YOP Update March 1st 2015

I really feel there should be more of an update to the list.  I feel like I should be crossing things off with gleeful abandon and that there should be some measurable amount of forward momentum.  But there isn’t or at least it doesn’t feel like there is.  Sigh.

My Sister in law, on the other hand, is making stunning progress with her crocheting.  She’s completed her first pillow case and a baby hat.  She’s struggling a little with the second case as she can’t seem to replicate the mistakes she made on the first one.  The joys of becoming more confident in your craft.  Even her wool licking dog, Miss Daisy, is getting in on the action!

And now for the list.

Redacted YOP List

WIPs:
1. Iced – finished Feb 2015
2. 64 crayons – Finished Jan 2015
3. Vincent price socks – should be much closer than they are.
4. 10 more squares for Nordic Holiday

Not WIPs:
1. Lumberjack X4 Two pairs finished Jan 20.  Two  to go.
2. Baby gift for the April baby
3. Jaywalkers

4. socks (unknown)

5. Socks (unknown)

 

 

YOP Update February 8th, 2015

 

This is a very exciting and special update.  This is not because Iced is finished and keeping me cozy warm as I type this.  (Though it is pretty cool).  Here’s a picture of me not wearing it.

It is special because this weekend we went to visit my SIL and my BIL and when I walked in to their house, my SIL didn’t get up to greet me.  Why is that special and not incredibly rude you might ask? It’s because she was crocheting.  She was sitting on the sofa, with a crochet hook in her hand and a project in her lap and she was crocheting.  She was actually doing Tunisian crochet, which she has taught herself THE NIGHT BEFORE WE ARRIVED!!!!  (The project on the left is her first project.  The project on the right is the fancy crochet she started the night before we arrived).

 

If she was a huggy type person, I would have flung myself across the room and grabbed her.  But she’s not and after 16 years of being part of her family I can accept that and find ways to express happiness that doesn’t  make her try to crawl out of her skin and flee the room.  I can do things like ask her about what’s she’s doing and be genuinely interested because 1)  I  am a fibre person and she is working with fibre and 2)  I have no idea what the heck she is actually doing.  It is no secret that I don’t know how to crochet.  I can’t read the patterns (Ed. note:  Seriously:  Since when is a half double not the same as a single?  What is wrong with you people?).  I don’t know how to make the hook move.   I certainly didn’t know that a crochet hook could be the size of your arm and that you could leave stitches on it.  But, my SIL did.  The next day, when we were driving around to various wineries and distilleries, we were sharing a back seat and she had her fibre and I had my fibre and we were both so very happy.

 A little sampling from the wineries and distilleries.

 

I was knitting a new pair of socks with this.

By the time we left she had this.

Overall, it was very successful.

And now for the list.

Redacted YOP List

WIPs:
1. Iced – finished Feb 2015
2. 64 crayons – Finished Jan 2015
3. Vincent price socks – should be much closer than they are.
4. 10 more squares for Nordic Holiday

Not WIPs:
1. Lumberjack X4 first pair finished Jan 20. Three to go.
2. Baby gift for the April baby
3. Socks X3 – patterns currently unknown

And because a weekend wouldn’t be complete without the dog.

 

 

YOP Update February 1, 2015

This is going to be a quick little update.  Dinner is cooking in the kitchen and I have a sweater that needs pinning out.  But here it is:

This week my list got hacked a little.  I cast on a cowl that is clearly not on the list.  What can I say, I’m living dangerously.  I let my needles guide me and they went to a new cowl.  More about it later this week because it sort of deserves it’s own post for the uniqueness of the thing.

Keeping this one a little bit of a secret. There are reasons.

The big news this week is that the sweater that needs pinning is Iced.  This is it having a bath right now.  It still needs the ends woven in and the buttons added, but it is off the needles and I am thrilled.

 

These are the buttons I’m using.  I love them.

Hope everyone had a great week.  Looking forward to catching up with everyone.
Happy knitting!

