Now what do I do?

I love getting new yarn. It's like a shoe addict getting a new pair of boots. I went slightly wild and indulged myself at Michael's (there was a sale, that's my only excuse). Nothing major, but a few here and there of things that I grabbed just because they looked pretty. Then I got home, squished them and studied the shades. And now they are all in a large tote bag, waiting to be used. Haven't seen the light of day in about 4 days. In fact, the yarn I bought today is getting researched now for projects over the others. This is how stashes grow, you pick something on a whim then it sits. I had high hopes that I could immediately start on something using such cheery yarn, but that thought blew away with a blast of cold wind when I stepped outside. Plus remembering the projects and obligations that still awaited me. My current projects are kind of stalled, just languishing in bags of their own or taking up residence on the coffee table. New needles aren't even tempting me, and I even got my hands on some interchangeable circs.

Part of the problem is one of the yarns. Gala Mixed Fiber, if you've ever shopped at Big Lots you've seen it. $1 a ball, excellent deal for some mystery yarns especially the fingering weight. Ball band gives you diddly to work with, just a suspected fiber content. Its black, loose spun, and has sequins. Nothing to search for because so few people link their projects to the yarn. It's roughly classified under "novelty" but if you've ever looked at the stuff, you know how ridiculous it is. Not that its the fault of anyone who made the page, they did the best with what they had. Projects made from the yarn is how I find most of my ideas, so many people take a pattern and just go with it, it's kind of amazing. Especially when you don't know if you want to make a hat, a bag, or boot toppers. Do I want to make it for me? Do I want it for a gift stash project? Could this be suitable for any local charities? This is what viewing the projects helps me with.

Side note, new needles. Amazon, awesome deal on some bamboo dps. 15 sizes, 5 needles in each set for less than $15. Plus the interchangeable set. I had my heart set on some Harmony ones from Knit Picks, but I really didn't need size 2 tips. So I settled for a set by Knitters Pride. sizes 6-11, my most commonly used sizes. I read the reviews for both, some loved them some hated them. I'm cautiously optimistic.

Back to the yarn (and paragraphs!), I also grabbed some Loops & Threads Charisma (bulky) and Impeccable (worsted). The bulky I had plans for, earflap hats. I made a Thorpe first, but it turned out HUGE. Like fit my giant headed husband huge. So now I'm at square one for an earflap hat in bulky if the next size down doesnt work out. I also nabbed some Red Heart Soft, I have plans to make a couple of Antler Scarves (not a link to the pattern, just to rav page). I've made one before for a friends bf and she wants one for herself. It's hard to find a "manly" scarf, even with a slight sheen I think it will turn out ok. Not going to lie, it was a tedious knit with all those cable rows, but it was worth it.

In the end, I sit here and scroll. Also, I avoid those other looming projects (seaming! we hates it, my precious..), but mostly I scheme. Easter will be here before you know it, I do have some baskets that need goodies. Plus there is some stunning Cascade lurking in my stash, be a shame to let it go to waste and there was that b.x. slouch I needed to remake (someone swiped the first one once she saw it on instagram). Oh, I'd need matching mitts for that, and there are those Woodcutter's Daughter mittens I have planned..

Finding my Zen, and if that fails? Find my wineglass

My knitting has been roped back into submission. While it isn't completely without hiccups, it's back to the level of surly I've come to expect. I finished this:

Just in time to be early for Easter. This is kind of my fallback pattern now, I've done my altering and can whip through it with minimal fuss. I still might fuss with the pattern, but for now? It works. The smock top is behaving itself, I finally got myself together enough to figure out the correct stitches to make it work. And I've been finding some cute new things to pin on pinterest that I probably will never have time to make. I've also been putting of knitting a ton of other things that should eventually be done. Maybe once this blasted shirt is finished.

