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Mama, wife, knitter, blogger, spinner, wannabe something or other. That's enough, right?

Sunday, June 25, 2017

Year SIX: Self-Imposed Year of Projects - Update #26

Happy Sunday! Happy Midsummer! Happy middle of my self-imposed year of projects (and happy end of the 6th Year of Projects to most everyone else that is participating)! Yes, this update is the middle and we need to reassess my list(s) because, seriously, I'm nuts. But, we'll get to that in a moment...

Finished Objects (FOs):
1. Pussy Hat: started January 10, 2017; finished January 16, 2017
2. Hermione's Everyday Socks (v2): started November 14, 2016; finished January 28, 2017
3. Frene Creek Farm Corriedale (spinning): started October 12, 2016; finished January 16, 2017
4. Pikachu Hat: started February 3, 2017; finished February 10, 2017
5. Trusty (v2): started December 22, 2016; finished February 24, 2017
6. Pussy Hat: started February 13, 2017; finished February 27, 2017
7. Pussy Hat: started March 2, 2017; finished March 8, 2017
8. Pussy Hat: started March 9, 2017; finished March 21, 2017
9. Pussy Hat: started March 21, 2017; finished March 30, 2017
10. FlockSock Yarn #1: started April 5, 2017; finished April 5, 2017
11. FlockSock Yarn #2: started April 5, 2017; finished April 5, 2017
12. #initiateknitdesign challenge from ArohaKnits: started April 3, 2017; finished April 11, 2017
13. Knit Picks Bare Palette Fingering: started April 9, 2017; finished April 9, 2017
14. Malabrigo Rios: started April 9, 2017; finished April 9, 2017
15. Nashua Creative Focus Superwash: started April 9, 2017; finished April 9, 2017
16. Pussy Hat: started April 13, 2017; finished April 30, 2017
17. Pussy Hat: started April 30, 2017; finished May 13, 2017
18. Messed Up Moss: started January 4, 2017; finished May 17, 2017
19. Pussy Hat: started May 19. 2017; finished May 23, 2017
20. Pussy Hat: started May 24, 2017; finished May 26, 2017
21. Baby Pussy Hat: started May 26, 2017; finished May 26, 2017
22. Pussy Hat: started May 26, 2017; finished May 26, 2017
23. Bugga Bare (2 matching): started June 3, 2017; finished June 4, 2017
24. Bugga Bare: started June 3, 2017; finished June 4, 2017
25. Bugga Bare: started June 3, 2017; finished June 4, 2017
26. Malabrigo Twist: started June 3, 2017; finished June 4, 2017
27. Malabrigo Twist: started June 3, 2017; finished June 4, 2017
23. Vanilla Socks: started March 30, 2017; finished June 8, 2017
24. Stormageddon's Vest: started October 17 2016; finished June 9, 2017
25. BMFA Handpainted Roving: started March 23, 2017; finished June 23, 2017

I finished up spinning the 8ish oz of Blue Moon Fiber Arts Handpainted Roving this week. Okay, I still have a teensy bit left to Andean-ply but the big stuff is done. I plied the first two bobbins together on Thursday morning and wound up with ~ 324 yds of a thick-n-thin (mostly consistent) DKish yarn. On Friday, I plied the other two bobbins and wound up with.......

Both have been washed and are currently hanging out, having a stretch and drying off a bit. So, another FO Friday should be coming. Should be coming....



Works-in-Progress (WIPs):
1. Wink: started January 5, 2015
2. Oh, She IS a Bad Nut: started August 11, 2016
3. Fall in San Francisco (prototype 3): started October 4, 2016
4. Smooth Operator Socks: started October 13, 2016
5. Morvarch Aardvark: started January 1, 2017
6. Stomping Grounds collection: started February 26, 2017 (no project page)
7. Hat Design: started March 20, 2017
8. Vanillaish Rainbow Socks: started June 1, 2017
9. Twilight Socks (from blanks): started June 8, 2017

