Showing posts with label YOP1314. Show all posts
Showing posts with label YOP1314. Show all posts

Monday, June 16, 2014

YOP #49 or Sangerfest tilsvarer en nesten ferdig sokk

This week's title translates (according to Google translate) to Song Fest corresponds to a nearly finished sock which is extremely accurate. The Norwegian Singers Association of America holds a biannual event called Sangerfest. We had the honor of being the host site for the event this year.

This is what 200+ members of Norwegian Glee Clubs look like on stage. Well, at least what the staging looks like. Some of them were putting off taking their seats until the last minute.
This was an event that we went into feeling very prepared and waiting for the other shoe to fall. It ended up being very delightful, especially working with the 200+ singers at the event. There was a memorial service, a parade of choruses and the amazing Grand Concert. Guess what I did during all of those? That's right, I knit. Saturday night, the evening of the Grand Concert, I was sitting in my little hidey-hole and working on one of my socks. Several of the guys stopped by and joked with me that I would have knit while Rome burned (or something similar). They were a wonderful group to work with and the music was really good. They had a guest group from Oslo who were hilarious and amazing. During their rehearsal, they sang "Loch Lomond" and a medley of Elvis Presley songs (both sets very Norwegian, ja?) and it was fantastic. Saturday night I managed to knit a whole inch and a half on the foot of the Vanilla Eyelet socks. Between the work I did on it Thursday night during the memorial service/parade of choruses, Friday night while walking with Husband and a friend and at the Saturday concert, I'm nearly finished with the sock. Extremely close. There's about 8 more rounds before I do the toe. If I hadn't had to do things (like open doors and make sure people were where they were suppose to be), then I might have actually finished the sock.

Nearly finished sock next to second sock still on the needles. I suppose it's not really finished until I weave in the ends.
Since last week, I made it through the heel of the first Mint Twist sock. It's been a while since I've made a heel flap which I think has made it entertaining for me. It still makes me giggle on the inside about how terrified I was when I made my first sock. Now it seems like second nature. I'm loving the Tanis Fiber Arts yarn. It's the purple label cashmere sock yarn and the color is the Cookie A December 2013 called "Julep". Husband keeps calling it "Seafoam". When he first saw it, he wanted to know why I had a bridesmaid dress in the form of yarn. I've struggled with liking the color since then but thankfully a friend of mine loved it so I'm making the socks for her. I'm loving the pattern and may need to make a pair for myself as well.

Lovely Mint Twist Sock. I kind of want the pattern as a hat instead of a pair of socks. Apparently I need more hats...
There are two weeks left of this year's Year of Projects blog-along. I've apparently misnumbered a week somewhere along the line. I'm hoping to at least finish off the Vanilla Eyelet socks (and if anyone seriously has a better name for it, let me know!) before the end of the month. I've got another concert series this weekend, though it is definitely more involved for me.We're also taking a road trip during the last week of June. I'll get to do a lot of knitting. Husband has asked that I start a project that isn't a sock, hat or scarf. He then hinted that I should work on a tank top for myself. If I can get a swatch done before I leave, I might bring that along. Otherwise, it'll be a pattern from the 2014 MN Yarn Shop Hop (I do believe I still need to write about that....) and probably a sock (or two). I have to make sure I don't run out of knitting projects! Otherwise I may end up buying new yarn on the trip, which would break my self-imposed yarn fast.

Finished Objects

Works in Progress

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Monday, June 9, 2014

YOP #46-#48 or Happy Birthday to me!

I have been attempting to write this post for the last 2 weeks. It's been busy. I've had a 2nd wedding anniversary and today (Sunday) is my birthday. It's a good thing my attention span with knitting is superior to that towards blogging. (Note: I couldn't even get to finishing this post on my birthday; I've just been that unfocused on writing.)

It's nearly the end of my first year doing a Year of Projects. I've learned a lot and I've even made some progress since the last time I posted. One thing I'm going to work on for this next year is to not only stay better at posting these updates, but to do an additional update once a week. If I have enough time to play stupid facebook games (which I do), then I have enough time to blog. That would probably also be a better use of my time....

Onto the projects!

My socks (currently Vanilla Eyelets but I really want something better) have progressed greatly. I'm on the foot of the second sock and I've apparently hit a wall of some sort. Is this a partial case of Second Sock Syndrome? I just want them to be done so I can wear them but I don't seem to want to do them. I think they have been neglected lately due to starting a friend's birthday present and wanting/needing to finish the shawl.

My TARDIS shawl is complete!

It doubled in size while blocking. I may need to work on that.

