Apparently March is Also for Finishing

The last two weeks passed by in a fugue of coughing, going through mountains of tissues, and generally feeling as though all thoughts were being processed through a vat of cold oatmeal.  After five years of antisocial and hermit-like behavior, I finally got got and contracted baby's first Covid.

We had friends over for our semi-regular D&D session Friday before last, and then woke up Saturday morning coughing.  I think the final body count was seven friends and family taken out by this thing.  0/10 stars, do not recommend.

While I did still kind of work last week, I also had tons of enforced couch time, so I was shockingly productive - and not just because this is two weeks since my last update ... although I imagine that isn't hurting any either.

I missed finishing the Wasilla Poncho in February by just a few days, but done is done, and I'm playing by no one's rules but my own.  I ran out of yarn at a weird place in the pattern and briefly considered finding another skein of the Lion Brand Mandala so I could end at a better spot.  I really didn't want to do that though because using every bit of the yarn was entirely the point of choosing a top down project like this in the first place.  I set it aside and noodled on it a bit until I was hit by a brain wave.  I had a sudden vision of a yarn that I bought long enough ago that the store it came from has been closed more than 15 years.  In my mind's eye the color and texture would be perfect, AND (get this) I knew exactly where it was.

I'm pretty pleased with myself, truth being told.  My mind's eye knows what's up.

Heady with that success (and the over-abundance of phlegm I'd recently taken on board), I turned my attention to the Beach Walk blanket.  I finished up the remaining granny squares, got them joined, and have 2 out of 8 border rounds completed.   We're still on track to have it finished by the end of the month if I can stay consistent with it. I'll try to share an updated picture next week.

And if that wasn't enough, genties and ladlemen, let me please introduce you to Delores de Colores.  She is perfect and I love her.  For all that it took me ten months start to finish, this was a remarkably fast knit.  I probably only worked on it a handful of days all in and I couldn't be happier with the results.  Plus I used some old-growth stash up, so wins all around.

Did I need a stuffed rainbow chicken?  Don't be ridiculous, of course I did.

In addition to all of the above, I moved my Riptide vest along and got both the left and right front shoulders done and the neck shaping to the point where I've joined the two together into one front piece.   It's in an unwieldy and un-photographical state at the moment, but progress is assuredly happening.

And finally, you had to know that there would be a new sock. 

Next week's plans include more progress on all the things. I'm feeling highly motivated to keep knocking down the old WIP list.  I even pulled out my 2024 Hiberknitalong Shawl to see if I could figure out where I was with it.

The border is not nearly as annoying to knit as I remember.

More specifically, I plan to:

• add two more border rounds to the blanket
• add four more repeats to the shawl border
• turn the heel on the sock (bonus points if I can finish it)
• get Riptide to the point where I can join in the round

On the one hand, that feels ambitious.  On the other hand, that feels ambitious and I like it.

She Was Like a Bearded Rainbow

It's been another eventful week over here at chez woolly, full of wild carryings on.  We had friends over for a lovely and soul satisfying dinner on Friday, where we did some belated New Year tarot readings and celebrated the birthday of the trees. There may have been a dramatic reading of The Lorax after dinner and wine but all present were sworn to silence.

photo credit to CyberMathWitch

On the finishing front (it being February after all), I have some very exciting news to report.

I had originally thought that I would want to add a black border around the outside of this, but once I got here I changed my mind.  A bit like gilding the lily, I thought.  We'll gloss over the fact that I bought a 400 yard skein of Miss Babs Yummy 2-Ply to add a border I ultimately decided against, all in the name of using my stash.  Ya win some, ya lose some. 

In any case, I am beyond delighted with how it turned out.  I feel quite clever for successfully applying a 3rd-grader understanding of geometric shapes and adapting a pattern on the fly, allowing me to use up every drop of my 2023 Advent set from The Fiber Seed.

That's one project ticked off of the list, so I've turned my attention to the Wasilla Poncho. I'd like to finish it in February as well, so I've set myself a goal of adding one skein of the LB Mandala this week, and one skein next week.  I'm also continuing to plug away on Riptide, and of course the ubiquitous purse sock.  No pictures of any of them this time - they all look just like they did last week, only more so.