This week has been all about design work and pseudo-hibernating WIPs and socks and frustration. I'll start with the design work. So, I'm kitting the Twilight Socks from the sock blanks, which is lovely....but I wanted something less boring/plain so I thought, "hey, I'll put some cable work in there and maybe some of those Bavarian twisted stitches and see how it goes." I had it set up so that I could have an eight-stitch main cable and two auxiliary cables on either side. I dug out the Norah Gaughan's Knitted Cable Sourcebook and found a cable pattern I liked that was an eight-stitch width. Then I dug out Maria Erlbacher's Twisted-Stitch Knitting and found a few different Bavarian twisted stitch patterns that I liked. I thought about doing just a meandering cable but decided I needed something a bit more substantial, but also stable (not meandering). I found a couple other eight-stitch width patterns and I finally chose one. Buuuuuuut, there's a problem with all that. If you're unaware, and many knitters are, Bavarian twisted stitches don't read like a normal chart. First of all, there's no overt grid (everything is lined up but there are no lines to delineate sections). Secondly, there are only four symbols used in Bavarian twisted knitting charts:  -  8  ↖︎  and the arrow pointing upward to the right (for which I cannot find a symbol). The good thing is that once you know how to read it, it's pretty intuitive. But, if I was going to make this a chart for socks for an actual pattern for the general public, I would need to translate it to "normal" charting patterns (it's far easier than trying to teach someone to read Bavarian twisted stitch knitting patterns and there are much better explanations elsewhere than I could give). So far, I've drawn the chart in the Bavarian manner (meaning I copied it out of the book onto grid paper), written the line-by-line directions from that (and double checked that I was, in fact, writing them correctly), figured out what the corresponding "normal" cabling charts look like, re-drawn the chart in "normal" cabling patterns, and I'm in the middle of drawing all three charts onto one chart. After that, I'll write the line-by-line for the entire chart and attempt to make it pretty so I can work from it. I might send that part off to my tech editor (hi Holly) because I don't have the software to make the chart symbols I'll need. That's probably further down the line, however. So, right now, the actual knitting for these socks has been lacking but I've done a lot of work on them otherwise.

The Vanilla Rainbowish socks are growing, albeit slowly.


They're doing a self-stripe kind of thing...but there's also pooling in the rainbow parts. You can see the orange/yellow block right after the cuff, then a grey stripe, then the blue/purple/red block. If you were to look on the backside, the orange/yellow block has the green/blue/purple/red in the same spot and the blue/purple/red block has the orange/yellow/green on the backside. But the rainbow sections are also slowly swirling. You can see the evidence on the right side of the photo by the cable as the green is starting to creep in and up by the cuff on the left where the blue/purple were coming in on that side. These are my "travel" knitting project. I work on them during swimming lessons or when I'm out with the boys in self-contained places (the bounce house place or the indoor kid gym place). I do work on them at home when I need some fairly uncomplicated knitting but it's mostly my travel project.

And then there are my Smooth Operator Socks. I've started the toe decreases on the first sock. Based on the math, I've used approximately 40 yds for the cuff, heel, and (I expect) the toe and about 93 yds for the main color. That means my socks will use a total of about 268 yds. For both socks (each are about 134 yds). That means I can probably get away with making socks with contrasting cuffs, heels, and toes out of the Bugga skeins that I dyed (the red/yellow or the purple/black - the green will make a full pair, no issue). It also means I can probably get another pair of socks out of the main color...possibly without contrast cuffs, heels, or toes. My math might be off on that but you'll understand why in a moment.

Next, we come to this:


This was my Oh She is a Bad Nut shawl. Looking good and lovely, right? Yes, I know the remaining ball is tiny. Don't worry, I have more.

This is what it looks like right now:


It was very naughty and is currently on time out to think about what it's done.

This shawl does not have charts; everything is written directions. I'm perfectly fine with that. There are occasional stitch counts listed (for the entire row). This is awesome. It is split into sections. Again, awesome. It relies heavily on the use of stitch markers because some of the directions say things like, "k1, yo, k to marker, slm, k2, p to marker, slm...(134 sts)" and stitch markers are awesome.......but.........do you see the problem with this? Go back and reread the directions. I'll give you a moment. Do you notice that there are no stitch counts between the stitch markers? Guess what happens if you lose a stitch marker? You. Are. Screwed.

