hmm, has it really been that long?

Okay so I am a lazy blogger. I am actually lazy overall so the lack of blogging should come as no surprise to those that know me. On the plus side being lazy causes me to try and get things right the first time since the only thing worse than having to do something is having to do it twice.

All that aside I have started knitting again. I'm half a sleeve and a collar away from finishing my first sweater for me. It's only taken a year give or take a month. I don't have any pictures at the moment and I don't feel like getting the camera and all that, see lazy above. I will take some pictures soon and post them.

I think a big part of the lack of knitting has been my effort to keep up with the housework better. I don't just mean tidying up, I'm actually mopping more than every two months. The kitchen has been getting cleaned every evening and in the afternoon. It's really astonishing, but between that and homeschooling and all the other stuff I normally do I mostly lie motionless when I don't have something else I need to be doing.

The other part of the not knitting is that one of my Knitpicks sock needles has developed a rough spot and I need to order a new one. I hate paying shipping though and I don't have $50 worth of stuff that I want to order from them right now. I suppose with winter coming and this sock yarn that I really want to make some tall socks out of that I should really just suck it up and order regardless of my total.

Or I could just order that yarn I've been wanting so I can knit a ChildHood for A. That is knit on #6s and #7s and I have at least two (circulars) of each of those... Of course, I have to figure out what I need to do to make the pattern bigger and how much more yarn that will take. I still need to knit some socks though. It is an itch that must be scratched. Hi, my name is mj and I am a sock knitter. At least my addiction produces socks even if very slowly.

I have some sewing to do too for a vacation I'm taking in November. That's months away though, right?

In spinning news I have done some and have no pictures. I managed some lace weight with my practice wool. My goal is to spin some hand painted roving I dyed and some white, both lace weight, and end up with some sock weight once plied, hopefully, enough for a pair of socks. If I do manage that though I will still need a new sock needle...

Finishing thy name is me

Two skirts for A with another cut out waiting to be sewn this week. There is also a skirt for me, but I'm having issues getting the hem just right since it is an a-line skirt. Mom is supposed to help me the next time I see her. Hmm, I have a party next weekend that it might be fun to wear it too. I'll have to bug her.



Now, aprons, aprons everywhere. Two are for me and one is for a friend. I'm wearing mine. I like the pattern and they would be fast to make if you sew at anything resembling a normal speed. (I sew like I knit, very slowly) They do make me look a bit large perhaps, but they'll be comfy even if I eat a lot. I picture the yellow one with purple flowers over a Mrs. Cleaver style 50s dress. I could wear it with some high heeled shoes and my pearls. I would be resplendent as I made M and the boys from work some martinis while they waited for the rack of lamb to finish.




















Next up, sushi anyone? For some reason this took me six months to finish. I'm not really sure why. The body of the clutch (they call it a wallet, but it is 7" x 4-5" to me that is a clutch) has been knit for quite some time. The sushi were giving me a little bit of a headache since I knit tightly and my cast on row was causing them to pucker when felted. They looked more like little oddly colored breasts. I just needed a break from it I guess. Overall the project was fun and I love the way the 220 felts. I'm obviously not a master sushi chef, but it's not bad for an amateur.

I have a few projects on the horizon in my get new things by finishing things I already have started/bought. I've been pretty good about not buying new stuff, yet I will soon have a new skirt and if I can buckle down maybe I can get my sweater done before next winter. The weather here will most likely not dip too far below freezing (during waking hours) for the remainder of the season. Other projects in the works include, but are not limited to an Asian style shirt for me in red brocade, yoga pants in black organic cotton, a purple felted bracelet bag, kitty pi inspired cat bed, and yes I am still working on the damnable hollow log for the woodins to live in. This may end up and Easter or even a birthday (mid summer) present.

I also have some red Regia sock yarn that has been calling me with a siren song so sweet that resistance has only been possible because one of my knit picks size 1 circular needles has, after much use, developed a little rough spot. Since I have decided that I don't care for knitting one sock at a time on dpns, I like dpns for other things, this has prevented even the most rudimentary of gage swatching. I can't pay shipping for one stinkin' needle and since I can't purchase anything that is not a necessity.... You can see my problem. I can consider the needle a necessity, but that is about as far as I can stretch it and I hate paying shipping.

There are perhaps other things lying around undone, scrubs for A, for example. We shall not speak of these things until more of the above list is done. Hopefully soon I will have more FOs for pictures. I could also post pics of UFOs. I'll work on taking more pictures soon.

An effort

So I am going to attempt to reduce my purchasing. Lately I have been getting all sorts of things that I want, many of which were needed. Some of which were not. I now sit here surrounded by UFOs of more than just the knitty kind. I have four skirts, one that is even for me, cut out waiting to be sewn. I have fabric for three aprons, two for me, waiting to be cut and sewn. There are logs and woodins and sweaters and sock yarn and that mystery felting project all just waiting. Several of these need only a small amount to be finished. Just a smudge as A would say. There is also my new video game Legend of Zelda The Phantom Hourglass to be finished. I'm about halfway done and I would say that this and my daughter's Lego Star Wars game have contributed to some other projects' neglect. Sweaters don't have rewards until you finish the whole thing. Even if it is just an electronic boat prow or extra heart container that makes you harder to kill.

The theory here is that if I finish my projects I will have new things without actually purchasing anything else. We in the US have so much stuff. Generally in our house we try to mostly upgrade rather than just aquire new, new things, although it does happen. Really we have everything we need and our wants are few. Not a lot of keeping up with the Joneses here. That said I have a weakness for textiles, whether it be woolen or plant, woven or waiting to be knit. I see the potential and next thing I know I'm at the register. The plan is to avoid stores that sell anything other than food for a couple of months and see how I do.

Today, however, is a day for laundry, mopping, and the cleaning of fish tanks. I have a few other things going on as well. I will have some knitting time later. Perhaps I can force myself to pull out the sewing machine this evening and get started on some of that too.

Does the new season of Survivor start tonight?

Christmas Hangover

Here is what I have been working on. Firstly the FO. An IPod cozy for M. I am really happy with how it turned out and I love the fact the he wanted the funky lime buttons. This is the first time he has wanted/asked for anything knitted. The lighting isn't great in the photos with this being winter it's dark when he's home so no sunlight. I used a tiny bit of three colors of Cascade 220, blue, black, and reddish brown. It's just a 2x2 rib with the button flap holes made by well placed yo k2togs. He really liked it. I could change it up pretty easily if I wanted something

a little different. I'm still thinking on how to add a pocket for ear buds with out having to do any sewing. He didn't want a pocket on his so it wasn't an issue for him.



Here are woodins or at least they will be once they are felted, have eyes and tails and stuffing. I made them in different colors. Three colors as a matter of fact I must have a thing for threes. We have a green woodin, two white woodins and two brown woodins The white and brown woodins will have the leaf tails and the green woodin will have a twig tail. They were going to be for A for xmas, but obviously they didn't make it. I'm just going to give them to her when I finish the set. The last part of the knitting is....


the log that they live in. I know it looks just like a hollow log doesn't it. I'm getting ready to switch it to some circular needles since it keeps trying to jump off my dpns in my knitting bag. I have made a few modifications to the pattern on the woodins. Mine are different heights due to leg length. I wanted them to be more unique. I also used Knit Picks wool of the Andes instead of Elann.com Peruvian Highland Wool that the pattern called for. The bonus was that I had to order a book to make free shipping. You know 'cause I saved money that way. I would have gotten the book anyway eventually.