The need to finish

I had big plans.  I planned on taking my children on a field trip, finishing several projects, menu planning...the list goes on and on.  All of this in just a couple days, for fall break.  Instead, I started a dishcloth for a swap, and it feels like it is taking forever.  The weekend is still young, and if I get up earlier (I lounged a bit this morning), I may be able to get more done.  Today perhaps was my down day.  Maybe I will be more productive tomorrow.

Tragedy

I do not normally post things on politics or world events or highly controversial issues, because that is not the main point of this blog.  I write because I enjoy it, it is a creative outlet, and I believe someone somewhere reads it and understands about whatever I am talking.  Sometimes throwing some words out about frustration, excitement, or disappointment makes you feel better.  As much as I would love to gain superstar status like the Yarn Harlot, I never really expect it.  But recently, there have been things that have happened, both personally and nationally/globally, and although they are just my thoughts, I feel the need to share.

First, nationally, the tragedy in Las Vegas was just that, a tragedy.  Everyone across the globe is trying to make sense of it.  Sometimes, there is no sense.  Sometimes a crazy person is just a crazy person.  Sometimes evil is just evil.  This event has sparked stories of heroism from some of the victims and also reignited the "gun debate."

I have my own thoughts and feelings about these debates, but a shocking trend that I see is people taking half-truths or exceptions and making them the rule.  My perspective and opinion is to be informed, from both sides, before drawing a conclusion.  Reserve judgement until you have all the facts, or at least facts from more than one source.  When writing a research paper, in high school or in college, you always had more than one source to back your conclusion or argument.  Shouldn't that be all things, not just research papers?  Isn't it better to listen to both sides before passing judgement?  Isn't that what a court does?  Last time I checked, there were two sides in a court - the prosecution and the defense.  Both sides are heard, and then a verdict is reached. 

As for the natural disasters that have occurred, I feel terrible that so many have lost their homes, belongings, and even pets and loved ones.  Things can be replaced; people cannot. 

In my own life, nothing truly tragic has happened, and for that, I am truly grateful.  We have been blessed, although we have had our own set of trials.  No life is as golden as it seems.  There are many hard decisions for us to make, again, in some cases, and most are not pleasant.  Some may not see these as difficulties, but they are to us. 

I hope this season is filled with love and not hate for you.

Keeping up

I started back on my Iced, but got sidetracked as I am wont to do.  I decided to reknit my Weekend Wrap.  It was so loosely knit that it would catch on everything.  It was also so wide that it would almost drag the ground.  Not exactly what I was going for. 

This is the busy season for me, and I am sure for you as well.  Fall marks the beginning of the holiday season - from Halloween to Thanksgiving to Christmas and New Year's.  How busy are you?

Quick bits

As I am getting ready to go teach, I thought I should add one more thing to my list and post.  I have 3 pairs of socks done.

I also have knitted the pieces for 2 other gifts.  Those are pieces for the Unice Unicorn Hood.  I have 2, one for each of my girls.  I have not put them together yet, because I am waiting on some other yarn.

I have also picked up my Iced again.  All that I have left is the sleeves and collar, and I hope to wear it when it actually cools down this year. 

I have started another Christmas present as well, another pair of socks.  I am trying to clean out some WIP, use up what I have, make Christmas gifts, and make me a few things all at once.  I know I only have 2 hands, and time is precious, but consistency works wonders. 

Oh, and those are my new sheepy pajamas in the background.  Like them?

Teaching

I started teaching this past week.  I began teaching a course at the local college, and it has been an adventure.  It is helping teach my children some time management.  I did not choose the book, and there are issues with some of the materials.  But, I am working through all the issues.  Fortunately the students are being patient as well.

This means that knitting time is more precious than ever and with Christmas less than 100 days away, attention has been focused on Christmas gifts.  I feel decent progress has been made so far.  I have 3 pair of socks done, and a gift for one of the children.  Yarn has been ordered for more gifts.  I wanted to do 2 gifts for everyone, and I may have time, but we will see.  What are your plans for the fall?

Hurriedly

I am hoping to get this sweater done in a couple of weeks.  I have lots going on, and many projects to complete before cold weather sets in.

I am lucky that this is a child's sweater, which means that it is a smallish project.  I have socks and a scarf waiting, along with sweaters for myself to complete.  One lacks sleeves and a collar, and the other 3 are either not started or barely started.  The almost finished sweater is a bulky knit, and at least one other is worsted weight.  The good thing about those is that they go quickly.  At least if you work on them.

Faster

I almost finished one sweater for the Princess, and started on her second. 