And finally, in the spirit of moving my Beach Walk Blanket towards completion, I'm working on the squares for the outer border.  I'm well on track to finish the squares in February so I can attach them and do the final few rounds in March.

there is no good way to show off 32 granny squares

That's all the news that's fit to print.  Incremental progress on a number of things, as is the way of things around here. 

But that rainbow wrap tho!  

🌈🌈🌈

February is for Finishing - 2021 Edition

Okay, so first off we're not going to even talk about the fact that I started 2020 strong with blogging and then suddenly stopped.  We all know what happened.

But if there's one constant in this inconsistent blog of mine, it's the annual airing of the WIP pile for February is for Finishing.  We're not going to let the fact that today being February 1st somehow came as a complete and total surprise to me stop us from making our list and thinking about how we're going to work on finishing up some WIPs this month.

(Seriously though, one of my besties said "Happy February is for Finishing!" this afternoon and I just blinked in shock.  February? Again? Already? Mind you, I knew yesterday was January 31.  That knowledge just didn't come with any attendant "and that means tomorrow is February 1" understanding.)

This year's list is pretty reasonable by chez woolly standards.  Neither the longest (25+) nor the shortest (4, back in 2019.  That was a year), but nicely reasonable at 7 works in progress.

As is the custom, I'll list them oldest to newest.  And dear reader, please brace yourself.  Longtime friends of the show will be shocked to learn that the Hogwarts Studies Blanket is no longer on the list.  That's right, I finished it last summer (and to my shame, I didn't blog about it.  Maybe later).

Oh hey - links go to Ravelry, so please click with caution, if you're one of the people affected by the changes to the site.

1. Weekender Blanket, started May 20, 2018.  This is a modular JAYG hexagon blanket, crocheted out of Stylecraft DK in the "cottage pack" put together by Lucy from Attic24.  I'm not in any particular hurry to finish this, just adding to it as I get the urge.

2. Scrappy Granny, started April 1, 2019.  This project is in deep hibernation - I don't think I picked it up even once in 2020.  At some point I need to decide if I'm really making this blanket or not.  I don't want to hold 2020 against it though, so it gets a stay of execution until I can decide if I want to go back to it.

3. the art of creating comfort, started November 3, 2019.  I'm also using Stylecraft DK for this blanket.  This is the "woodland pack," but with a couple of extra colors introduced. I put a lot of work into this over the last year, and it's close enough that I could conceivably finish it this month.  I've completely joined all 90 squares, and am working on the border now.

I don't have a proper picture of where I am on this one, but here's a teaser shot:

These are the only projects that were on last year's list, so when you find out I've started yet another blanket (SPOILER!) I'll thank you to remember that I've finished one and am about to finish another.  Also, I do what I want.

4. seasick crocodile, started November 26, 2020.  I have a tradition of starting a new pair of holiday socks on Thanksgiving day, while I'm taking a break during cooking.  I have spent a lot of time this past year doing my best to keep up with observing traditions, and just doing my best.  In a normal year I would have finished up the Thanksgiving day socks sometime between Christmas and New Years.  But this year I forgot I had a pair of Advent socks that I wanted to knit (I should have gotten the cuff started for those on Thanksgiving instead, but whatever) and what with one thing and another the normal tradition didn't get quite get pulled off.  And if that ain't a metaphor for 2020, I don't know what is.  

Eventually I'll finish them (maybe even this month, who knows?) and they'll be delightful.

5. first blank page, started January 1, 2021.  I got my two besties to dig around in my Ravelry stash and to pick a new pair of socks for me to knit.  Jess picked a skein of variegated with gold stellina called Glitter Gel Pen, in the Jelly Bean colorway.  The dyer, With Pointed Sticks no longer seems to have an Etsy shop, so they may be out of business.  In any case, we all agreed that glittery gel pens are exactly what's called for on January 1, a day typically given over to playing with and setting up new planners.

I chose Hermione's Everyday Socks (one of my favorite patterns) with a Fish Lips Kish Heel.  I'm about 60-65% on these, with one sock done and an other started and on the leg.   The color of this yarn is much prettier than this picture would have you believe.  I couldn't get the light to cooperate with my camera.

6. a vibrant inner life, started January 1, 2021.  This was my other January 1 cast on.  It's the Venation Shawl by Ambah O'Brien out of a set of 10 20g mini skeins.   The set is based on Strawberry Shortcake, so it was basically a moral imperative to get it.  (The yarn does not smell, it was the first thing I checked.)