Horrible picture but I was too excited about it being done to care.















































 It was finished in time to go to the Commemorative Air Force Minnesota Wing Spring Hangar dance. We got all dolled up and I wore this shawl (good thing too; it was a bit chilly that evening) because the TARDIS was totally a thing in the 1940s.....

I love how soft the finished fabric is and it was a lot of fun to make. Not in a hurry to make another one just like this but I wouldn't mind doing it again.

Here's one of the photos we had taken while we were there. They haven't uploaded the ones from in front of the aircraft yet. 

Mint Twist socks, one of the December 2013 Cookie A sock patterns, have been started. They are for my friend for her birthday. I did have them started before her birthday and the first one is nearly done, which I'm quite happy with. This is probably one of the fastest Cookie A socks I've knit. As of Sunday, I'm just about to pick up gusset stitches on the first sock. Hopefully I'll have pictures next week.

I still have a baby sock pattern to get out of my head. I need to partially frog it and change one section. I also have another dog to make. I really need to get on that. It shouldn't take too long, especially now that I've got backwards knitting as a skill.

Finished Objects

Works in Progress






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Monday, May 19, 2014

YOP #45 or There is No Right Way

It's been a busy week.

Last Monday, in a fit of step-mother angst (my own angst), I decided to grill dinner outside. It was raining and starting a fire was...interesting. Note: Just because it doesn't look like the piece of wood is on fire, doesn't mean it's not hot. This is how I got (another) burn on my right index finger with a nice blister. It's made knitting interesting this week. Also, the angst and not feeling well later in the week, kept me from knitting as much as I wanted to do.

Thursday I had originally planned to go to the local art museum with Husband to see a Matisse exhibit before it closed. This plan was scratched (after tickets were acquired-luckily we're members so we get free tickets to special events) when I realized that the middle child had an awards recognition ceremony. So I thought I'd go to my knitting group. Shortly before I was done with work, Husband texts me saying he should be free around 7 pm as things have changed. I skipped the knitting group and eventually came home. We didn't go to the Matisse exhibit, but we did go dress shopping. For me. He doesn't have the right curves for a dress. He even offered to drive and suggested I take my knitting with me. So I sort of had a knit night.

Friday was filled with art and a little knitting.

Saturday was the most fun. There are several wool market like events in this state and one of them, Shepherd's Harvest, is traditionally held Mother's Day weekend. This year, it was pushed back a weekend. I gently suggested that I stay home for the weekend as I had to work on Sunday so that the rest of the family could enjoy the trip (and I wouldn't be stressed out about making it to work on time). When I mentioned that there was an all day spinning class that I would like to take, Husband said that that was a fine thing to do.

I own 3 spinning wheels but rarely use them. I've never really been confident with my skills. My mom taught me how to spin when I was about 11 or so. I was convinced that I had "mastered" making the wheel turn and should therefore be able to spin but mom didn't like how fast I was going and told me I needed to work on slowing down. I then screamed at her and stormed off. I eventually calmed down and learned how to spin. Sort of. I've never taken a formal class.

Deb Jones from the Fiber Garden was going to teach an all day beginning spinning class. Class registration closed on May 10 and I decided on May 16 that I was going to take the class. I ended up at the festival at 8 am so I would make sure I could get into the class. I even brought one of my wheels, an Ashford. This class was meant for people who had never touched a spinning wheel which means I was probably a little advanced for the class (I wasn't the only one, 2 other people brought functioning spinning wheels that they had used before) but, as I had learned in a sock knitting class, there is always something to learn and I was probably doing something wrong. Deb insisted that there was no wrong or right way, but rather different techniques.

I did learn the names to all the parts of the wheel and I learned the two different types of yarn (worsted and woolen) and how to make them. I'd known about them but didn't know how they were created. I even left with a nice looking skein of 2-ply yarn. Deb has encouraged me to consider spinning my own sock yarn, though I'll want to get better at making thinner yarn. I also learned that in the past, I've held the wool too close to the opening and therefore end up with overspun yarn that corkscrews because there is nowhere for the twist to go. It's also much easier to have relaxed hands when spinning. I'm pretty sure I've always been ridiculously tense when I spin. Now I can finally go through all the fleece I have stashed in the craft room!

I feel like my finished skeins should count as finished projects for YOP but I have no idea how to document them. Any other YOPers who spin: what do you do?

I am further along with the TARDIS shawl with (yet another) deadline. It must be blocked and ready to wear for June 7 so I can wear it with a new dress to a hanger dance. Because the TARDIS was around in the 1940s.... After posting this, I will probably sit and knit on it most of the day. It's my day off after all.

