Accomplishments

Just when I think I'm finally starting to get on top of things, more things always crop up. So it was this week. When it gets crazy like this I often have the urge to completely shut down. Luckily, once I start moving on a project I can usually keep my momentum up to work on other projects, or at least finish the one I started. It's just a matter of finding enough hours in the day to sit down and work on whatever project it is and also fighting off the urge to just relax, unwind, and knit. It is helpful if your projects also includes some sort of knitting deadline. Then you can combine the best of both worlds.

My secret knitting project got finished in time but I still can't show you that yet. Soon, though. Very soon.

I finished the Trick or Treat socks.

These had nothing to do with "things that needed to be done" but were totally "things I wanted done." So I sat down one night and finished off the ribbing, washed, and blocked them. These socks, to me, embody everything quintessentially hand dyed. Both from the same skein but one pools and other doesn't. They have a variety of bold colors in a unique arrangement. I will have this color up for sale shortly in the shop. If you're in the Duluth, GA area then you can pick some up from Rare Purls Yarn Shop.

I mailed off my hand knits for the February/March charity group, the Adoption Center of Washington, yesterday.

That's 2 vests, 3 pairs of big socks, and 1 small jacket/sweater that I had made years ago out of acrylic (ACW isn't picky on fibers). The little tags have instructions for care on them. I'm quite proud of these items and I hope they find a good home with some children in the Ukraine or Russia. P.S. If you haven't been keeping up with the news lately Russia has suspended all adoptions to the U.S. following an incident where a Tennessee mother sent her adopted son (aged 7) back to Russia on a plane alone. You can read the story here. I know this is heartbreaking for parents who are trying to adopt (especially since adoptions from Russia are already difficult enough) but also for the orphans. There are over 230,000 children in state run orphanages and over 650,000 in some type of state care. This suspension only makes it that much more difficult for these children to get homes.

Now I'm working on finishing up week 2 of the next KAL that EEROP is hosting, the Road Scarf.

I actually had this on my list of things to do this week. As the moderator of the group (and designer and runner of the KAL) I feel it is my duty to stay on top of things. You can see that I've finished all of 4 rows there at the top. Here's a closer look.

Those 4 rows need to be 4 inches by tomorrow so I can start the next section of the KAL. It's not hard, just takes time, something I have been woefully short on this week.

Other than these knitting accomplishments I successfully administered the CRCT to 20 1st graders which is deserving of a raise (I think). And I taught a toe up sock class, started a Bible study, and dyed 4 samples of yarn for a custom dye job. When I put it all out like that I feel way more productive than I thought I was!

Next week is more Bible study, another sock class, more dyeing of sample yarns, more KAL, more sock knitting (for myself), and Stitches South! Looks to be another week of accomplishments.

Something Random

1. I finished my future SIL's hat.
It only took me 3 days.

Unoriginal Hat
US size 10.5 needles
1 skein of Vivid Creation Fibers bulky yarn in Coral Reef
Mods: Cast on 70 stitches and did 5 repeats of the pattern instead of the 4 originally called for.

Brandi seemed to like it.
2. Mystery illness has been diagnosed. I have strep. Again. That brings my total time sick up to 8 weeks. Almost to the day. Started antibiotic #3 today.

3. Sunday after church I met up with some Twitter friends at Rare Purls.
There were some friends I had met in real life before, some I hadn't, and some brand new friends who got added to my Twitter list as soon as I got home!
Everyone had a lovely time and we're planning on meeting up once a month or so to do this again.
I got my first Trick or Treat sock finished while there.
And the first Diamond sock (as I'm calling them) got finished as well.
It's a good thing this was a toe up sock because I was just knitting along, not really paying attention, when I realized that the end of the yarn I was holding was, well, the end. I tinked back about 15 stitches and cast off right then. The top is a little rolled but the purled design actually keeps it from rolling too much. This is the yarn I had left over from my bind off.
Just in the nick of time!

4. I finished weaving in all the ends on my modified Keep Me Warm vest.
Keep Me Warm Vest for charity
US size 10.5
Cascade 220 held double, used less than 2 skeins of both the multi and the black
Mods: Made it into a v neck and added ribbing around the armholes and neckband

This one's going to the Adoption Center of Washington. I think it turned out totally cute!

5. As soon as I finished with the vest I cast on for a mitten.
This is going to be for the second charity set going to H 2 H International.

6. Other than the strep, I'm feeling great! I know that I've mentioned before that I'm not big on dieting but I found a great plan that keeps the food choices simple (which is good for someone who's not big on adding a whole bunch of weird, random vegetables) and is easy to follow. I've started eating healthier and adding more of the few veggies that I do like (or kind of like) into my diet. With the better eating, the awesome weather, and being able to get out and exercise 3-4 times a week, my energy has exploded and I'm just feeling good. Today was rainy and cold but hopefully this is the last kick of winter weather and tomorrow will be warmer again so I can get outside again.

