Wrap & Mittens

Sitting down for the first time this weekend to do some knitting not counting Friday even though I was off and spent half of it knitting :)

Big thing slowing me down was I had some cards to make up for Sunday. I peddle Stampin' Up! stamps, not very actively. My Cousins, Aunt & Mom come up to my workroom once a month to make cards (I think up 5 card designs, usually cased, get things ready for them ie cut the layers out and they make 2 of each card for a total of $10 and take them home).

The other two reasons why are 1) I'm hooked on Cafe World on FB; something so addictive seeing those weird little animated people going about doing "their thing" and 2) more importantly, couldn't remember where I put my row counter to my wrap Friday night. Eventually remembered today that I must have put it in my purse when walking into the restaurant Friday night cause didn't think it worked with my outfit. So glad I found it, had visions of frogging back to last cable row (note to self need to learn how to read cables) just so I could figure out where I was.

Currently have four repeats completed on the wrap and loving how reversible it is. Not 100% certain if I like the ratio of moss stitch/cables I did. Right now, if I were to do this project again, I would add 1-2 more cables and less number of moss stitches. Will have to see if I change my mind when more is done. Here is what I have so far.

Last week MKG had its monthly meeting and the specific charity item being collected was kids mittens and I made two pairs. Okay, okay so one pair is an adult large and the other is a child's small, surely there are very large kids out on the playground and big kids need mittens too! While not too keen on how the kitchner stitch turned out on the larger, I do like the shaping on this pattern, Ann Norling's Basic Mitten, better than the other one. What I like is the decreasing at the top. Submitted for your input are the two mittens side-by-side.
Plans for this week include, getting buttons on my caliometry so I can cover up my ears for the long walk from the parking lot to the hospital, start the Simple Yet Effective shawl (Christmas present) and keep plugging away on my wrap (want to have eight repeats done by end of month).

Now off to actually get some knitting done!

November Goals

Last night at my usual Wednesday night knit spot, I finished 2nd repeat on my Every Way Wrap and was starting another repeat when I realized I f****d the cable 6 rows back - sigh. Tried fixing just that area but it looked even worse than if I had left things along (must remember front vs back when cabling). Have it ripped back and I'm back on track.

Tonight I'm trying to watch Torchwood and work on the wrap but thinking that this show is a little too intense for me (I'm more of a comedy/romance-type). In a diversionary tactic, went on to Ravelry and read some posts and actually posted something:

In November I will:

• finish Calorimetry for myself
• finish 2nd scarf for my niece (her Christmas gifts all done then!)
• continue logging yarn stash
• inventory knitting needles
• finish preemie hat
• complete half of my Every Way Wrap
• start & finish shawl for friend (Christmas gift)

As I hardly ever post anywhere (facebook, ravelry, etc) need to work on this. I should probably add to the November list here:

*post one item on Ravelry every week

So much for New Year's resolutions

Well, well, well has been 10 months since my last post and lets see how I'm doing on my New Year's goal

• have even more yarn
• rughooking basket still out in open
• chest still contains yarn
• have even more bags on floor
• obviously have not updated blog on a weekly basis
• still haven't completed a single preemie hats from cotton scraps
• still haven't completed a dishcloth
• made a few yoyo's but still have many many more to do
• made 2 stocking caps and donated to local knitting guild-small progress!
  

Obviously need to work on goals, the year is not done yet. I work better when things are organized (good excuse) and I did work on updating my Ravelry stash in September, but stopped when ran used Flickr photo allowance. Plan on doing more posting this Saturday and Sunday, thus dipping into October and Novembers photo allowance.

My stash is starting to take over my knitroom, I mean bedroom, and need to get things under control. My goals for 2009 are (with reward of accomplishing goal following):

* zero yarn stored out in the open - allow work basket and knitting bag (uncluttered look to room)
* zero yarn under day bed which is rather high - will have spot to put rughooking basket
* blankets/linens not yarn in chest my Dad built - more hiding room for Rosie (family dog) to hid under the bed
* zero projects/yarn on right hand side of closet shelves - no more bags on floor
*update blog on a weekly basis - keeps me honest and work hard on items so have progress to report

Making specific items either for gifts or charity to address specific stash issues (excess of cotton and acrylic singles). They are:

* Preemie hats from cotton scraps
* Dishclothes (thus creating more cotton scraps)
* Yoyo's to make Vanna White's Granny's Daughter afghan - needs around 900+ squares
* Stocking caps, scarves, mittens, baby/childrens sweaters to donate to local knitting guild

Still getting organized

Has been a while since I posted (so much for this blog help me keep on task). Will have to see if can do better in the new year.

To summarize my gift making for Christmas 2008:

Mom - socks? Nope received a CD
Dad - ? hat in Wisconsin colors
Mike - socks or vest. Nope felted mittens started a while back and promise of starting his vest
Donny - Hat and scarf that I will make at knitting retreat. Nope knit too small a gauge gave a grilling cookbook and some Star Wars stamps I had bought for him a while back
M - shawl (birthday) + socks. Gave shawl for Christmas gift and 1 sock for birthday (currently have 2nd sock on needles)
Esa - ? Leg warmers (1.5 pairs)
Jeanette - ? Red scarf
Lori - ? Blue cotton Clapotis
Walker - ? No idea what to give so far
Jason - Transformers dishcloth (will make more but a start). Didn't get started but have plans.

Well today I spent most of the day photographing and entering things into my Ravelery library, stash, projects and so far no work has been done on Lori's Clapotis (see picture) which needs to be done by Saturday. I'm half-way done so not too worried but will see how I'm feeling by Friday.

Somewhere in the process of getting organized, I lost a ball of yarn that is for a pair of double-knit mittens going to make for Mom, hope they will pop up somewhere.

Found out from Mike that the mittens I felted for him are warm but the wind goes through them. He did say that they are better than the first mittens I made for him as he could be in a protected bus stop and fingers would still get cold. Hmm as this was my first attempt at felding wonder if I didn't felt them long enough or is this typical of felted goods?

Better get cracking on Lori's Clapotis and finish watching some DVD's that are due back to the library tomorrow (currently watching season one of the Brady Bunch and have the Mistress of Spices and Jane Austen's Life to watch).