Year NINE: Self-Imposed Year of Projects - Have a dollar! (Update #37)

Happy Monday! I'm a day late because *reasons* so let's just get going and we'll discuss later :)

FOs (Finished Objects):

1. Ewetopia Stripey Socks: started 15 November 2018; finished 29 January 2020
2. Tiny Turtle: started 7 November 2019; finished 30 January 2020
3. Mirkwood: started 9 February 2020; finished 17 February 2020
4. Campfire Socks: started 17 October 2018; frogged 9 April 2020
5. Sockhead: started 8 January 2020; finished 25 May 2020
6. Baby Yoda: started 14 March 2020; finished 13 June 2020
7. Abracadabra Socks: started 7 August 2018; finished 18 June 2020
8. Multi-Colored Merino Top (Viktor): started 16 January 2019; finished 30 June 2020
9. Oread Hat (test knit): started 2 July 2020; finished 11 July 2020
10. Prototype Something Something Raindrops: started 11 April 2019; finished 18 July 2020
11. Rose City Rollers: started 18 June 2020; finished 4 August 2020
12. Prototype Something Something (worsted): started 5 September 2020; finished 6 September 2020

Yes, It's true. I finished a cowl in less than a day. I'm not even joking a little bit. It's even been washed. Now, to be fair, I still need to weave in my ends but it's been washed and blocked. I also need to weigh it and photograph it and write the pattern but the cowl itself is done, not that it's cold enough to even consider wearing it right now. Soon, my precious, soon.

WIPs (Works-in-Progress) (These are carried over year to year if needed):

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): started 13 April 2018
5. Granny Square Blanket: started 28 April 2018
6. UW Ski Hat: started 11 July 2018
7. Purl & Loop Weaving Project: started 28 August 2018
8. Herbivore: started 15 November 2018
9. Linen Stitch Scarf: started 2 June 2020
10. Greenwood Fiberworks Dark BFL (Viktor): started 28 June 2020
11. Vanilla Socks: started 9 August 2020
12. Minecraft Socks: started 12 August 2020
13. Basic Fingerless Mitts: started 6 September 2020
14. Prototype Something Something cowl: started 11 September 2020

I have no self-control. After finishing one project this past week, I started two more. I'm about halfway finished in the first of the fingerless mitts. I bought the yarn as a kit with the pattern, in a handled mason jar, and a few other items, from Diane Ivey of Lady Dye Yarns. I think I picked it up at Vogue Knitting Live in San Francisco and if it wasn't there, it was at Stitches West. Regardless, I've had it for a little bit and it was time. I'm not 100% sure these are going to be for me. They fit me but I think I'm going to wind up putting them in the "gifting" box for someone else. 

The yarn is a single-ply fingering weight that has oranges, yellows, greens, reds, and browns - very autumnal. I'm using US #3 needles (my Signature DPNs) and so far, they've been a fairly easy knit. I do know of a few changes I would make if I were to knit them again, none of which take away from the design itself; they're just personal choices about increases. Otherwise, all is well with those. 

The other project I started was another iteration of the cowl...the one I just finished in the smaller version in worsted weight, and the same one I also have recentlyish finished the smaller version in sock yarn....yeah, that one. This one is the longer sock yarn version, which is the one I gave to Stormageddon's former speech therapist a year and a half ago. Also, because that yarn company is no more, I thought I had better knit it out of something that is still available. I know how grumpy some yarny people get when the exact yarn isn't available. 

The yarn for this one I picked up at Stitches West, I believe this past February (so February 2020), right before the proverbial shit hit the fan. I think if I could have bought a sweater's quantity of it at the time, I might have. Alas, it wasn't to be. So one lonely skein came home with me, to become this cowl. I think. 

I've not been working on much else this past week, mostly due to lack of time and other things going on. But I think two new projects is enough, right?