Forgive the nighttime photo, I'll do a better job of capturing the gorgeous color when I do the FO shots.  The plan is definitely for this to get done in February.  I'm around 65% done with this one as well.

7. Aria, started January 9, 2021.  I told you I started another blanket.  This is Aria, by Lucy at Attic24, using her kit from the Wool Warehouse. The blanket will have 144 granny squares in a 12x12 grid, finished off with a few rounds of border.  I'm barely started, with 7 or 8 squares done.  Pictured here at 6 squares:

The final blanket is a burst of color, with reds and oranges in the center, radiating out to greens, blues and purples.  I love it, and I'm loving working on it.

The Plan

So now that I've done the accounting, here's what I plan to finish in February:

• first blank page socks
• a vibrant inner life (Venation shawl)

Stretch goal finishes would include:

• art of creating comfort (granny square afghan)
• seasick crocodile socks

I'm not really targeting the other three blankets, though I do plan to work on Aria some.  And in the spirit of full disclosure, I should tell you that I just cast off a shawl at the end of January.  I need to weave in ends and block it, but for all intents and purposes it's finished so I didn't list it here.

February is for Finishing Review, or "How'd all that finishing go?"

We're a week into March, and I've yet to provide a round up of February's finishing shenanigans.  I came into the month with eight projects, and ended with six, so that's a net positive gain of finished projects, and the kind of forward movement we like to see here at chez woolly.

Last year, I pulled a bunch of nonsense and started with four projects, cast on three (oops), finished two, frogged, one, and rounded out the month with ... four projects.  What the hell, last-year Bekah.  What the hell.

Anyway, none of that malarkey took place this year.  I kept my nose clean and poured some solid energy and time into several of my projects - including a couple of the blankets. 

1. Hogwarts Studies Blanket.  I added one row (12 squares). It's now 12x15 squares, and when I hit 12x18 I'm going to think real seriously about stopping.

2.- 3. Weekender Blanket and Scrappy Granny.  I didn't touch these two at all in February.

4. the art of creating comfort.  I really busted a move on this one, doubling the number of finished squares.  I'm aiming for 90 squares and am sitting pretty on 35 (I still need one more of the light green ones to finish out that color.)

5. Divination OWL: a secret country (Exploration Station). On Feb 1, I was a few rows into the brioche section.  I didn't focus a lot of time on this shawl, but still moved it forward nicely.  The brioche and another section are done, and I'm into the last bit before the final border.  This needs to finished by March 31, or I don't get my invisible internet points or my OWL Mistress badge.  I want that badge, y'all.

6. mighty in battle (Hitchhiker).  Finished!  You can read all about it here.

7. to catch or ensnare by the foot socks.  Also finished!  *

8. bold branches bid farewell to rainbow leaves (Litmus Cowl).  I knit roughly half of this cowl in February (using rough maths, and positing about 10% complete coming into the month and figuring 60+% done now).  This cowl is a complete dream to knit -- the only complaint I have is that it's getting long enough now that I have to stop and untwist the whole thing.  It's like a sleeve on steroids.   Remind me how much I love this and how simple it all is when I'm kitchenering the whole business shut in a few weeks, will you?

So that's the wrap-up.  While I only finished two projects, I feel really good about the progress I've made - especially considering that the four not-blankets were all started in January.  I expect and intend that the cowl and shawl should be done by end of March, which means it's time to cast on more things.

Starting with some socks, I think.

* I didn't share pictures of the two finishes, since they both got full FO posts.  Click the links to see pictures!

Popping in for a Quickie

I thought about skipping blogging this week, because I don't feel like I really have anything to say.  But that way lies madness and accidentally skipping three weeks in a row, followed by forgetting I have a blog at all for months at a time.

So I figured I'd just pop in for a quickie.  (TWSS).

After last weekend's flurry of activity on Hitchhiker, I'm back to working on all the things.  I'm nearly to the half-way point on my Litmus Cowl.

I'm loving how the colors are working up.  I'm hoping that blocking will fluff up the fibers and straighten out the stitches (no I didn't swatch, don't be ridiculous) because the knitting itself is looking a little wonky and anemic.  I live in hope.

On Friday I decided it was time to move the current sock WIP along, so I knit through about half of the foot and nearly finished the toe.

Then Saturday morning I finished it up and and cast on the second.  If I hustle, I may turn the heel tonight.