Guess what I did?

So, the shawl is in time out right now because I am working on a spreadsheet to figure out how many stitches are between stitch makers on every row for every section. There are five sections and over 150 rows (158, to be specific and exact...which doesn't include the bind off rows). I got through the first 17 rows in the spreadsheet before I started going cross-eyed. At that pace, it will take me about 9 sessions to complete...and it took me a couple hours to get that far. ::sigh::

However, I did have a stroke of brilliance in all this hot mess. I did put in a lifeline so I don't have to rip out the entire shawl and start over once I get around to fixing things. I almost didn't put it in but right now, I'm glad I did. I'm still pissed that I dropped the stitch marker, though. And with all the Bad Nut math, I couldn't math on the Smooth Operator Socks (if I could squeak another pair out with the main color or not).


So, that was quite a knitting update....let's move along.....

17 UFOs in 2017
1. Wink: started January 5, 2015
2. Oh, She IS a Bad Nut: started August 11, 2016
3. Fall in San Francisco (prototype 3): started October 4, 2016
4. Frene Creek Farm Corriedale (spinning): started October 12, 2016; finished January 16, 2017 **DONE**
5. Smooth Operator Socks: started October 13, 2016
6. Stormageddon's Vest: started October 17, 2016 **DONE**
7. Hermione's Everyday Socks (v2): started November 14, 2016; finished January 28, 2017 **DONE**
8. Trusty (v2): started December 22, 2016 **DONE**
9. Design: Susan's Hat
10. Design: Little Man's Baby Blanket
11. Design: Paradiddle Socks (aka Little Drummer Girl)
12. Design: Pacific Waves Hat
13. Design: Fall in San Francisco Hat
14. Stash Inventory (photos, in Rav database) **DONE**
15. Dystopian Novel
16. Doctor Who blanket (1)
17. Doctor Who blanket (2)



And now, a reassessment of the lists......because it's the midterm and it's time.


"OMGLSGWTFBBQ" Lists

Secret Sock Club Bags - Pick a bag at random; do pattern with yarn
1. Scotch & Soda Scarf (using Briar Rose Fibers Wistful, leftover from my Icarus Shawl)
2. Jabberwonky (using KP Felici in Abracadabra)
3. If You Know Where To Go (using KP Felici in Green Veggies)
4. Baby Surprise Jacket (using....htNEVELE something something)

These are the only ones that are currently set up. I have plans to make a few more but we'll see how things go. With all the WIPs and such I have going, this may not be a good idea at this point. Or maybe I'll pull things from the lists below and put them into bags. I don't know.

These aren't changing. They're already set up and ready to go so there's no real need to change them.


Stranded Knitting
1. University of Wisconsin Ski Hat (kit)
2. University of Wisconsin Christmas Stocking (kit)
3. University of Wisconsin Button Beanie (kit)
4. Xanadu Snowflake Cowl
5. Unknown Christmas Stocking for Little Man (see also: Designs)
6. Unknown Christmas Stocking for Stormageddon (see also: Designs)
7. Unknown Christmas Stocking for Husband (see also: Designs)

I think I'm going to tentatively ax this entire section, as much as I want to learn how to do this. These are all substantial projects. I think I need to start with something smaller. I might come back to it someday...


