I Finished Something! Finally!

Finally!  Progress to report!

Ravenclaw

I've finished my Ravenclaw socks - they are a perfectly serviceable and handsome pair of plain-jane socks.

I can't seem to get a picture of them that's at all true to the colorway (I swear I'm not crazy!  They have blue and bronze.  Really!)

I heart my new phone like a hearting thing that hearts, but I do miss my camera sometimes.  Its screen went all blinky, so now I get Surprise!Pictures, since I can't see anything when I use it.

The Blanket of Perpetuousity (or the Absolutely Fabulous Colinette Kit Afghan, as it likes to call itself) is getting so much closer to done.

I lack one of the half-squares, and then the top row of three.  After that it's some crochet work to make the sides less wonky, and to hide the edges across the top and BOOM!  Blanket!




I haven't worked on Amelia much lately, and don't expect to finish it this month.   If I do end up finishing another of my projects (other than the two above, I mean), it'll be the wee scarf that I'm knitting for some Miss' birthday.

So, here are the standings as of right now:

Ravenclaw Socks
Ab-Fab Afghan -- 85%
Wee Scarf -- 70%
Nemesis -- 50 % (on hold until March is for Making Mates)
Dr. Who Scarf -- 40%
Amelia -- 20%
The Lotus Blossom Tank -- 5%
Watergarden Cardigan -- 5%

Hippy Valurmtimes!

It's half-way through February, and I have no new finishings to report.

But!  I am making some goodly progress, so I'm not too fashed.   Having put away Nemesis, I've settled my focus on three other projects.  Of those, I expect (plan, intend, will, etc.) to finish two.



My Ravenclaw socks are my go-to plain knitting project.  I've turned the heel, decreased the gussets and am early in the "go go go" stage of finishing the foot.

Ravenclaw ~75%

 I'm still chipping away at the Absolutely Fabulous afghan.  In fact, as soon as I post this, I'll be going to work on it.  By the by -- there is actually more blanket here than there was last week.  It just doesn't look like it.  I apparently did not manage to take a picture of the new bits.

Ab-Fab Afghan ~66%

 And then when I get so tired of the Blanket of Perpetuousity that I'm ready to do something desperate, I switch over to Amelia.  I'm about an inch or so north of the waist at this point.

Amelia ~25%

I wanted to have more to report, but then most of what I have left on the needles are large projects, so I'm trying to bear that in mind.   And heck, if I just (WHEN I just) finish that afghan that will be such a huge relief.   It has been running in the background for so long, who knows how much of my metaphorical RAM will be released once it's done?

Aptly Named

Nemesis

I've finished the fist of the Nemesis socks.  I just... I don't love it.  This damned sock was such a pain in the ass (not really the pattern's fault, the pattern's pretty easy)... the stars just conspired against me, yadda-yadda.

But anyway, it's a sock now, which is more than it was before.

The sock is really much "redder" than this picture implies, btw.  My new phone is lovely, as is its camera, but we're still getting to know each other.

Cuttin' it close

I used up pretty much exactly all of the yarn from one skein of Plymouth's Happy Feet.

I'm putting this away until March (which, as you know, for Making Mates.)  

Back to the afghan mines...

List, List, Oh List!

Wherein we discuss (in detail, and with pictures) the projects that require accomplishment, in order of age, though not necessarily of import.

Item the First:

Absolutely Fabulous Afghan Kit from Colinette

The oldest of projects, this afghan (henceforth to be known as the "Blanket of Perpetuousity") has been my bosom companion for near a decade.  It is detestable in its unwillingness to finish itself, and if familiarity breeds contempt, then this rag is held in deepest scorn. Also it is very pretty.

Started in the Year of Our Lord 2001, I will turn all my attention to finishing this beast post haste.




Item the Second:

Watergarden

The Watergarden Cardigan.  This fair isle sweater is designed as a pullover.  I, in my hubris, saw no reason that I should not convert my first full fair isle attempt into a cardigan as I knit it.  This beauty will no doubt bring me many hours of joy as I re-learn to simultaneously pick and throw.  The steeking does not bear consideration, lest my too delicate sensibilities be overcome with dread.

Begun March 13, 2008, this lovely sweater may be doomed to further languish as focus is placed on other, easier projects.





Item the Third:

The Doctor's Scarf

An infamous project, instantly recognizable.  This charming piece has everything to recommend it, and nothing to detract save its interminable length.  Veritable miles of garter stitch monotony, broken only the whimsy of sporadic, unpredictable color change.

Begun during the early fall of 2008.