I've given Exploration Station just a little bit of love - maybe I'll get enough done on it this week that there will be something worth showing.

I'm also still plugging away on my granny square blanket.  I am closing in on having 30% of the squares done.

So there you have it.   Nothing terribly interesting to report - other than the fact that I haven't cast anything new on and am still making progress on my February is for Finishing goals.  I don't know if that's interesting so much as unexpected. 

Last year I hauled off and cast on three new things during February (one of which I finished during February, so there's that at least).  This year any of my mojo that isn't being channeled into my OWL or Mission (that's Exploration Station and the Litmus Cowl for those of you playing along at home) is going into those blankets or the sock.

With a week left in February I feel good about finishing the socks, and expect to have major progress to show on the shawl and cowl.  I should also be well and away closer to assembly on the granny blanket too. 

The socks might be the only other technical finish this month, but I'll be a lot closer on a lot of things, so it's still a victory of sorts.

An Absolute Slog of a Week

I don't know what it is about this week, but everything has been an absolute slog.  Right now my job is simultaneously boring and stressful.  The house is a bit of a mess, but I can't be arsed to care.  My knitting just keeps not finishing itself...sigh... it's just all ...meh.

One could make a compelling argument that the flooding (last Thursday), snow (last Friday), weird 60F temps (Sunday), and more flooding (Tues-Thurs) might have something to do with the current mood.   The other day I looked at my co-workers and with a big, dramatic sigh said, "Do you remember the sun?"   They all agreed that they did not.

February is rough, y'all.

Especially a February that doesn't seem to have any finishing in it.  What?  "No finishing?!" I hear you cry.  That's right my friends, I knit and I knit and I finish nothing.  Sysiphos got nothin' on me. 

I mean, except that I'm not knitting up hill. And arguably I like knitting.  And I can do a little crochet to take the edge off.  And as far as I can tell no one is actually coming along in the night and rolling my shawl back down the hill again...

Okay, so maybe I'm being a little dramatic. 

It just seems like nothing is moving.  I expect socks to drip from my needles, like that one fairy tale princess who had jewels falling from her mouth every time she laughed (which, in retrospect, sounds both horrific and economy killing.  But I digress.) I just want my sock to be done, y'all.

And blankets?  Don't talk to me about blankets.  Who makes 4 blankets at the same time?  Who?  Nobody sane that's who.

I just wish I understood why I'm not finishing anything.

It's a mystery.

Wherein our knitter shocks no one and knits all the things

In my usual fashion I'm working on ALL THE THINGS this week, meaning that I'm seeing little to moderate progress on several different projects, rather than any kind of real progress on just one.

actual picture of me

Look, you knew I was like this.  And it's not like I hauled off and cast on a bunch of new stuff like I did last year.   (It's also not like I started the month with only four WIPs like I did last year either, but that's neither here nor there.)

Hitchhiker was the clear winner of my attention and affection this week, going from 22 teeth up to 30.  My spreadsheet (you knew I had a spreadsheet, right?) says I'm 52% done.  If I can average around 17-ish % a week, I'll meet my goal of finishing this in February.

Years of personal experience and a recent deep-dive into the Yarn Harlot's back catalogue are keeping me from declaring this "a piece of cake" or a "done deal".  Nor will I make references to lemons and the squeezing thereof, lest I call down the wrath of the Knitting Goddess.  She has no truck with hubris, and will smite a knitter faster than Icarus can yell, "Hey y'all, watch this!"   But I like my chances.

Also - this yarn is wild, y'all.   It's red in the cake, green knit up, brown outside, and grey in my office.  I mean, I know what you're going to say -- you're going to start in on me about natural versus artificial light and how that impacts photos.  And while you are right, I would like for you to explain to me why the colors are actually different IN PERSON WITH MY VERY OWN EYEBALLS.  Chameleon yarn, yo.

I've also made nice progress on my Study in Peach Mint socks.  (I should have cast them on earlier.  It's my fault, guys.)

Other projects that saw a little action include my Exploration Station, my "art of creating comfort" afghan and...

...check this out.  My Hogwarts Studies Notebook is back in action.  I have vague hopes of finishing this friend in 2020.  I figure my chances are improved if I work on it.  Crazy, no?

The Annual Airing of the WIP Basket: February is for Finishing 2020

It's that time of year again, folks.   Friends of the show will remember that February is for Finishing, and that every year we begin the month with the "annual airing of the WIP pile."

