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

• Japan Scarf
• Birthday Bag 
• Socks, the Final Frontier
• Ladders to the Sky Socks (Test Pattern)
• Waves of Love 
• Colormatic  
• Here Fishy Fishy I
• Gingy
• Fuzzy, the baby blanket
• Japan Scarf II 
• Scarfowl
• Here Fishy Fishy II 
• Gillian
• The Angels Have the Police Box  
• Mini-Socks 
• Grandma's Tam
• Neck Hugger  

Works in Progress

• Police Box
• Blood Orange Newtons 
• Trick