Spring!

I love spring!  Did I tell you that I love spring?  It is a time of awaking for me.  I seem to wake up from some kind of winter hibernation.  All of sudden I feel that I can do anything.  The possibilities are endless!

WIPs

1.      I have finished the leg and heel turn on the Diamonds in the Fluff socks.  I am almost done with the gusset.  But, as you may notice, I did not finish in time for my friend’s birthday, which was March 26^th and I did not finish in time for the STR knit along.   

2.      I did a couple of rounds on the STR January club socks, just before I received the next club shipment.

Project bags take over

Okay, there is no way I will be doing the Knitting Blooms KAL for the month of March.  I will be doing the KGASS, but I still have some time with that one.  I actually have the yarn and I have a pattern in mind, I just need to cast on!  What to do about the goodies? 

I started taking photos for the Etsy store, but determined that I need a better set up.  I posted four items in the store with the less than desirable photos, but I will redo all of the photos when I receive the new gear.  It is actually costing me more to start up then I realized it would.  Guess I should have known better.

WIPs

1.      I have finished 7.5 pattern repeats on the Diamonds in the Fluff socks.  I need to do at least 9 repeats before starting the heel.  Can I finish these by the end of week? 

2.      Again and again, I did not touch the STR January club socks.

FO

1.      I made 2 drawstring bags this week.  They are coming along very nicely.  I even posted a couple of items to the Etsy store this week.    

Diamonds

I have some new commitments that will allow me more time to knit.  I feel sure I will get the Diamond socks completed by time the next birthday comes around (March 26), but I am not too sure about the Knitting Blooms KAL.  That KAL is for the month of March and it is fast approaching the middle of the month.  Plus, the Knitgirllls afghan square swap (KGASS) has started.  I really need to work on that one.  Now to find a pattern.

WIPs

1.      I have almost finished 7 pattern repeats on the Diamonds in the Fluff socks.  I need to do at least 9 repeats before starting the heel.  I am getting there. 

2.      I did not touch the STR January club socks this week.

FO

1.      I made 2 more box bags this week.  I sold one!  My goal was to make 2 box bags and 1 drawstring.  I wasn’t able to get the drawstring done and selling one of the box bags left me with only 1 bag.  lol 

Overload

Why is it so hard to take pictures of the Wollmeise colors?  The picture shows a light bright blue when really the socks are made with Sabrina, a medium teal color.  There is more green. 

I can’t believe I am only trying to work on 2 projects right now.  Of course there are many projects that I wanted to start this month, but I have to analyze what is really workable.  I want to do a monster for the Knitabulls KAL, do the firefly socks for the Knitting Blooms KAL, finish the Diamonds socks and the Club socks, and finish some UFOs.  Well all of that is not really going to happen especially because I am trying to sew some more this month.  I am not going to do the monster, but I really want to work the other KAL.  I guess I will see what happens.

WIPs

1.      I completed one more pattern repeat on the Diamonds in the Fluff socks.  I love everything about this project, the yarn, the pattern and the colors! 

2.      I actually did a little on the STR January club socks this week.  I did a few rounds.

FO

1.      I made my 3^rd box bag this week.  Yes, I found issues with it.  I should not sew on days that I feel out of it.  That means no Sunday sewing!

2.      I finished the Aragorn socks just in time for my sister’s birthday dinner, but not in time for February KALs.  Oh well. 

Just keep knitting

Happy Birthday, to my sister!

Wollmeise has 3 new colors: Nautilus, Lapislazuli, and Babe.  Why did I have to look at what showed up in the update.  I am trying to very good and not buy any new yarn.  I have been very good so far.  Keep on knitting, nothing to see on the WM website!

I didn’t get as much done on the sewing front as I wanted.  I finally figured out one of my issues.  I have become addicted to caffeine and wasn’t having any on the weekend.  I crashing so bad by Sunday that I didn’t want to do anything.  I did much better yesterday once I figured it out and had a coffee.

WIPs

1.      I only completed a few rows on the Aragorn socks.  I only have to complete the foot and toe.  Why don’t I want to finish these? 

2.      I didn’t touch the Diamonds in the Fluff socks again this week. 

3.      I didn’t touch the STR January club socks this week.

FO

1.      I made my 2^nd box bag this week.  It did go a little smoother, but I still need to do slightly better.  Do I find issues with the bags I make in order to keep them for myself?

Plodding along

I have been trying to focus on making project bags and also finishing my sister's birthday socks.  It is hard to work on the project bags when my son is awake because it is too dangerous to have him around the sharp things and the hot iron.  I am so happy that I was able to get the progress that I did on the socks.  Like everyone says it just takes knitting a row at a time to get things done, or something like that!