I've talked a bit here and there about why February is for Finishing as a tradition has evolved for me over the years (TL;DR - I just don't have as many WIPs as I used to), but I definitely think that the practice of giving everything currently in progress a good, strong eye-balling at least annually is a good idea.

So without further ado, here is my 2020 list of Works in Progress, in order from oldest to newest.  (Links go to the relevant Ravelry project page).

1.  Hogwarts Studies Notebook, cast on May 16, 2016.  This is Schrodinger's blanket.  It is and is not a WIP, depending on whether or not I am currently in the process of adding a square.   I started this blanket not long after I started playing in the Harry Potter Knit and Crochet House Cup, and every square has been turned in for points in the game. I have this running gag where I refer to each square as a page in my notebook, and that's where I keep all my homework.  This is one of those things where I think I'm clever and the rest of you just sort of tune out and nod at me and hope I'll stop talking.  It's okay, I get it.

I made a ton of progress on this in 2019.  I'm going to push hard to finish it this year.  I've added three more squares since this photo was taken, but this is close enough to where I am.  It's sitting pretty at 12x14 squares, and I'm targeting 12x18.  The end is in sight!

2. Weekender Blanket, started May 20, 2018.   This is a modular, JAYG hexagon blanket, crocheted with Stylecraft Special DK acrylic yarn.  I'm using the "Cottage Pack" from Lucy of Attic 24 (purchased through Wool Warehouse).  I've made significant progress on this one too, adding 4.5 rows since last year.

3. Scrappy Granny, started April 1, 2019.  Because one fingering weight blanket wasn't enough?  But you see, what had happened was... I had little bits leftover from adding squares to the Hogwarts Studies blanket, and I am only using a yarn one time in that one, and then Amy Florence from the Stranded podcast, and Caroline from the Dunderknit podcast were both crocheting one and then... It was peer pressure, okay?!  It was FOMO, pure and simple.  Also at work was a desire not to drown in small bits of fingering weight wool.

4. the art of creating comfort, started November 3, 2019.   Okay, I have no explanation for this.  No, I don't know why I have four different blankets in progress right now.  The heart wants what the heart wants, alright?   This one's also Stylecraft Special DK (this time in the "Woodland Pack" from Lucy at Attic24, via Wool Warehouse).   I'm doing 6, 8-round granny squares from each of 15 colors, and then I'm going to join the whole thing up with a gray border.  It's going to be big enough to put on my queen sized bed, and I'm stoked about it.   So far I have 17.5/90 squares done.

As an aside, you'll be pleased to note that there aren't any more blankets after this.  (I mean, I have more blankets planned, don't get it twisted, but let's finish a couple of these first, eh?)   As a second aside, the res of the projects I'll mention were cast on in 2020, so they're all brand, shiny-new.

5. Divination OWL: a secret county (Exploration Station), cast on January 2, 2020.  Would you believe I've never knit a Stephen West pattern before this one?  Where the heck have I been all this time?  I'm knitting this for my OWL in the House Cup.  This is my 12th OWL, and if I complete it on or before March 31, I will have earned the title of OWL Mistress.  Not gonna lie, I'm pretty stoked.  I'm knitting this out of Merino singles from Dream in Color and Suburban Stitcher.  This is a bit outside of my normal palette, but I love it fiercely.  Also, brioche is pretty fun. 

6. mighty in battle (Hitchhiker), cast on January 22, 2020.  So this is my sixth Hitchhiker shawl -- I knit my first one in 2013, and my most recent one in 2016.  But this is the first time I've done one with eyelets in, so there's that.  The yarn is Leading Men Fiber Arts in their Monologue base. The colorway is "And Then There's Maude."  Maude is my middle name, and those are my colors, so I was on that yarn like a duck on a june bug.  I'm farther along that this picture implies (around 22 teeth), but the picture I took today doesn't do the color any kind of justice.

7. catching or ensnaring by the foot, cast on January 25, 2020.   Did you know that the word "impeachment" is related etymologically to the word "impediment" and connotes catching someone or something "by the foot"?   Well now that's a thing you know.   Yarn is Whitebirch Fiber Arts "Study In Peach Mint."  Pattern is my standard CO 68, 1x1 rib, FLK heel.  This is the first sock of the pair.