Item the Fourth:

Amelia

Amelia.  This dear cardigan is perfect in every way, save its proclivity for the dread "purl through back loop," a finicky and awkward maneuver at best.

This lovely green sweater was first begun during the year of 2010, although faulty record keeping shrouds the exact date in the mists of time.






Item the Fifth:

Nemesis

Aptly named, the Nemesis has eluded completion.  First cast on at a slight 64 stitches, the truth about my ankles was quickly made known, and the first attempt was doomed to disgrace and destruction.   Cast on anew, the first sock has now reached the heel, and may yet prevail.

The first, failed attempt was begun on May 1, 2011.  A day for lovers, but not, it seems, for that doomed sock.  The difficult decision made, a new sock was begun that June.






Item the Sixth:

The Lotus Eaters

Later that same month, another project was conceived and then, alas, abandoned.  The Lotus Eaters, a sweet summer top, was intended to be created in an act of camaraderie with the author's dear friend.  Each would knit their respective shifts in solidarity. All the best of intent went into the planning of this activity, but neither knitter saw her way clear to continue.  Perhaps they were distracted on some lonely isle, with naught to eat but Lotus leaves, their commitments forgotten and abandoned behind them.





Item the Seventh:

Ravenclaw Socks

Humble in both yarn and pattern, these socks appeal through their patterning.  The bronze and blue put one in mind of a certain, noble House, known for their ready minds and wit beyond measure.

Begun in 2011, one sock has already been complete.  It's mate cast on and resting in the author's reticule awaiting it's completion.





Item the Eighth:

A pattern of the knitter's own devising, this scarf will one day grace the slender neck of a young lady of good breeding in my acquaintance.  The colors are to her liking, displaying as it does all of the hues of a freshly shorn unicorn.

Begun during September of 2011, this was meant to to serve as a gift to display my Auntish affections.  Another project made itself known, however, and this scarf abandoned.  Perhaps her birthday?



The above contains a true and factual accounting of all knitting projects currently desirous of finishing.   February should many of these fine projects put, at last, to rest.

February Eve

It's almost February, and anyone who is paying attention knows that means that there's about to be a whole mess of finishing around here.

The month of February is devoted to the act and promise of Finishing.   It falls on the calendar during what ought to be the coldest (wtf January?  60 degrees?  Really?) time of year.  Days are short and nights long, but we are on the rising side of the Yule Solstice, and heading into spring.   It's time to clean out the old, and start making plans for Spring.

So that means getting some of those old projects off the needles.  (Hard to cast on three new shawls and some socks when all the needles are stuck into Auntie Mabel's old cardigan, eh?)

"Finishing" for the purposes of the February that I'll be having usually means actually, you know, knitting the project.  But it also means "frogging" (I like yarn, as the lady says, more than I like bad hats), and flinging (this dishcloth is made out of acrylic from 1978?  Gosh!).

Okay, I think I may have flung all of the projects that would have qualified under that rule last year.  And have not, thankfully, cast on any new ones.

I may have actually cheated some, and started a week early.

What?  I'm allowed to finish things.

Two weeks ago I finished a wee shawl and a hat.

Twig Lace Cap

Ginkgo Shawl (as of yet unblocked)

 But that was before I made my list.   Those of you who were around last year (and the years before that) will remember that I have ... a problem.  A starting things problem.  Without a matching "and then also finishing things" problem.

Last year I had 25 UFOs/WIPs on January 31st.

This year?   This year I got 8.   (Okay, yes, half of them were on my list last year too.  Hush.

12 UFOs on January 24

When this picture was taken I had 12.  I finished this:

Vegamot Cap

And I frogged these:

Doomed Forest Walkers

Unlikely Mitts

Terrible Headband

Which leaves me with 8.   Tune in tomorrow for a full listing.  And also a strategy!  (Of sorts!)

Clown Barf Hat (Needs A Better Name)

I've finished another project (or two? I'm having trouble keeping track since I can't actually talk about all of them here) since last we spoke.    A wise friends suggested that if I needed to knit a hat from stash, and all my stash is fingering or lace weight, that there are not actually any ordinances prohibiting holding the yarn double.

Duh.

So, the Clown Barf hat was conceived and born.   Made of a pattern of my own reckoning:  simple-simple...rolled brim on size 6 needles, stockinette on 8s.  CO. 80 stitches, increase to 88 when changing needles.   Knit until you are bored or about 6 inches.  Spread the decreases out evenly across the 88 stitches--first round was knit 9, k2tog around--I decreased in a manner that made sense and ended up without being too flat or too pointy, et voila:

I swear I just took this picture...it is not, in fact, Spring in TN.

