ELEVENTH Self-Imposed Year of Projects - Happy Christmas (Update #52)

Happy Christmas, if that's your jam. And if not, Happy Whatever Your Jam May Be (or just Happy Sunday). 

Given that today is Christmas, I'm writing this in advance. We are doing Christmas type stuff with my in-laws and I'm pretty sure I have tomorrow off as a federal holiday since the actual holiday falls on a Sunday (today). Anyway, let's get going. I'm sure there's been knitting. Or not. 

 

FOs (Finished Objects)
1. Baby Blanket: started 22 April 2022; finished 4 June 2022
2. Herbivore: started 15 November 2018; finished June 2022
3. Baby Blanket: started 4 June 2022; finished 25 August 2022
4. Venskab (test knit): started 12 September 2022; finished 16 September 2022
5. Vanilla Socks: started 12 December 2021; finished 17 September 2022
6. Baby Blanket: started 4 September 2022; finished 25 September 2022
7. Pattern for Baby Blanket: started 25 September 2022; finished 26 September 2022
8. Colorfun Hat: started 7 October 2022; finished 1 November 2022
9. Vanilla Socks: started 9 August 2020; finished 12 November 2022

Nope. Nothing to see here. 

 

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. Linen Stitch Scarf: started 2 June 2020
9. Sand Drift Blanket: started 17 January 2021
10. Dishcloth: started 25 February 2022
11. Mixed BFL (Annie): started 18 March 2022
12. Lakeline Tank: started 18 March 2022
13. Socks: started 28 September 2022
14. Bonbon 2: started 15 October 2022
15. Smile & Wave: started 15 November 2022
16. Josh's Winter Hat: started 20 December 2022

Because of who I am as a person, I decided that I should probably start another project this week. To be fair, I had to wait on the yarn to arrive from Webs. And I know what you're going to say: Renee, you have a closet filled with yarn; you don't need any more yarn. And you're not wrong. I do have a closet full of yarn...but not the right yarn. See, I promised the California kids that aren't mine that I would make a couple things for them and although their mom is also a knitter, I don't want her to have to wonder if these things can be thrown in the washer or not. In addition to that, I had no desire to knit two hats and a pair of mittens out of sock yarn...and while I have worsted weight in my stash, I didn't have the right color(s) or superwash. Hence, an order from Webs. 

I just started the second color last night. It's going to have stripes because why not. The main color is a colonial blue and the other is a natural white, which isn't a bright white but it's still a white. I have two skeins of each, which should be plenty for a hat and a pair of mittens. I hope. If not, Webs is just a website away. 

Aside from that, I worked on the Smile & Wave Fingerless Mitts yesterday in the car on our way to my in-laws' house. I'm almost done with the thumb increase for the first mitt, but I stopped working on it because I didn't have a holder for the thumb stitches. Oh well. I'll get there now that I'm home. I just didn't have it in the moment. 

In addition to that, I did nada. Just those two things. We were busy getting ready for Christmas and cleaning and other things. It was fine. 

 

 

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. Hüj Tüb (laceweight - maybe that 100% lace cashmere I've had forever?)
9. 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. Baby Bear for Mr. T (fingering weight - anything will work)
8. Pig for Earle & Duane (worsted weight - need pink, of course)
9. Hippo for Sweet Girl (fingering weight - purple & pink)
10. Elefante for Sassy Girl (worsted weight - maybe if I can find the original...)

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 have a small bin with all my "stuff to dye" in it)

 

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 got a text message the other day from Husband's sister-in-law. Well, I thought it was Husband's sister-in-law. Apparently one of their dogs got hold of the Hippo I made for the oldest niece in 2012, when she was a wee thing. Tore the head to shreds. Did I think it could be fixed?

Um........yeah. About that. The damage is pretty severe and would require major surgery, the yarn would be a different color, and I'd be better off just remaking the head. Turns out it was the younger niece texting me on her mom's phone. She caught the dog ripping apart her older sister's hippo and knew I was the one that made it so she asked me. She also told me the other dog had gotten hold of her Elefante that I had made her and while it wasn't ripped to shreds, it had some damage. So I told her I would remake both of them. But, after having seen Elefante this morning, I can probably just re-do the ear and call it good. Regardless, both were added to the above list(s). 

Other than that, it's been an eventful week. The weather was crazy-making from Thursday-Saturday. We got a snowstorm that started overnight Wednesday and went through Thursday, dumping around 7" of snow on us. And then Friday was frigid temps, high winds, and blizard-like conditions from the blowing snow. My office actually closed on Friday so we all worked from home. I can't say I loved working from home but it was fine to do once in awhile. 

We ventured out yesterday and went to my in-laws' for Christmas Eve day. We helped them set up their new TV, stand, and soundbar. Their old TV crapped out a few weeks ago when there was an electrical outage and it fried the TV because for some reason, they didn't have it on a surger protector. So, we got them a new TV. And a surger protector. And soundbar. And TV stand. And then we got it all put together and hooked up for them. The boys got nerf guns and have been having fun around here with the. Grandpa also gave them eye protection because those bullets hurt and we'd rather they didn't lose an eye. 

Our Christmas has been pretty quiet. We opened up presents. The boys got a bunch of Pokemon cards, a couple games, a baby Yoda, and a few things here and there. They seemed happy about their haul.

My haul was wee and I wasn't expecting anything, honestly. But I got a Demogorgon Funko Pop, a baby Yoda eating a frog, a baby Yoda necklace, and some bathroom stuff. So I've got that going for me. 

I think I'm going to call it for the day. It's Christmas. Next week will be the wrap-up post, and the following week will be the beginning of my 12th year. Woohoo? Only time will tell...