The Vanilla Eyelet socks may be renamed to Raspberry Eyelet Socks though I've also played with Easy Eyelet. The leg of the second sock is nearly done. Two hour graduation ceremonies are really good for knitting. Two grads got excited when they saw me working on the sock yesterday. Turns out that they are also knitters.

I know that pictures make a blog more interesting but it's so much work. Maybe I can be motivated to take some this week.

Finished Objects

Works in Progress

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Monday, May 12, 2014

YOP #44 or Already Another Week Down

It doesn't feel like it has been a productive week. Nothing is finished and I feel like I spent a lot of time not knitting. I have no idea what I did do but I certainly don't think it was spent knitting. Even though it didn't feel very productive, I did get progress made.

The TARDIS shawl has half a TARDIS on it! Technically it has half of 15 TARDISes as there are 15 repeats of the pattern. I feel like it will be done sooner rather than later. Blocking is going to be the fun part. I'm still new at blocking shawls and this one is much lacier than the last one I made.

After I posted last week, I went ahead and finished the "vanilla" sock (I really do need a better name for it!). I've also cast on the second sock and have made it about halfway down the leg.

No progress on the little sock. I haven't picked it up all week.

I hope to cast on another pair of socks this week, this time for a friend's birthday. She liked the color and the pattern and while she knits, she is intimidated by socks (she's a very, very loose knitter). She's made me several things over the years so I'd love to make something for her now.

Finished Objects

Works in Progress

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Sunday, May 4, 2014

YOP #43 or The Doctor Visits

No finishes this week but there was progress. No photos either. I keep forgetting to take pictures.

I've finished about a quarter of the TARDIS section of the Police Box shawl. I'm impressed at how fast it's going and it has become a travel project. I'm nearly finished with the first "Vanilla" sock but get sidetracked with the shawl. I really, really wanted it done by today. I'm glad I kept my sanity and didn't finish it. I switched skeins of yarn when I changed sections and I'm glad I did because even though it's the same colorway, it's definitely not the same color. Ah, the joy of dye lots, especially ones that aren't labeled. Oh well. At least I have multiple skeins so each section will be slightly different instead of in the middle of a section.

I ended up frogging the baby socks and cast them onto a smaller size needle. I'm still not happy with the pattern as it's not quite what I see in my head so I'll probably end up frogging them again. It's getting closer. I guess the good thing is that I haven't managed to take any notes yet....

On an unrelated note, Comic Con was a blast! We made it into the Matt Smith panel. I ran into several friends, including one from St. Louis that I didn't realize went to all of them. There were a lot of amazing costumes. I had decided to leave my knitting and large bag at home. Less things for me to have to worry about. With all the waiting in lines, I kind of wish I had my knitting but I was able to have good conversations with my bonus daughter. I splurged and bought a photo op with Matt Smith for her and her friend. There will be more leaf raking out of her. When we got out of the "room" (a pipe and drape area), she was shaking for quite a bit. It was definitely worth it, even the waiting in line bits.

Finished Objects

Works in Progress

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Monday, April 28, 2014

YOP #43 or Fruits of Being Productive

This has managed to be a surprisingly productive week. This past Saturday was an event called Yarnover, which I have been debating about going to since about February. When I didn't get a job that I had applied for (I was in the top 3 though!), I knew it would be realistic for me to go to this except there was a show at work that day. At my job, there are some things I know I have to work and the only way to get out of them is a funeral (or getting married, but that was a show that I enjoy working but my boss insisted I take a full weekend since I was getting married). There are some shows that I think I don't have to work, which end up being more complicate and I have to work (I only pout a little) and then there are the shows that I know I can get out of working. The show this past Saturday fell right into that category. It's not that I don't like working choir concerts. It's just that I prefer to not work choir concerts. With the day off, I approached Husband about the prospect of my going to spend the day knitting. Our house, like all houses I believe, needs a lot of work done to it. Husband got a little down seeing as how I had spent the weekend two weeks previous out with my mom going to 17 yarn shops. He didn't say I couldn't go but he did seem down about it. I countered with the idea that I could stay home and we could work on a massive house project together. He cheered up with that suggestion so we spent Saturday cleaning the basement. My reward was a hot bath in an attempt to melt the spider webs off my body.

I also made some amazing progress in the knitting world.

Friday night, at my church small group gathering, I cast on a baby sock. It's an attempt at a pattern I dreamed about after seeing a pair of socks that belongs to one of the group leaders. She showed me a pair that had been hers when she was an infant and she wanted to know if I could figure out how they had been made.

