I have a Goal

I had a conversation with myself. It's one I have a lot and it turns into an argument. At least, one side turns and walks away and doesn't want to discuss things anymore. The other side, well, let's just say, gets her way. And I know which side is winning the war. 

I start projects. I start many projects. I get going on something because I see someone else has made a beautiful object and I think, "I can do it too! In fact, I have just the yarn to do it." And off I go. Until the next project captures my attention. Meanwhile, the first project gets put aside in favor of the new. Then they all start to build up.

A year ago I bought a pattern and yarn to make the "Grace" sweater. Before I start that sweater (yes, I've held back!) I told myself that I needed to finish up a few WIPs. Well, a few WIPs turns into many as I clean out my cupboards and drawers. I said this year, 2015, would be a year of finishing. And it has been. I've finished socks, sweaters, cowls, mittens and scarves! Plural! Many! But there are still many more projects to finish. So it looks as if the year 2016 will be a year of finishing as well. I have the projects lined up on my Ravelry page with WIPs first. One by one they will be picked off. 

There are helps to this solution. In fact, I know exactly what to do.

1. Do not go into yarn stores or into the department of the store that sells yarn. 

2. Do not surf Ravelry. 

3. Stare at your WIPs listed on Ravelry 'til you get inspired. Yes, they will inspire you again as they once did long ago.

4. Delete all "friends" on Instagram that show pictures of finished and half finished projects. They are enablers. 

5. Pick up and finish a WIP UNTIL IT IS DONE!!!!

6. Knit 25 hours a day. I kid, but you know what I mean. 

The tide has turned in this war. 

In 2013 I started a "Temperature" Scarf where every row or two correlated to a day temperature wise. Every five degree increment was knit in a different color. Initially, I cast on about 45 stitches and knit two rows of garter for every day. 'Round about April I lost impetus. I hate garter stitch and this was going so slowly. I still kept track of the temperature in a little calendar I kept by my family room chair. At the end of the year the project had disappeared into the vast morass of my sewing and craft room. Two days ago I bought it out to the light and ripped it out! I decided I liked stockinette stitch better for this project and was going to make it work. So, in the last two days I've been able to work three and a half months worth of temperatures! Way to go! At this rate this should be done by the end of the week. Or year. Which ever comes first.

One down, 499 to go. Fingers crossed. 

Crazy Socks!!

These crazy socks may not be the prettiest but I think I'll love them because every stripe represent one of my sisters or one of my daughters. What's not to like? They are going pretty quickly too since they are knit with worsted weight and with size 6 needles. I like quick projects!

On the other hand I finally found a pattern that suits this yarn! I tried feather and fan. Too busy for the yarn. Or was the yarn too busy for the pattern? In any case I didn't like how it all went together and just ripped it out.  I then cast on for some plain stockinette mittens/socks. They were going to end up being too small so I ripped them out as well. In the meantime I came across a pattern that I thought would be perfect for this yarn. I tried it out and really, really like it.

Cuff Down Slipped Stitch Socks on #3 needles. Cast on 48.

Yarn is Mirasol Hecho in Sapphire Jade colorway 

"Why I Don't Like Variegated Yarn" or "Why Socks Are an Option"

December's Sweater

I liked it at the store while it was in the skein and when I started to knit with it but when I laid it out to take a picture I realized why I don't knit sweaters with variegated yarn. See if you agree. Firstly, the colors pooled. By that I mean instead of having the color evenly distributed throughout the garment the color all gathered in one spot. It makes the project look like something that was thrown together somehow. Secondly, it really does look homemade. Just like someone really didn't put much thought into the thing. And I didn't. At least it did a bit of striping and I like stripes. Just not jagged ones.

Now, look at the sleeves. They are not as bad looking as the body of the sweater. The number of stitches on the sleeves is about the same number that I would cast on for some Hiking Socks. So, maybe there is some redemption, after all. Make socks. Let that be a lesson learned. But for now, it goes into the cedar chest to await some "lucky" recipient because I'm sure not taking out or ripping back! Nope.

Cardigans and Pullovers

At the beginning of the year I thought I would try to get a sweater done every month. So I finished a wonderful wallaby for Hannah in January. And in February a simplest sweater got done. I almost completed leahs lovely cardigan (shown below) in March but missed it by two days. So that's April and there is no March. May and June saw a hiatus on the sweater knitting front as well since there were oodles of request for objects other than sweaters. Then there is July's project: another simplest-sweater. August and September saw a lot of socks instead since all the sisters got socks this year for birthdays and that's just where the birthdays fall. October was a sweet little cardigan for Camillia - daisy chain. And November was a central park hoodie.That one had been in hibernation for a long time with only part of a sleeve done but I'm glad I got it out and finished it. In December I mustered the energy to finish this little baby pullover. It's okay but I really don't like how the yarn pooled. 

