ELEVENTH Self-Imposed Year of Projects - What season are we in again? (Update #14)

We are all feeling a bit under the weather around here so I have no idea when this is actually going to post...maybe Sunday, maybe Monday, maybe maybe maybe.....

But, we're here for my weekly(ish) installment of my Self-Imposed Year of Projects and this is my 14th update for this year. So, let's get going.

FOs (Finished Objects)

Nope. Well...kind of. I finished up swatches and apparently I'm told those count but I'm not really counting them. 

WIPs (Works-in-Progress) *These are carried over year after year, as 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. Vanilla Socks: started 9 August 2020
11. Sand Drift Blanket: started 17 January 2021
12. Vanilla Socks: started 12 December 2021
13. Dishcloth: started 25 February 2022
14. Mixed BFL (Annie): started 18 March 2022
15. Lakeline Tank: started 18 March 2022

Aside from all my swatching last week, I didn't actually start the Lakeline Tank this week. Oops. Instead, I worked on the Granny Squares. I have 30 in the bag downstairs and two finished ones in the WIP bag in the bedroom, and one on the needles. So, I might actually wind up with enough for a proper blanket. I do need to get some yarn to attach them and I think I'm going to wind up using white instead of black (easier to hide mistakes since I've never done this before). With that said, I'm still tossed on whether I should put a backing of some sort on it. Maybe I'll decide after I get it all attached. I don't know. 

That was about it, though. Like I said above, we've been a bit under the weather this past week. 

OMGLSGWTFBBQ

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)

 

Design Ideas:
1. Christmas Stocking for Husband
2. Christmas Stocking for Little Man
3. Christmas Stocking for Stormageddon
4. Baby Blanket
5. Stomping Grounds Collection

 

Items for ME (Selfish Knitting FTW!):
1. Park Slope (fingering weight - Mountain Fibers Crazyfoot in Shamrock)
2. Flax (worsted weight - Misty Alpaca in the Harry Potter colors)
3. Musselburgh (any weight - likely DK or worsted)*
4. 3 Color Cashmere Cowl (fingering weight, 3 colors)
5. Gradient Band Cowl (fingering weight - Safronie Fairy Tales gradient and a solid)*
6. Fine Tune (fingering weight - uses minis so maybe a rainbow type one with the Canon Hand Dyes?)
7. Stashbusting Helix Hats (worsted weight - bits and bobs of worsted)
8. Lakeline Tank (Aran weight - I have yarn for this somewhere...like I bought it specifically for this but I can't remember what it is)
9. Hüj Tüb (laceweight - maybe that 100% lace cashmere I've had forever?)
10. Undone (bulky - maybe the reclaimed Freeport Vest yarn?)

 

Children's Items/Knitting for others
1. Flax for Little Man (worsted weight - likely Baah Yarns Shasta in London Blue)
2. Honey Badger: (worsted weight - black & white acrylic I have banging around the stash)*
3. The Mandolorian (sport weight - need grey, white, and green...which I might have)*
4. Zelda Beanie (worsted weight - black or grey and yellow, which I'm sure I have)
5. Wasabi for Mr. K (worsted weight - Cascade 220 in Moss Agate if possible)
6. Bugle for Miss E (worsted weight - multicolor; htNEVELE in Reverie if possible)
7. Bonbon for Miss C (worsted weight - Cascade 220 in Vinci if possible)
8. Baby Bear for Mr. T (fingering weight - anything will work)
9. Pig for Earle & Duane (worsted weight - need pink, of course...maybe a good use for the one skein of Molly Ringwald I have?)