Children's Items:
1. Stuffed toy for Miss C (SIL's foster child)
2. Stuffed toy for Mr. K (SIL's foster child)
3. Stuffed toy for Miss E (SIL's adopted daughter)
4. Stuffed toy for TAZ (brother's daughter)
5. Undetermined hat for Little Man
6. Undetermined hat for Stormageddon
7. Mittens for Little Man
8. Mittens for Stormageddon

Everything on this list is still viable but the toys are in order of age...meaning that I won't knit something for my little devil niece (TAZ) before I knit something for Miss C. She's the oldest; she gets hers first. The hats and mittens are still in there whenever. I've also decided on patterns for the first two: Miss C is getting Bonbon (the pattern has been printed and I've pulled yarn and I've pulled needles). Mr. K is getting Wasabi (which has also been printed and I think I know what yarn I want but that's as far as I've gotten). Both patterns are by Susan Claudino. I've knit her Zombie Vixen Fingerless Mitts but I've not knit any of her toys. Several are in my queue....



Items for ME (selfish knitting FTW!):

1. Park Slope (fingering, specifically Mountain Colors Crazy Foot)
2. Worsted weight house socks (worsted, of course - maybe something like Lumberjack)
3. Classic Silk Mayfaire Camisole (Miss Babs Northumbria with modifications)
4. Evangeline (worsted; solid or semi-solid)
5. Lichen (Aran or Sport/DK; solid or semi-solid)
6. Moyen Age (fingering; one of my Vice Yarns? Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20?)
7. Ginny's Cardigan (DK; solid or semi-solid)
8. Drip Drip Drop (sock; solid or semi-solid)
9. Celtic Myths (worsted; solid)
10. Jag in Garter Stitch (DK; 2 colors)
11. Cobh (fingering; 2 colors)
12. Offhand Lace (bulky; solid or semi-solid)
13. Whitman (DK; any color)
14. Flax (worsted; any color - Misti Alpaca Harry Potter-esque one?)
15. Hoar Frost (Wollmeise that's wound in the bag)

Since these are just selfish items for me, I'm going to keep the list and pick and go. I'm not too fussed about it.


Christmas/Charity Bin:
1. 198 Yds of Heaven (worsted; solid)
2. Comfort Food (Aran; solid)
3. Tombreck (worsted; solid or semi-solid)
4. Premie Spiral Hat (DK; any color)
5. Pumpkins & a Pattern (any weight, any color - gauge doesn't matter)

I have done absolutely no charity knitting, from this list or not....none. With that said, I'm not axing the list but it's not a main focus....maybe I should just ax it. Meh, it's not hurting anything.


Designs:
1. Susan's Hat *started* - need new prototype & write pattern
2. Little Man's Baby Blanket *started* - write pattern
3. Paradiddle Socks - need prototype & write pattern
4. Pacific Waves Hat *started* - need another prototype & write pattern
5. Fall in San Francisco *started* - need another prototype & write pattern
6. Stormageddon's Baby Blanket - need prototype & write pattern
7. Cabled pullover (grey look-alike sweater) - need sketch, grading, swatch, prototype, & write pattern
8. Christmas stocking for Little Man - need charts, prototype, & write pattern (maybe)
9. Christmas stocking for Stormageddon - need charts, prototype, & write pattern (maybe)
10. Christmas stocking for Husband - need charts, prototype, & write pattern (maybe)
11. Stomping Grounds collection (everything: charts, prototypes, swatches, etc.) *started*

Designs will get done when they get done and I'm not too fussed about it. So, this list still stands.


Spinning:
1. Miss Babs BFL
2. Sandy's Palette Merino/Silk (1)
3. Sandy's Palette Merino/Silk (2)
4. Faerie Mountain Fibers Crazy Batt
5. Wash & start processing Alpaca fleece from Lambtown
6. Wash & start processing Merino fleece from Lambtown

With Tour de Fleece starting soon, I expect I'll knock out a bunch of this list, and probably a few other things as well. So, we'll just leave this one alone until August...and by the time August rolls around, I'll probably only have the fleeces left on the list (if that).


Other:
1. Stitch markers
2. Make sure my vintage patterns are in Ravelry (Workbasket magazines, leaflets, etc.)

These are ongoing things that I do a little bit of here and there as I find time. So, I guess this one stays.



Hmmm.....not as much housecleaning as I expected. I axed an entire section and maybe another section. That was about it. Oh, and I made decisions on toy patterns.





Anyway, on to life in California. California Adventures? Wait, that might be trademarked....nevermind.

