Startitis again

Startitis has hit me again.  I want to start everything except of course exercise.  I want to use all of my new Wollmeise yarn and now that I am finally reading Knitting Rules, I am inspired to make hats.  All of a sudden I want to make hats for everyone for Christmas.  I have 7 WIPs, which can't be true.  I am not actually working on all 7 at the moment, but they haven't become UFOs just yet.  Plus, I have 13 UFOs.  20 items in progress! 

I am mostly  focused on the Hitchhiker.  My goal is to end up with 42 teeth.  I currently have 32, almost there.  Of course each row is getting longer and longer.  This is the first time that I have used Wollmeise and I love it.  Now I want more. 

With my unorganized self, I have the 7 WIPs sitting next to me in the living room, but I don't have enough project bags for all of them and so yarn is getting a little tangled and messy.  I really need to get organized.

Rewards

I have finally come up with a plan that I think will help with many things. I want to change my self rewards from food, stop my impulse buying, and work on my Weight Watchers plan. So I came up with a tracker to keep track of certain goals. I got this idea from watching the Sock Bunny Knit and Fit podcast. After I have completed 30 days of exercise I will be able to purchase some Wollmeise yarn, after 30 days of tracking food I will be able to purchase a project bag, and after reaching the 10% goal a new spindle. I will come up with different things for different goals. So far this is keeping me on track for tracking food. I have printed the tracker so that I can look at it which helps.

The only trouble is that I haven't started the exercise part. I don't know why I have such an issue with that.

Works in Progress:
Ever since I finished Camp Loopy I have been wanting to finish projects. I touched a few of my hibernated projects. I touched my Noro felted bag, a cabled scarf, and Oliver's baby sweater. I also started and finished a scarf.

Before I started the above reward tracking, I bought some Wollmeise yarn and started a Hitchhiker. I had purchased some before, but haven't used it yet. Now that I have been knitting with it, I want more. So that is why I assigned it as the reward for exercising.

Future Projects:
I want to start many things, but I am trying to limit myself otherwise I will end up with a million UFOs. A citron KAL is starting next week, Sock Bunny is doing a doily CAL/KAL, and my friend showed me a few patterns like LazyKaty.

Finished Objects:
I finished a few of my old projects that I started a few years ago: a baby hat and a crochet afghan.

Medicated

Hopefully things will be better from now on, but I am not too optimistic. I am still very exhausted. I came across a group on Ravelry called One a day. I think that it is a great idea. I have decided to borrow that concept, but change it a little. I am going to touch one of my UFO project at least once a week. I will start this once I am finished with my current WIP.

WIPs

The only thing that I am working on is my Camp Loopy Project III. It needs to get done by Sept 15th and since I am doing a sweater, it is the only thing I can work on. I am doing the Mondo Cable Cardi. I am hoping that it will fit me. I am almost done with the 2nd ball of yarn, there are 5 for the project. I have complete 4 of the 6 cable crosses on the body. I still need to complete the sleeves and the neck. I will make it!

Tired

I don't know what is wrong with me. I am so completely exhausted that I can barely function sometimes. This is late again and again, hardly any updates, mostly because I forget what I have done.

WIPs

1. Hermione's everyday sock received no love this week.


2. I have not touched the preemie hats this week.


3. I have been very focused on the Knotty Gloves, but I don't get a lot of time to work on them. I have finished the charted pattern on the gloves and have completed the thumb holes.

Purchases

1. A store nearby closed down this past week. I purchased 5 skeins of Touch Me, 1 skein of a Zauberball, and 2 pairs of circular needles. The Touche Me yarn is one that I have wanted for years, but never wanted to pay full price for. I really can't wait to work on that project.

Still Outofsync

The end of The Knitgirllls Stash Dash is in site! With only a month left, I have to do a little over 700 yards to make it. It would be wonderful if I could finish Oliver’s cardigan and the Knotty gloves in the next month, but I seriously doubt that. Plus I do want to get the preemie hats done. I figured out another way that I can make the yardage that would include the hats and that is to finish all of my current WIPs along with the Camp Loopy project #2. So, that is that path that I am going to take.

WIPS

1. Hermiones everyday sock received a little love this past week while I was in between Camp Loopy projects. I am nearly halfway down the foot of the first sock.
2. I have not touched the Preemie hats this week.
3. Camp Loopy project #2 is on the needles! I am making Knotty Gloves with Mountain Colors Crazyfoot in Evergreen. I am knitting 2 at a time magic loop. Before you think that I am crazy, I am only doing this for the cuff.

