TWELFTH Self-Imposed Year of Projects - While the moms are away.... (Update #2)

Friends, Romans, lend me your ear.......I've been gone since Friday after work and let me tell you, it was delightful. I feel like I need to do this every couple of months. Actually, I came back yesterday but then it was back to doing the mom thing and I'm just now getting back around to this. Anyway, moving on......for now, let's talk about knitting. Or whatever projects I've got going on around here. 

FOs (Finished Objects)
1. Josh's Winter Hat: started 20 December 2022; finished 2 January 2022

So far, this is the only project I've finished, which isn't terribly surprising. I hope to have more in this space over the coming year than I did last year but we'll have to see how things play out. For now, let's just agree that I started off the year with a bang!

 

WIPs (Works-in-Progress) These are carried over year after 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. 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. NEYCO Hat: started 31 December 2022

I would love to say that I accomplished a ton of knitting this week but I'd be lying. A lot. That's not to say I didn't do any knitting but I had hoped to do more and that just didn't happen. 

I worked on the Linen Stitch Scarf a bit and while I know progress is happening, it is still just a slog. I do like the meditation that is linen stitch, however. It's quite a bit like a 1x1 rib but a bit more interesting. And I do need to pay some attention but I can watch TV while doing it. 

I also worked a bit on the NEYCO Hat. I'm close to being finished but not quite yet. And I'm planning out my second third hat from this same kind of yarn. Given that I won't have quite as much black as I was anticipating, I think I'm going to do something like some black stripes in the orange/yellow/red one I've got and call it good. But it does depend on how much of the black I wind up having, if any. Worst case scenario is that I wind up making a smaller hat than I originally anticipated. And that's fine. 

In addition to those, I also worked on the Smile & Wave Fingerless Mitts over the weekend. I think I'm almost done with the thumb increase section. The original pattern calls for 13 sts between the stitch markers for my size buuuuuut I've made fingerless mitts before using sock yarn and US#1 needles and 13 sts isn't quite enough for my fat thumbs. So I currently have 15 sts between the stitch markers. I'll likely do the thumb increases for the large size, which I believe is 17 sts. and work from there. Or maybe I'll leave it at 15 sts. I don't know yet. I think the thumb is just stockinette with a bind off at the end so I don't necessarily need to have a certain number of stitches. Buuuut, I'm kind of anal retentive about certain things so I'll probably want to do the ribbing like the rest of the pattern so I'll need a multiple of 4 and if I have 15 now, I just add one when I close the hole and then I'll have a multiple of 4 for the end. I think that will work. In my head, it works. Otherwise, I wait until I have 19 sts and I feel like that might be a wee bit too big. 

I suppose we'll just have to see what shakes out this week. 

OMGLSFWTFBBQ

Items for ME (FTW!)
1. Nottingham (worsted weight, ~1200 yds; Cascade 220 Heathers)
2. Ishbel (fingering weight, ~610 yds; Happy Hands Yarn)
3. NIN Hat (worsted weight, 2 colors, ~220 yds + scraps; partials bin)
4. Boneyard Shawl (fingering weight, ~750 yds; KP Hawthorne Fingering)
5. Wilf's Hat (worsted weight, ~240 yds; Psych Ward Yarns)
6. Skoufaki (DK weight, ~175 yds; handspun)
7. Kaweah Hat (DK weight, ~240 yds; Houndstooth DK)
8. Chunkeanie (bulky weight, ~160 yds; madelinetosh Chunky)
9. Sockhead (fingering weight, ~400 yds; so many choices)
10. Stranger Things Hat (worsted weight, ~200 yds; Malabrigo Rios)
11. Huj Tub (laceweight, ~900 yds; Laceweight Cashmere)
12. Rose City Rollers (fingering weight, ~250 yds; so many choices)

