2013's First WIPs to FOs

What you're looking at here are the 2 oldest WIPs in my knitting. According to Ravely, I started the Jaywalker socks in May 2011. According to my notebook, I finished the first sock in January 2012. And I just finished weaving in the ends tonight. The mitts are a similar story.

My question is: Really? How? How many projects have I started and finished in this time? What about these projects made them so difficult to finish? I know the issue with the mitts. They were boring. They were basically like socks. However, when i found them in the WIP wasteland behind the couch, do you know what the only thing I needed to do was? Knit the thumbs, and weave in the ends. It took literally 30 minutes. I could have been enjoying these half of last winter and all of this winter. So now that they're done, they stay in my bag so I have them in the car or office, since we all know offices are FREEZING.

The socks are another issue. They had a pattern, so it wasn't just a ton of stockinette. When I pulled these out, I was already past the heel of the second sock. I wear a women's size 6 so it really wasn't that much to knit. However, I have not tried on these socks though, and many people have mentioned fit issues. So there may be an update to this post where i'm either cheering or crying over the 18-month-iversary socks.

2013 Comeback

With a sort of hectic work schedule I started, this blog unfortunately went by the wayside. I've been doing fairly cool things craft-wise, but of course there is little proof of that. Except for the shopping.

This is my most recent purchase from a yarn shop in Griffith, IN called Spinning Yarns ( www.spinninyarns.com). It's been open for a few years but I never felt like driving out to Griffith from my parents' house. Boy was I missing out! I chatted with the owner for a bit and she said she's grown quite a bit in the past year, which is great to hear. There are only 2 LYS in that area that I know of, so it's great to hear her business is expanding. Oh and that bottom skein of maroon yarn, there are 8 more along with it. She gave me a great discount if I bought the whole lot. And she carries KnitPicks, so I love her!

I've also sold a few items over the holidays. One of my coworkers told me her church was doing a craft fair and asked if I wanted to give her anything to sell, and I said of course! I had made a bunch of flowered headbands and gave those to her and she said she sold quite a few. I've also made a couple jewelry sales at work, so hopefully that will keep up. This is also a little motivation to restock my Etsy store and actually try to maintain it.

Hopefully with this new schedule, I'll have the energy to do that.

Reilly's Daughter is now OPEN!

Reilly's Daughter

First, just click the link and take a look around.

...

Ok, now that you're back, let me talk about the store. It is all items handmade by me. Right now it is mostly jewelry, but stitch markers and knit/crochet/woven/generally yarn-y things will follow. This is also only about half of the jewelry I've made. There is a lot of work to be done, but hopefully this will pay off. I really just want to get the word out right now and get some feedback on the items, descriptions, photos, etc.

And don't be shy. Feel free to share the link with EVERYONE.

Big News!

My Etsy shop, Reilly's Daughter, is almost ready to open! I finally took some initiative and started editing the photos I took and posting. And I now have more respect for anyone that opens up a shop online. It's a lot of work typing up descriptions for everything you make. But with any luck, it will be open this weekend, even if it doesn't have every item posted that I want.

I also finished this:

I had some leftover baby yarn from a blanket I made for a friend of my dad, and wanted to use it up. I thought this would be a fast, easy pattern to knock out a baby blanket. Too bad I can't estimate my gauge, because this turned out a little bigger than I planned. But this way, the baby can grow into it, right? This will probably also end up in the Etsy store.

Q2 Goal Update

I'm also doing well on my goals this quarter. We're about halfway through, and I've already posted as many blogs as I did all last quarter. Part of what is helping is taking pictures of stuff I've made. The other part is being able to publish the post when I want. That way I can write a couple at once and have them update at regular intervals.

I've finished my "queued project", which are my monkey socks!

I've also finished one of 2 sock yarn projects, which is another pair of vanilla socks. I started my second a couple days ago, which are the Nutkin socks in Austermann Step. So I have 2 more pair of socks, 2 more blogs, oh and a Blanket-versary to finish.

Moment Of Silence

I suffered a fairly significant loss a couple months ago.

That is an Owls sweater. It used to be adult sized. That is a beanie for size comparison.

I thought I had dried this in the dryer before. I swear I had. So I threw it in.

Apparently I was thinking of another sweater because I most definitely did not dry this in the dryer before. It's felted. WAY felted. So I've decided this will turn into a bag. I just have to cut off and sew up the sleeves and attach purse handles.