UFOs

1. I started working on Oliver’s Cardigan again. It is the Hallows Cardigan and I modified it a little to not work it flat. I still haven’t decided how to finish the top part. I am currently doing the sleeves two at a time magic loop. Should I do raglan or not? Well, I will be putting this aside again.

FOs

1. The Daybreak is done! I love the shawl, but don’t like the yarn I used.

Delayed

I was off track last week so I decided to not post because of the Holiday and having guests. But having taken a break, it is hard to get back into the groove. I am posting a few days late this week, but hope to be back on track this Thursday.

WIPs

1. I did not touched the Hermione Socks, but am still counting it as a WIP because I carry it with me at all times.
2. I am actually nearly done with binding off the Daybreak! I hope to be blocking it today.
3. I tried to start another preemie hat, but my son took the needle off when I only had started the first row. I will have to re-cast it on.

UFOs

1. I added the Mable Socks and the Angry Bird to the UFO list. This is unfortunate because the UFO list has now grown again.

Purchases

1. I actually purchased a learn to spindle kit from Highland Handmades. I love it. The fiber is in the Peacock colorway and is lovely.
2. I purchased the Camp Loopy project 2 yarn. I chose Mountain Colors Crazyfoot in Evergreen. I hope it is not too variegated.
3. I purchased a skein of Three Irish Girls Adorn Sock in the Estuary color. This reminds me of the Peacock color fiber.

Spinning

1. I spun and plied my first ounce of fiber the day that I received the kit. It is very loose and looks like it will fall apart. The 1oz only became 16 ounces of fiber. What do you do with that. Anyway I am spinning the rest of the fiber and am wondering if I should leave it is a single ply.
   

Queued

1. I decided to try something completely new for Camp Loopy project #2. With as much trouble as I had with project #1, I am surprised that I am doing this. But, when I saw the Knotty Gloves, I new that I wanted hand knitted gloves. I just never thought there would come a time that I wanted to try making gloves.

Podcast Notes

1. I won the Beginner's SAL on the Rainlover's Ravelry board for the month of June! I picked out a lovely braid of fiber. I can't wait to spin it up, but I need to finish my first 4oz braid.

Healthy Steps

1. I joined WW and I started walking. The walking has been working this time because of the help of a website called Habit Forge. I really recommend it.
   

Ups and Downs

This week has been a strange up and down week. Medical issues were up and down and same with knitting. This picture is my haul from Estes Park. I really want to cast something on using that yummy Alpaca.

WIPS

1. Still have not started the 2^nd sock of the Mablesock. I need to face up to facts and add this to my UFO list. Can you say second sock syndrome?
2. The bird is still in time out. This is another one that should be listed as UFO.
3. I am still in the gusset of the Hermione’s Everyday sock. I did not touch this project this week. Too many other projects going.
4. I finally made it to the striping rows on the Daybreak. I have 5 black stripes now.
5. I dropped off the 5 completed preemie hats at Children’s and I started making more hats out of my last leftover skein of sock yarn STR Bella Coola. I have completed one and think I have enough yarn for 2 more.

UFOs

1. Yeah one more UFO down. 12 UFOs listed on Ravelry! Which one should I tackle next?

Purchases

1. I bought a skein of cotton sock yarn to see how that will work. I think my sister is interested in that.
2. I did sign up for the Tempted Club which is burlesque themed.

Queued

1. From just browsing and listening to podcasts, I added the following projects: Celaeno by Rosemary (Romi) Hill, Mountain Ash by Kate Gagnon Osborn, Froot Loop by Kristi Geraci, Saroyan by Liz Abinante, Debussy Shawlette by Corrina Ferguson

FOs

1. I actually started working on an ancient UFO. I pulled the Granny on Edge out of hibernation on Monday when the weather turned cold. I finally sewed all of the blocks together and weaved in the ends and finished the border rows. WOW! I can’t believe that it is finally finished. Yeah one more UFO down.

Life views

This is why I love living near the mountains. This is a view that I get sometimes on my way to work.

I had so much fun at Estes, especially because I was there with friends. I thought that the Vendor barn was a little bit less then I imagined, but maybe next year will be better, since I know what to expect.

WIPS

1. Still have not started the 2^nd sock of the Mablesock.
2. The bird is still in time out.
3. I am still in the gusset of the Hermione’s Everyday sock. I actually keep making mistakes with this sock. I didn’t do the heel in the pattern, because I didn’t realize I was supposed to, I had the SSK and K2 together mixed up, and I added one extra row of knit in the gusset. Oh well.
4. I finally was able to cast on the daybreak. Yeah! However, I have not been able to knit on this nearly as much as I want to. Life keeps getting in the way.