The original sock.
 I eventually found a similar pattern but one night I actually dreamed about the sock and I think I know how to make them. I worked on them during our Bible study (knitting helps me think sometimes) and while there has been progress and I'm pretty sure they will work, I need to go down a couple of needle sizes. The knitted fabric isn't tight enough to be socks.

My first attempt at the sock pattern.
 The exciting thing about this project is that one of the classes I had wanted to take on Saturday was on backwards knitting. When I first saw the class description, I got excited because of sock heels. I don't always like the flipping back and forth when working on heels especially if I'm doing two at a time. It just becomes a mess. Knitting backwards would keep it from becoming a mess. It also is apparently a neat party trick. I had gone to the link I posted to see what it was like and I've been thinking about it since then. As we were socializing before the study, I decided to see if I could do it. I started by flipping the work and purling and then flipping back over to knit the stitch, watching how the yarn moved. It's still a little shaky and on my Vanilla eyelet socks it's still hard to do, but I can do it!

Speaking of the Vanilla eyelets (which may need a different name), I'm almost done with the first one. I've gotten to the toe, which I'm doing the "No Kitchener Stitch" version. I kept thinking I would have that done by this week but...yeah. I got distracted with work. And the rain made it hard to knit and walk at the same time. I'm talented but I can't knit and hold an umbrella at the same time.

The sock so far.
 The most exciting part about this week was in regards to the TARDIS shawl. The first section is finished!!! I keep forgetting how much I don't like picking up stitches. I've currently got 161 of 311 stitches picked up for the TARDIS section. The middle bonus kid asked why it is called a TARDIS shawl since it looks nothing like the TARDIS. I had to explain that this is the vortex section. She and I (and possibly one of her friends) will be going to Comic Con this weekend to see Matt Smith. I'm still debating about going Saturday as well. It's fun when you go between being an extrovert and an introvert. I'm not sure how much time I want to spend around that many people but it would be fun to go to some of the panels on Saturday.



Finished Objects

Works in Progress

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Monday, April 21, 2014

YOP #42 or The Answer

In case it hasn't been apparent, I'm a bit of a geek hence the Douglas Adams reference in the title of this post. It does have me thinking that if this is my 42nd week (I can't say post as I've missed quite a few) of the Year of Projects blog-along, then there are only 10 weeks left. Suddenly I feel like I'm back in school and that I need to cram to get all my studying in before finals are due. As a theatre and music double major in college, most of my finals were final projects or performances. Thankfully some saner part of my mind poked me and reminded me that I'm not competing with anyone here except maybe myself. It's about challenging myself at times, but, more importantly, it's about having fun and sharing it. The bigger challenge for me might actually be the blogging part of it. I've been pretty good at the knitting part though I haven't reached some deadlines that I had set for myself. While some (including myself) would be discouraged by this, I'm trying to keep in a positive mindset and see how much more I've accomplished in the last year. Heck, I wasn't even knitting in July 2012 so I'm way ahead of myself.

 Onto the projects!

Currently there are only two projects that I'm working on, which feels a little odd.  I do need to start the 3rd dog but I've really been focused on these two projects.

The TARDIS shawl is in being decreased. More accurately, the first section of it is being decreased. It's amazing how knitting 24 rows only decreases 6 overall stitches. I'm hoping that this is the most tedious part of the project. It's the same stitch pattern with a slight shift between rows but if I don't pay close attention, I have managed to screw it up a few times. Hopefully next week I'll be posting a picture of the second section having been started.

In a world in which I don't sleep or work and only eat through an IV, I would have this finished by May 2nd so that I could wear it at the Minneapolis Comic Con. I wouldn't be sane enough to go to it but it would be finished. I would probably also look like an evil minion.

My travel project is a pair of socks. It's my pattern. As in, I'm making up the design. I'm using a sheet that Ann Budd handed out at the class I took from her to get the base numbers but the leg and foot pattern is my own. Currently, the design is called Vanilla Eyelets because it's mostly a vanilla sock pattern with this little eyelet pattern added in to keep it interesting.


This is a "radio static" yarn (as Husband refers to yarn that doesn't stripe nicely and loses intricate patterns with the colour). I've somehow managed to get the colour to sort of stripe or at least clump together. My understanding is that this is pooling but I'm honestly not sure. Husband does like how it looks much better than every other pattern I've attempted with this yarn (two Cookie A patterns which kept getting lost). The simply eyelet pattern seems to be just enough to make it more than just a "boring" sock. I'm hoping to eventually write it up and have it tested before releasing it out into the world.