That is if I can ever bring myself to hold this thing for longer than it takes to take a picture of it.

Hexi-Crack Update

Ok, so this is only about 18" square. But doesn't it look awesome? And I have these and more to add still.

The idea is that this piece will be the center and as I make more puffs I'll add them around the edges. That way each time I finish another batch of one color, it will be arranged around the outside of the square to keep everything randomly placed. And my idea of knitting the puffs, putting them on stitch holders, and stuffing a bunch at once I think is working. I knit the puff and put the live stitches on paperclips to hold them, cut a tail long enough to finish the puff, and put it in a bag. Once I have a bunch/feel like stuffing, i'll stuff a bunch, close them, border them, and add them to the pile. This is sort of feeding into my hatred of finishing things, but I think it's working out. It also lets me knit these elsewhere, because this way i dont have to carry stuffing around too.

Q1 Goal Update

I actually finished my knitting goals early, but, as usual, my blogging goal is behind.

This is the Moorish Mosaic Blanket that I started a few months before I moved to Indy, which was almost 2 years ago. I packed it up half assembled and never got around to unpacking it. It took most of one night to finish assembly and another night to finish the border. Most of the ends have been woven in, but I'm using it anyway!

And this is how I usually find it.

These are my 2 queued projects. The hat is the Sockhead pattern and it turned out much better with the wide ribbed band. It almost makes me want to frog my first one and fix it. Almost. The Rococo Shawl is made with Alpaca With A Twist Temptation and I LOVE this yarn and color. The only problem is that it turned out much longer than the pattern stated. If its just over my shoulders, it reaches my knees.

 

My sock yarn project for the quarter is the Persephone Shawl in Cherry Tree Hill, colorway Jade. The border is leftover Fleece Artist in Ireland. This is my first crocheted shawl and I have to say, this worked up miles faster than the knit ones I've made. This is a picture of it blocking.

My goals for this quarter are to finish my Grapevine Blanket (which i think I also moved here with in pieces), 2 more sock weight yarn projects (one if which is halfway done already), and one queued project. Oh and 2 more blog posts a month. Lets see if I can do it this time.

New Toys

I want to show you guys what I've made with my awesome new toys. My husband and I got our tax return back and he said, "You haven't bought anything big for your hobby in a while. I think it would be ok if you bought a new spinning wheel like you wanted to." After jumping up and down for joy, I realized this was code for him getting the PS Vita. You win some, you lose some. So I got a Schacht Ladybug and an Ashford Knitters' Loom, and I can't stop playing with them.

This is some targhee I had in my stash, so I thought it would make a perfect first project for the Ladybug. It's about a worsted weight, and spun up super fast. That may have just been my excitement though. I have big plans for this wheel, but will need more bobbins for all that.

These are my first 2 scarves from the Loom. (Side note: The action you use a loom for is called weaving, not looming. You don't "loom" on a loom. People my height can't do much looming anyway.) These are both made from scraps from my acrylic bin. The stripey purples and grays one looks better in my opinion, but there wasn't enough contrast between the shades of gray and purple so i looks a little muddled to me. The cream and purple one was first to see how much yarn a scarf takes, and to work on the contrast part. Too much contrast in this one. And no, that gray stripe on the end was not intentional. I ran out of cream yarn, but wanted it to be wider. I think it actually turned out ok though.

Oh, and doily.

I brought my own bag...

Hexi-Crack, or Puff Puff Pass

Here's an update on a project I started a few months ago but never posted:

Yes, I gave in to the hexipuff craze. They're super easy to make and are cut and little and squishy when they're finished. The only problem is that I have to make about 600 to make a good sized blanket. This sample is about 2' x 2'. I'm calling this a long-term project. I have 78 puffs finished since I started in the middle of September, but I'm only working on it sporadically. I'm also adding a single crochet border in off-white to make them look a little more uniform and so I can slip stitch them together instead of tying the corners.

Oh, and I'm totally addicted to making them. I've actually been working on socks so that I can have more scraps to make puffs. The ends justify the means, right?