Made from two ancient balls (heh heh) of Knitpicks Memories Sock Yarn.  It will make some clown 11 year old happy.

In other news, Halloween is nearly upon us.  I have had neither time, nor energy, nor spoons to devote to kids' Halloween.    Morgan is planning to be a Hogwarts student (a costume that anyone in this house could put together with their eyes closed, and one hand tied behind their back...although that would make putting the robe on awkward).    Rowan wants to be a cone-head zombie from Plants vs. Zombies.   It'll be adorable, assuming I can come up with a reasonable facsimile of an orange traffic cone to place upon his pate.

Wish me luck.

Weekend of Knitting, Net Gain 2" of Hat

I decided yesterday to find a pattern for the blue wool that Jess brought me from London-town.

Pretty Wool From London-town

It's a pretty blue-dark blue aran weight twist.  So I used Ravelry's brilliant search system and found Vegamot.  It's designed for DK weight yarn and relies heavily on texture (Down-side: it involves purls.  Up-side: it is super-cute.)

I cast on, and made it about 2" in when I realized I wasn't loving it.  Something wasn't quite right.  (Two somethings...my cast-on looked terrible).  I decided to take it off the needles and try it on to see if that changed anything.   It did and it didn't...once it stretched out the cast-on was fine, and the yarn was taking the pattern pretty well, but my forehead started itching like you wouldn't believe.

Poor thing ended up in the frog pond - I decided that it didn't matter how cute the hat was if no one would wear it.   I am going to set the yarn aside for now.  I think it might be a bag when it grows up.

So, today I decided to try again.  I found a new pattern, and chose a different yarn.   Except for the part where I missed two yarn overs two rows down (which, through my extreme lack of attention led to the loss of six total stitches...long story, it was dumb.  Okay, that's actually a pretty short story), yeah so, except for that this next hat is turning out MUCH better.   I tinked back three rows, fixed my boo-boos and am back on track.

Seems like October and I are not getting along as well as September and I did.

Slowing Down and Gearing Up

The knitting is starting taper off here at chez woolly.  After hurting my wrists last weekend, I decided to take a bit of a break.  I did (finally) finish Saucy McGoogles' mitts, though -- so that's done and good.

That brings my Yulemas knitting total to 7 completed gifts.  I need to hurry up though, because November is National Novel Writing Month, and not only will I be writing a 50,000 word novel during the month, I'm also the co-ML (municipal liaison) for Murfreesboro.  So I will be a busy, busy girl in November, with no time to knit.

Yule Gifts in potentia

See that up there?  Sure it looks like a pile of yarn, but really it's a bunch of hats.  They just don't know it yet.

Wish me luck, y'all.

My cat is constitutionally incapable of not getting in the middle of every picture taken in his presence.

Wherein I Discuss Gifts in Couched Terms and Have no Pictures

I'm pretty sure that with a blog title like that, you can't wait to read this.

I've slowed down quite a bit on my knitting because I hurt my wrists this week (a combination of too much knitting and moving a couch.  Waily.)   I'm going to try to get some more done this afternoon though while I watch football, so all is not lost.

I starting trying to make up a mitt pattern to go with the Tam I made for Miss Awkward Potatoes (hey!  I can show a picture.)  Here's the tam in question:

A Fine Hat

I had a bit of a gauge accident though, and the result was something not fit for man nor beast nor wee little girl.  So, back to the proverbial drawing board on that one.   Also, worsted weight color-work with magic loop technique and only 40 something stitches is whatchacall AWKWARD.

My gift for Saucy McGoogles is more than half done.   I can post no more here, lest they be reading, but suffice it to say, my plan continues apace.

On a final note, I would like to report that I have been more prolific in producing knits in the past few weeks than perhaps at any other time in my knitting career.  That sentence had a preponderance of "p" words.   Anyway.  My plan (there's another one) to knit from stash was dashed when I realized that my yarn is nearly all lace and fingering weight.   The lack of worsted weight yarn in my stash, and my previously demonstrated inability to finish projects in a timely manner may be directly related to one another.  I'm just sayin'.

"Meow" Means "Knit me a hat," in Kitty Speak.

The Yulemas knitting is continuing apace, here at chez woolly.  I've now completed 6 (count them, SIX) knitted gifts since Labor Day, and am right at halfway done with Saucy McGoogles' mitts.

"Meow" means "I like that hat, Miss Boppy.  Knit me one," in Kitty.

