Year Eight: Self-Imposed Year of Projects - The Holidays are Coming... (Update #50)

Happy Monday Tuesday. I had written most of this yesterday, as one does...

Story of my life: I'm a bit behind again. When am I not behind?! With that said, let's get moving....



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
9. Hufflepuff Hat: started 31 July 2019; finished 7 October 2019
10. Lederhosen Socken Hat: started 11 September 2019; finished 16 November 2019

To be fair, I do have four FOs but since they're part of a group, I can't post them here yet...

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. Tiny Turtle: started 7 November 2019
15. Holiday Countdown Stockings: started 2 December 2019


I'm in crunch time here. I have until Thursday to finish up the five (minimum) Holiday Countdown Stockings. I have four finished, the fifth is at the point where I pick up the gusset stitches, so pending no major disasters, I should be good to go. A sixth one would be nice so that I also have one (and that we can all fight over colors) but I'll be satisfied if I only finish the five that I absolutely need. 

Other than that, I've done no knitting. I've done no crafting. I dream of it but it just hasn't happened. I'll get there. I hope. 



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'm definitely behind. I'm okay with it. As long as I work on them, it's all good.
2. Submit and/or publish 2 designs this year. And she laughed and laughed...

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 (9) 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...

This last week has been filled with all sorts of events and rain and......yeah.

First of all, we have a leak in our damn roof again. If you remember, we had a leak in our roof about five years ago (seriously, almost to the day). We had it fixed. We have been fine for five years. But now we're not....and it's in the same damn spot. 

To say I'm not pleased is an understatement. 

We have a call in to a roofer but he's not been getting back to us. Well, he did get back to us and said, "oh, yes, I'll be out tomorrow"....twice. Has he been here yet? Noooooope. So, we're in the market for a new roofer/roofing company (if you're in the Bay Area and know someone that works the Peninsula, let me know). I don't understand that behavior. We want to give you money to fix something....

Aside from the roof, I've been sick with what appears to be a chest cold. I'm not really sure what's happening. I've had trouble breathing, lots of mostly non-productive coughing, and recently the colorful snot started. I've tried my inhaler, which works for a little while. I've tried NyQuil, which hasn't done much. I've tried DayQuil, which also hasn't done much. I've tried Sudafed, which hasn't done much. I've tried cough medicine, which hasn't done much. I've tried sweating it out in the hot tub, which helps for a little while. I've tried hot liquids (hot apple cider or mocha), which doesn't help much. ::sigh:: 

I took the boys to see Santa this past Friday. We've been meaning to go and just haven't gone and finally, I just said, "you know what, we need to get this done so let's go" and it was fine.

The boys wrote letters for what they wanted, the line wasn't horrible, and they were pretty well-behaved. Afterwards, we went to the Lego Store because both of them had $20 in birthday money to spend.

On Sunday, I took Little Man caroling with Cub Scouts and then we went ice skating at the local outdoor rink. They do it between Thanksgiving and New Years only (because it doesn't freeze here so it's all done electrically). He fell a couple of times, smacked his head a good one, and he might have a mild concussion. ::sigh:: He's okay. We've talked to the doctor and he's not getting worse so that's a good sign. 

Aside from that, there hasn't been much going on around here. I have a call with my doctor soon to discuss this cold thing I've got going on, there's a meeting about Little Man today (his IEP meeting), and that's about it. 

Here are a couple more photos from this past week:

This is what Puppy does when he wants to steal whatever food I'm eating (in this case, it was Subway). 

Yes, he has chocolate all over his face. He ate most of a pint of The Tonight Dough (Ben & Jerry's) by himself...didn't even share! I was so mad. Okay, not really.

Anyway, I hope you've had a lovely week and weekend and beginning of your week!