Year Eight: Self-Imposed Year of Projects - What a craptastic week! (Update #7)

It's been one hell of a week around here and we'll get to that in a mo'. For now, let's get on with the regular Year of Projects update.


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

Move along now, Sir. 

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 2018

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. Cowl for Miss Sylvie: started 18 January 2019

With everything that has been going on this week, I didn't knit that much. I think the only thing I worked on all week was the Cowl for Miss Sylvie (Stormageddon's speech therapist through the school district). It's 275 stitches around and I'm working on the ribbing right now. The good news is that the ribbing portion on the one side is almost finished. And that's just lovely. 

But that was it for knitting. And anything fibery, really.


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)

With little time for knitting, I certainly didn't have time for design work. Keep 'er movin'.

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): I am ahead with this challenge as I have finished six squares squares and started the 7th...and that's good because February is a messy month...so, based on my average of two squares per month, I'm into April.  

2. Knit 1 dishcloth a month (average): I failed at this for January, meaning I need to make two this month to catch up but, like I said above, February is a messy month and I don't expect to get to it. Maybe three in March or four in April? Only time will tell!

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)

13. University of Wisconsin Button Beanie (came as a kit)

14. University of Wisconsin Christmas Stocking (came as a kit)

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!)

1. Grandmother's Waffle Washcloth

2. Kitchen Towel (as a washcloth - leave off the top/mirror bottom)

3. Tribble

4. Variation on a Theme

5. Checker-Square Garter Dishcloth

6. Seamless Circular & Hexagonal Cloths

7. Honeycomb Dishcloth

8. Almost Lost Washcloth

9. Leafy Washcloth

10. Sunburst Dishcloth

11. Starfish Cloth

12. Roll Out the Barrels 

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 (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!



In case you forgot, last weekend was when we put together all the baskets for the auction for Little Man's school....which meant my post was written early. That may or may not have been a good thing....but we can talk about last weekend as well as this weekend (so far). I'm good with that. 

Husband had such good intentions last week on Saturday. I was at the school all day so he was going to get new tires for my car and take the boys to see the new Lego movie. They got the new tires and then went to the movie.....where Stormageddon had a complete and total meltdown that resulted in leaving early. Then, because things weren't bad enough, Little Man threw up in my car on the way home. But it gets even better. Husband was trying to get home quickly and no one would move even though he was driving on the shoulder and was flashing his lights and honking his horn. God forbid it had been a major medical emergency. While that was happening, he ran over one of those square road construction signs and it got caught under my car, which went airborne (not flipped over or rolled - just airborne). I got a phone call around 7pm from Husband screaming at me to come home right now. He had hit his absolute limit. Oh, and it was pouring rain. Because of course. Saturday was not a pretty day for him. I calmed everyone down and we called it a bit early on Saturday, which was fine all around. I had a car that may or may not have been drivable, two children that were all out of sorts, and I was exhausted. 

So, there was damage to my car. Luckily, it was minimal. The skid plate underneath the front end did exactly what it was supposed to do. It had to be removed because it was shredded but that's not really a big deal. The car is perfectly drivable without it. Also, there's a metal piece that helps keep the muffler in place. That was damaged and was also removed. Again, the car is perfectly drivable without it. I'll probably have to replace that one, though. One of the moms that I was working with on Sunday said her husband could probably help me out with the car (he's not a mechanic but he has the set-up and works on cars as a hobby). He took care of those two things and it didn't cost me a dime, which was wonderful. 

Oh, but last weekend gets even better. 

I get a text from Husband around 5pm or so on Sunday: "where are the Swiffers?" Perfectly innocent question, right? I told him where they were and that was the last I heard. I got home just after 6pm to find my front door wide open with a box fan blowing, my back door wide open with another box fan blowing, and a fine layer of ash throughout the entire house (sans the rooms that were closed - bedrooms and a bathroom). We had some wooden frames that we were going to burn in the fireplace....well, they burned a little too well, knocked the fireplace grate over, and flames started spitting into the living room. Husband grabbed the extinguisher and that was that. I'm still cleaning up ash from all over the house. But, no damage. Just ash. All over the house. All we could do by that point was laugh. 

