Year of Projects: Week 3

The "photo-shoot" is finally done. What did I learn from this experience? Check out my bags of WIPs. I really need to finish some more projects before I start with anything else.

(Neatly put together)

(The hidden explosion of projects)

The Bex

Started October 1, 2012.  I had to battle with this yarn; not while knitting but when trying to wind the skein into a cake.  I ended up with so much yarn barf that I looked at it in disgust and left for New Jersey to visit family.  Those 2 balls you see is what I have remaining.  I hope it's enough to finish the 2nd sock.

The Stitch Surfer:

Started on November 30, 2012.  The only reason I stopped was because I had never finished a toe up sock before and was not grasping how to bind off.  Suffice it to say, it's doesn't make it past my foot, much less my leg.  T suggested that I just unpick the bind off and redo it...talk about a "duh" moment.

The Dark Isle:

Started March 17, 2013.  I specifically dyed the yarn for these socks...well not all of it, just the gradient yarn.  I think it turned out pretty good.  I just have to find the time (and get my 2US needles free again) to finish them.  I don't think it will take too long.

Forget Hermione! These are for me

Started April 12, 2013.  I started these as a dye challenge.  It was supposed to be dye and knit a project in a month.  I was doing so well! And then I broke not 1 but 2 of my DPNs.  I started going on the circular needles and I was not enjoying the process.  I lovingly bagged up the project and said "forget it" until I could get some DPNs.  Now I have them (as seen in the above picture) and I don't have the time right now.  I want them done by the fall so I can wear them.

Basically Perfect Baby Socks

Started May 21, 2013.  This should have been a quick project.  I finished the first sock within a couple days and the other one is still on the needles (the 2US needles that I need to get free to do the Dark Isle socks).  I can get it done but I think it's the boredom of stockinette (and laziness) that keeps me from doing it.

Shapely Boyfriend Cardigan

Started April 2, 2013.  I had been making good progress on this cardigan.  I am at the waist shaping and I want to continue however the call of the Cookie Socks is a bit stronger. I was hoping to have this done in for the fall but I think I'm going to have to be a bit more realistic on the time constraints.

Anklet #1

Started May 30, 2013.  I'm pretty certain these will be cute when finished.  I already started decreasing for the toe.  I'll like to have the mismatched pair finished soon mostly due to the fact that I don't like the yarn that is being used for the cuff, heel and toe.

Tiberius

Started June 18, 2013. Love the look of these socks but there's not rush on these ones.  That's pretty much it for now.  How much writing is expected for ribbing?

...fascinating

Started June 10, 2013.  Yes!  I finished the first sock and I'm just past the ribbing on the second sock.  I want these done ASAP.  I want a new pair to wear, despite the fact I have barely worn the Pirouette and Tulip socks that I finished less than 2 months ago.  They are so squishy and soft and pretty :D  By the way, I am a convert to Tanis yarn now that I've finally knitted with 1 of my 3 skeins.

Blankie

Started July 13, 2012.  Wow! It's been just over a year and look at how big it's gotten! As of the time of typing this update, there is 107.5 squares and by the time I finish this knitting year, I want to be at 250 squares.  Note: I am so short that even when standing on a chair, I still couldn't get the entire thing in one picture.

Now onto the forgotten projects.

Slide Socks

You can already see that one of the socks is off the needles.  I was trying to do these socks 2 at a time and I was not successful.  I will make these socks out of this yarn but I think I'm going to try winding them into balls and working on each sock seperately.

Anisette Cardigan

As I have mentioned before, the back is utter perfection...but I just don't think I really want the cardigan out of this yarn and it would be nice if the sleeves were the correct size.  I'd rather just toss out the whole thing and make it again from a different kind of yarn.  Nothing wrong with the pattern.  It's lovely but I'm just not liking this project.  I just want to know what I can do with this yarn.

Plans go awry

I have wanted shortbread cookies since last week so I bought butter, which was the only missing ingredient or so I thought. I took out the butter to soften it this morning and then went hunting for the rest of the ingredients. I had the flour, I found sugar, the salt and the butter. I brought up the mini mixer from my mother's kitchen, along with the rolling pin and was ready to work, until I couldn't find wax paper. That's something that finishes in our house very quickly so I went online to find an alternative; aluminum foil. Perfect! Just saw it yesterday. I continued to search both kitchens trying to find it. I even called my mother...there is none but she's getting some from work today. I'm not going to be here tonight. So now I have to lug everything back to where it was and not have any cookies :*( I guess I'll have to do it later this week.

I did finish one sock for the first pair of baby socks an I'm working on the cuff of the second. I know it won't take too long to finish so hopefully I'll have it done tonight or tomorrow during the day. I think I'll travel with an additional little ball of yarn, just in case I can start another one.

Come-a-long Update

Now the Pirouettes are truly done! And I LOVE them!  They still need to be washed but I'm going to wait until I have a few more pairs of socks to throw them in.

I casted on for the second sock of the Tulips. I'm a little bit under halfway on the leg but I expect by the end of today, I will be much further along.

I'm only 3/4 of the way through 1 sock for my friend's baby. The shower is next Sunday, and I had wanted to make 2 pairs. I need to get on that.

I can finally resume working on my Hermione's whatever-whatever. I found a yarn shop in Hamilton that I love that sells Knitter's Pride DPN, which are almost the same as Harmony DPNs and I could rightly afford. No rush in this mittens. The completed hand is already hot enough as it is, much less both.

The Sproulette Dress yarn, needles and pattern has been placed in the freezer sized ziplock bag...and it's due for 2 weeks from now. Just found out that's when the baby shower is. I think right after I finish the Tulip socks and the baby socks (real quickly), I'll have to get started on the baby dress which I have never attempted to do before.

Projects Completed for 2013:

Newton Socks | Ernie Socks | Pirouette Socks

WIPs:

Tulip Socks | Dark Isle Socks | Stitch Surfer | Hermione's Whatever-whatevers | Shapely Boyfriend Cardigan | Blankie | Bex | Baby Socks

I have a what now?

I have another blog that I didn't even remember that I had. I had set it up for simming but I haven't done anything with it.  Maybe I'll use it at some later date.

Anywho, I managed to finish the leg in my Tulip socks. Yay for progress! I'll do the heel flap tomorrow and hopefully the turn heel. These socks will definitely be done by the end of this week.

Tomorrow I'm going on a mid week overnight trip (like I don't spend enough time away from my house). I think I'll take the baby socks with me and that will be my trip project. Hopefully I can finish off the first pair at the very least.

Instead of finishing a sock

There is so little left to do to finish the Pirouette Socks but yet, instead of finishing up the toe on the right sock, I casted on for a pair of baby socks. I've got 2 friends who are due in the summer. While I've found a dress for the baby girl who's due in August (the Sproulette Dress), it is harder to find something that I like for a baby boy, especially when you don't have the money to buy the appropriate yarn. I don't know why it didn't occur to me to make some baby socks. I've got quite a bit of sock yarn left overs which is more than enough for a few pairs of socks for a newborn.

I've made it pretty far for the first sock and it should be finished tomorrow. I have another 1/2-1" left to go before I start the toe.

I had to do a short row heel, which I have never done before. At the very least, it's a good way to experiment for what to use for anklets. See the full circle and how everything goes back to the anklets?

I promise that I will finish the right foot for the Pirouette Socks by Thursday, so I can show them off to T and get started on the Tulip socks. I need to have those done as soon as possible. The next shipment of yarn from the Cookie Sock Club should be here soon and I want my needles free by the time the patterns arrive.

Note to self: go and check out the next shipment days for the sock club and start to salivate in anticipation.