Comrade Twinkletoes' gift is now complete (although I do still have something else about half done for her -- we'll see what becomes of that.)

I am really not sure where all of this industry is coming from, and frankly I'm a little afraid to examine the phenomenon too closely, lest I jinx it.   It may be safely said, however, that my concurrent desire to re-watch all of the Appendices to the Extended Edition Lord of the Rings DVDs has been both aiding and abetting the knitting.

For that matter, Sunday football has helped too.

Proliferation

My Yulemas knitting continues apace.

So far I've managed gifts for:

• Miss Snarfblatt
• Marmalade Lady-Pants
• Miss Awkward Potatoes
• Signor Mountebank

And I'm half-way through a thing for Comrade Twinkle-toes.   I'm considering another gift for that one as well.

Signor Mountebank's Goodly Robot Hat

Despite near universal claims that he'd much rather have socks, I've made this Robot Hat for Signor Mountebank.  (Okay, there is no way he's reading this...but the nick-name thing is too much fun.)

The thing is, he's got two feet, but only one head, so there's that.  Also, the aforementioned feet have a tendency to grow about half an inch every night, so there's no way they'd fit him come December.

Of course, that said, I'm considering designing some wee little robot mitts to match.

Miss Awkward Potatoes' Tam

Miss Awkward Potatoes will be receiving this lovely and poly-chromatic tam.  (The other side is also pretty, but I didn't manage to take a good picture of it).

It's made with Knitpicks' Chroma Worsted and Swish DK.   I've never done colorwork with a yarn that changes colors like the Chroma before (although I've often admired pictures).  It was fun, and makes me look clever — so I call that a win.

The pattern is Mom's Tam.   I'm planning mitts and a scarf to go with.   We'll see how much gets done between now and then.  I figure I'll spread out the love some, as I'm hoping to manage knit gifts for many of my kith and kin this year.

Operation Knit All the Things

So far "Operation Knit All the Things" seems to be very successful.   I cast on another gift today, and am already nearly half way done.  I feel like a BOSS.   I am going to try really hard to finish it tomorrow.

Okay, three more months of no pictures and saying "it" and "the thing" is going to get real damn old.  Maybe I'll come up with clever code names for everything -- that will help!

• So far I have one thing finished for Miss Snarfblatt.
• I am right at half way done with the gift for Marmalade Lady-pants.
• I am going to make fingerless mitts for Saucy McGoogles.
• Little Miss Awkward Potatoes is getting a hat/scarf/mitten set.

No, no ... that's still pretty ridiculous.

How do other people blog about their Christmas knitting?

It's the Most Wondrous Time of the Year

And I'm not (just) talkin' bout sending the kids back to school.

I'm challenging myself to come up with Yulemas gifts for people out of my stash.   I don't usually manage to get much done in the way of handknits for people (I have chronic good intentions disease.  As anyone who has read more than three posts on this blog has no doubt sussed out).  But I'm feeling pretty good about it this year.  I already have a gift finished, the pattern and yarn lined up for another, and a strong plan for a third.

I could DO this.  I think this calls for some lists.

Upside:

• My love is demonstrated through wool.  This is never wrong.
• I use some stash, thereby creating room for more stash.  Win!
• I like to knit.

Downside:

• I can't actually show any pictures of anything.  
• Maybe I could post some pictures of a duck.
• My hands get crampy.

All in all... pictureless blog posts aside, I'd say this plan shows clear promise.

Retro Daffodil Ribs

Pattern: Retro Rib Socks by Evelyn Clark from Interweave's Favorite Socks.

Yarn: Knitpicks Stroll in Dandelion

Needles: Knitpicks Options Nickel, size 2 (3.0 mm)

Started: March Something, 2011

Finished: June 30, 2011

These are for Rhiannon, who demanded happy, yellow socks. Women's size 9-10.

Always Do Your Best

Saturday was our Fourth Mostly-Annual Apollonian MidSummer Games. The event entailed Nine Games of Strength, Wisdom, Cleverness, Endurance, and Bad-Ass Pie Baking Skills. We competed in a Marathon (three miles of race-walking. Real athletes would scoff, but even so), the long jump (our longest jumper went 103" -- approximately 30" longer than his own height), coloring pages of the gods, and also pie.

A Plate of Pre-Prepared Pie Contest Entries

It was awesome.

All throughout the day, the same message was repeated, "Always do your best." We weren't competing to win (I lie. We were totally competing to win.) But we were also competing to give the very best of ourselves as a gift to the divine and to our community.

We ate the very best foods for lunch and also for dinner.

Don't You Wish Your Caprese Was Hot Like Me?

