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.

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YOP Update November 17th, 2013

I just finished my last quiz for one of my classes and I realized that I hadn’t posted anything today. I must admit that my brain is still in school mode so there’s not much in the way of creativity and wittiness happening right now.  So I thought I would share a few sneak peeks of posts for later in the week.

First – socks!!!! The observant among you will note that these are not a pair of socks from my pre-existing sock WIPs. But, you just never mind that.

My Vivid Blanket. Progress is slow but steady. Over twenty squares done!

This Little Lady is moved onto to bigger and better things – but a new friends took her place.

And this. Yes, it’s another new project. No I haven’t finished all my other WIPs yet. Also, I’m not telling you what it is yet because I can’t seem to get a decent photo so I’m keeping it under wraps just a little bit longer

And, because I think that this is too cute to resist.  I made a new friend at my favourite LYS.  Asta is the cutest little cross-eyed service dog ever!  I gave her treats.  We bonded.

I hope everyone else had a great fibre filled week!

YOP Update Nov 3. 13

Last week I decided that I would devote myself to my sock WIPS.  Four pairs of socks on the needles at one time is just a little too many and I wanted to take a stab at decreasing that number.  And I am pleased to say that is exactly what I did.  I. Knit. Socks.  When I got bored with the sock I was knitting, I knit a different sock.  I knit until my hands were sore,  I knit until I become a little delusional and started considering not sleeping to finish more socks.  I knit hundreds of stitches this week and there was in fact a decent amount of progress made, mostly.

Sadly one pair of socks did sit neglected all week so Nutkin looks exactly the same as it did last week.

However, there was progress on all other fronts! First I finished my first Child’s French Sock.  Despite the name, these are actually adult socks.  Last week they looked like this.

This week I have a finished sock.

Burning Rings of Fire were merely a cuff at the start of last week.

But this week, there’s one whole sock! Despite the slightly odd appearance, these are actually awesome socks and they fit incredibly well.

And finally, my Bother in Law’s Christmas socks just couldn’t seem to get finished. These Vanilla Lattes should have been done weeks ago, but I kept loosing my focus and drifting to other things.

But, I am very pleased to say that he will be receiving socks for Christmas this year because they are officially finished!

It’s not the most flattering picture I have ever taken of a pair of socks, but they are still too wet to move around.

So there you have it.  A week of devotion to my socks and I am way further along than I was seven days ago.  I am thrilled there is a chance that I might have them all finished by the end of November.  Assuming that they don’t interfere too much with my sweater for NaKniSweMo.  What can I say, I want to knit all the things.

I hope everyone else had a great fibre filled week.

Happy Knitting!

My goal: 5 skeins out/month

Skeins out/in

July 5/3

August 5/4

Sept 11/0

Oct  2/3 (I sort of stopped counting)

Nov  1/0

YOP Update Oct 27,13

I’m not even sure where to begin with this post.  My knitting has been sporadic, at best.  My mojo was gone.  My blog became that thing in the corner that I sort of ignored, and I stopped reading other peoples blogs too.  I  realize that this seems to have been a theme lately.  But there is good news! So maybe I should start there.

The final piece of the puzzle has been found, and has fallen into place.  In just over a week I start a whole new career!!!!!!  I’ve been offered a job in the field I went back to school for, and I couldn’t be more excited.  It’s part time to start, which has it’s ups and downs, but mostly ups.  Primarily I can start enjoying myself again.  I can knit and blog and run.  (In fact I typed up a blog post before doing this one and it’s ready to go for later this week).  I will have time to do things like school work, (I still have a couple of classes to finish), and blog and cook.

So I guess that brings me back to my knitting.  I have a lot of WIPS on the needles right now,   Too many, even.  This happens from time to time.  Either when I perceive my free time as being far more abundant than it actually is or when I am so stressed out that I can’t focus on anything long enough to finish projects.  So my first goal is to tackle some of the WIPS and I have decided to focus on my socks.

I have four pairs of socks on the needles, and that is a little much.  So for the rest of this week I will knit socks and see what I can accomplish.

First up, the Vanilla Lattes for my BIL for Christmas.  These have been on the needles for far too long.  I just can’t seem to finish them.   Right now they look like this.

So close to being finished, yet so far away.

Next is a new pair of socks.  This fun little pair is Ring of Fire.  In theory, these should be a fast knit.  The pattern is simple and well written and they should be done in no time.

Then there  is the Child’s French Sock.  On the needles since March I am more than ready to have these on my feet and keeping my toes warm in the upcoming winter months.

And finally is Nutkin.    These have also been on the needles since March and again I am ready for them to be finished.

