Knitting 5- Blog 0

Which is to say that lately I seem better at making time to knit than to blog.  Not necessarily a bad trade off, ultimately, but it sure does make me quiet around here, hey?

On the up-side, Knitting 3 means PROGRESS. I have been working away on three different projects.  While this is more than I necessarily intend to have on the go at any one time, the three each fill a specific need in my knitting world.  First is my Ursula.  I’ve divided out the sleeve and neck stitches and am 2 or 3 color blocks away from finishing the body of the sweater.  In House Cup terms, this means I’ve nearly hit my 50% mark.  This is good!  Of course it also means I’m almost to the skeery part- Steeking.  Cutting apart not just my knitting but my hand spun yarn. Months of work on the line, hoping (praying, begging, pleading, you get the picture) for a positive result in that.  On the other hand, it means I’m about to hit the boring part. Sleeve knitting. Endless tubes of doom with no color changes or excitement to get me through it.  And the inevitable fear of a sweater that won’t fit in the end.  Exacerbated, no doubt, by the fact that I won’t truly KNOW if it’s going to fit until after I’ve steeked it, therefore rendering months of spinning useless if it doesn’t fit… Can’t reclaim the yarn and turn it into something else. This is the ultimate leap of faith in this knitters world.  But I see the mid-point in sight and seem to have renewed focus on getting to it.

Next up is the never-ending-sock-monkey-of-doom.  This is a Giftmas knit for one of the grandkids.  All in all the monkey is coming along nicely, I just don’t seem to get much time to work on it. Which is my own fault, I know, I keep going out for lunch which means Mr.Monkey gets limited attention. But probably I need to kick it in the butt and get him done.  I’m 98% certain that Mr. Monkey will be a one off project- every time the grandkids set foot in the house these days  Miss A goes straight for Sheldon the Parlor Cat every single time so, Miss O shall receive a Monkey (her lovie of choice) and A will get a cat. That will be built a bit sturdier than Sheldon because I assure you, he was NOT made to withstand the love of a 4.5 year old.  But it makes a grandma feel good to know something is getting that kind of love, ya know?

And for the third score in Knitting’s favor, the Epic Blanket of Insanity.  As promised, this one’s feeling some love again.  As of the end of the Packer game, the blanket has expanded by a half a row.  Which isn’t bad considering it gets 3-4 hours of love a week.  And the reason it’s feeling the love- FOOTBALL SEASON.  I LOVE football season more than any other time of the year. And it does have a major impact on my knitting.  I’ve learned, though, that I need a project that doesn’t require a lot in the way of focus because that is reserved for the game.  So the EBI is perfect.  Short attention span theater for knitting.   And even if I bork it it’s only 7 yards and 30 minutes time if I have to rip out a square. Perfection!  And also more points in the House Cup because MEANINGLESS POINTS ARE MY WORLD. I did try spinning but quickly discovered that as kickoff nears or the intensity level of the game increases, so does my treadling speed which does not make for a very balanced yarn in the end.

And finally, a couple of quick adds and finishes have seen some love in the blogging absence.  Specifically two pumpkin hats.  It’s been a year of babies among my peer group so I’ve been knitting hats. Cute little pumpkin ones.  They’re FREAKING Adorable people. And I don’t much like orange!  Hat #1 was knit mostly while watching Rush. Cuz yeah. I’m that girl. The weird one with the knitting who’s hands don’t stop moving through the whole movie.  And it was a GREAT movie. Also very productive.

So there it is. Three weeks in my life. Lots of progress, little posting. Take it for what it’s worth I guess!

The update:

Carry Overs from my first YoP:

1. Movie Socks– Cast on in 2013, Frogged 8/11/13
2. Baldersquash
3. Elphaba the Sequel
4. Insoucient
5. Semele– Cast on 5/27/13, Finished 8/1/13.
6. Epic Blanket of Insanity GROWTH HAS OCCURRED.  About a full rows worth, really.  14 squares since the month began and a bit before that to even out the rows before starting knitting for an Order of The Phoneix Mission. The goal is 42 squares by Mid-November. We’ll see how far I get

New and Exciting

1. Derecho– Cast on 7/1/13, still waiting. Bigger and better (read more points) projects On the Needles at the moment
2. Sock Monkey for O- Cast on 9/3/13- He’s just missing a head.  How important is a head, really?
3. Parlor Cat  for A  Making the change of lovie official.
4. Circle Line for G
5. Circle Line for S
6. Deep Blue Sea for Orville– Oh dear. I best hope he doesn’t move soon because his last day’s Friday and, well, I still haven’t started them.
7. Deep Blue Sea for Jennnnnnnnifer
8. Ursula Cardigan– Cast on 9/4/13  I suspect I am going to have a lot of yarn left. But am also convinced it will not fit.  I hate this phase in sweater knitting.
9. Peerie Flooers Hat Cast on 7/28/13, Finished 8/4/13
10. Peerie Floores Mittens – Cast on 8/6/13, Finished 8/17
11. Stella Luna
12. Lonicera

Bring Out Your Dead (WIPs)

1. Deranged Dad Socks. Started August 2012, Frogged 8/11/13,
2. Easter Egg On Acid Socks-DOA as of August, 2013.
3. Fishnet Socks- back in time out I guess.
4. Knitting Basket Socks #1– FROGGED 8/11/13.
5. Clog Socks– Frogged
6. Car Socks– Frogged 8/11/13
7. Merlia Scarf– Cast on January 2013, Finished 8/17/13.
8. Shawl Test Knit– Frogged 8/11/13.
9. Lambton–  Frogged 8/6/13

You knew the list would grow.  Heck, I knew the list would grow.  I’m trying to take the starts a little slower, work on the long-term projects, don’t start other things I can’t finish in a night or two. So far so good.

1. Enterlac Ball- Cast on & Finished 9/1/13
2. Dish Cloth Extravaganza- 2 done, more to come
3. Pumpkin Hat #1– Cast on 10/5/13, Finished 10/6/13
4. Pumpkin Hat #2– Cast on 10/8/13, Finished 10/9/13

Status:

Original list: 18 projects

Full Disclosure List: 30 Projects

Current list: 34

OTN: 3/19

Frogged: 8

Finished: 7