This is a plain stockinette sweater, in a beautiful pink.  She gets 2 pink sweaters this year, and I might get to make her a turquoise one later.  I have more to do for Christmas.

I am close to beginning the front half of my Vneck Boxy as well.  I use that for TV knitting at the moment, as I am still following the pattern for the sweater.  It is the Classic Child's Raglan by Jane Richmond.  Definitely worth the money, as I have made at least 4 sweaters from it now, and will probably make at least 2 more. 

Restart

I restarted my Boxy sweater.  I originally ripped back to the ribbing because having only 3 rows was curling.  So I started to make it 8.  Then I began thinking about the Vneck Boxy.  Deciding that I would wear that neckline more often, I ripped everything out, and started fresh.

This picture is of the back, and I am working down as fast as I can.

I have to set this aside, however, for both birthday sweaters and Christmas knitting.  I really don't want to, as I rarely knot for myself, but I will since I have 2 sweaters to complete for a September birthday.  No worries though - I am close to being finished with one and the other is worsted weight, which should go relatively quickly.

Still not quite there

My back was so close...I mean, really.  And then, I started last Saturday off as a good day.  Then I sat down to put on shoes, and my back seized up again.  All this time, it was just waiting.  It deceived me.  And now it is blistering hot.  I have been trying to read, but that hasn't been working either.  Hopefully something works out soon.

Various stages

I have three projects going, all in various stages.  I knit a doily, and now am crocheting one.

I started a unicorn modification of a horse pattern for the Princess.

I am still working on my Boxy sweater.  Maybe by the time cold weather hits, it will be done.

There are still more socks, sweaters and toys waiting in the wings. 

I am trying to work with what I have, and use up some of my stash.  When you focus on what is right in front of you, you become very aware of your blessings.  There are lots of things I wish I had (a larger vehicle, our own house, a huge budget for yarn), but I am grateful for what I do have.  What are you grateful for?

Not even halfway

I picked up the second sock again.

I have been distracted by doilies.  I find them typically quick, although needing a lot of concentration.  The directions are generally different for each round when crocheting them, so you must pay attention and read the directions.  Sometimes more than once.   In the one I am currently working on, the directions were not making sense, even though I now think the author wrote them as clear as they could.  The end of one round had a ch 1, dc in top of first sc from beg of the round, which created the last loop of the round.  In this loop, you were to put 2 sc.  When I first read (and re-read) these instructions, it did not make sense to me.  Fortunately, even at 9:30 at night, you can find help with things.  I posted the directions online that were giving me trouble, and within 20 minutes, it became crystal clear.

I am still attempting to work through the Master Crocheter's course, but my projects stop me.  I will pick it up again once I am through with the doily and this sock.  Other projects waiting include a puppy and unicorn, and more Christmas presents.

Little things

A little fall complicates big things.  But having to lie flat on your back can give you an opportunity to do some things.

I made a knitted doily.  I also finally put together the dragon.  I completed a sock, and am still working on the second one.

I am starting another doily, but this time it is crocheted.  I have not done one before, because my tension never worked out.  This time, it is.  I think it is a matter of working with something familiar.  I have started working with smaller yarn and smaller needles, and it helps keep the tension.

It has been a while since I posted, mainly because of pain.  Pain has hindered a lot of my summer plans.  I have tried to keep moving forward slowly, but even slow hurts. 

Of socks and blisters

I had been wearing a brace for my ankle, but it is rubbing a blister on the back of my heel.  It is a great big thing...and rather than continue with the brace, I downgraded to an Ace bandage.  Those sure have changed over the years.  I used to wear one on my wrist, and I had little elastic claws to grip it closed.  Now they are sticky, so it adheres to itself.

This has also happened, as I finished using one half of the poncho on the Princess's sweater.

I think this will be a pair for Christmas.  The colors are a little girly, so it will be probably for my SIL.  It is self-striping, so no pattern necessary.  That means it goes fast.  What are you working on?

The Haul

I thought I would share what I recently received from my brother.

I got one skein of Noro Silk Garden, color 87, lot q.  This picture doesn't do it justice.  I hope to create a light box soon, and will take a better picture. 

There were 4 skeins of Lion Brand Impeccable, 2 in Deep Forest and 2 in Soft Taupe.

Next up are 2 skeins of Andean Treasure from Knit Picks.  Two skeins of Wool of the Andes in Cloud and Fern.  I also have 6 skeins of Sock Landscape, 3 in Red Wood Forest and 3 in New England Foliage.

A test skein of Elegance in Oatmeal was found, as well as a mystery skein.

Too many pictures?  Maybe.  But wait there's more...