Finished Objects

Works in Progress

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Thursday, April 17, 2014

YOP #40-41 or One more down and pictures speak louder


I finished another item this past week. The second dog of three. I managed to drop off the first two while I start on the 3rd one. I may have misplaced a needle.... It has been found though. As celebration, I took a lot of pictures of things I've finished since the start of 2014 to show off.

Here Fishy, Fishy the Second


Grandma Tam: Blocking and Post Blocking









Matching Neck Hugger
 

Alpaca Tam: At an auction



Trip



Gilligan



There are currently only 2 WIPs in my midst. I'm actually making progress on the TARDIS shawl. I'm nearly done with the heel for the pair of socks I'm working on, which is my first sock design (and really, my first knitting design). Now if only spring would come....

Finished Objects

Works in Progress

 


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Monday, March 31, 2014

YOP #39 or Finding the Gold Vein in the Rubble

This past week should have been fired except it managed to redeem itself at the end. It seemed to be a week full of slip-ups, fires and forgetfulness. I managed to forget over the course of several days the following:
  • Music for a rehearsal
  • Keys for work
  • Camera to document work
  • Double pointed needles to finish hat
On top of that, the apartment building that my bonus kids live in with their mother caught on fire. The apartment two floors above theirs to be specific. That led to dashing about trying to rescue a hedgehog (I knew they weren't going to let us near the building let alone inside but if I drove the teenager down there, I knew she wouldn't be able to just try to run past the police). The hedgehog was rescued by a building caretaker and came to stay with us for part of the week, so that at least worked out. There was also teenager drama (trying to establish boundaries with teenagers who aren't use to them is fun, really). So by yesterday, I was definitely going to fire the week. But then something amazing happened yesterday.

I started to think of all the good things that had happened.

Earlier in the week, after the last post I wrote, I went and looked at my TARDIS shawl. I think I may actually know where I am! I've been so intimidated by it, that I haven't even bothered to look. Feeling frustrated (and a bit flippant about the project), I pulled it out and looked at it. I could clearly see where the increase ended, so it was just a matter of counting. It's actually a fairly easy pattern once I looked at it again. It's intimidating because it's lace and there's so much of it and it looks all the same. I blame my desire to get my craft room clean again as the culprit. This desire forced me to actually look at the project again.

I finished another project this week. The gray alpaca tam is finished. It's the one that I was hoping to donate to my church for a fundraiser. They needed it yesterday but I didn't finish it until last night. I emailed the person in charge of donations and said I could bring it by today. I'm sure I'll hear something either way at some point today.

It's finally starting to warm up, though it did snow on Friday. I wore my Blood Orange Newtons to try to keep the snow away. Someone who I told this to commented that at least the snow wasn't sticking.

Possibly the most comfortable socks I've made for myself to date.

I'm hoping that this week I'll finally get to taking pictures of things that I haven't documented yet. Perhaps even today. Rumor has it that it's suppose to get up to 60 F. 

Instead of casting on another Cookie A pattern (I might as well wait; I believe I've got another week until the next patterns are released), I've cast on what was going to be just a Plain Vanilla Sock. I got done with the cuff and realized I'd go cross-eyed in the brain if I did that, so I've added an eyelet pattern. This would be my first sock design. If I like it, I'm going to write it up and have the pattern tested.

There were other amazing things that happened yesterday and actually earlier in the week that are related to work (I got to hear Osmo Vanka, former conductor of Minnesota Orchestra, play clarinet yesterday) but the thing that really pushed my mind back into a happy place was something written on the sidewalk in chalk on the University of Minnesota campus. It simply said "You're Amazing". That little innocent street writing changed my outlook for the entire day. Husband doesn't know that yet (he will once he reads this post) but I'm sure he'll appreciate knowing that something helped my spirits when it was such a hard week.

Finished Objects

Works in Progress


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Tuesday, March 25, 2014

YOP #38 or Progress Equals Happiness

I may have delayed this post by a couple of days just so I could say I had finished something. No pictures of anything yet that has been finished during the last month or so but that will happen soon (I hope).

Much thanks to everyone who cheered my up with last week's entry. It's very easy to be hard on myself, which I believe is true for everyone. It's much harder to look at the things I've accomplished or to give myself a break because it's been busy at work and home. There is such as a thing as too exhausted to knit.