 Now that it's December I realize that I needlessly put myself under pressure. I don't need pressure. Thank you very much. I've had enough of it. So much so that I now roll with the days and just make sure I get in a little knitting. After all, it really is therapy so why would I make it discipline?

At the neck and close to the end!

There's only one problem and I'm not sure I really want to tackle it. I made the body too long and am thinking about making it shorter. That's not as easy as it sounds since it entails taking off the button bands and unraveling about two or three inches from the bottom of the sweater and then reapplying (and re-knitting!) the button bands. See, not all projects work out as projected. Pardon.

With daughter #1

My Lists and Scrap Yarn

So I've made a list. I'm funny that way. Every morning I make a "to do" list of the things I want to accomplish that day. Mostly, I get through that list in good time. I'm funny that way. But the list I want to talk about now is the list that keeps getting longer every day and doesn't seem to shrink at all. In fact, it grows. It's the list of my knitting projects. That's okay though because I don't ever want to be at a loss for something to knit. And knit projects take longer than a day to complete. Since I've finished all the socks that I wanted to do for this year's birthdays, I thought I would try my hand at something I've seen floating around Instagram for a while to use up my left over yarn. And that is crazy socks! I haven't started yet but here are some of the colors I want to use:

If nothing else it will be fun to see how this works out. And at the least, I'll have used some of my scraps. Now how economical is that?

"Amazing"

When I first saw this yarn I thought it was beautiful but way too expensive. But when Micheal's handed me a 40% off coupon I knew just how I would use it. The pattern: One Day Beret. So simple even I had no trouble. (I would give yourself more than one day, though! It takes me at least two days to finish this pattern.)

Then! Micheal's gave me a coupon for 50% off. And another coupon! And another! Now I have four balls of the most luscious yarn in a green colorway. I'm thinking of making a "One Day Beret", some finger-less mitts and a cowl or scarf. Here's the yarn. Lovely, green, and so squishy.

My List

The first thing I pack or even think about before I go on a trip is: What knitting project will I bring? Do I need to bring two? three? How long will I be away? Two nights? Two weeks? Do I need reading material in case my fingers get tired? Having settled that I need two projects for every night I'm away and two "How To" books and one current knitting magazine I am then ready to pack my bags for non-essentials like medication and clothes. So what if I forget a pair of shoes and have to wear my flip flops instead? Or if I forget my tennis shoes for walking (heh, heh) Or even if I have to wear a shirt two days in a row? (Won't happen. I always over pack when it comes to tops). As long as I have my therapy knitting...

I'm good to go.
BTW just looking at this yarn makes me want to knit this: mitered-baby-jacket. Oh, to have grandchildren.

I. COULD. NOT. RESIST.

I did. I did cave. The "Willow Cowl" called and called and I listened. I opened my yarn box and on top was the perfect sock yarn. I cast on 150 stitches and knit. For eight rounds. And I continued. It's not as if I went out and bought more yarn. I didn't. Nor did I go out and buy a pattern. It was there. It was free. It all whispered to me that it would be a perfect match..."try it out" it said. So, I did.

And how could I not when the weather is like this? 

You want that I should have a cold neck?

I am making progress on other projects. The orange wallaby is coming right along. Two sleeves done and part of the body.

I Almost Caved

My neck is cold and I gave away all my turtlenecks. Is that a good enough excuse to make a cowl? I thought so. I found this on -line - willow_cowl - and wondered if I had yarn to make it. Then I realized that I had far too many projects on the needles to even think about casting on another. So I thought I would try to get at least one project a week done from the previous post and see if my neck was still cold. After all, it should be about May before I get these projects remotely close to being finished.

Here's some progress:



I combined two patterns: the "One Day Beret" and the "Baby Pin Wheel" blanket.
I would show you her face but she was brushing her teeth. I did take a picture though - for future blackmailing. After all, she was the one who wanted me to take the picture. And I never said I wouldn't post it.

The fingerless mitts are done as well. LJ wears them and I know they keep her warm at work. It's been -7degrees C (20degrees F) here and we have snow! So anything made with 100% wool has got to keep her warm.