A skein of Cascade 220 in Black (color 8555), Fisherman's wool (that is to be dyed soon), 2 skeins of Bamboo in Black, 3 skeins of Jo Sharp Aran Tweed in 125 Tartan, 3 skeins of Noro Kureyon in 124, 2 other skeins of Noro wool/silk in 2 different colorways, and a skein of some sort of tweed.

There was more, but I will share all of the other non-yarny things later.  Any suggestions on what to do with it?  I have a few ideas swimming around, but some of it has not been designated for anything yet.

What's old is new again

June has been interesting.  I sprained my ankle and fell, which hurt a lot more than expected.  I guess that means I am getting old.  It has been about a week; my back still hurts and my foot is a lovely shade of purple. 

I am knitting the crocheted poncho from Christmas into a sweater.  The Princess was not thrilled with the poncho, so I just repurposed it. 

The dragon still has to be seamed.  I am horribly behind in that. 

I am also wanting to get this ancient UFO done.  This is a baby blanket from when Little Man was born...10 years ago.  The main reason I haven't finished it is that I lost the instructions.  I hope to get a copy of them again soon.

I am thinking ahead to Christmas as well.  I bought some sock yarn on sale, and am still trying to decide what to do with it.  I have the Party of Five set, and have thought about putting these Madelinetosh skeins with it for me.  But I may pull the blue for someone else. 

It has been slow for knitting as pain makes it difficult to even sit.  How is your summer looking?

Letting things go

Here are all the pieces to the dragon...and it is still not put together.  I need some time and the ability to focus in order to seam it.  

There is a question about the eyes as well.  I bought these cat eyes at a hobby store, and once I get the eyes put together I will see if I can add them.

The first sweater for the Littlest princess is finished, except for weaving and blocking.  I still have another one to crank out by the end of the month.  She has also declared that she wants a pink zebra, a purple zebra, and a green zebra.  Maybe not for her birthday.

My Boxy sweater is coming along.  I have about 17 inches of the body done, and need about 5 more before splitting it for the sleeves.

The coughing crud is running through the house, and my brain has all kinds of things running through it too.  Hopes and dreams, thoughts and plans, some achievable and some not.  Either it is that time of year, or I am ready for another change, or both.  I have also learned that one person in the house now has walking pneumonia.  Isn't that fun?!  

I have to let go of some things, in order to do others.  I can work myself to death cleaning and tidying up everything all the time, or I can let it be a little messy and enjoy life.  Unfortunately, not everyone feels the same way.  Messiness bothers some people.  How about you - a little mess with lots of enjoyment, or no mess with no enjoyment?

Coming together

I have almost finished the Littlest Princess's first sweater for her birthday.  She is growing so fast!  I had to make a 4t just to make sure she can wear it in the fall!  I made it from Cascade Eco Plus, and because of it's size and the nature of working a chunky yarn on large needles.  There is still another one for her to be made, and that one will take longer, as it is in a worsted weight on slightly smaller needles, but it should still work up fairly quickly.  She has made it known that she would like a pink zebra, and a purple zebra.  She is a riot.  I will see what I can make up, although I am still not finished with the dragon.

These things take time.  I need some concentration and some fortitude.  I don't know when I will have either at the same time, but it should be soon.  I also have some plans to work on for this month.  I find that if I can get a goal set, work out logical and reasonable steps for that goal, then I can usually reach it.  I need a good planner too, which would help.  I used to use a paper one all the time - it was like my right hand.  I was never without it.  Since those days, it has been a bit harder for me to be quite so organized and together.  I have tried several different planners: cheap ones, expensive ones, free ones, ones I've made...and still I haven't found one that works quite as well as that one did back in the day.  I think one of the major helps was that I carried it in my purse.  I now don't carry a purse all the time (I don't go to work daily) so I don't use it as I should.  I hope to get a few things organized and maybe I can find a place to put it so I can see it all the time.  It's harder to do that when you don't live in your own house.  How do you stay organized?  Any planners I should check out?

Not moving at all

Some times you need a break.  Whether it is mental or physical, you just have to stop.  That has been today for me.  I have done the necessities, but not much else. 

I need to fix the curling at the bottom, but this sweater is coming along.  The nexr sweater I hope to finish in a week or two.  It is a small one, and I have a good start on it.  Chunky yarn and big needles combined with a toddler size work up quickly. 

I still have to sew up the dragon.  It takes some stealing of one's self to sew that many pieces together. 

I am also attempting to plan out Christmas.  And other things, like some sewing projects and items for the Etsy shop.  I have to rework stuff there and really think about what to do.  What have you been up to?

Late spring

Does anyone else feel like spring is elusive this year?  It was hot here quickly, followed by more than one cold snap, and it feels like spring now just doesn't quite want to get started. 