And we played a hard-core game of Twister.

Game On.

Always do your best.

It's a good rule to live by, even when you aren't trying to throw a frisbee across the yard like an Olympic Athlete.

It applies to baking.

Rhiannon is baking buns for tonight's cheeseburgers.

Mmmm. Cheeseburgers.

And also to knitting (you knew there was going to be a tie-in, didn't you?)

Nemesis...Aptly Named Socks Take 2

I started over. It's important to always do your best.

Conspiracy Theory

I'm starting to think I might be cursed. (Okay, not really) But you remember my May-June Sock Club Socks? "Ooh, look at the pretty depth and shading" I said.

Well, the thrice-blessed things don't fit.

The same problem I had with my doomed Jerkwalters. I've been successfully knitting socks for many years. Sometimes socks with patterns. And fancy work. Heck, I made a Nancy Bush sock once, and it fit me. What the eff is the matter with me now? I am so ready to frog this frakker and knit something in stockinette.

Okay, not really. I'm about to go cast on the next size up and try again.

At Least I Didn't Have to Make Any of This Up

I told myself that I had to blog today, even if I hadn't done anything interesting. "If you haven't done anything interesting, make something up," I says to myself.

As it happens, I have done some things — although whether or not they are interesting is at worst debatable, and at best, in the eye of the beholder. You'll have to let me know.

Rhiannon's Retro Daffodil Socks aren't any farther along than they were when last we spoke, but I did take another pretty picture of them.

Three-quarters of a pair of pretty socks.

I have worked on my Sock of the Month Nemesis socks. I'm not super sure they'll fit, but gosh they're pretty. I was worried that the pattern wouldn't show well in the Happy Feet, but it doesn't look like that's an issue.

Isn't the depth and shading pretty?

That's all done with increases and decreases.

And lastly but not leastly, I've dug out my Ab-Fab Afghan kit from 200...and something, 2004, I think, and have started working on it again. It's been a zillion years. We all know that I have a bit of a problem with project monogamy...this comes as a shock to no one, but at least this is an old project revisited. I get some credit for that...right?

One square of many.

And there you have it, all the news that's fit to print. Oh! And I am still working on Robert's quilt too. Every Tuesday night, the Sock Monkey quilt and I settle down in front of NCIS for some quality together time.

At this rate, I might be able to blog about finishing something, and we all know how rare that is.

The First Rule of Sock Club

The first rule of Sock Club is that you DO NOT BLOG ABOUT Sock Club.

That's my official excuse for not telling you about my May-June Self Imposed Sock Club socks until June 1.

The rules about Sock Club should be considered as the Pirate Code.... more like guidelines really. Somewhere around Rule 11.b.ii is: You should eventually knit the socks.

So anyway, after entirely too much ado, I introduce you to June's Nemesis.

Pattern: Nemesis

Yarn: Plymouth Happy Feet, Color "4"

Needles: Two

I'm not far in, but I'm dedicating every Wednesday in June to their creation, so I have great hope (especially after the failure of my Mar-Apr Jerkwalters.)

I like them already.

(I now only have two pairs of socks on the needles, these and my Retro Daffodil Ribs. It feels weird. I may cast on a "plain" sock... just to keep my options open.)

A Most Rare and Wondrous Thing*

I've been doing quite a bit of crafting here in the koff-monthandahalf-koff that I have been quiet.

I bailed completely on my Mar-Apr Sock Club Socks (they were Not Meant To Be), but I cast on some spiffy new May-June Socks, about which later will I blog. I've also been working on some pretty yellow socks for Rhiannon, and --get this-- I actually finished my Checkerboard Twist socks. I know! I was shocked too!

(Confession time. Knitpicks recently had a sale on sock yarn. Someone may have gone a little overboard. Someone best be knittin' some socks, if she'd ever like to use any of it.)

Anyway -- I'm now down from three pairs of socks on the needles, to two. And one of those is well in to the second sock.

And lest ye think I only knit socks, let me reassure you... I only MOSTLY knit socks. I've also been working on a Super Sekrit Projeck, and dreaming about scarves and fingerless mitts.

Oh -- and I've been quilting too.

See? I told you I've been busy.

* Dudes. I finished something.

A More Prepared Blogger

I decided to grab some pictures of my blooming iris before the thunderstorms and nickel-sized hail hit and mangled them all to hell and back.

(I should note that said thunderstorm and nickel sized hail never materialized. But would it have stormed and would ice the size of a small coin fallen out of the sky had I NOT taken these pictures? You bet your sweet Doppler it would have.)