Knitting Makes Me Stabby

Of all things on a knitting blog to write, but it's true. The last few days, everything I try to pick up and do? Frogged. Doll dress? Gone. Shirt? Zip. Shawl for the stupid doll? Cast on 3 times. And it wasn't the designs fault, it was my own error. I made a wee micro preemie kimono, adorable little thing. Botched the shaping, but luckily it was able to be made as a decorative oops. I was trying to work with two patterns to make them work a bit more for me. I hate stockinette on straight needles unless I absolutely have to, and if I have to do about 4" of it? Bring on the circs. But for the life of me, I couldn't get my decreases to work out and get the eyelets to work out. Why? Because I forgot to calculate for both the FRONT AND BACK of the stupid shirt. Yep, I was trying to make the one side be the entire thing. Go me. Why all this frustration? Because my hellspawn is spoiled. Clarice the ridiculously expensive doll needs a wardrobe. I made two dresses, but I had other patterns just kind of sitting there. Bug loved the phoenix dress I made, but that really wasn't something suitable for easter wear. Of COURSE I opened my mouth and asked if she'd like a new outfit for then (we dress up for the family gathering). Of  COURSE we want a new dress! And why be under accessorized, we need a capelet because april is chilly. And OF FREAKING COURSE I had to come up with something to put in the basket. One of her favourite movies is Kiki's Delivery Service. Why not make her doll a Kiki costume? How hard could a black dress and red hair ribbon be? But then you need Jiji, a broom, and SHOES. I'm just going to have to buy the stupid shoes, those pinterest tutorials make me want to pull out my hair. I'm not a sewing person. I think I have my patterns in mind to make the required outfit, just have to make it all on the sly. Ideally, I'd like to make some hand mitts for my nieces baskets (who doesnt need fingerless gloves?), but I need to decide on a pattern and start NOW. Otherwise, I'll be up till 3am weaving in ends (like I was christmas eve). So how about you, any holiday knits you're starting? Or is everyone still recovering from making winter warmth from the polar vortexes?

Why Pinterest is Horrid and Awesome

I'll be totally honest, I love pinterest. I can find recipes that even "I" can make, get hair tips for my unruly mop, and makeup tips to hide the too-damn-old-for-this acne. But the downside is that original content is hardly linked back to its source. I see so many images posted and shared endlessly only to end up on a dead end spam link. One "pinner" I followed only pinned those such images. I finally unfollowed as I was tired of having to constantly search for the instructions to whatever I was making/cooking/doing with construction paper and sprinkles. I was actually sucked in earlier. I pinned a cute little unicorn cross stitch with a snarky phrase underneath. Thinking it would make a fun gift, but lacking any source, I made my own chart for the wee beast. Hoping for a close up image, or a chart so I could put my slightly sloppy one to rest, I searched for the original source. Imagine my surprise when it showed up in someones etsy store. By this point, I had already finished most of it, and had redone the phrase to something more pg (the recipient has children, and I wanted it family friendly). I was rather disappointed in myself for not checking sooner. I did edit the source of my pin to the shop, but it didn't undo what I did. It didn't make those stitches go away or the chart to go up in flames. But the point remains that someones work was ripped off, by me, thanks to not being linked.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/159847451/whatever-bitch-unicorn-cross-stitch?ref=shop_home_feat_1

By the way, this is the link to the work I replicated. It's only fair to show off some publicity for my flub. So please, fellow pinners, check your pin. It's easy to find the real source. If you are using google chrome (not sure how to do it on others, I suggest you search for your browser), right click on whatever image you have on your pin. You will see an option about searching google for said image. Click that. It will open a new tab and show you a list of options. Might take a few pages, but it usually gets you to where you need to be. I have been let down only twice, and considering I have 1,400+ pins, that is a pretty good track record. And I also went through and found sources for that spam pinner I was following. So please don't fall into my mistake, please look for sources. 

Work in Progress Wednesday

Does anyone else mentally say "wed-nes-day" while spelling it just to make sure it's all right?

Anyhoo, updates!! Guess what? I finished a shawl! And it turned out quite lovely for my first attempt.

I had some issues with curling, still having some as you can see. I sewed little beads to the edging and it is helping considerably. The span on this is amazing, I think I wound up around 80"? I even blocked it like an adult, felt so grown up stabbing pins in to my mattress (only thing big enough for it). So what's next? My Boku shawl! I had to whip up a quick coffee mug cozy from the same yarn, I needed a better idea of how much I had to work with. I had that poor thing queued from 6 months ago, it was awful. But I finished it! 

This is the mug cozy, and my terribly unpolished nails. I wish that lovely green had wound up at the top, but thats how this stuff works. It turned out a big baggy on the bottom, I should have gone down a size, but my needles were again awol. This is getting to be a habit, whatever little gremlin is stealing my needles is being put on notice. Hopefully my next update will include my SECOND shawl of the year! Really quite excited, I have one more planned for the same pattern as the Boku shawl just to give myself some experience with large numbers of stitches before trying the Vlad shawl. Thats the one I really want to sink my teeth into...oh dear, one for the bad joke jar?