 

Utilitarian/Household Items
1. On-Trend Chair Socks (worsted weight bits and bobs) - I have a lot of chairs that could use these
2. Garter Chevron Blanket (KP Mighty Stitch - may need to get some more black or white)
3. Diagonal Knit Dishcloths (cotton of some sort, possibly a cotton/bamboo blend, depending on use)
4. Reusable Produce Bag (cotton or acrylic of some sort - worsted)
5. Harry Potter Blanket (worsted weight - based on several dishcloth patterns to make blocks)
6. Grandma's Favorite Dishcloth (cotton or a cotton/bamboo blend, again based on use)
7. Pop Blanket (worsted weight - a little of this and that?)
8. Holiday Countdown Stockings (worsted weight - various colors)

 

Spinning:
1. Wonderland Dyeworks BFL in Stream Bed
2. Wonderland Dyeworks BFL in Winter Night
3. Timber Ridge Farm Alpaca Roving
4. Ashland Bay Fiber 100% Merino Top in English Garden
5. Anne's Fiber Expressions Elynenium

 

Dyeing:
1. Sock Blanks (I think I have 5 left)
2. Random worsted/sport skeins (I have maybe 2-3 left)
3. Anything else I find along the way (I don't think there's anything else, but maybe?)

 

Other Fibery Endeavors:
1. Stash Fit
2. Create a project bag inventory
3. Update library inventory (on Ravelry)
4. Update stash inventory (on Ravelry) and reorganize yarn
5. Stitch markers: make kits and individual for Etsy shop
6. Destash as necessary/needed

 

I know I said I was going to do my Stash Acquisition Post from the Madison Knitters Guild Knit In but I didn't get that far. I'll get there. Eventually. 

This past week, the boys were on Spring Break, but we didn't actually get out and do a whole lot. The weather was less than cooperative. Again. Monday, I took the boys to my hometown and we had breakfast, visited with some of my friends' moms (not kidding), and that was about it. When we were at Nana Edee's house (my bestie's mom), she was having a huge half-dead pine tree in her front yard removed so the boys were fascinated with that. Everything from knocking it over to getting it into the woodchipper. Unfortunately, the gas line ran right under the stump 🤯 

We spent most of the rest of the week indoors, doing things like watching movies and playing video games. We had a bunch of seasons this week including winter, summer, spring, and fall. We had lightning storms, wind, rain, sleet, snow, and ice. But Friday was finally decent so I took the boys to the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison. It's one of maybe a dozen free zoos in the US. I grew up going there and I was more than happy to take the boys. Unfortunately, many of the birds were quarantined or off-site due to a strain of avian bird flu in the area. So, no chickens or sandhill cranes or penguins and the aviary was closed entirely.

The boys had an education while we were there. For instance, we got to watch the rhino pee. A lot. All the kids in the vicinity were fascinated. No, I did not photograph that. Or when we saw the giraffe, Eddie, poop.

Unfortunately, the resident badgers, Dekker and Kaminsky were off-site so they settled for Bucky, instead.

In the Children's Zoo section, there are goats and they have absolutely no manners. But they love pets.

And, of course, no visit is complete without time to play.

It was a good day to get out because yesterday, we woke up to more snow. But it didn't stick and as it got warmer throughout the day, the snow turned to rain and back to snow and it was just icky. It didn't help that Husband and I both have a cold (which the boys likely have, as well). ::sigh::

Aside from that, the Sandhill Cranes keep visiting the yard, which is delightful. They're hard to photograph though because everything is still so brown.

Clearly that didn't stop me from trying. This was on Monday or Tuesday. They were out there again yesterday. I think they may be the same pair. I'm not sure, though. It's not like I can get close enough to look.

Little Man also brought out his knitting one day and we sat for a little bit and he worked on his hat. He'd knit a bit and then I'd knit a bit.

Also, one of my friends in California gave me an orchid, which I transported cross-country. I thought for sure this thing was going to die. I don't do well with plants like this. And then, of course, the flowers started falling off and I started panicking...as one does. 

Turns out the flowers are supposed to do that. Except some did and some didn't. So, I kept watering it weekly and noticed the other day that there are new buds (some of which have opened since this photo was taken on Friday). So, I guess I didn't kill it?

I think that's enough babble from me today. I hope you've all had a lovely week and weekend!