I’d like to point out that I am happy, but not completely delusional.  I don’t expect to have all these finished in a week.  I just want to be closer than I am now.  My goal is to have them finished by the end of November.  I do have to sneak in one more pair of socks for my SIL for Christmas, but those can wait for a few more weeks.   I’m hoping to have at least one or two more pairs finished before I start those.

Also, my friend went to Rhinebeck and brought this back for me.  I won’t be able to ignore it for too long.

I hope everyone else had a great fibre filled week (or two)!

YOP Update Sept 22nd, 2013

Wow!  I can’t believe I’ve missed the last couple updates!  It’s crazy what can happen when life gets in the way.  I’d love to say that I have been doing a ton of knitting and that I have an amazing update full of Finished Objects.  Sadly, I don’t.  There has been some progress made on a few objects but not enough to reflect two weeks away.

First the linen stitch scarf is again getting love.  It would have had a little more love given to it but I literally lost it for a while.  It got put away one day while I was tidying up and then I couldn’t find it.  Thankfully, it had been found and it almost two inches in width now.   I am still in love with it and it will hopefully be finished soon.

Vivid has had a few more squares added to it.  There should be at least one more, but somehow I mixed up the pattern on one square and had to frog it back and start again.  I’m really looking forward to seeing it all finished because it’s going to be so pretty and I am impatient!

My BIL’s Vanilla Latte socks are progressing slowly but well.  I’m on the foot of the first sock and am really hoping to have it finished by next weekend.

And finally, I have been a little distracted this week by something small and cute.  Just giving you a sneak peak on this one because I want to show them all to you at once when they are finished.

I hope everyone else had a great fibre filled week.

Happy Knitting!

My goal: 5 skeins out/month

Skeins out/in

July 5/3

August 5/4

Sept 11/0

YOP Update Sept 1, 2103

I’ve been a busy little knitter in the last few weeks.

First, my dad’s Christmas socks are finished!  It’s another pair of Vanilla Lattes off the needles.

And in the blink of an eye another pair were cast on. These are for my Bother in Law, who is really lucky that he is getting socks as opposed to a hot pink corset complete with bobbles and pom-poms, since he did claim that he would “wear anything I knit for him.”

The dish cloths are coming along well and I am very happy with my decision to have added tags to each set since I have already lost track of what set is going to whom.

Vivd has increased to 11 squares and two new colours have been added. (Only 29 more squares to go)!

And lastly,  after one ill-fated attempt, I have cast on a linen stitch scarf and this time it seems to be going well.

I hope everyone else had a great fibre filled week.

Happy Knitting!

My goal: 5 skeins out/month

Skeins out/in

July 5/3

August 5/4

Sept 0/0

YOP Update Aug 18th, 2013

In the last two weeks I’ve written three assignments, survived having a final exam, and ended up at an impromptu family reunion.   Actually, this has to be a rather fast update as I have one assignment left to finish and I need to have that in by the end of the day.  (it’s 3/4 done, so I’m not too worried).  It’s my last assignment for this semester so I am highly motivated to have it finished!  Then I have four wonderful weeks of no school work ahead of me and that means more knitting time.

I did actually manage to pull myself away from my Vivid Blanket so there really hasn’t been much change on that front.  Most of my time has been spent knitting this.
This is the start of a Wingspan in Kauni.  I’ve had the yarn in my stash for ages and this is my second attempt to use it for a project.  it’s a little further along now then it is in this picture, but I haven’t had time to take an updated photo.  It’s a super easy knit, which is exactly what I needed.

I’ve also been knitting these.

Each little roll is three dishcloths and they are going to part of larger Christmas packages for some of our friends.  Again these little cloths are super easy and fast and the more I can finish over the summer, the better it is come Christmas time.

More on each project later in the week when I’ve submitted my last assignment.

Hope everyone had a great knitting week and I am immensely looking forward to sitting with my coffee tomorrow and catching up with everyone.

Happy Knitting.

My goal: 5 skeins out/month

Skeins out/in

July 5/3

August 4/1

YOP Update Aug 5th, 2013

I can’t believe that the month of July is already over.  It went by faster then I could keep up.  In reality, I probably could have kept up a little better, but last week my Hubby and I decided that we needed to “vacation” on our balcony.  Once I was home from my internship and my school work was done we decamped to the balcony for dinner and drinks and usually stayed there until after dark.  We ignored the computer and our phones and spent a lot of time talking about going on a real vacation again. It was lovely and I have this feeling it may happen again.

But, I did accomplish two things from my YOP wish list for July.

First, I finished my Mama Vertebrae.

I’ll post more pictures later this week.  Just wanted to give you a little sneak peek.