New year, new projects, new anxiety

This year I will make a darn shawl. Failed with my socks last year because I misplaced my pattern (that I had my notes written on) so they are languishing. On a roll with those, too. This year, I am making a shawl that I have ALWAYS wanted. No specific pattern incited lust in my fiber obsessed heart, but one for me. So to kick myself in the tail feathers, I projected three of them with yarn from my stash (go me!). One scares me to my little crooked toes. Vlad by Tammy Bailey is a beautiful pattern (ravelry pattern) which is offered for free. Lace. Chart reading. Fingering weight yarn. I'm getting chills. I've made exactly one pattern with a chart, and that took me a while. It was just a basic cable, nothing fancy, but it was big. Especially when you had to reverse it for the matching mitt (I recharted it and scanned it, you can find the project here). But this? This is the ocean after dipping my toe into the lake. What else am I doing? LaLa's Simple Shawl by Laura Linneman (ravelry pattern), because you know I can't beat myself enough by starting just one shawl. This one will use up my Boku yarn leftovers, I hate having nice yarn sitting there and mocking me. This one is a bit simpler, but no less daunting to me. After working on  GINORMOUS tree skirt, this shouldnt be an issue but it is. Last, but certainly not least, the Sunshine Shawlette by Lion Brand. I'm not a big fan of such mini shawls, but I'm working on this until I run out of yarn. From browsing the other projects, I've seen some very cute projects with thin yarn like what I'm substituting with, so I'm hoping for some lovely results.

What have I been up to besides torturing myself with yarn over panic? Doll clothes. My daughter received an American Girl doll and obviously needs a wardrobe. So, between Pinterest and Ravelry, I've gotten quite a library of patterns to make. I've already completed two dresses, a sweater, a shrug, and a pair of slippers. One dress was even SEWN. Yes, I used a sewing machine to make a dress. I'm scared too. This had to be my favourite one, though.

The February Doll Sweater by Jen Cooley (ravelry pattern) was based off a Zimmerman design for a baby sweater. It also inspired an adult sized womens sweater that I am also eyeing for myself. Will 2014 be The Year Of Big Projects? Go big or go home...probably not, but it's nice to dream isn't it?

Storms and Panic and Knitting

We were hit with the worst ice storm since 1998. It wasn't nearly as bad, but it is bad enough. I'm hearing trees crack, split, crash with a groan. Seeing the white ends of what were once healthy trees, bright even in the dark. Skyline is flashing with blown transformers. Constant sirens from ambulances, police cars, fire trucks. Earlier people were getting power back, the travel ban (yes, not an advisory, a ban. an emergency-only-otherwise-$500-ticket ban) was lifted. It was warming up just enough to be outside and start to clean up. Sleet last night added more ice coating, but you could walk around normally. You start to think that things are doing ok, Monday can start normally again. Tonight, I stood out on the road just watching and listening to it all. Seeing all the poor trees bent and coated with an inch of ice (or more). Trees that were full and lush in the summer looking so sad and limp. Cars parking in places normally bare to avoid being hit by all those falling limbs. It made my heart hurt. I went through that storm in '98. It was scary, but I was at home with my parents. Now as an adult, it's so much scarier. There isn't anyone you can turn to to make it better. To make it go away. The storm has ended, but it is also only beginning and that is terrifying. You realize just how helpless you really are against nature (I know anyone who has suffered through a natural disaster gets it). Despite all the "marvels" of the current age, we can still fall victim to something as simple as frozen water. Our walls, our lights, our ice scrapers are nothing compared to what a minor breeze can do right now. As I stood out there, turning towards each new fallen limb, I could see curtains twitching from other people looking out as well. I know I'm not alone, that I'm not the only one feeling anxiety over this mess. I know it could have been MUCH worse for us. But still I feel helpless, I still feel afraid, and I feel so small. My daughter hasn't really questioned much about it, she's looked outside at the weather but otherwise treating it like any other bad weather day. And I look at her and am reminded that it is now my turn to take care of things. To make things "ok" for her. What will happen come tomorrow? I don't know. But right now, we are safe, we are warm, and we have a support team of professionals out there now helping those in need. Thank you to all of our emergency responders, the line workers, the plow drivers, to everyone who just walked over and checked in on a neighbor. Thank you to everyone who is helping out in whatever way they can, be they small gestures or large. I can do none of that, so I will sit and knit and not get in your way.