Self Shaming

Here is the line of knitting shame:





I have so many projects just started to half completed. And the past few weeks have been stupid with the long hours for work and another project I've got going on at home which obviously doesn't include knitting.

The aran wrap:





My cashmere hand warmers:





The mittens for a friend, start of mitten 1:






My shrug from local alpaca yarn:





And the replacement scarf for my aunt (the other one frayed into bits and pieces):







So what does one do when one is faced with so many WIPs? Buy more yarn:












And plot the next project to start...

What? How long have you been reading this blog not to have seen that coming?

Busy, Busy, Busy

But not with knitting!

First, I finally graduated with my Master of Science degree - YAY!

Second, things have been a bit off for me lately, so knitting has taken a bit of break.

Third, I've begun the final purge and re-organization of my crap. The big push today is to clean out my storage closet where old papers and files, along with holiday stuff lurk. And assorted other crap. It's like Tetris from moving Hell in my living room right now. And even when I'm done repacking most of the stuff today, I've boxes of paperwork and files to go through and shred. Damn it.

To distract you from boring, here's the Tank.

Winter? Snow? WTH?!

We've been very spoiled around here in my neck of the woods for winter weather. The past two years we haven't seen near the usual amounts of snow or extremely cold temps. So when winter actually does show up, we have to go back into hibernation mode.

Luckily, Tank knows the drill...

Comfy

I knew that I had to have this stash of alpaca and merino yarn from a local farm Caden's Moon Alpacas.





Then I knew I had to justify a pricey purchase which gives me a total of 2400 yds.

And I found this gorgeous shrug that will work well with my Fire in the Disco events (hot flashes). While the largest size calls for only about 1100 yards, I know from experience I usually end up needing about 200-500 yards more due to how tall I am, and I may want to add lace sleeves to it. Better too much than not enough!

Yep, Another Hat

This is the final knitting gift for a colleague. Once again, my model, Pooh Bear rocks the project. It took me a while to find the appropriate blue and orange colors for the Bears fan this is going to later this week.









* * * *

HiKoo by Skacel Collection, Inc. Simplicity

How much?
1 skeins = 117.0 yards (107.0m)

Colorway
blue
_ _ _ _

HiKoo by Skacel Collection, Inc. Simplicity

How much?
0.5 skeins = 58.5 yards (53.5m)

Colorway
orange

Purchased at
Knit & Knot in Bettendorf, Iowa

Fini! Another Hat

* * *

Needle
US 7 - 4.5 mm

Yarns:
Malabrigo Yarn Rios
How much? 0.15 skeins = 31.5 yards (28.8m)
Colorway - candombe
Purchased at Jimmy Beans Wool in Reno, Nevada


Malabrigo Yarn Rios
How much? 0.5 skeins = 105.0 yards (96.0m)
Colorwa - teal feather
Purchased at Knit & Knot in Bettendorf, Iowa

Malabrigo Yarn Rios
How much? 0.5 skeins = 105.0 yards (96.0m)
Colorway - azul profundo
Purchased at Knit & Knot in Bettendorf, Iowa

Head West

I finally made it to California for a visit. A quick trip to see friends in Phoenix turned into a road trip to LA and Santa Monica.







And yes, I plan to visit again.

About Time

So, one of my favorite people brought some yarn back from a business trip to Scotland years ago. (Seriously, *years* ago.) I have been holding on to it, to knit something out of it for her at her request.

To date, we've gone through four different patterns and finally settled on one last year. As things are finally coming to completion with my internship/clinical hours as well as my classes, changes will be coming up. This includes finally getting this project on a set of needles.

Ohmyhell.

I'm not sure if I smacked a llama, booted an alpaca, or yelled at a kashmir goat in a former life...or maybe I accidentally ate a vicuña or guanaco in a former life. Karma kicks me in the ass every single time I try to knit lace projects, no matter how simple.

It began with this gorgeous yarn: Wolf Creek Wool's Bliss yarn.





To knit this rather simple, lovely shawl: Tuch / shawl *SunsetXL* by Birgit Freyer.

First attempt: I couldn't figure out the charting because I was over-thinking it. I needed no less than three of the fierce women of the SnB to explain it to me.