Spring is Springing

It seems like just yesterday everyone was bracing for Snowpocalypse 2010. The start of this week saw temps up in the 60's. Today it started raining and it doesn't look like it's going to stop until this weekend. It's nice to think that things might start warming up though. Fall and winter seemed to last forever. Not that I'm complaining too much. There is all that knitwear to make and don. Speaking of...

A few weeks ago I wrapped up a top down sock class that I was teaching at my LYS, Rare Purls. I'm very hands on and like to knit an example along with the students so they can see exactly what I'm talking about, especially with socks. I made this pair out of worsted weight so that I could demonstrate the basic construction.
They fit me but I'm not sure that I need worsted weight 100% wool socks. Might be a little too warm for here in Georgia. I mean, it only snowed twice here this year. Instead I'm going to send these in to a charity where they will get much more use. They are nice and soft though.

In January my goal was to have 3 projects on the needles at all times: 1 for charity, 1 for self, and 1 for friends/family. With the wool socks done I needed another charity knit so I cast on for a little vest.
This is a variation on the Keep Me Warm Vest designed for the Wool-Aid group on Ravelry. I'm making it for my group on Ravelry: The Eastern European and Russian Orphanages Project. This month's charity is the Adoption Center of Washington. They help organize adoptions from Russia and the Ukraine (as well as China and Vietnam). When I emailed said they actually have a lot of hats and scarves to send but the could use a few more sweaters, mittens, socks, and vests. If you'd like to donate stop on by our little group and see how to send in your items.

Ok, so the vest is one thing on the needles, the trick or treat socks for myself are the second things (P.S. Those socks are going to take forever to finish. Progress is uber slow, but steady.). And the third thing on the needles...well, there isn't anything. Yet. I'm going to go through the store stash and pull out some multi-colored bulky yarn to make my future SIL an unoriginal hat (because we did determine that she wanted something other than black). Pulling from the store will be ok since I'm going to be adding some new products soon (more aran). Here's a sneak peek of a new color called Cindy Lou Who:
I think I might have to add another "on the needles" category though. I'm thinking I need to include shop samples since I've started making some of those as well. The first thing I made was a cabled cowl from Freedom Wool.
I'm teaching a class on this at my LYS. This cowl took all of about an hour to make. I still have this great teal colored mohair blend.
It will be transformed into this. Well, the ascot at least. I'm probably not going to make the beret. So, yeah, that needs to go on the needles soon.

While all this knitting is going on (along with the usual trying to keep the apartment clean and dealing with another illness) I've allowed myself to get a little distracted by a couple of good reads.
Oh yeah, I had to get the latest issue of Rolling Stone. :::drool::: Who doesn't love Shaun White? And then I turned to the inside and found this:
Billy Corgan, my fav rocker of all time. Also droolworthy in my book. Ok, focus, have socks and a vest to finish...

Selfish

If you look at my most recent projects you might think that 2010 is the Year of Me. First it was the Bella Mitts and now it's a clapotis.
Instead of finishing the baby blanket for the baby that is being born possibly this very night (seriously, mom is in the hospital right now...um, strike that, the baby is officially here) or working on the charity socks that need to be done by Valentine's Day, I have started something else for myself. And it's nice too. Artyarns cashmere. Hand-dyed cashmere that is. I guess I shouldn't feel too bad. I did spend Saturday making a sample hat for the basic hat workshop that I'll be teaching at my LYS starting next week.
Of course I still have to write the pattern for said hat...

Stalled

The breaking of the sock DPN seems to have broken my knitting streak as well. Obviously that project is now on hold until I can find some more needles (or another project).

I started a pair of socks for Global Knit but have lost some interest in these as well.
Just past the heel turn of the first sock. These only have 20-30 rows until they're done but I'm not in love with this yarn: it's single ply (therefore very splity), and in some drab colors (not helped by the fact that it has been cold and rainy here for 2 days).

I started and finished another quick charity knit (this one for H 2 H International) this weekend.
The next step is to start a hat to go with them. But that would require me finding my 16" cable and balling some more yarn.

The baby blanket pretty much looks like the same except with 6-10 more repeats. I'm ready for that to be finished with.

I have a whole queue on Ravlery of projects for myself but that would require balling yarn, finding needles and swatching.

I also have a whole list of knits for other people that need to be done but, again, these require balling yarn, finding needles, and swatching.

Plus, I need to update my inventory in my stores since I'm sending a new LYS some of my yarn and Rare Purls needed more stuff.

Oh, and I need to update Ravlery with all the projects from Christmas (and maybe a little before then too) and don't get me started on the housework...

Unmotivated is what I am.

Saturday I was sidelined with a 24 hour stomach virus which certainly didn't help things. Thankfully I have tomorrow off so maybe after a few days of recuperation I will feel up for something productive.