Last night I finished my Blood Orange Newtons. They are very lovely. I can't wait to take some nice pictures of them to show off. I'm very proud of them. It's also the 4th Cookie A 2013 Sock Club pattern that I've finished. I can't decide if I should wait and see what the second set of 2014 patterns look like (it's only a week or so away I believe) before casting on a new pair of socks or just cast something on and knit them. I want to use this yarn the bonus kids got me as a Christmas gift but I think it's going to be best suited for plain vanilla socks due to the way it's been dyed. In theory, that shouldn't take me too long to make. I don't know if it's yarn that I could do intentional pooling on or not. I can no longer remember what it looked like in skein form though I believe the color repeats would be rather short. It's also 100% wool, which I read a lot of people will avoid making socks out of as they are prone to wearing out faster.

I cast on another of Grandma's Tams. This one is double stranded fingering weight alpaca. Should I get it done in time, I'm going to donate it as a silent auction item for a fundraiser at church. If it doesn't get done in time, I guess it'll become the start of my stock for selling. I'm about halfway done with it and I'm very happy with how it's turning out and with how quickly I'm making progress on it.

The shawl is still...stuck. I did realize that I can probably figure out where I am by counting the rows past the decrease. It just doesn't sound very pleasant. Nor do I think it's something I can do with bonus kids around who are on their spring break (and therefore, apparently, must be entertained. It's cute how they think Husband and I shouldn't work so that we can spend time with them).

There is progress on the second dog, Trip. Pointers apparently have very long necks and bodies. Sewing on the belly is easier now that I've done one but still taking forever since it's so long. I think the order I've done the dogs in has been the correct one. At least I hope so. There is still a Beagle to make and I hope that it will easier. If nothing else, there should be less stranded knitting on that one.

The goal for next week is to have pictures of everything that I've yet to take pictures of and post them here. And maybe to have one or two more finished objects.

Finished Objects

Works in Progress

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Monday, March 17, 2014

YOP #35-37 or Finding it Hard to Care

Lately, things have been tough for me. I'm going to blame the Eternal Winter. I'm feeling frustrated because all of my current projects are more complicated ones. That being said, when I don't update every week (this is partially because I just don't want to sit down and write. I don't know why. Once again, I blame Eternal Winter), I do end up with some finished objects. Eventually I'll take pictures and post those but for now, the list.

I finished my first tam based off Grandma's pattern. I haven't responded yet but to those who left such wonderful comments on my last post, thank you for those. It's been a bit of an emotional process to make the hat. I also want to make more hats except I don't need more hats. This has led to the idea that maybe I could sell hats online. Mom and Grandma had a hat business when I was younger and it seems a little odd to me that now I want to make and sell hats but I'm sure it actually makes sense. I'm thinking that they'll end up on Etsy eventually once I figure out pricing (when you buy yarn at retail prices, it kind of screws up the price for the finished item) and have enough of an inventory to sell. The tam only took about 1/2 a skein of yarn so I made a matching neck warmer. It's a ridiculously simple pattern and it made Husband happy that my cowl and hat matched. He may have twitched when he saw the hat with my previous cowl and mittens. None of the colors matched, which is par for the course with me. I've never really been into matching things.

I have finished one of the Blood Orange Newton socks and I've nearly finished the second one. It's still amusing to me that a year ago I was terrified of these socks. No, seriously, I didn't want to make them. There was a chart and it's a lace pattern. I'm glad I didn't attempt it last year because I don't think it would look as lovely. My skills have definitely improved over the last year.

I'm working on my second dog for my friend. While the patterns are essentially easy and kind of quick, I do feel a bit overwhelmed by them. My dogs aren't looking much like the ones in the book. I'm hoping to have the one I'm currently working on done sometime today. That leaves one more to make and it will hopefully be quicker as it's a smaller dog breed.

My TARDIS shawl hasn't been touched in ages. I had been using a counter on my phone to keep track of where I was and of how many repeats I had done. My phone had been acting up so I called tech support and they had me to a factory reset. My contacts and texts were backed up but my counter information wasn't. I didn't think about this until after I had done the reset. I really don't want to frog it but I'm not entirely sure how to count the lace rows to figure out where I am.
Current progress on the TARDIS shawl















Close up of the lace pattern.




























































So until I figure out how to count it (or a dear friend of mine who I sent these photos too manages to figure out where I am), this project seems to be on hiatus.

I think this is leading to some anguish (Husband's word) over my knitting. I don't feel like I'm making enough things. Husband suggested that I sell some of the yarn especially since I keep getting more yarn from the clubs I'm in. I feel behind in my knitting but it's not as though there is an actual schedule. There are people in the Cookie A club, for instance, who have yet to knit a single one of the patterns. I had to tell Husband last night that it wasn't about the nail.