Redacted YOP List

WIPs:
1. Iced – Almost finished!!
2. 64 crayons – Finished Jan 2015
3. Vincent price socks – should be much closer than they are.
4. 10 more squares for Nordic Holiday

Not WIPs:
1. Lumberjack X4 first pair finished Jan 20. Three to go.
2. Baby gift for the April baby
3. Socks X3 – patterns currently unknown

 

 

 

YOP Update Jan 26.15

It’s amazing sometimes how quickly the weeks go. I didn’t even notice that I missed posting last week until Wednesday! And really that was probably okay because my knitting stalled a little bit and there wasn’t a whole lot of progress to report. I know it’s hard to believe but sometimes other things do actually interfere with you ability to knitting for any substantial length of time.

Saving the world from a global pandemic for example might have gotten in the way. Saving the world from a global pandemic 13 times certainly got in the way. But, you will be happy to know that with the help of my husband and a few close friends we did in fact save the world more often than we allowed it to succumb whatever illness was spreading like wild fire. It is an excellent board game but I can’t play it and knit at the same time.

 

We’ve also been having fun experimenting with our new food processor. There are about a million reasons why you shouldn’t knit and try to run a food processor at the same time and really I don’t think they need listing. Imagining fibre tufted cucumber soup dripping from the ceiling is enough of a reason. I really think this might be one of the few activities in which having your knitting around is downright inappropriate.

Even with all the world saving and food processing there has been some progress on the list! My first of four scheduled pairs of Lumberjacks are off the needles. These are going to my BIL for Christmas and they are boxed and bagged and ready to go.

Next Iced is well on its way to being complete. I am hoping that by next week this one will be off the list. No pictures yet.  It’s still all bunched up on the needles.

I still haven’t blocked 64 Crayons, but here’s a sneak peek.

Overall, it’s been a great couple of weeks.

Redacted YOP List

WIPs:
1. Iced – Almost finished!!
2. 64 crayons – Finished Jan 2015
3. Vincent price socks – should be much closer than they are.
4. 10 more squares for Nordic Holiday

Not WIPs:
1. Lumberjack X4 first pair finished Jan 20. Three to go.
2. Baby gift for the April baby
3. Socks X3 – patterns currently unknown

I hope you all have a wonderful fibre filled week! Cheers 🙂

YOP Update Jan 11.2015

This should have been posted yesterday. The plan was to have this posted on time, yesterday. The plan, as I had envisioned it in my head, was to return from our modern day hunting/gathering excursion (better known as grocery shopping), do about twenty minutes of printing work related stuff and then write and post this. Instead, three minutes into my printing, the printer decided to throw a tantrum that could rival a two year old. First, it ate the paper and wouldn’t share with me. Then, when I finally forced it to spit the paper out it spent the next two hours sulking like am insolent little brat and wouldn’t do anything else until it was cleaned from top to bottom. Needless to say, by the end of that I had called the printer many, many, many provocative names and was more or less finished with electronics for the day. After that I buried myself in my knitting where it was warm and safe.

On a much happier note, there was progress! First, 64 Crayons is finished! I even wove in all the ends!!! (Ed. Note:  This is a big deal. I’m not allowed to speak of ends, on pain of pain.  It might have been in the wedding vows.  I will say she’s gifted out pairs of socks that still have their ends out.  Only to other knitters, mind you.  But still.)  It still needs to be blocked, which is a bit of a logistical nightmare, so no glamour shots yet. Next, the first of eight Lumberjack socks is off the needles so I’m half way through the first pair! Overall, it was a good week.

Redacted YOP List

WIPs:
1. Iced – one sleeve and collar to go!
2. 64 crayons – Finished Jan 2015
3. Vincent price socks – should be much closer than they are.
4. 10 more squares for Nordic Holiday

Not WIPs:
1. Lumberjack X4
2. Baby gift for the April baby
3. Socks X3 – patterns currently unknown

I hope you all have a wonderful fibre filled week! Cheers 🙂

YOP Update March 2nd, 2014

I can’t believe that it’s already March and that means that there are only four months left this year’s Year of Projects.   If you were to look outside my window as I type this you may not actually believe it’s March as it is snowing again!  Earlier this week I flipped the Weather Network the bird as I was drinking my morning coffee, and I have even given up on the excuse that I am a knitter and therefore winter isn’t that bad since I have all this lovely knitted gear to wear when I venture outside.  It is that bad.  It sucks.  I hate it.  No amount of knitted clothing will make me like this winter.  It is never ending and I don’t have enough yarn in my stash to make me feel better about it.  And that last statement is a little laughable, but that’s where I am at.