Second attempt: I knit with size 4US needles. So tight, I can't tell the stitches from one another. So I went up to size 5US needles. Still kind of tight, but I can work with it.

Third attempt: In trying to figure out the lace pattern on the edge, I re-read the pattern info on Ravelry, and realize I should be knitting these on size 7US needles.

Ohmyhell.

First FO of 2013

C'est fini!


I ran out of needle space even using my 32" and 40" SNA circs. However, it is lovely.





I only did a severe block on the center lacy bit:




* * *
Needles
US 9 - 5.5 mm

Yarn
Debbie Macomber Blossom Street Collection Cashmere Fleur De Lys

How much?
6 skeins = 558.0 yards (510.2m)

Colorway
Ennui

Purchased at
Jimmy Beans Wool

Finally.

About time that 2012 fucked off. It was a terrible year for too many of my friends and family. And 2013, we're expecting better from you.

The knitting was about on target for what I wanted to complete in 2012, even with a few unexpected knitting requests:

January 9 - Friend's Crocheted Scarf
January 15 - Friend's Knitted Scarf
January 22 - Thankful Scarf
February 5 - The Guy's Socks
February 26 - Gift Scarf
April 19 - Swirly Cap
May 15 - Lace Cap
June 5 - Sharky the Mittens
June 21 - Dead Fish Hat I
July 22 - Dead Fish Hat II
October 14 - Two Color Cardigan
October 20 - Reward Scarf
November 2 - Ridged Helmet Hat
November 16 - Just A Hat
December 9 - Simply Lovely Shawl
December 18 - K-all Scarf


The knitting project right now is the Slightly Beyond Basic Wrap I'm knitting for a colleague:













The projects that I have slated for the rest of winter/spring:

*Treads (mine)

Tuch/Shawl (Lucy)

*Slightly Beyond Basic Wrap (Steph)

*Cloisonne (Doreen)

Shark Hat (Rose)

*Hot (mine)

Steelers Hat (Karen)

Dead Fish Hat III (Cathy)

Princess Scarf (Seneca)

Aran Cable Wrap (Elaine)


*In progress

Meanwhile, back at the ranch no one really missed Timmy.

Because we're all enamored with this Treads pattern for fingerless gloves!

The red color distorts the photos enough that I had to do some funky work with the photo program.










I love the lateral braid, even if it drives me a bit bonkers. I just get into a rhythm and then something happens and I forget where I'm at, then I go back and tink around to straighten myself out, and begin again. It's worth it.

The definition of the patterns aren't great also due to the type of yarn I'm using: GGH cashmere. I've had this for years, and actually this yarn was frogged from another pair of fingerless mittens that just didn't fit well any longer. So the softness of the yarn blurs the stitch definition in the photo, but it's lovely in person.

FO - Wrap It Up

I still feel pretty narly and exhausted. I'm going on two weeks without my CPAP, and I can't believe I used to live with this exhaustion for years. How the hell did I get anything done?

There are benefits to holding down a couch while you're waiting for the antibiotics to kick cooties ass. Finishing up a knitted gift:







It was knit length-wise, just knitted. The color and plying of the yarn was enough to make this scarf pop.

* * * * *

Needle:
US 8 - 5.0 mm

Yarn:
Cascade Yarns Cloud

How much?
2 skeins = 328.0 yards (299.9m)

Colorway:
dark periwinkle

Purchased at
Jimmy Beans Wool

The Plague Returns

Usually it doesn't hit until January, but apparently it has arrived early. This week began with a cold, a fever, sore throat, as well as losing my voice for three days. I had a brief reprieve yesterday, and then was hit even harder today, once again losing my voice. This lack of voice is going to set me back *months* in talking.

In the midst of the plague haze, while holding down the couch with the basset hound lapdog Tank, there was a knock on the door. Fortunately for me, it was not Death. It was my order from Jimmy Beans Wool.






I had DPNs missing from my collection, and since I've been knitting hats and gloves like no one is manufacturing except for me, I filled in the gaps.





My gift knitting yarns arrived, too.

















Finally, there was a little something-something for myself. It was through a generous holiday/thank you gift certificate from a friend.











I plan to knit this wrap from it.