For a point of reference, last year on Auction Item Weekend, I drove home on Saturday for lunch to discover that my tire was flat. We plugged it and it was good for a year. This year, it all went up a notch. 

::sigh::

The week just continued to be crazy, though. I spent almost all my "free" time this week working on the auction catalog, specifically editing and formatting. That's where my mind has been all week.

Husband came home on Monday, just before 6pm and I was working on the catalog. Around 6:10pm, he looks at me and says, "why are you still here?" like I was supposed to be somewhere. I looked at him blankly and said, "uh, what?" He said, "don't you have that meeting at Other Montessori School tonight, because that's the calendar reminder?" Oops. I was supposed to be halfway across town in less than 20 minutes for a mandatory meeting for Stormageddon to go to TK next year. I made it. I was on time. Barely. Traffic is ridiculous here. 

Tuesday through the rest of the week, Stormageddon was sick. He was running fevers and coughing and snotting. He's finally on the mend (he's been fever-free since Friday). I knew he was sick because he kept taking naps during the day, which he only does if he's sick. 

Thursday was Valentine's Day. It was also the day Little Man was sent home from school for hitting a friend (and it actually was a friend of his, not just a classmate). I got a call around 11:30am to pick him up. I cried the entire way to the school and most of the rest of the afternoon. It was that moment when I, again, truly felt like I was an awful parent. I still feel like an awful parent, actually. I'm already stressed out because of the auction and now I've got that to worry about, too. When I talked to the principal (because she was off campus for a meeting when it happened), she was more worried about me than Little Man. Thankfully, Friday was a much better day for him. And his friend still wants to be his friend. 

By the time yesterday rolled around, my mind was mushy but the catalog was ready for formatting, which is always a good feeling. 

And now, photos from the week.

This is the gym at Little Man's school. You'll notice that it's empty. This was taken around 1pm last Sunday. We had all the baskets made and put away, all the materials put away, and the floor had even been swept. We did still have two tables set up because we were working on bundling the items in our software. But that was it. That was all we had left. We were ahead by several hours. 

This was the underside of my car last Sunday. You can see my skid plate is shredded. You can also barely see the metal piece that holds the muffler hanging loose on the left side of the photo. 

This photo amuses me greatly. Little Man is on the left, two of his friends are in the middle, and Stormageddon is on the right, trying to keep up with the big boys (he did very well). They were adorable, letting Stormageddon walk along with them. Also, the sweater he's wearing is a handknit sweater. I didn't knit it but I couldn't leave it. I found it probably two years ago at a Just Between Friends sale for $8. Now, granted, it's acrylic of some sort, but it's gorgeous and it's still a little big on him. I'm hoping he can still wear it again next winter. I couldn't believe someone was selling it! I snapped it right up. 

When I'm doing housework, the boys will sometimes join me. So, I was folding laundry and they were playing on the iPads. This was quite possibly the last day Little Man had access to the iPad because he got himself grounded the next day when he was sent home from school. ::sigh::

This was on Friday afternoon. Stormageddon and I were waiting outside between the raindrops. It was fine, though. The rain eventually came while we were on our way home. It's been raining most of the week, which isn't really an issue other than it mucks up my plans to walk to and from school to do drop off and pick up. Oh well. 

Poor baby. Stormageddon crashed in our bed on Friday night. One minute I was reading to Little Man and he was crawling around the floor, the next minute he had crawled up into the bed and fell asleep right there. I didn't dare move him to his own bed. I managed to turn him around, at least. But that is where he crashed. 

And yesterday, Little Man wanted to play Marbles (yes, the old-school game with actual marbles, of which I have an entire jar filled that once belonged to my mother). I brought out the marbles and we decided to play in Little Man's room. Stormageddon joined us and we decided to give him his own shooter and he "played" with us, also. Actually, both boys beat me several times (I don't think I beat either one of them once yesterday). You'll notice that Stormageddon is in the same clothes he was in on Friday...he didn't get out of them all day yesterday. Also, Little Man is wearing the same clothes he wore on Friday, as well...he fell asleep in them on Friday and didn't get out of them yesterday. It was just one of those days. ::sigh:: 

So, that was our craptastic week. I hope you've had a better one than I have!