Children's Items/Knitting for others
1. Flax for Little Man (worsted weight; Baah Yarns Shasta)
2. Honey Badger: (worsted weight - black & white acrylic I have banging around the stash)*
3. The Mandolorian (sport weight, ~165 yds; need grey/black, white, and green...which I might have)*
4. Zelda Beanie (worsted weight, unknown yardage; black/grey and yellow)
5. Wasabi for Mr. K (worsted weight, ~150 yds; Cascade 220 in Moss Agate if possible)
6. Bugle for Miss E (worsted weight, ~150 yds; htNEVELE worsted)
7. Baby Bear for Mr. T (fingering weight, ~220 yds; anything will work)
8. Pig for Earle & Duane (worsted weight, ~300 yds; need pink, of course)
9. Hippo for Sweet Girl (fingering weight, ~400 yds total; purple & pink)
10. Elefante for Sassy Girl (worsted weight, ~250 yds; maybe if I can find the original...otherwise, something new/different)

Utilitarian/Household Items
1. Garter Chevron Blanket (worsted weight; KP Mighty Stitch - may need to get some more black or white)
2. Diagonal Knit Dishcloths (any weight; cotton of some sort, possibly a cotton/bamboo blend, depending on use)
3. Reusable Produce Bag (worsted weight; cotton or acrylic)
4. Harry Potter Blanket (worsted weight; superwash or acrylic - based on several dishcloth patterns to make blocks)
5. Grandma's Favorite Dishcloth (any weight; cotton or a cotton/bamboo blend, again based on use)
6. Pop Blanket (worsted weight; superwash - a little of this and that?)
7. Holiday Countdown Stockings (worsted weight; various colors from partials bin)
8. Cat Butts (worsted weight; "cat" colors and pink for the butthole)
9. Yer Mom Licks Cat Butts (worsted weight; "cat" colors and pink for the butthole)

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

 

 

This past week was quiet, for the most part, which is a nice change from the hustle and bustle that is the holiday season. I had a dinner date with my bestie on Tuesday and she basically stated that she was stealing me for the weekend. We settled on Appleton, Wisconsin. 

Now, let's be clear, there's nothing gripping about Appleton. It's not where the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is located. That's in Oshkosh. It doesn't have a major university. I believe there's a D3 college located there. Again, nothing gripping. But we went to Appleton. She picked me up on Friday after we got done at work, we drove up, checked into our hotel, and went out for dinner and drinks. Saturday morning, we had continental breakfast at the hotel, went for a Bloody Mary, went to get pedicures, did lunch at a brewery, did some shopping at the mall, and then we had a grand plan to go to various places - a place for drinks before dinner, appetizers at another, dinner at a different one, then dessert, and then post-dinner drinks. We got through our pre-dinner drinks and appetizers....and then we went back to the hotel, went in the hot tub, took a nap, and ordered pizza. And then we watched three Adam Sandler movies that were on MTV (Big Daddy, Grown Ups, and Pixels). On Sunday, we took our sweet time driving back. We stopped at a Christmas shop in Fond du Lac and a cheese shop somewhere near Beaver Dam, and then got to my house. All very exciting. Have some photos!

In addition to that, we dyed Little Man's hair blue today. We tried it last weekend and it didn't work but this time...well, it worked better. It's not perfect but he seems happy so I'm just going to go with it. We did have to lighten it first...so there was a bleach session involved. His hair turned this orange/blonde concoction. Honestly, it's what my hair does when you try to lighten it. My mom's hair did it, too. But we just needed it to lighten.

Then we dyed it blue.

And honestly, it's more of a greenish teal than the bright blue on the box but he's fine with it. I also missed some spots but it tends to blend well so I think we're okay. I think if we do it again, we might let it sit a bit longer. But he's happy with it and that's all that matters.

Also, I'm quite aware that his hair is long. And no, he won't agree to cutting it. He's working on his emo flip. I told him if he wants long hair, he has to take care of it, which means washing and conditioning and combing. So far, he's been doing well with that agreement. We'll see. 

Honestly, I think that's about all that's been going on. So I'm going to stop babbling and go to bed. I'm back to work tomorrow after having a Federal Holiday today. I hope you've had a lovely week and weekend!