This is as far as I have gotten on my two sweaters.  The top is Little Man's second birthday sweater, and the other is my Boxy.  

I still have tons of other things to do, but I have the same issue as spring this year.  I am also having trouble getting started.  I think most of it is the waiting.  A few weeks ago, my grandmother had a stroke, and since it happened, it has been a waiting game. We waited to see how bad it was, then waited to see how much she could recover, and now we are waiting for "the call."  This waiting is just another season, and it too shall pass.  Best to do what you can until it passes.  Much love to you and yours.

Back to basics

I still have made little progress on anything.  The pastime that was once my stress release has been pushed to the side.  Other things manage to override my knitting.  But, I started back on the second blue sweater.

I started on the first sleeve.  I had been knitting on my Boxy, and untangling the other half of the skein.  The yarn is Oceania, and it has 1440 yards in it.  That is an entire sweater.  Or almost.  I had to cut it, as my ball winder would not hold all of it, and it was severely tangled.  Not anymore.  Over this past week, working on it a bit here and a bit there (mostly at night while watching Netflix), I was able to untangle it all.  I have about 9 inches of the 22.5 that I need.  Almost halfway there.  Noticing the "almost" trend?  Yeah, me too.

Ravelry

I looked at my project page in Ravelry, and realized how little is there.  I have documented most of my projects here, but I have not added the projects to Ravelry.   I think that will be something to fix this year.  I have plenty of pictures and I should be able to reconstruct some times based on my posts.  Going forward though, I plan on keeping that page more updated to keep tabs on things.

To be honest, in a lot of ways, it feels like double work.  It probably is, to a certain extent, but I also recognize the value of it.  If I don't add my projects there, then people (like me) who look for things, may not find for what they are searching.  Or see how a pattern has been modified.  Or who knows what else.  It also leaves documentation, in one place, in an organized fashion (of sorts) of my own work, so I can review it and see if I modified something previously, and how, and if I would do it again.  

These days, I am a bit schizophrenic about my crafting.  I am jumping from project to project, not settling on any one particular thing.  I have so much that I want to accomplish, and yet I flit from thing to thing.  I finished the body of Little Man's second blue sweater.  I am working on the tail still for his dragon.  I started a sweater for myself, and I am working on a pair of socks for me too.  Then there is the quilt that I started last year, and although I have cut out several blocks, none are completely sewn.  I have messy bun hats for Etsy to crochet (which is a whole other set of issues), two sweaters for each of the Princesses, toys for them as well, Iced to finish for myself, and at least one other cardigan to make for me, and the Master Crocheter's course to finish.  With everything else (like cleaning, cooking, and homeschooling), it's a wonder I can remember my name.  But, I find that being busy is good for me.  And since there are no real deadlines for these items (other than the birthday things), there isn't any real stress.  Don't get me wrong - I want it all completed now.  I wish I could knit while I sleep (wouldn't that be great?!  All those projects completed in a fraction of awake time!), but for now those things will just have to be worked on bit by bit.  I am thankful that I have the ability to do them, even if they don't get made as fast as I would like.

Not quite as planned

I had been working on straightening up the basement and moving boxes around so that like things are together.  It is an attempt to find clothes for the Littlest Princess, but I am not having much luck.  I worked for about 45 minutes, took a short break, and was then asked to put together a Big Wheel.  That took almost an hour.  Then I got a phone call, had a call of nature, and now I am sitting outside, watching my girls play, and knitting.

I am turning more and more to my Boxy sweater.  I need to finish the blue sweater and dragon for Little Man, as we are approaching 2 months after his birthday.  Of course, mine is just around the corner (13 days and counting) but I don't generally make myself a gift.  I try to purchase one, but I would like a completed project. 

The garden seeds are beginning to sprout, but the insane weather isn't helping much.  The weather is schizophrenic at best.  It warms up like spring, almost summer, then drops down to winter freezing temperatures within a week.  I guess that is just springtime in Georgia.  What are you making?

Another beginning

I had tried to be good, and finish all of Little Man's projects but I have failed.  I was going to use a dk weight soy chenille to make a summer sweater, but the fabric was too loose, even on a US 4.  I think this would be better in a cardigan, where a looser knit fabric would be better.

I am using a light worsted boucle instead, for the summer sweater.  I also started a pair of socks.  It is a variation on the Dragonfly sock pattern; this being top down instead of toe up. 

I do not have much left on the sweater, to be honest.  Just a couple more inches and then the ribbing.  The sleeves should go quickly, but only when I get to them.  The dragon still needs a tail, wings, and a stomach patch.  Perhaps I will finish something this week.