curing the drought we're still experiencing. It helps, though. 

Friday was....well, it was Friday. I had a coffee date with some friends at the cafe across the street from Little Man's school, I lounged about and turned a sock heel, and by about 3pm, I was ready to dropkick both my boys to the next county. They were both just bonkers, jumping on each other, wrestling, yelling, running in the house....I was so over it. On the upside, it was Little Man's last day of school until January 10th. Yeah, they have *twenty-five* days off for winter break. Oh. Your. God. Seriously?! What am I going to do with both boys in the house for 3 straight weeks?! Whatever, it'll be fine, right? As a last project before break, the kids made gingerbread houses at school.

The walk home with this was a bit.....slower than usual. I managed to get it wedged in the sun shade of Stormageddon's stroller, mostly level, and nothing hit it. It was so windy, though, I was worried a few things were going to fall off. We made it and everything was fine. I stuck the house in the freezer to keep it from falling apart and to keep the dog away from it and to keep Little Man from eating it before Husband got to see it.

He ate it yesterday morning for breakfast. I was okay with that. It reminded me of one that my grandparents had and I swear we took that thing out every year, which means every year it was getting staler and staler. I know when I was little I tried to eat it on more than one occasion and my mom always stopped me. Now, as an adult, I understand why. Stale & dusty gingerbread house. Ew.

Yesterday turned out to be kind of a lazy day. We got up, went to the gym, made a trip to Costco to refill our ink cartridges, and that was about it. Nothing terribly exciting.



Anyway, I hope you're having a lovely weekend. I am due for a stash post. I didn't get around to it this week but I know I have a StevenBe Inappropriate shipment that came in, as well as my further breakage of my yarn diet. So, you know, woo-hoo! I might be back sometime this week. We'll see how things go.