My Apologies

Dear readers,

I apologize for my blog silence over the past few months. in classic jasmine fashion, i got in Over My Head. i took on a second job, adding 15-20 hours of work per week. that was silly, and a little stressful. naturally, some hobbies fell to the wayside, like this blog. of course my knitting did not. however, there are no pictures to prove it.

my Q4 goal was basically trashed since the new goal of "make more money" and christmas gifts took over. i was able to make 1 baby hat a week for the entire year and will be donating those soon. i also finished my owls sweater, which has even been seen in public.

i've also decided on my goals for this year. the main 2 goals are increasing my techniques and decreasing stash:

1. try new techniques, especially when the pattern calls for it. stop saying "i'll just do it the way i know how."

2. finish the blankets you MOVED HERE WITH. yes, they are still in pieces.

3. get and maintain sock yarn stash to <10 skeins

4. following #3 knit at least 6 projects from sock yarn

5. finish at least 6 projects from the queue bin you organized last year

6. blog more. i'm aiming for bimonthly

for q1, i want to finish my moorish mosaic blanket, 2 queue projects, one pair of socks, and 6 blogs.

thats doable, right?

Quarter 3 Recap

Quarter 3 wasn't exactly a rousing success. At least in Quarter 2 I finished my colorwork hat in a last ditch effort to meet the deadline.

Ok, maybe not a success, but done (never to be worn).

For Q3 my goals were to keep up with the sock count (2 this quarter since I was ahead of schedule last quarter), make more baby hats, and work 1 project from each book I bought that I hadn't used yet.

The baby hat goal worked out great. The goal is 52 for the year (1 per week).

The projects from books were also a success. I only had a few books left anyway, so I picked small projects. The only book I did not make a project from was Superstar Knits because 1) those projects are much more complicated and 2) i plan on making a tunic from that book later on anyway.

The socks came up a little short. Because I was ahead of schedule, I totally slacked this time. Maybe I'm a little socked out. One of Hermoine's Everyday Socks and one Vanilla sock were finished. That's right, they're not even a matching pair.



But now that's done, it's time to focus on new goals for the last quarter!

Quater 4 Goals

This is the last quarter to try and complete all my goals! First of all, I'm going to complete 12 socks by the end of the year. 4 pairs in 3 months seems a little daunting, but I think I can do it. Next is to make a pullover. I've chosen the Owls sweater that may become a mini KAL in my knitting group. I have yarn that I think will work, but I'll need to swatch to make sure it's structured enough for the owls to show up. The baby hats will also be done, but that goal can be finished in a few days if I really try. My final goal is to finish all of my short-term WIPs. They are:

 

1. Dr. Who Anniversary Scarf - so called because I started it about a year ago

2. Hermoine's Everyday Socks

3. Jaywalker Socks

4. Vanilla Socks

5. Lace Saddle Tee

6. Hey Teach!

7. Heather's Mittens

The 3 socks (2 pairs total) will also help me work towards my sock goal. But I also have Christmas gifts to consider. The plan is significantly different from last year, so hopefully I can do this and accomplish all my goals. And yes, I am that crazy person in the Christmas aisle at Joann's in October.

Hats Galore

I have been on a hat making kick for a few weeks now. I have so many single balls of random acrylic that I need to use up. I love hats in the fall and winter, and I'm getting a little obsessed with the slouchier variety. Here are a bunch I've finished recently:


Combo Summer Hat

Boy Beanie v2.0

Brattleboro Hat from New England Knits

"Catherine" Inspired Beanie - my design

Easy Slouch Beret

Handspun Beanie

In Bloom Beanie

In Bloom Beret

Sockhead

Ski Beanie from Son of a Stitch n Bitch

  Urban Jungle

Hat of Unknown Origin

Soooo, does anyone want a hat?

Argh!

I think it might be time for bed.

Wow, Where did I go?

Well, where have I been? I know a few people have mentioned that I haven't posted in a while, but wow. Almost 2 months? The good news is, I've actually been knitting. A lot. And sometime soon there will be photographic evidence. But here is a quick list of what's been finished while I was hiding under a rock.

Forest Swap Blanket (that was started before I moved. oops)
Catherine Beanie
Gaptastic
Traveling Woman, Pt 2
Battleboro Hat
Bitterroot with beads
Pogona shawl
Ski beanie



And here is what is in the works:
sockhead
soroyan scarf
heather's mittens
Short and Sweet Shrug
Hermione's Everyday Socks
Jaywalker Socks

and my ultimate knitting project: CENTRAL PARK HOODIE

Which i'm glad to report is thisclose to being finished. I only have the ribbed border, buttons, and a few ends to weave in. I know it's august. I know i live in the midwest. but i will find a reason to wear it.

oh and i started cross-stitching. like i needed another hobby.

