TWELFTH Self-Imposed Year of Projects - I love a Federal Holiday (Update #40)

Woo Monday! Yes, it's Monday and I'm writing today instead of yesterday because it's a Federal Holiday and I knew I'd be home and have time. So, happy Monday!

 

FOs (Finished Objects)
1. Josh's Winter Hat: started 20 December 2022; finished 2 January 2022
2. NEYCO Hat: started 31 December 2022; finished 20 January 2022
3. Hat: started 15 February 2023; finished 25 February 2023
4. Linen Stitch Scarf: started 2 June 2020; finished 12 April 2023
5. Kitty at Christmas: started 28 January 2023; finished 11 February 2023
6. Wasabi for Mr. K: started 10 March 2023; frogged 5 September 2023
7. Smile & Wave: started 15 November 2022; finished 11 September 2023
8. Sand Drift Blanket: started 17 January 2021; frogged 7 October 2023
9. Baby Blanket: started 30 June 2023; finished 8 October 2023

So. Um.....yeah. Saturday night I had this great idea to pull out the Sand Drift Blanket and work on it. 

Y'all. I got it all screwed up so bad. I wound up frogging it. It's not like it was super huge or anything so I didn't feel terrible about frogging it but I'm making it for a friend (she literally threw the yarn at me and told me she never wanted to see it again).....but this pattern has me feeling all sorts of ways and the fact that I have to hold fingering weight yarn held double in two colors......well, it's not pretty. And the yarn likes to stick to itself. So frogging it didn't even "cure" the issue. I still had a section that was pulled off, unfrogged, because I couldn't get it to unstick from itself. Also, I was never happy with the cast on I used. 

Unfortunately, that means I'm in search of a new project for that yarn. I don't mind holding it double, as long as I'm not trying to juggle more than one color at a time. 

::sigh::

In happier news, I finished up the most recent baby blanket. It's currently in the dryer but I did take some pre-wash photos.

It wound up roughly 40" across and 30" tall....but it was supposed to be the opposite. ::sigh:: Y'all, I just....I cannot seem to do it right but it's fine. Babies don't care. I wound up breaking into the third skein of yarn, which I wasn't thrilled with but it is what it is. Because I have one more to make (for now), it looks like I'll need to pick up another of the purple. I have plenty of the weight. I have a full skein and then at least half. I might wind up just making it a stripey blanket this time, just for something different. 

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. Dishcloth: started 25 February 2022
9. Mixed BFL (Annie): started 18 March 2022
10. Lakeline Tank: started 18 March 2022
11. Socks: started 28 September 2022
12. Bonbon 2: started 15 October 2022
13. Star Stitch Shawl: started 8 June 2023 (link to the kit)
14. Vanilla Socks: started 7 October 2023

After frogging the Sand Drift Blanket and finishing up the Baby Blanket, I decided I had a severe lack of socks happening...so I started a pair of Vanilla Socks for me. I do still have a pair of socks going for Little Man but I wanted a second pair for myself. I've had the yarn wound for awhile so I just went into my yarn closet and grabbed it and, thanks Past Me, the needles, which were all ready to go in the project bag. I've only done the cast on round and half of the first actual round but that's all I needed at the time. The yarn is a West Yorkshire Spinners sock yarn but I can't remember the colorway and it's not in my stash on Ravelry but I do remember where I bought it, which says odd things about my memory. Regardless, I started a pair of socks for myself. 

I also spent time hunting down a blanket pattern that will work with the twelve skeins of fingering weight yarn I have from the Sand Drift Distaster. Honestly, given that I really only have ten full skeins and like maybe 1.5 total of the last color, I might just make it up as I go. Or make up a plan and execute it. I did start a blanket but I'm not counting it because I'm going to frog it. Again. Or, I might just go with a Ten Stitch Blanket and call it good.  

Aside from that, I didn't do much knitting...I did partake in some plotting and I had some moments of sadness with my yarn and fiber. 

Remember last week when I mentioned that my hands were on fire because I'm allergic to silk? Well...I know I have silk and silk blend yarns and fibers in my stash. I actually found some (very) recent acquisitions that contain silk and I'm very sad about it. I might just deal with it by putting on some gloves and knitting anyway...spinning might be a different story. We'll see. And I don't know if it's all silk or just mulberry, tussah, and bombyx. They're similar but not entirely the same. I have a feeling that it's all silk but time (and exposure) will tell. 

Anyway, let's keep moving along...

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. Pig for Earle & Duane (worsted weight, ~300 yds; need pink, of course)
6. Hippo for Sweet Girl (fingering weight, ~400 yds total; purple & pink)
7. Elefante for Sassy Girl (worsted weight, ~250 yds; maybe if I can find the original...otherwise, something new/different)...but she's requested a cow as a replacement so we'll see what I can find.

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

 

Construction continues at our house. Well.....sort of. Some of the back-filling was done around the outside of the structure, so there are fewer huge piles of dirt in the yard. Additionally, Husband, our neighbor up the hill, and the neighbor behind us moved some dirt over the weekend. Our neighbor behind us had his driveway paved and needed filling dirt and we had an abundance of dirt, and our neighbor up the hill has a small excevator and a dump truck (have I mentioned that he has more money than God?)...so between the three of them, they made things happen. Husband got to spread some dirt around the yard, neighbor up the hill got to play with his toys, and our other neighbor got some dirt for projects over there. So, that's good. 

The boys have climbed down into the pool area because Husband needed them to place a pump to drag water out. They were more than happy to have an excuse to go down there.

Also, that is our new-to-us shed and the fiberglass shell for the pool sitting in the side yard. I think the shell is going in this week. We're going to have some work done so we can have the shed put in, as well. We're having a cement pad done and some grading using the dirt piles we have, and then we'll have a place to put the tractor and such for the winter. It'll be fine.

 

Anyway, Husband is taking the tractor to the shop for it's 150 hour service (or something like that) and I have things to do so I'm going to wander off. I hope you've had a lovely week and weekend!