But it is clearly finished and with that accomplishment I managed the second goal  of  having five skeins out of my stash.  (The sweater only took four, but I gave the last skein to my BFF so she can add it to her 5 skeins of Turtle Slippers).    Admittedly I ended up inheriting 3 skeins from another knitter so I am in reality only 2 skeins closer to being organized.   What can you do?  How would I call myself a knitter if I turned down three free skeins of beautiful yarn that needed a new home? That would make me a pretty crummy knitter, and a terrible friend don’t you think?

The other knitting that seems to have taken over is Vivid.  I love knitting these squares.  I’m up to eight and finished with the white yarn,  The remainder of the yarn has been tossed into the pile for the EBI so it’s win/win!

This is the most recent picture of the Epic Blanket of Insanity, (EBI). It’s actually much larger than this. I really need to take new pictures.

Squares for Vivid.

I would like to say that I have a plan for the rest of the month.  But, I really kind of don’t.  I am really hoping to finish the socks for my dad and I’m fairly certain that the blanket will get more love.  Beyond that, I’m not sure where the month will take me.

My goal: 5 skeins out/month

Skeins out/in

July 5/3

August 4/0 (I de-stashed 3 skeins this morning! Yay – yummy yarn finding a new home! Last skein is in the blanket)!

YOP Update July 14th, 2013

Knitting had to take a  bit of a back seat this week to the rest of life.  It’s been a little bit of a wild week filled with flooding and blackouts and scrambling to finish assignments.  But, somehow, I made it to Sunday again.

First, I made progress on my Dad’s socks.  I have decided to rename them my Blackout Socks since a large chunk of the progress that was made on them happened on my balcony during the two blackouts we had this week.  Since there was very little else we could do but sit on our balcony waiting for the power to come back on I had a few hours of “forced” knitting time and managed to finish the first sock.  I am very pleased with how they are coming together and am quite certain that my Dad will be very happy with them.

Pattern: Vanilla Lattes
Click the pic for the link

I also managed to block my cardi this week.  You don’t really need the lights on for that and I pinned it while we still had light coming in from outside.  It still needs a collar, but it is almost finished.   I cast it on back in the end of May and am shocked and thrilled at the idea of having a completed Cardi in under two months!

Mama Vertebrae is coming along nicely.

Lastly Crazed reminded me that it is important to read the whole pattern when you knit something.  It also made me very thankful that I was able to contact one of my other knitting friends, (thanks Dr. S), who apparently does remember to read the whole pattern and she had me back on track in no time.

Set up chart is complete!

I did also finish one little project that I hadn’t mentioned last week.  But that’s a different post 😉

Hope everyone else had a wonderful fibre filled week.

Skeins out/in

July: 0/0

Year of Projects Part Three

A new year of projects starts this week. And even though last year I fell face down into a pile of wooly goodness and didn’t emerge for a very long time, it’s time to start over.

This past year I shied away from my blog and the Come-blog-Along group. But fortunately Tink was and is amazing and the group just kept right on going.  (Seriously Tink, you are awesome!)
But a new year is about new beginnings so here we are.

This year I am taking a slightly different approach to my projects. Instead of making a huge list and struggling to keep up with it, I am setting the goal of knitting with five skeins of yarn each month from my stash. I’m not setting a number of projects that need to be completed each month instead I am focusing on continuing to decrease the yarn I already have. If 5 skeins are all made into one Cardigan, great! Mission accomplished. If those 5 skeins become a couple pairs of socks and a shawl, that’s great too. (The other part of the equation is that 5 skeins out does not then mean 5 skeins in). That works out to 60 skeins by the end of the year.

Since there really is no right or wrong way to make a YOP set of goals this is the way I feel that my “list” serve me best.
With that in mind, here are the first set of skeins to be knit with.

First I want to finish knitting with these skeins. The pattern is Mama Vertebrae and the yarn is one of the my very first purchases of IndigoDragonFly yarn. It sat in my stash for a very long time before telling me what it wanted to be.  But now it has, and it’s going to be a lovely autumn cardi.

This skein is next. These are going to be socks for my dad for Christmas. I am using the Vanilla Latte pattern again. (This is a super versatile pattern. The yarn will dictate if they are for a man or a woman. Large for the boys and medium for the girls. I’ve lost count of the number of pairs I’ve made.)

Next to go will be this yarn made into a Crazed Shawl.  Due to some fancy swapping with my BFF I have two skeins of this and she has two skeins of blue so we are both happy and have a colour that we love.

And then if all goes really well (and I realize that this is getting in into the realm of delusional), then this skein will be a pair of Hermione socks for my SIL who made no secret of her desire for a pair of hand knit socks this Christmas.

That’s my goals for this month.  Wish me luck.  Looking forward to seeing everyone else’s finishes.