Purchases

1. I purchased 5 skeins from the Estes weekend. 2 were from Textiles a Mano, a skein of 1100 yards of fingering weight merino and a skein of Alpaca (so soft!). I also acquired a skein of lace weight from Lambspun and 2 skeins for a pair of socks from the Stitchin’ Den (the LYS in Estes).
2. I think that I signed up for a yarn club. We will see…

Queued

1. I added the citron for the lace weight from Lambspun which is in a violet color way.
2. I also added the Anemie as a possibility for the alpaca yarn that I purchased. I think that the yarn is a fingering weight.

FOs

1. I finished 3 preemie hats from my leftover Madeline Tosh Sock. I didn’t have enough yarn to do enough I-cord for the 3^rd hat to tie in a knot, but that is fine. I am going to the hospital next week. I wanted these 3 hats finished by then so that I can take a picture with all 3 together before they disappear. Mission accomplished!

Events

1. I came across another preemie hat project, Remembering Remy. I started making the preemie hats that I have been making because of Project Sweet Caroline. Now I am torn, I will still give the 5 hats that I just finished to Childrens, but the next ones I make I will send for the Remy project.

Healthy Steps

1. My goals this week are to take my lunch at least 3 times per week and to exercise 10 minutes a day. Last week I did take my lunch to work, this week not even one day. I still have not started exercising.

Spanish Lessons

1. I still have not finished lesson 8. I find it harder to do these lessons in good weather, because I want my windows open in the car. I do these lessons in the car on the way to or from work. The other problem is that I have just been too tired lately.

New Things

Things in other areas of my life are getting out of control. I have decided to add new sections to help get some things started.

WIPS

1. The problem with starting the 2^nd sock of the Mablesock pattern is that the Hermione sock is on the needle that I need for this sock. I have order another needle from my LYS, since it is a popular one with me, but it has not come in yet.
2. I finished one preemie hats from my leftover Madeline Tosh Sock and started the 2^nd one. I may have enough to do three total.
3. I have added the belly patch, beak, and eyes to the bird. I had to place it in time out when I tried to add the brows. I am not very happy with this one. I can’t get the bird to look right.
4. I am finally onto the gusset of the Hermione’s Everyday sock. I am not sure what it is about the heel flap that I don’t want to do. Maybe it is that it seems to take forever. Of course it will when I only do one or two rows at a time.

Purchases

1. I received my Loopy Ewe order. I purchased 2 skeins of Malabrigo sock (eggplant and black) for the Daybreak shawl and I purchased a skein of Madeline Tosh Sock in Saffron and a skein of Caper Sock by String Theory in Spice color. I don’t remember if I realized that Caper Sock is another MCN when I purchased it, but I hope it works out. This yarn is so soft and yummy.

Queued

1. I realized that I was using the favorites and the queue wrong, so this week I moved most of the items marked as favorite to my queue and removed them from my favorites. I then organized my queue better and added folders to help find items.

FOs

1. I finally weaved in the ends and blocked the Holden Shawlette. I really liked this shawl, it was my first and it is a nice size. This was the first time that I actually blocked an item. I used blocking wires and T pins.
2. I finished the Summer Mystery Shawlette and I even blocked it. I am a little disappointed in the size, it is very small, I guess that is why it is called a shawlette, but so is the Holden. However I used one size larger needles on the Holden, so that probably helped. I blocked it again because I didn’t like how small it was and now it is more reasonable.
3. I finished the Betiko as well, making this week the week of blocking and the week parade of finished shawls. I still don’t like the yarn, it is too itchy.

Events

1. Estes Park Wool Festival is coming 06/11/2011. I need to stop spending money before I go!
2. For Camp Loopy I have decided to do the Daybreak in Malabrigo Sock. I have decided on Black and Eggplant. The colors are wonderful!

Healthy Steps

1. My goals this week are to take my lunch at least 3 times per week and to exercise 10 minutes a day.

2. I started Spark People. Not sure how that will turn out. My goal is to get a C25K program going, but I will try the 10 minutes of exercise a day first to get started.

Spanish Lessons

1. I am working on learning Spanish. I have already completed Level I of the Pimsleur Spanish Lessons. I found the Level II discs at my local library. I have the first half of the discs, but it is going much slower than the first level. I am stumbling over the words now and find that the lessons are going too fast. But, I am trying to persevere. I am on lesson 8 of Level II.

Progress

This week seems so long. I still am not sure what day of the week is the best day to post. So, far this experiment is working out very well. I find that I want to touch each active WIP, because I want to have progress for each of them. Otherwise at least one of these projects would be sent into hibernation.