He did eventually hear me after coming up with a few different ways to sell the yarn. I don't want to sell the yarn though. I want to make things out of it. I think it's because all 3 of my current projects are very detailed that I don't feel like I'm making any progress. I don't have a mindless knit that I can just sit down and knit with. There have been a few times in the last few weeks in which I haven't even wanted to knit at all. Husband asked if I was dying. This Eternal Winter thing is what I'm blaming. Funny as you would think more cold and snow would make me want to knit lots of warm things but all it really is making me want to do is curl up and hide under the covers until the Real Spring comes. I recently saw a meme using a picture from the Fellowship of the Ring movie in which the Hobbits are explaining about Second Winter and they don't think Aragorn is aware of Second Winter or all the other things that are to follow before Spring really comes. Hopefully things will get better soon and I'll actually post on Sunday.


Finished Objects

Works in Progress

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Sunday, February 23, 2014

YOP #32-34 or is Ravellenic a real word?

It has been a quick three weeks. So quick, in fact, that I thought there had only been two of them but it appears I've missed two weeks instead of the one I thought I'd missed. Oops. One of the goals for myself is to do the weekly update on time. This is not happening for several reasons. The biggest one is that I'm not sitting in front of the computer a lot. To be fair, I've probably spent the last 30 minutes doing anything other than blogging because I needed to get something out of my system before I started writing. I think it was some excess energy about work and I didn't want to go too much into that. The biggest plus side to work is that when there are shows, I get a lot of knitting down.

Earlier in February, the Lunar New Year was celebrated. Every year, the Vietnamese Student group puts together a show. It is always entertaining for several reasons. Another plus is that there's enough down time for me to work on my knitting. This means I made a ton of progress on the Blood Orange Newton sock. I managed to get onto the foot. Of course, I've not touched it since then. For this, I blame the Olympics.

On Ravelry, there is a group that hosts the Ravellenic Games. It's all about personal challenges during the course of the Olympic Games. This is honestly the first time I've cared anything about the Olympic Games since some time in the 1990s. I usually find the theatrics of the opening ceremonies interesting (though never enough to actually watch them; I read about them later and how they did things) but it's hard for me to get into the sports competitions these days. It was a good motivator to finish Husband's socks.

I had started the Angels Have the Police Box socks back in October. I hadn't touched them since.....December 1st.  The next step was to sew up the cuff and then pick up stitches for the leg. I remember this step being amazingly tedious and annoying and I hadn't wanted to do it. I love the look of the cuff but I really don't like picking up stitches along the edge. I don't know if it was because the yarn was wanting to split on me or the color but it wasn't fun to do. Once I got that part started (which I did while helping to navigate to Madison, WI), it was a piece of cake. Picking up stitches and navigating is a talent and a skill though and I don't recommend it lightly. I did manage to finish them though it was a doozy. Husband's feet are large for his frame but they are big feet. That's the part where I get hung up because I want to be done. Part of me also finds is a little sad how much bigger the foot of the sock is when compared with the leg of it. It's a decent leg length though. The best part is that Husband likes the socks. They were finished last night and he wore them today. The cuff is a little tight going over his heel but once they are on, they look beautiful.

Since I last wrote, I've started a new hat. I had hoped to have it finished by the time we got to Madison but I needed larger needles, which weren't in the car. Many years ago (the late 1980s), my mom had a hat business. She made machine knit hats and her mom would make hand knit hats. I'm sure my mom made some of these hats as well but I mostly remember Grandma making them. It's actually one of the reasons I didn't like knitting for the longest time. I've always been one who likes to talk but Grandma would get annoyed if I tried to have a conversation with her (or just talk at her) if she was knitting because I always seemed to pick the moment that she was counting stitches.

This March it will have been 15 years since Grandma passed away. I still have a hat she knit for me but I think wool moths have gotten into it and it needs to be replaced. I wanted to use the same pattern so I asked mom for it. This pattern that I'm using is one that Grandma figured out on her own. I believe it's based on a pattern she saw in a book but she didn't like the way it looked so she changed it. The pattern, which I happened to find over the week of Christmas while organizing mom's needles (she has her needles, Grandma's needles and my Great-Aunt's needles; and I simply sorted them by needle type so it would help her narrow down her search), is written on an old yellow post-it note. There was a modification for the pattern for different yarns on another scarp of paper but that was it. And the directions assume the person making the hat knows what you're doing. For the increase of the crown, it simply says "increase to 119 stitches". I'm use to patterns that tell me exactly where to increase. This increase isn't a simply every other or every third either. I've sat down and figured out where the increases need to go so that it's even and have written it out. I asked mom if I could write it up and put it on Ravelry for others to make and she's okay with it.  I'm in the process of making the hat (just started decreasing) and then I need to write it out and get it tested. In some ways, I think I want to do this so something of Grandma will still exist. It's also a way to thank her for making 100s of these hats and, in some way, to express gratitude that she figured out this pattern. She started to knit again after I was born. Her knitting (and that of my Great-Aunt) got my mom to knit, which has led to me knitting. It's a gift that has managed to be passed on even though I didn't learn until after Grandma had died. I feel like it's a way to reconnect to my past while moving into my future.

