Year of Projects: Week 16

Another week has passed.  I wanted to have another FO (and believe me, I was trying) and I did it!  I finished my Earth & Night Sky Shawl and I love it.

 Thank you to cousin B1 for modelling it for me.

I loved it so much, that I'm giving it away for a good cause.

Yesterday was my mother's 60th birthday and she went all out on a schindig.  It turned out really nice.  She had me going to stores to pick things up (like her rose gold Guess watch that was still at the store), lighters and taking trips to Downtown Toronto.  Not to mention physically making things for the party.

This is when the good cause came up.  I'm giving the shawl to my mother for her birthday.  I still have to block it so it will be bigger.  That's the part I am trying to work out but I will find a way.

Otherwise this week, I worked on the Flip Top mittens.  I was trying to have it finished for this update, but as I said before, there was no time but I have made good progress on it.  It should be finished this week, or at least the mitten part.  There's also the thumb plus opening the mittens up to make them convertible.

I spent a good amount of this week visiting different LYS's around me.  I managed to make it to 3 locations; The Purple Purl, Romni Wools and Handknit Yarn Studio.  I made it to the weekend with 3 new skeins of wool plus a set of fixed circular needles; all for two shawls by Stephen West.

I've decided that these two yarns will work well for the Daybreak Shawl (that's Tanis Fiber Arts Blue Label in Chris Grey and Turtlepurl Yarns Stripped Turtle Toes in Dream Room).  This one will be the next project, once I finish at least one more WIP.

The Pagewood Farm Glacier Glacier Bay in Cape Cod Cranberry and Anzula Squishy in Maple, is set aside for the Chadwick (which I have not purchased as of yet because I can't decide if I should buy the book or just the pattern,).

Forgot to mention that I finally got a picture of my brother RJ with his new hat and scarf.  His mother hid it well from him to the point that on the night of his birthday, he still didn't have his gift.  The next morning at church, he gave me running hug wearing his hat and scarf that he refused to take off almost the entire day.

Yes, he's learning to play the bass since the drums and the piano are not enough for him.

My youngest brother Nathaniel has now put in a request for a scarf for his birthday.  Not necessarily a hat but he does want a scarf.  The kid barely ever asks for anything so I can't really say no to him.  Time to go and look up another pattern or something of the sort to make with acrylic yarns in the colour of Reese's Pieces...I may just have some more Brava yarn in a bulky weight though...oh the possibilities.

YEAR OF PROJECTS / 26 PAIR PLUNGE

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.

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