WIPS

1. I have finished the 1^st sock for the test knit. This project is not a secret so I am going to say that it is the Mablesock pattern. Not sure when I will cast on the 2^nd. I don’t like the yarn (The Sanguine Gryphon Bugga) as much as I did in the beginning. I liked it when I was knitting it for a shawl, but the more the yarn is handled the more fuzz builds up on the yarn. It might just be me, I may not like the MCN blends. I will see as I have one more MCN skein from Fibernymph.
2. I have cast off the Summer Mystery shawl! Now, I just need to weave in the ends and block it.
3. Since there is left over yarn from the SMS, I am using up the remainder by doing some more preemie hats. I have cast on the first one. I am hoping to get 2 out of the leftovers.
4. On the bird, I have the body at the point that I need to stitch on some of the other components.
5. For some reason I must have thought that 3 active WIPs and an unknown number of UFOs was not enough so I started a new project. I cast on the Hermione’s Everyday Socks with my Scout’s Swag Sock yarn in Pomegranate.

UFOs

1. I am so happy. I removed 2 items from this category and have finished them! At a minimum I have 15 projects left.

2. One of the 15 projects is the Lizard Ridge, which I know for a fact I will not finish. (The blocks have a much tighter cast on edge versus bind off edge.) But I am not sure what to with the 6 blocks that I have already completed. I am thinking that I should sew 2 blocks together and then felt them to try making totes.

Purchases

1. It arrived! I actually caught a Wollmeise update. I purchased a Gelb/Orange grab bag. I received We’re Different versions of Küken and Clementine. Okay now what can I knit with them? Must wait!
2. I bought another new circ. I was missing the actual US size #1 (2.5mm). I purchase this in the addi Lace, because I do like the sharper needles now.

Queued

1. I have added the Batik shawl to my queue because I am thinking that the WD Clementine might want to be a shawl.

FOs

1. Yay, I finished an afghan from last year! It is so funny, but I made one of these for my hubby, but I am always using it. So, he keeps saying that I stole his blanket. I finally made one for me and now my baby wants it. Maybe I will have to make another one.
2. Finished the set of preemie hats from my leftover STR Lemongrass yarn. I have been grouping these by the yarn, instead of creating a project for each hat. I suspect others have not been logging these hats at all. I was very surprised to only see 109 projects listed for the pattern.

Events

1. Estes Park Wool Festival is coming 06/11/2011. I can’t wait and I hope the weather is good!
2. The Loopy Ewe is moving to Colorado, need I say more!
3. Speaking of the Loopy Ewe, they are doing a Camp Loopy. The first task of three is to complete a two color shawl, scarf, or cape. I have the Daybreak already in my queue, so this would be perfect. The only problem is trying to figure out what colors to use.

Keeping Busy

I didn't mention in my last post, but I am trying something new. I am doing a weekly update that has different sections. I am hoping that this will keep me focused by having specific topic areas. I am very happy with the progress that I have made this week. I have touched all 3 of my current projects. I do have multiple UFOs, but I will get to those one at a time. I am hopnig that these updates will help me to tackle all of the UFOs (not all at once) during the rest of the year.

WIPS

1. Made some progress on the test knit. I had to pause for a correction, but I am finally getting somewhere.
2. Summer Mystery shawl is going very well. I had clue #2 finished the day after it was released.
   
3. On the bird, I already have all of the little parts complete and have finally started on the body. Crocheting in black is pretty hard especially if you don't have enough light.

UFOs

1. I started working on another preemie hat in the STR Lemon Grass yarn. I am not sure if there is enough yarn left to do another, but I will try.

Queued

1. Watching the back episodes of Round the Twist has me really wanting to cast on the Glynis socks by Cookie A. I am thinking of using one of my multicolor skeins.
2. At the same time, if I cast on Hermione's Everyday socks this month, I can count it towards the SKA contest. Should I complete a pair for Hubby or do another pair intended for me? Do you always leave the frogs on your project list, or do you redo the project for the new item?

Purchases

1. I received one of the items I ordered last week. I finally got Witches Leggings from Fibernymph.
   

Events

1. I can't wait for Estes Park Wool Festival! It is coming very soon (06/11/2011). I have never gone to this event even though I have lived nearby for many years. This is the first year that it is actually working out for me to go. I wasn't going to try spinning out, but the more I have thought about it, the more I want to try it out. This will be good place to try this out and it will count for the contest listed below. Also, I hope I meet some of the people that I watch.
   

Podcast Notes

1. Dramatic Knits - Summer Stash Down use tag DKSSD2011 for projects using stash yarn between 06/01/2011 and 09/01/2011 in order to count how many skeins of stash yarn were used. I don't have any hopes of getting the most skeins in this stash down.
2. Knitmore Girls - is having a contest called three bites. This is their term for trying something new. It is all about trying something new for 3 times before deciding about it. Spindle Spinning here I come.
3. Knitgrillls – is having a just because contest. I am getting so excited about the 5k Stash Dash!

