Year Eight: Self Imposed Year of Projects - Hang on Sloopy... (Update #40)

It occurs to me that it's Tuesday already. Oops. Let's just get going and pretend that I know what I'm doing :) 


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

Last week I promised a new finished project and I delivered. I finished up the goat last week on Tuesday. 

He's not perfect but his new owner loves him. Apparently he's sitting on his new owner's desk and when people come in to talk to him and he's busy, he says, "talk to the goat," and points at him, which I find hilarious.

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. Hufflepuff Hat: started 31 July 2019
15. Lederhosen Socken: started 11 September 2019

With the goat finished, I'm down to a respectable 15 projects. Please laugh with me. I did actually finish up the knitting on the Hufflepuff Hat this week. I do need to weave in the end through the last stitches on the crown, plus all the other end weaving...and wash it...but aside from some tight floats, it should be fine. It fits Little Man, which was the point. Stormageddon has requested one of his own but I'm going to make his the opposite color scheme so I can tell them apart. 

I also worked on a granny square. I finished another one but I didn't start the next one yet. I even pulled out my Abracadabra Socks and worked a couple inches. Okay, maybe it was an inch and a half...but I still worked on them. I finished the heel gusset decreases, which is good. 

In addition to that, there was some stash enhancement this week because Lambtown was over the weekend but I've not photographed any purchases so we will have to talk about that later. Or something. 



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 finished another one. I'm probably behind. I'm okay with it.  
2. Submit and/or publish 2 designs this year. Given that it's October and I've not given one ounce of thought to this....I'm just going to say that it's probably not going to happen.

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 (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! Or something. Maybe not an Etsy shop...

Well kids, it's October, which is a favorite in our house for many reasons, including Halloween, Fall Break, and various visits from friends/family. It works for us. The boys are on Fall Break this week and next week. I'm not crazy about a two week break but it's not my decision to make, either. 

Last week, Stormageddon's school had Sprit Week. It was nothing strenuous. Things like crazy sock day and school spirit day and pajama day. On Monday, however, it was kind of chilly in the morning so I convinced him to wear his hat. 

Tuesday was pajama day so he went in his moose pajamas. He was really confused about it until he got to school and saw everyone else wearing jammies. 

Thursday, the boys had swimming lessons. As predictable as they can be....

Aside from tying them down to chairs, I don't know what else to do with them. They have an hour in between each other's swimming lessons so they kind of play around and run and cause trouble. I'd love to tie them down. They're just crazy! 

On Friday, Husband's college advisor & his wife were in town so we visited with them and went out to dinner. Fun fact, Little Man is named after said college advisor. We went to a local seafood place for dinner. Stormageddon practiced his winking. 

On Saturday, I took Little Man to Lambtown with me. We got up early, had some caffeine, and were leaving town around 7:45am (to beat traffic - which we did). The venue was the same place but it seemed smaller. Usually there are booths outside but this year, that didn't happen. I don't know if they had fewer vendors or what was happening there. Regardless, we went and had some fun. 

They had a tent set up for kids' activities. Little Man worked on a drop spindle. He was a better study than I was....which is probably why I don't like my drop spindles very much. It's fine, though. He came home with a bit of yarn that he made himself. He's been carrying it around here and there, which is adorable. He also indicated that he wants to learn to knit again. I love this boy. 

We also rode on the Hogwarts Railway. It's a little "train" that takes you around the venue. So, we took it over to where they were holding the sheep shearing demo and the dog trials. We didn't see the trials but we did see a sheep get a needed haircut. 

We also got to pet allllll the sheeeeeep!

There were two Gotland sheep that were very friendly. They just wanted all the pets. They kind of reminded me of our dog. They would nuzzle at your hand if you stopped petting them. The little ones in the above photo were very loud. To be fair, they're just babies....but they were jealous that everyone else was getting all the pets because they were bigger and could be reached. So, the owner let Little Man in with them for pets. 

I think Little Man probably liked petting the sheep the best of all, and I wouldn't argue with that. It was delightfully soothing to pet sheep for awhile. 

By the time Sunday came around, we were feeling lazy. So, we didn't do much. We did get pumpkins and the boys colored on them.

Eventually we will carve them and roast the seeds. Stormageddon has been asking almost daily when we are going to cut them. He doesn't quite understand how rotting food works. I can't say I blame him. He's only five. But we'll get there eventually. He was really proud of himself for writing his own name on his pumpkin. To be honest, I was proud of him also. He doesn't like holding writing utensils properly so getting him to do things like his writing work at school is sometimes difficult. But he did it. 



Anyway, it's Tuesday and I'm late. Oh well. I hope you had a lovely weekend!