8. bold branches bid farewell to rainbow leaves (Litmus Cowl), cast on January 26, 2020.  This will be a simple tubular cowl, knit in the round and grafted together to form a loop.  I think I'm going to run out of my contrast yarn, but that's a problem for future Bekah.  I'm using the "Autumn Rainbow" mini set from Canon Hand Dyes along with a neutral solid from Whitebirch Fiber Arts.

So that's it. 8 projects, 4 of which are blankets (?!) and 4 of which were cast on within the last month.  Unlike last February, I'm not planning to go rogue and cast on a bunch of stuff.  I plan to stay focused and to work solidly on my 4 new projects, while also getting some progress on one or more of those blankets. 

We'll see how we go!

February is for Finishing, 2019 edition

If there's one thing that's been consistent in this highly inconsistent blog of mine, it's the annual project round up for February is for Finishing.

That's right, February is happening to us, whether we're ready for it or not, and that means it's time to dust off the WIPs and set about making a plan to finish.

When I started doing this back in 2006, the need was dire, and the list was long.  My most egregious case of rampant WIP-itis was exposed in 2011 when I brought a whopping 25 works in progress to the party.

Since then my relationship with my crafting has changed rather dramatically.  I - get this, this is crazy - finish things that I start.  Moreover, I don't start things if I don't want to finish them.  To cap it all off, I frog things immediately if I thought I wanted to finish them and then I find out I was wrong.  Who have I become?

While I still maintain that there is no moral high-ground to be won through project monogamy, I seem to have narrowed my focus somewhat in the last few years. 

It's weird, and I don't know what it means, other than: I'm getting a lot done, I like what I'm knitting, and February is for Finishing doesn't hold the same utility for me that it used to.

All that said, I like the annual airing of the WIP-pile, so let's get on with it, shall we?

Here's this year's list, in order from oldest to newest.  (Links go to the relevant Ravelry project page.)

1.   Hogwarts Studies Blanket, cast on May 16, 2016.   As I said in last year's project round up, I'm not too fussed about when this friend gets finished.  I'm using up bits and bobs of fingering weight, and turning in each individual square for points in the Harry Potter Knit and Crochet House Cup.  I'm either going for 12x18 squares, or 12x24 if I decide I want more blanket than that when I get there.  Right now I'm closing in on 100 squares completed, without repeating any yarns.

Let's pause right here for a moment, and appreciate the fact that once again, this is the only repeat contestant, and everything else on last year's list has been finished.

See?  I don't know who I am anymore.

2.  Weekender Blanket, started May 20, 2018.  This is another modular blanket that I'm in no especial hurry to finish.  I'm crocheting it with a yarn-pack from the Attic24 shop at Wool Warehouse.  This is the Cottage Pack.

3. Throughstone Cardigan, cast on January 1, 2019.  I'm knitting my first steeked, colorwork yoke cardigan.  So far I'm done one sleeve and maybe 3" of the body.  I decided to do the sleeve first in case my gauge swatch was a liar (spoiler alert:  my gauge swatch was a liar).  I'm knitting this as my Transfiguration OWL for the House Cup, so it's 'due' on March 31st.  I better hustle.

4. making spirits bright, cast on January 27, 2019.   I am following the lovely Amy Florence's lead, and making a bid for 25 pairs of holiday socks to wear in December.  My own personal sockvent, as it were.  I curently have 5 pair, knit at a rate of one per holiday season in the past five years.   As I would like to achieve my holiday sock plan before I'm 65, I decided to step up production a bit.

And.... and that's it.   That's all I've got, folks.  Four works in progress.

Well.  Four and a half.

I do what I want, Thor.

Now Where's She Gone Off To?

Hello, my darlings!  Here it is half done March and I haven't told you how February went yet.  I am remiss.

I managed a metric eff-ton (as opposed to an imperial eff-ton) of knitting, and only finished two things, go figure.

Protest Knitting

My first FO of the month was "Protest Knitting."  I used Susan B. Anderson's instant hit, "Smooth Operator Socks" for the heel, and did my own thing for the rest.  This is White Birch Fiber Arts' "Nothing Says Screw You Like a Rainbow" colorway, in her 80/20 merino/nylon base.  I knit these as a quiet, yet obnoxious form of political protest.  I have grave concerns about the direction our country is heading, and I have the big gay socks to prove it.