But, on to what you actually came here for, fibre news.  I realize that there are only four months left of this year and I have finally decided to post a list.  I know this seems crazy, but it’s never too late.  (In slightly related news, I already have my list for next year in mind, but that will have to wait until July).  A few weeks ago I decided that this would be the year to end all WIPS.  I have been very quiet about this.  If you know me either personally or virtually, you know that this is my mantra…..control the WIPS.  But this year it feels different.  I really want it to happen.  And so far it’s been successful and a little challenging, but it’s working.

So, many months in, here is my list and the offences that landed them in the time out pile.    For the purposes of this list a WIP is anything cast on prior to 2014.

Barndom:  Cast on Feb 2013.  This patten is a pain in the arse.  The stitch markers are never quite where they should be and you have to rely on your ability to count.  Since returning to school I realized that I needed simple and this does not fit the bill.  There was no way I could wrap my brain around this pattern until the last few weeks.  So this is the top of my list to finish.  It may also be ending my love affair with Mr.  West, but that’s a whole other rant.

Crazed:  cast on July 2013.  Sometimes you just need a hard copy of a pattern.  I only had digital and it just wasn’t working.  Have a hard copy now.  Expecting great things from this pattern.

September Fingerless Gloves: Cast on Oct 2013.  Fell victim to “too many projects on the needles”.  Nothing else.  Just that.

Nutkin: Cast on March 2013.  Again, too many projects on the needles victim.

Fiddle Head Mittens: Cast on Feb 2011.  Did not have the skills to make these.  They were a serious struggle.  have found the love for them and enjoy knitting them.

Stretch Goal – if I can get to it before July it would be awesome.  Otherwise first on the next list.

Elfe: Cast on Nov 2013.  Saw a women at my LYS wearing one.  Fell in love hard.  Had what I needed in my stash.  Am not really certain why I haven’t finished it.

That will still leave six WIPs on the needles, but this list will be certainly put me on the right track to only having current projects on the needles and will pave the way for some of the larger projects I hope to accomplish with the next YOP list.

Hope everyone else had a great fibre filled week.

 

YOP Update Jan 19th, 2014

I have to admit it has been a super productive couple in weeks in my fibre world and really I couldn’t be happier.  I finally feel like I am reaching some sort of balance in my knitting life again (though I think some people might use the word obsession instead of balance).  But the point is there has been progress in the last two weeks and I am very happy about it.

Two sets of garlands have been completed!!!!

And that means that two Christmas gifts are finished. The third has been cast on and with any luck the stars will be finished by the weekend. I have no illusions about finishing the whole things this week. But if the stars are finished I will consider it a victory.

My SIL’s 2013 Christmas socks are finished and though they were still on the needles until after Christmas Day, we haven’t seen her yet as she and her husband were away over the holidays. Since we haven’t exchanged our gifts yet, I do not consider the socks late as they were finished prior to getting together and I will not be panicking the night before we see them..

Vivid is coming along at record break neck speed. I have finished six squares in the last two weeks and that means that there are only six squares left to complete. Then I have to put the whole thing together, but I’m willing to take this one step at a time.

And finally the mittens. I’ve almost made it to the last colour change on the first mitt. It’s not an updated photo, but they are still getting love.

So overall, I have nothing to complain about. There’s been fibre and a lot of it. Now somehow this week I need to find some time with my spinning wheel and all will be right with the world.

I hope everyone else had a lovely fibre filled week.

YOP Update January 5th, 2014

Happy 2014 everyone!!!!  Hope you had a wonderful New Years Eve filled with friends, family, and love, (and maybe even a little fibre).

This little update marks two things, my first YOP post of the new year and the halfway point for our 3rd year of projects.  It seems hard to believe that we are half way through!  In the last  six months, I’ve finished 15 projects.  That seems and feels painfully small to me.