WIPs

1.      I finally finished the most difficult part of the pattern, the heel and the gusset of the Aragorn socks.  I only have to complete the foot and toe.  What is nice about this pattern is that the foot is almost halfway complete by the time the gusset is gone.

2.      I didn’t touch the Diamonds in the Fluff socks this week, because of the focus on Aragorn and project bags. 

3.      I only completed a few rows on the STR January club socks.

Purchases

          1.     I received my last purchase of Wollmeise yarn for awhile.  This time I got 2 skeins of regular Mistelzweig 100%.  I am not sure what I would like to make with these.

FO

1.      I made my first box bag this week.  It was a little tough, but I am sure they will go better now that I have made one.

Projects

I actually have been successful in not buying more yarn this week.  Because of the March Challenge from Knitting Blooms, I have loaded all of my stash into Ravelry.  I have 92 entries on my stash page!  I know that is small potatoes compared to some people, but it is overwhelming to me.  This is not even counting the number of UFOs that I have.

WIPs

1. The Aragorn socks are coming along, but it is slow going because of the intricate stitches and small needles.  I am currently working on the gusset and heel.  
2. I completed one more pattern repeat on The Diamonds in the Fluff socks.  These socks are cuff down and need a total of 9 pattern repeats on the cuff.  I have completed 3 so far.
3. The STR January club socks are my go to easy sock for the moment.  I have gotten them started and have a portion of the foot completed.
4. The featherweight is going into hibernation for now, until I can decided on the color choice.

Frogs

1. I frogged an afghan that I started in 2009 for my future baby, but since it was a girl afghan and I was having a boy, I stopped working on it.  The yarn has been added to my stash.
2. I also frogged a sweater that I started for my boy last year and now is too small for him.

Queued

1. Tina from Knitting Blooms has selected my March Challenge yarn.  She chose the Chasing Fireflies Lorna's Laces Shepard Sock.  This yarn is highly variegated and contrasting.  I think that I will do socks with it.  I am decided on the pattern still.  The other pattern I was contemplating is the TGV shawl, but again I think the yarn is too variegated. 

FO

1. My FO is not knitting, but it is for knitting.  I finally made my own project bag!  It was much easier than I thought it would be.

More Socks!

I am having a hard time stopping myself from buying more yarn and from starting more projects.  I keep thinking of new projects to start and what yarn I need for them.  I need to concentrate on the yarn stash I have currently own and not add to it!

WIPS

1. The Aragorn socks in Wollmeise Twin in Sabrina were not touched this week as I was focusing on the Mae Finch.
2. The Diamonds in the Fluff socks in STR Lightweight in Firebird have not been touched this week either.
3. I did not touch the Featherweight Cardigan in Wollmeise Lace-garn in the Tandoori Masala for the same reasons as the others.  Except because of trades I am thinking of restarting this project in Ruby Thursday.  I may actually use Tandoori for the Evenstar Shawl.

Queued

1. I cannot wait to cast the No More Tears sock pattern from Mommy Needs Yarn that I just purchased.  She made this pattern to help raise funds for the Autism Speaks walk that her family participates in each year.  I am going to use a yarn that I purchased many years ago.  I am so excited to work on them.  These socks require size 1 needle.  It is exciting to finally use a yarn that I have not used before but has been in my stash for such a long time.
2. I received my STR January Club kit!  I can’t wait to cast these on!  I am going to do the sock pattern that came in the kit.  It is very different from anything I have done before, so I am pretty excited.  These socks also require size 1 needle.  I have 2 pairs of size 1, but they are both on projects, one for Diamonds in the Fluff and one for Mae Finch.  I need more size 1 needle. 

FO

1. The Mae Finch socks in Fibernymph Dye Works in Witch’s Leggings are complete!  Not only did I want to meet the deadline for these socks, I wanted the needle to cast on something else!  These are my first pair of self striping socks and my first time doing the afterthought heel.

Podcast Notes

1. Dramatic Knits – I am planning on doing some of the CSI KAL socks, but not all of them, so I have to wait and see which sock pattern is next.  But, I did finish the first sock in the KAL, the Mae Finch.
2. Mommy Needs Yarn – She is doing 12 socks in 2012.  I have joined in because I seem to be in a sock mode this year and I want to see if I can do it.  Plus, I have a lot of sock yarn stash and I should use it up!  In the same line, I want to do her No More Tears KAL.
3. Knit 1 Heart Too – They are having a sock KAL right now, so I am trying to get my socks finished for this KAL.  The due date for this KAL is February 29.
4. Knitting Blooms – I have jumped into the deep end.  She is having an awesome KAL in which she chooses the yarn and you decide which pattern to do.  I have caught up with my stash on Ravelry in preparation of this March KAL.