My second FO is "Sonder" by Helen Stewart of Curious Handmade.  I don't have a really good FO shot of this one (despite having finished it two weeks ago) but here's a look:

It's big, squishy, cozy, and I have no idea how to wear it.  More on that as it develops.  I used Knit Picks Billow in the "Comfrey" colorway.  It's a lovely thick-and-thin bulky cotton that somehow managed not to hurt my hands at all.

The bulk of my actual knitting time in February went into my Vitamin D cardigan.  At the end of February I was finishing up the short row shaping and working on the set of radial increases at the bottom of the body.   As of this morning I'm done the body and the neck band, and I'm into the first sleeve.

It's at a weird and hard to photograph stage.  I am hoping that blocking will cure a number of ills (particularly with the way the hem and neck band are rolling).   I don't know that I'll make the Spring Equinox, but I am definitely on track to have it done by the end of March.

I also added a whack of squares to my Sock Yarn Blanket/Cozy Memories Afghan (I need to settle on a name, seriously).

It's still a long-term project with no particular end date in mind, but it's definitely growing faster than I was expecting.  I am enjoying the little bite-sized mini-project aspect of each individual square, while building towards something bigger that I'll be able to enjoy and use later on.

So that's what I got up to in February.    I finished another pair of socks yesterday, but they'll get their own post.

How did your February go?

Pat Pat Toot Toot: A Maker's Year in Review

2016 was a rough year for a lot of people in a lot of ways, both personal and political.  I had my fair share of personal upsets, disappointing and concerning things took place in my professional life (none that directly impacted my own role or earning ability, but concerning none-the-less), and of course there is a lot to be said about our current political landscape.

2016 was hard, yo.

This past year I was deeply reminded of why I am a maker.  I have a lot to say about that, and will do -- but this is not that blog post.   This is the blog post where I share what I accomplished last year in my fibery pursuits, and where I check back in on the goals I set for myself at the beginning of the year.

In 2016, I would like to complete greater than 10,000 yards of knitting and crochet.  

Y'all.  I finished 2016 with 16,487 yards completed.  Let me say that one more time for those in the back. 16,487 yards in 37 projects.   Can we say "Exceeds Expectations"?  (Or as Prairie Girl Susie would say, "PAT PAT, TOOT TOOT" as I pat myself on the back and toot my own horn.)  Of course, not every bit of that yardage was worked in 2016, it was all finished in 2016.  That's a reason (if you care about such things) to look at averages over time, as well as projects completed within a year.   In any case, if you have a Ravelry account, and you'd like to take a gander at my 2016 projects, you can see them here.  

In 2016, I intend to complete 16 socks.

In 2016 I completed 18 socks.  As a funny side note, when I originally wrote out my goals I said "16 pairs of socks" ... hahahaha nope.  I meant 8 pair.  I was using #sockwatch16 on Instagram to document my sock progress throughout the year.  It was fun -- and just about the right amount of sock for me to aim for. 

In 2016, I will limit my yarn purchases to festivals, shows, and the two yarn clubs I'm currently enrolled in. 

Yeah, nope.   Okay, what I did accomplish in 2016 was becoming much more intentional about my shopping habits.  I ordered maybe once from Knit Picks all year -- and that was in November.  I bought a few things from Etsy shops, and visited the odd LYS now and again.  So, I totally did NOT accomplish the goal I set for myself... but I did up my Intentional Acquisition game, so I will award myself partial credit on that front.

In 2016, I will finish my three oldest, biggest, or oldest AND biggest works in progress:

My Circles to Squares Afghan.

My Cosy Stripe Afghan.

And my Knitting in Red Shawl.

All three are done.   Completing these three older projects felt wonderful.  I felt like a computer processor that had been chugging along trying desperately to keep too many too large files open and run three programs at the same time.   Closing a few windows and a hard re-boot later and I feel amazing.

I have more to say about the Knitting in Red shawl -- but again it deserves it's own post, so I'll save it for another time.  

I have a lot more to show you that was completed in 2016, but this is about long enough, I think.

All in all, I'm incredibly pleased with my 2016 crafting.  In addition to the knitting and crochet, I did some sewing, dabbled in art a smidge, and generally enjoyed being a creative.   I still haven't 100% decided what my 2017 crafting goals are going to be.  Stay tuned, and I'll report back as soon as I've figured it out.  One thing I know -- I'm gonna keep making.