OMFGLSGWTFBBQ Lists

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. Paradiddle Socks: started 19 October 2017 - write pattern (iteration: here)

Children's Items:
1. Oliver for Stormageddon (worsted weight - Stunning String Studio from Stitches West 2018) - I may change this to a different sweater using the same yarn
2. Honey Badger: (worsted weight - black & white acrylic I have banging around the stash)*
3. Mittens for Stormageddon (worsted weight probably)
4. I Love Stockinette Baby Bibs (worsted - cotton, acrylic, something)

Items for ME (Selfish Knitting FTW!):

1. Autopilot (worsted weight - Sincere Sheep Cormo Worsted or htNEVELE Worsted in Reveire)

2. Rose's Wrist Warmers (DK weight - using Aran instead; hand-dyed Malabrigo Twist?)

3. Perianth (fingering weight - Knitcircus Trampoline in The Whole Enchilada)

4. Pembroke Scarf (fingering weight - Fresh From the Cauldron Schoodic Sock in Sookie)

5. Flax (worsted weight - Misty Alpaca in the Harry Potter colors)

6. Park Slope (fingering weight - Mountain Fibers Crazyfoot in Shamrock)

7. Socks (fingering weight - I have tons...pick something!)

8. Washcloths/chewcloths (worsted weight - cotton)

9. Sockhead (fingering - I have tons...pick something!)

10. Age of Brass & Steam (Handspun purple/white barber pole)

Designs:

1. Christmas Stocking for Husband

2. Christmas Stocking for Little Man

3. Christmas Stocking for Stormageddon

4. Baby Blanket

Spinning:

1. Wonderland Dyeworks BFL

2. Mixed BFL

3. Allons-Y Fiber Arts Merino, Trilobal Nylon, Silk

4. Alpaca (from Lambtown 2014)

5. Fiberlady.com 100% Bamboo 

Dyeing:

1. Sock Blanks
2. Skeins of sock yarn

3. Anything else I find along the way

Other Fibery Endeavors:

1. Create project bag inventory

2. Update library inventory (on Ravelry)

3. Update stash inventory (on Ravelry)

4. Stitch markers

5. Destash as necessary

6. Stash Fit 

I wish I could say life in California has been delightful but, really, there are a zillion different things going on left and right and center. 

First of all, a wildfire/weather update. As most of you probably know, California is fraught with wildfires. The nearest one to us is still at least 40 miles away and between us and it: the San Francisco Bay and some mountains. That's the one that is east of San Jose. There's also one south of us toward the Santa Cruz Mountains, which is at least 60 miles away. And there is another few in the North Bay, again at least 60 miles away. Regardless, we're surrounded by fires but are in no eminent danger and I don't expect that to change but we'll see how things go. 

Second, Distance Learning update. We are now in...week five, I think, of Distance Learning. Last week was a bit of a rough week. Monday was a hol so the boys didn't have school but the rest of the week was kind of a hot mess. I had both boys refusing to do work at least one day (thankfully not the same day), Little Man fell behind in one of his classes (he caught up today, for the most part), and there were a lot of frustrations. But, we are okay, we came through it, and all is as well as it's going to be.

Wednesday was a very strange day. This photo does NOT do it justice. We woke up like we normally do...except it was still very dark outside. Like eerily dark. It was a dark orangey-yellow outside. I cannot describe it and this photo.....well, my phone tried to auto-correct the sky color. It was the color of the hay bale the skeletons are sitting on, in reality. That was the color of the sky. And it got darker all morning. By noon, it was darker than it had been at 8am. 

The air quality was definitely crap that day but it was actually better on Wednesday than it has been any day since. It looked like a combination of Bladerunner and Beetlejuice outside. No one wanted to do anything and we wound up spending the afternoon watching movies. 

Little Man spent part of this week being creative. He built a Master Sword (Legend of Zelda) out of Legos. He was quite pleased with his work, other than you couldn't pull it out of the rock...but that's fine. 

He was excited about his accomplishments, regardless.

In other random events, Salon Chez Mom was open this weekend for the business of buzzing. Stormageddon requested tiny hair, which was easy enough. I had intended to just trim Little Man's but it turned into a hot mess so I got the longest clippers we had and buzzed it off. 

Husband also had his hair buzzed off. He says he may never go to the real salon again. ::sigh:: My hair, on the other hand, is halfway down my back and I can grab it by the handful if I put my arm up behind my back. That's the longest my hair has ever been in my entire life. Maybe when I'm feeling like it, I'll have Little Man snap a photo and I'll post it. Or not. Whatever. 

Anyway, I suppose that's enough out of me, especially as it's getting closer to midnight here and I still haven't posted this. We'll see if I can get myself together this weekend or not. I'm also hoping for some solid knitting time. Again, we shall see. 

I hope you had a good week & weekend!