Switching things up

WIPS

1. I am working on my very first test knit item. I originally started it in Madaline Tosh Sock yarn, but the yarn was so soft and squishy that I really wanted to use the yarn for something else, so I frogged the project. I re-started the project in The Sanguine Gryphon Bugga Cuban Cockroach. It is an easy enough project and it is turning out very nice.
2. The Madaline Tosh Sock Norway Spruce became the Wendy D. Johnson Summer Mystery Shawl. At first, I was not going to do this project, but after everyone kept talking about it and the feel of the yarn when I was knitting the test knit called out to me to just do it.
3. I am continuing to make the Angry Birds collection. This week I started the black bird. I have all of the parts done, but still need to start making the body.

Frogs

1. Not only did I frog the test knit item, but I frogged something else. I feel bad about this one, but I originally started a different mystery shawl with The Sanguine Gryphon Bugga yarn. I loved the yarn, but did not like the pattern as much (of course once I see the complete shawl, I might change my mind and have to start all over.) I frogged the test knit to become a different shawl and I frogged the shawl to become the test knit.
   

UFOs

1. I pulled out a crochet afghan out of hibernation called Deep Blue Ripple. It was a ripple afghan that I started early last year, while I was still pregnant. I only had about a third of it complete, but because the Knit Girllls talked about their 5k stash dash, I got really excited about finally doing stash knitting. I don't know why their stash knitting is calling to me more than any that was done before, but it does. I did over half of an afghan on Saturday. I had to restrain myself from finishing it. I can't believe how much progress I made in one day on a project that sat from more than a year. I swear if I had no other obligations I could do an entire afghan in a weekend.

Queued

1. I added the Omelet shawl to my queue after Becca was talking about it on KnitBytes. We will see if I actually do it.

Purchases

1. I just made a couple of purchases this week that I can't wait to receive. More on that later.
2. I started the Summer Mystery Shawl on my size 5 (3.75mm) circs, which of course are the only circs that were bamboo. I do not like bamboo circ needles, but these where my very first circ needles I purchased years ago. So I went to my LYS intending to buy the Lace needles, but she only had the Addi Turbos. I switched to the turbos and now am upset with the bluntness of the needle. I really wish I had tried a different LYS that carries Hiya Hiya needles, or purchased something else online. I will keep this in mind for future purchases.

Podcast Notes

1. Dragonfly Soars - recommend checking out a new vidcast called Knitting Blooms, which I did like
2. Knitting Blooms - is having a name the wheel contest on her Ravelry board.
3. Round the Twist - I am actually going back and watching all of the past episodes that I missed.

May Flowers

April sucked. It was all about one sickness after another for everyone in the house. May has been going much better. I have been knitting/crocheting up a storm this year. It is unbelievable how much I have done this year compared to previous years. I am going to join in The Knit Girllls 5k stash dash and I am so excited about it. I am having a hard time not completing things before the start date of 5/27/2011. But I did have to complete my Angry Bird by Karla Fitch. It is not very much yardage anyway. I am so tempted to start the Mystery Shawl by Wendy D. Johnson, but I have enough going on that I really should not start that. (Maybe I will start it later.) The yarn that I am using for a test knit, is so calling out to be a shawl that it is really tempting. Maybe I should buy more madelinetosh sock! It is so soft, I can see why people make shawls out of it.

Enabled

I have been watching so many new videocasts lately that I have been totally influenced by all of them. First of all I found Malabrigo sock yarn at my LYS, so I purchased a skein. Then I found the perfect yarn to do the Betiko pattern that Sadie in Yarnivore has been talking up. So, I purchased that and have cast it on. Then I found the Stitch dots that Liz on Needle Bound brought up. Love them all, but it is not helping my startitis. I now have 3 projects that I am currently working on: Betiko, Mystery Socks, and a felted Tote.

Startitis

I am sick this week. I have caught one of those colds going around. Really hoping that the baby or hubby does not acquire the sickness too.


This month I have started two new projects, one is a mystery sock and the other is a shawlette. I am happy that I am using my stash yarn, however I have a problem with finishing. I have many works in progress, that I just don't finish, ever. Some are from 10 years ago! So, my goal for this month is to actually finish these two projects that I started without getting off track and starting another project. My problem is that I get bored with what I am working on and get sidetracked by a more interesting project. So far, I don't think that I am bored with these two projects yet. Especially since I have never done a mystery sock or a shawl before.