If I’ve managed to do this right, every photo should link to the pattern source.

I also have 15 WIPS on the needles which by contrast seems painfully large. (I realize that there isn’t 15 photos here, but I’m not in the mood to dig through the WIP pile to take more).

(The Epic Blanket of Insanity is still enjoying WIP status exemption.  I just can’t seem to put it in the WIP category.  It has it’s own project category – The Project That Will Always Be There).

And that’s where I stand six months in.  Not really where I had hoped to be but the good news is that there are still six months to go.  I can completely turn this around and start year four with a clean slate!

Have a great week and a great later half of our YOP year!

Not Really a Knitting Update

Hopefully tomorrow I will have one of those.  You see I had blog posts planned for the last week and a bit, but I can’t remember what they were.  I truly mean that.  I’m fairly certain that they had something to do with yarn and knitting.  At least it seems like a logical assumption.  But about 10 days ago I started having a very scratchy throat. About five days after that I started getting sick, well and truly sick.  It was the kind of sick that makes you not eat for four days and that makes you cough up your own body weight in gack.  It was the kind of sick that makes you stare at your knitting in the few minutes of lucid thought that are available in the day and think, not that long ago I knew how to make this yarn and these needles work together to produce something pretty. Today I am not that person.

(Actually today I am the person who realized that it 7:30 pm and I hadn’t brushed my teeth or my hair and really that’s probably okay since I’ve only been awake for about 3 hours and never more than 20 minutes at a time).  And really it wouldn’t matter if I could remember how to knit because my hands ache, my eyes have been replaced by small glowing orbs, and I am painfully aware of every one of my toe nails.  I couldn’t knit even if I wanted to and when I comes right down to it, I didn’t want to. I wanted to curl up and sleep and drink orange juice and do my very best to get any food into my system.  And that lasted five horrid days.

And then, just as I was starting to resemble some level of humanity, my hubby got it since really isn’t that a pillar of a good marriage?  You know sharing things?  Even when those things are fever and gross and whatever the hell else that was.

The point is I literally have very few recollections from the last week and a bit. I think I watched a couple movies. I knit for a grand total of 15 minutes and I coughed and coughed and coughed.

And know I’m trying to finish the Christmas knitting which might happen. But more importantly both my Hubby and I are on the mend and only having minor coughing spasims. And take it from me, if anyone recommends the 2013 flu as a weight loss idea tell them to go hang. It is just not worth it.

Hope everyone else had a better couple of weeks!

YOP Update Dec 8th, 2013

The last two weeks have been a little bit of a blur lost in a the final flurry of assignments and exams.  Somehow,  I managed to finish it all.  With these last two classes complete, I have only my second practicum to do and I am officially done.  Or at least done for now.  My next goal is to get some ASL (American Sign Language) certifications under my belt.  But that’s a whole other set of classes and it can wait until I am finished with this first.

I have, however, managed to sneak in a little knitting.  Sadly, I can’t show too much to you right now as most of it is Christmas knitting.  I am pleased that this year will be a little bit more of a handmade Christmas than last year.  I am the first to admit that last year the bar was set pretty  low for knitting expectations so really it’s not taking too much to beat that.  This year is still not as “handmade” as other years, but at least I’m fairly certain that I will not be having any screaming meltdowns in the mall on Dec 22 while trying to figure out what to buy for my SIL & her husband.

I can however show you this.  This is my Hubby’s Linen Stitch scarf.  (It was impossible to get a good picture of the whole scarf).

Apologies for the picture repeat, but it’s the only one where you can really see the colours.

After some debate I added some tassels to one end.  My Hubby decided that he did in fact want tassels, so onto the other side they went.  I think that they finish the scarf beautifully.

The scarf is easy to make and Linen Stitch is quick to learn.  449 stitches per row is a little bit of a pain and if you do make a mistake and have to tink back it’s about as much fun as knitting with barbed wire would be. It is however, worth the effort in the end.  Which is good, because with the response it’s been getting from people, I see a few more of these in my future.

Hope everyone else had a great fibre filled week.