The biggest thing that happened this week was Little Man starting summer school on Tuesday. So, we're kind of back on a school routine schedule for a couple of weeks. Routines are helpful, especially for Stormageddon.

On Monday, Husband took the day off from work (to make up for the fact that last weekend, he was working and he was staying late a few nights). So, my days were totally screwed up this week. Little Man also had a make-up swimming lesson on Monday (and his regular time slot on Thursday). And with school starting on Tuesday....I thought Tuesday was Monday, I thought Wednesday was Thursday, I thought Thursday was Saturday, and I thought Friday was....some weird combination of Friday and Sunday and I thought yesterday was today. I was all over the place.

We had a bit of an unexpected shakeup on Wednesday, however. I got a phone call from my mother-in-law, letting us know that Husband's sister was in the hospital. I talked to her in the hospital and she sounded fine but Husband was freaked out and to help ease his mind because we're 2500 miles away, he hopped a redeye flight that night to Wisconsin. He got home from work at 6:30pm and was on the plane by 10:30pm. He's coming home sometime today. I think. So, I've been flying solo with the boys since Wednesday night. As long as the boys are pretty well-behaved, it's a non-issue. We've been keeping things pretty low-key around here. It's been hot so we've been spending time inside with the room air conditioners on. Yesterday, Little Man had a birthday party to go to for a classmate and then he took a class about the bugs that inspired Pokémon....which led to an almost 2-hour impromptu nap for Stormageddon.

In other words, not a whole lot has been happening around here.


Little Man tried to climb one of our lopped trees...but he has no upper arm strength and this was all he could muster. Still, it was better than anything I could do....



Stormageddon still isn't sleeping through the night in his own bed. At least he's cute and cuddly.



The birthday party was at Chuck E. Cheese's yesterday morning. The last time Stormageddon was here, he was barely walking and now he went around by himself, totally free. I found him on the little train with another girl about his age. He was pretty adorable about it.



Remember that impromptu almost two-hour nap I mentioned? Yeah, we spent about an hour in the parking lot near Trader Joe's and Barnes & Noble because he was sleeping. It was fine. He fell asleep about fifteen minutes after we dropped Little Man off for his class yesterday so I took the long way to A & W for a rootbeer float and KFC Mac & Cheese (because it's a combination of A & W and KFC). I ate while he slept. It worked out.



After we got home from everything, the boys settled onto the couch and Little Man shared his cotton candy with Stormageddon. They were behaving and sitting nicely....I almost didn't believe it. But, it worked.




Anyway, I hope you've had a lovely weekend :)

6 comments:

  1. I have to do a mid-checkup too...not sure I'll get to it...yarn shop hopping today...I thought about doing it last night...but by the time I thought about it, I was too tired....have a great week...hope it continues to be uneventful...

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  2. I'm sorry your husband had quite a scare; I hope his sister is comfortable in the hospital and they're able to help her. That She's a Bad Nut colorway is right up your alley for your fun personality. Sorry there is a stitch count snafu. One thing that can be tedious for me is to have to count every row for stitch count when there is increasing by stitch markers. But I did it for the first half of my Pioneer Shawl because I knew it had to be done and I had to suck it up. I hope you figure it out. I'm a bit confused at how you're trying to figure it out; your brain is so much more clever than mine. I would do it the way I just mentioned.

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  3. I love seeing the pictures of your boys. They are growing! You are half way through your year and already have accomplished so much.
    So? Do you ever sleep?

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  4. You have accomplished quite a bit in just a little over 6 months. I wish I understood spinning. When you talk about it, I just think how hard it sounds and very complicated. Yet I have never heard a spinner complain about the intricacies of spinning being too much.

    Your boys are adorable as always. Hope all is well with your sister in law.

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  5. Your lists always blow me away - especially considering your busy family life. I hope your SIL is okay and on the mend. I can definitely see how that would freak your husband out!

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  6. So much done already and only half way through the year! Hope you SIL is ok and my how the boys have grown!

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