Finished Objects

Works in Progress

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Sunday, February 2, 2014

YOP #31 or 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Yesterday, I finished my fifth project of 2014. I'm ridiculously excited about this. My knitting skills have definitely leveled up. Since last week, I've finished my sister's hat and the knitted dog. Last week I wanted to have both of these finished and I did it! I set a goal and it was actually achievable. There are two more dogs to knit but I'm very excited that I've finished one. It probably helped that I had a big show on Thursday. It was a crazy morning but once the show started (two performances), I literally had nothing to do but sit there and make sure the building didn't fall apart. So I sat there backstage and worked on the hat. I finished the hat within 15 minutes of the second performance.

I then pulled out the Newton socks. Almost a year ago I got this pattern. I remember being completely intimidated by it. It's lacy and there was a chart. How could anyone make these socks? Well, a year later, and less than a week after starting them, I'm already at the heel. And instead of doing the heel flap, I'm using Ann Budd's short row heel. The Sweet Georgia yarn is so soft and lovely. I can't wait to get them onto my feet.

Tomorrow I should have the newest Cookie A yarn and I will definitely have the patterns. I'm excited about getting it. I've been a little "meh" the last few months as I didn't feel very inspired by the patterns. I'm hoping that I'm back on my sock knitting kick though.

Finished Objects

Works in Progress

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Wednesday, January 29, 2014

YOP #30 or Insert Clever Title Here

This past week has been ridiculous in it's temperatures. You would think with extra time off from work (it was so cold that the University I work for canceled all classes, so my late night rehearsal wasn't happening) that I would have time to update my blog in a timely manner. Instead, I was trying hard to keep warm. It did mean that I had extra time to work on things. There was progress this past week.

The dog is coming along nicely. All of the parts are made and the sides are sewn together. I need to finish sewing it up and then I can stuff it. I had to buy stuffing as my friend didn't manage to but on the scale of things, that's a little thing. Besides, I was able to buy 20 ounces of stuffing for the same price as a smaller bag. I should have the little guy done by next week. I had hoped to have it done by now but I needed to take a break from it. So many ends to sew in! On top of that, the method to sew things together is frustrating for me. It does make a seamless connection but it's fussy on something so small. Alas, at the moment, I can't seem to remember what it's called but it is on the list of things I don't really like.

My sister's hat is starting it decrease. She was going to leave Montana and move to Texas so I thought she'd get a little more use out of the hat as it's lighter weight than something to wear up north. Then some of her clients (she's a vet) made her an offer she couldn't refuse (not in a creepy way) to get her to stay. So while she may not be able to wear it in sub-zero weather, at least she'll look girly when she can wear it in the fall. My plan is to finish it up before the end of the week as it will mean I will have finished four projects this month! If I manage to finish the dog as well, then it will be a grand total of five projects! When I mentioned my finish rate to Husband last night and asked him to imagine what it would be like if I finished 4 projects every month, he quipped that it would mean I would stay on top of my yarn buying habit.

I did finish the scarfowl, which was another test pattern. The yarn is lovely. I purchased it at StevenBe's back in May. On Saturday, there was an open house, so I of course brought it with me to show off. (Note: I went into the shop and managed to not buy a single thing; the world may be ending.) Now I'll have to go back and show off the finished object. I made mine smaller than the original one so that it will sit up close to my face. I took it to a crafting night on Thursday and there was much ooohing and ahhing over it. Husband asked if I could wear it like a crown (this is how he wears his cowl at times) in hopes that it will replace my troll hat, though that is unlikely.

Monday I started an old Cookie A pattern. It's the second one from last February. I apparently couldn't wait until this coming Monday to start a Cookie A sock. I've been wanting to work on a Cookie A sock for a few weeks now. I'm using the yarn we got in the June shipment so the socks are Blood Orange Newtons. The cuff is almost finished and I'm loving the yarn. It's the second skein of club yarn I've used now. I keep finding other yarn that I want to use on the patterns.

I love how my Finished Objects list is growing. It feels really nice to see it there every week and I love moving an item from the lower list up to the other one. It feels like progress.


Finished Objects

Works in Progress

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