Socks!

Again I am trying to overwhelm myself.   Why do I do that?  I want to do so much and I go ahead and tackle it even though I know it is too much.  I am currently working 3 pairs of 2 at a time socks and I keep trying to add more to my WIPs even though I have some fast approaching deadlines on the socks.  These socks seem to be trying to see just how many times they can be used in various KALs!

WIPS

1. The first pair of socks is the Aragorn socks.  I started these at the beginning of December, but I let them languish quite a bit.  I want to finish them for my sister’s birthday late February.  I am almost to the gusset and heal.  I am knitting these in Wollmeise Twin in Sabrina. 
2. The second pair of socks is the Mae Finch socks which are due February 15 for the Dramatic Knits CSI KAL.  I have placed the waste yarn for the afterthought heel and now need to finish the leg/cuff.  This is my first experience with afterthought heels, so I am a little nervous.  I am knitting these in Fibernymph Dye Works in Witch’s Leggings.  I am very concerned that I won’t be able to make this deadline.
3. The third pair of socks is the Diamonds in the Fluff socks which are due at the end of March for the STR KAL.  I love this pair.  I love the yarn, the color, and the pattern is easy.  I have to keep myself focused on the other pairs, so I keep putting these ones aside.  I have 2 pattern repeats already.  I need a total of 9 before I move on to the heel.  I am using STR Lightweight in Firebird.
4. I somehow started a Featherweight Cardigan this past week.  I have a gorgeous skein of Wollmeise Lace-garn in the Tandoori Masala color.  And, I received a pair of size 6 Signature Arts Needles for xmas.  What a lovely combination!  I only work 2 rows here and there.

Queued

1. I just purchased the No More Tears sock pattern from Mommy Needs Yarn.  She made this pattern to help raise funds for the Autism walk that her family participates in each year.  This pattern has a KAL that starts February 1, so of course I want to cast on another pair of socks.  This may have to wait till the Mae Finch socks are further along or done.

Purchases

1. My first shipment of the STR club should be on the way soon, so another pair of socks is begging to be started.

Events

1. I went to the Loopy Ewe grand opening in Fort Collins this past Saturday.  Awesome store.  I can’t wait to go back and explore without my toddler with me.  I couldn’t believe my eyes because she had Wollmeise in the store just sitting there.  I guess she doesn’t post the entire inventory online so that there is some for the store location.  I picked up a Graf Ratz for a friend and an Orient for me in 100%.  I am really having a hard time letting go of the Graf Ratz.

Podcast Notes

1. Dramatic Knits – I am planning on doing some of the CSI KAL socks, but not all of them, so I have to wait and see which sock pattern is next.  But, I am currently working on the current one, which is Mae Finch.
2. Mommy Needs Yarn – She is doing 12 socks in 2012.  I have joined in because I seem to be in a sock mode this year and I want to see if I can do it.  Plus, I have a lot of sock yarn stash and I should use it up!
3. Knit 1 Heart Too – They are having a sock KAL right now, so I am trying to get my socks finished for this KAL.  The due date for this KAL is February 29.

New Blogcast

I miss my blogcast.  I have decided I like that term after listening to someone talking about a blogcast.  I want to get this going again for a number of reasons, but the main one being that it helps me to keep track of what I am working on and patterns I want to do next.  Sure Ravelry definitely helps, but I still need more help.

I seem to have really been bitten by the sock bug this year.  It seems that most of the podcasters I watch have been bitten by one bug or another, but not really socks.  Luckily there are multiple KALs that involve socks right now.  I am working on 3 pairs of 2 at a time socks right now.  One pair is for my sister's birthday.  This pair is the Aragorn that I am working in Wollmeise in Sabrina.  Another pair is for the Mae Finch KAL with Dramatic Knits podcast.  This one I am using Fibernymph in Witch's Leggings.  The last pair is for the Socks that Rawk KAL.  I am doing Diamonds in the Fluff using STR in Firebird.  Luckily all 3 of these socks will also work for the KAL with Knit 1 Heart Too podcast.

I am also trying to knit from my stash for the Knitting Blooms Knit Your Stash.  The goal of the stash down is to use up 2000 yards in the month of January.  Since I only have knit 150 yards so far, I doubt that I will reach 2000 by the end of the month, but that is okay.  At least I am using my stash!

The most exciting thing that I am doing this month is that I am selling off my doll collection.  I finally decided that I would be better off selling it then keeping it in the basement.  I am going to save the money to be spent at CampKIP.  Yay!!  I am going to CampKIP in April!