Anxiety...

In the midst of 2 rather large projects (CPH and Dreamcatcher), I made a few small projects to get my sense of accomplishment back. I just felt like I'd never finish a project. For the love of Pete, just let me finish something! Not only did I finish 4 projects, but I knocked out some stash yarn too!

First is the Felicity Hat. I used the Artyarns Supermerino I received in a Christmas swap. The pattern is very clear and easy to follow. The top is a little, uh, poofy, but i'm sure it will work out once I start wearing it. Since I had a ball left over, I also made some Easy Fingerless Mitts to match. Now I just need it to be cold again so I can wear them. But don't worry Mother Nature, there's no rush.

I also finished a cable hat that I semi-designed. It's in bulky weight yarn, and I thought I had my gauge right. Apparently, I did not. It turned out WAY too small. So does that mean I just finished a Christmas present 6 months early? Score.

And finally I've started a Doctor Who dishcloth set. Nothing is more satisfying than starting and finishing a project in about an hour.

Baby Blanket

A few weeks ago, my dad asked if I would be interested in making a baby blanket for one of his friends who is expecting. I said, "Of course!" and asked a few questions for specifics. The only detail he mentioned was to "not buy cheap yarn. Get the good stuff." I love that he went a little yarn snob, but he does understand levels of quality in yarn.

I chose the Dreamcatcher Blanket. I swore I would never knit a blanket, but this one is so cute. It's made from different textured blocks, and has a lot of leeway in its design. The blocks are coming out a little bigger than the pattern stated, so I ended up making a 4x4 blanket. I'm using Vanna's Choice in pink, yellow, cream, green, and blue. It's it awesome?

Oh and I tried a new technique with this blanket. It's called "following assembly directions." Instead of crocheting a border and slip stitching it, I actually mattress and whip stitched the blocks together, wove in a million-billion ends, and bordered it with crochet.

Epic Sweater Cast-On

You know when you start a new hobby and find that one masterpiece of a project that you WILL be able to make someday? For me, that is the Central Park Hoodie. Cardigan. Cables. Hood. I had to have it. I've been coveting this sweater since I started knitting in the beginning of 2009. I finally decided to jump in last month.

WARNING: This is NOT a free pattern. This is NOT stash yarn (though I got it clearanced, so I don't think it's a total loss). That is how much I want this sweater:

It had one aspect that intimidated me as a new knitter: cables. Now that I've pretty much got a handle on those, there are 2 much more intimidating aspects I know of now: fit and assembly. This gauge thing is a little tricky. I ended up going up a needle size from the pattern's suggestion, but I still think I'm a little off. (Does that feeling ever go away?) The assembly makes me a little nervous too. I've seen magic worked with mattress stitch, but I'm still concerned about lumpy shoulder seams and things.

The yarn I'm using is Cascade 220 Superwash. If I'm making the epic sweater, I don't want to chance ruining it with water. If this sweater fits, I'm wearing the crap out of it. If it doesn't, I hope someone else will love it.

It's actually working up much faster than I expected, even with all the cables. I started it on Mother's Day, and finished the back in 2 days. The 2 sides of the front were finished by the end of the week.

The sleeves are taking a little bit longer since I'm doing them 2-at-a-time. I know, I swore never to do that technique again, but I really want the sleeves to be perfectly even.

So here's hoping to a great sweater that I can actually wear in public.

Marled Wool, Take 3

A couple weeks ago, I posted asking for suggestions for a use for my marled Fisherman's wool. I decided to try the Seedling pattern. First, it took about 45 minutes to wind one ball from the messy, angry, almost hank I wound after frogging the last project. I cast on with fingers crossed. I got through about 2 pattern repeats and, of course, I couldn't see the stitch pattern!

100 sts x 10 rep x 2 = 2000 stitches. Boo!

So I ripped that out and started the Mara Shawl. First, let me say that I love shawls in worsted weight yarn. They FLY. I'm already finished with the body of the shawl (one ball = 450 yds or so) and have started on the edging. It looks like a crumpled mess because the wingspan of this shawl is already 5 feet and i'm determined to only use my 40" cable. I have less than 6 inches left now!