I've been trying to incorporate walking into my daily schedule but since I've been sick since last year I haven't been able to. The girls wanted me to walk up to the mall (about 3 km away) but I only got as far as the corner. At that point I turned and walked home. So my walk was truncated to about 1 km. So all in all I've walked about once since the turn of the year. Keren, I need you. We could walk every morning.

Here's where we parted ways.

A Little Progress

We had Korean Beef for dinner tonight. At least, it's my variation of it. I dumped a splash of soy sauce in a non-stick pan and added about 1/2 cup of brown sugar on top. Then I mixed it around til the brown sugar was dissolved. Added sliced up inside blade steak (?), placed it on a burner and while it was cooking away I made some oven roasted veggies - broccoli, onions, carrots and green pepper. I was too lazy to put rice in the rice cooker so I popped a couple of potatoes in the microwave and nuked them. Add to the whole thing -potato fixings, a side salad and sliced avocadoes and I was done. I would serve it to company.

I finished another "One Day Beret"! This is in "Amazing" yarn in the Glacier colorway. I think this is the best yarn that Micheal's sells. At first I refused to buy it because it was/is so expensive but finally, I clued in to their 50% off coupons. Makes it reasonable. Where else can you get a beret for $4.99?

Laura's fingerless mitts are coming along nicely. Things come along nicely when you stay home all day when you're sick and can't really do much of anything besides knit or read.

Hopefully, I'll have them done tonight!

Finally, some progress on the sweater-scarf. Heidi's scarf is kinda so-so for me. I've enjoyed thinking up new stitches to add to the mix but the yarn is not fun to work with. I guess I'm using a needle that is too small for the thickness of the yarn. But I usually err on the side of small when it comes to needles because I like how firm it makes things. But it sure cramps the fingers!

Some Knitting

Well, since the title of this blog has the word knit in it I thought it would be about time there was some knitting content. (Aside from last time). So what am I working on now?

I have a "one-day-beret" in the works... Almost done. Same ole pattern I've been using forever. It's about time I at least varied it a little by adding some kind of pattern. Maybe leaves like the Saroyan would be pretty.

There's a burgundy citron - a lace pattern that is more "fiddly" than anything. Still I've been admiring this for a long time and wanted to get it on the needles at least.

I'm using a #2 or #3 - 16" circular. The pattern calls for a #6 but I just couldn't keep all the stitches on the needle and it really looked sloppy. I suppose that it's suppose to look sloppy until you block it but I just didn't like it at all. We'll see whether it comes close to what the pattern intended.

This wallaby has been waiting patiently to be finished...Ioi's #5 baby got a green one but I had promised her one in a larger size at first. So it needs to get done before H grows up. This will be one of the first projects I finish after the beret.

Sweet little kidlets with LOTS of energy!

LJ and H are always clamoring for finger-less mitts, gloves and even hats...Same pattern as Beck's mitts.
The beige/pink ones are for LJ and the Turquoise balll will morph into mitts somehow...Briggs and Little 100% scratch wool that is so "old fashioned", nostalgic, rustic??what?? Can you think of what I'm thinking of?

I like to have socks on the needles because they are so portable but haven't even started these yet...Maybe I'll put a picot edging on the top to vary it a little

I frogged a shawl because I didn't like how it was turning out and reverted back to a favorite pattern. Here's another "damson"... I really enjoyed making this before and this time will be no different.

I pulled out a half done sweater from years ago and Heidi told me it would make a great cowl. I readily agreed since I knew the sweater would never see the light of day...I've already worked a little more on this and have changed up the stitch pattern to stockinette for an inch and garter for another inch. I think I'll continue to vary the stitches. It's going to be (DV) about three to five feet long and I will make a circle grafting the ends together.

Laura gave me some yarn for my birthday this year and I found the perfect pattern for it...Bandanna Cowl. I probably have enough for a hat/beret or even finger-less mitts. Luscious!

We have some new babies arriving next year and I thought I would forgo making another Wallaby (a tradition, it seems!) and try something new... Here we have the yarn for a norwegian-sweet-baby-cap  and phazelias-mitered-baby-jacket...

Hat 

Both Hat and Sweater

Finally, a very fun project for myself out of kauni yarn. I made up the pattern borrowing heavily from EZ and the Wonderful Wallaby...

This should keep me busy for a long while. I'll keep you updated and try to get these done at least one a week. Well, maybe not the sweater!