All Purpose

So I know the posting around here has been pretty sparse. I’ve been thinking about this blog and trying to figure out how to either maintain two blogs (one for crafty stuff, one for everything else) or how to better make this a blog about me and not just my knitting. So I’ll be working on that over the next month or so because I’m leaning towards changing the name of the blog, maybe freshening up the look too.

So even though this is not JUST a knitting blog I do want to spend some time recapping my knitting accomplishments from 2008. I had a really productive year. I finished 15 things in 2008, and of the things I started in 2008 I only have 4 WIPs left. I have a total of 3 UFOs (2 were started in 2008) and 5 WIPs (2 were started in 2008). That’s not bad. My biggest regret of 2008 is that I only finished one sweater. I would really like to increase that number this year.

I didn’t really decrease my stash in 2008, I actually grew it a little bit overall, but I’m ok with that. I ended up having a total of 30334.8 yards in my stash at the end of the year (yes I did go on kind of a binge at the end), with 25961.5 yards being the actual working stash (4373.3 yards are up for sale or trade). I have weeded out the things I don’t like as much and what I have left I either really like OR it’s a great standard yarn that is good to have on hand. I, of course, fantasy yarn shop still but since M and I are trying to pay off all our credit card debit this year (w00t) I will be living on a strict monthly allowance. So I’m making no promises not to buy yarn, I just have to live within my means.

So since sock clubs were such a big temptation in 2008 I finally joined one for 2009. I joined Three Irish Girls Sock Yarnista Club. It’s great because you can do month to month and you get a choice between two yarns every month plus a pattern and goodies. I’ll be getting my first package this week I think. So that’s awesome.

I learned a lot of new stuff in 2008. I learned sock knitting, magic loop, kitchner (or is it kitchener) stitch, figure 8 cast on, magic cast on and knitting sweaters in the round. I hope to continue this year and get more comfortable with adapting patterns to fit me, to be knit in the round (because that is just so awesome), and I’m kind of getting a lace bug.

I totally discovered knitting podcasts in 2008 and now I have a list of regular listens which keep me inspired to keep knitting and to blog more. I have added a list of my regulars in the sidebar.

No Comments | In: crochet, finished object, knitting, stash, work in progress | tags: 2008, finished object, work in progress, yarn. | #

to bring you some non-knitting content, brace yourself. Here are some of my favorite pics from the Alaska trip.

Stanley Park

Pulling into Ketchikan

Juneau clearing up

Orca (or killer if you want to be un-PC about it) whale in Lynn Canal (Juneau)

Humpback whale (we saw a lot of humpbacks and they came very close to our boat, and it was awesome)

Glacier Bay

No Comments | In: life, travel | tags: 2008, alaska, glacier, humpback, juneau, kethikan, orca, travel, whale. | #

So I got my stash enhancements last week.

Remember, I got the Louisa Harding Nautical Cotton in #09 (Forest).

Elann’s Callista in black.

And Elann’s Coto Canapone in Medici Purple, the purple is much darker when not in direct sunlight like the photo.

So that’s all making me very happy. The Nautical Cotton is a great color as well and I’m probably going to start with it and the Ribs and Lace Tank. I’m swatching for that now.

I’m also wrapping up my Charade‘s (hope to finish tonight so I don’t goose egg for June). And I’m ready to start my July socks, which will be the Slip Up Socks from Posh Yarn. I’ll be using that Koigu I got in June for these.

So many pretty yarns now, so little time.

No Comments | In: gifts, knitting, stash, work in progress | tags: 2008, gifts, socks, stash, work in progress, xmas, yarn, year of the sock. | #

So one of the better ideas I’ve had was to create my own “sock club” a few months ago by taking the few sock yarns in my stash, pairing them with a pattern and putting them in a little tub so when I finish one pair I go pull another pair out. I’d been doing about a pair a month until May when I didn’t finish anything. So around the same time I decided I wanted to try to do socks as my present for xmas this year and it dovetailed nicely with me also wanting to try various yarns. I decided that for the xmas socks I could not repeat patterns or yarn so it gives me a nice excuse to look at patterns and try to match to the various yarns I want to try.

I also wanted to be flexible with the yarn purchases since there are so many different yarns I want to try and I want to try to keep my costs down. That’s why I decided to purchase yarn each month, so this month I bought the yarn for July’s xmas socks.
So this way I can scout Ravelry for swaps/sales and check out my LYS’s monthly sale and BOLO (be on the lookout) for other sales.

I also wanted to try to stick to patterns I have already (in magazines or books) or that are free, though I would consider purchasing standalone patterns from independent designers. It’s been pretty fun to fantasize about yarn and pattern combo’s and since the yarns aren’t set in stone after I make a selection I reselect the pattern. So lot’s of knitting fantasy and planning going on, which is good.

So far I’ve finished one pair:

Monkey‘s with ShibuiKnits Sock in Jewel

and I’m working on another:

Charade‘s with Claudia Hand Painted Fingering in Plumilicious

I also just purchased yarn for the July pair (Koigu KPPPM in P117) and now need to find a pattern.

I’m hoping to try the following yarns: Austermann Step, Trekking Pro Natura, Socks that Rock, Smooshy, and I’d love to throw in some independent yarnies as well.

Since I’m trying all these yarns I’ll try to comment more on the yarns as I work through them so look for more year of the sock updates.

No Comments | In: gifts, knitting, ravelry, work in progress | tags: 2008, gifts, socks, work in progress, xmas, year of the sock. | #

So I realized this morning that I never did a wrap up post for March. So here it is.

I finished the Jitterbug socks, the Ovaltine cardigan, the Amelia Earhart hat (same post as Ovaltine), and the Brownie hat which I forgot to do a real FO post for.

So I finished 4 projects (yippee!) and got very close to finishing Ella’s blanket, and I knit through 1167.8 yards of yarn in March (only counts yarn used on FO’s, not WIP’s), and 294 yards of it was from my stash. Not too shabby.

I also cast on for 2 new projects: Monkey socks and the Catherine’s Mini Cardi (Rav link). I really haven’t done anything on the cardi except knit 3 rows and decide I need to frog and CO with smaller needles, but I haven’t frogged it yet. The Monkey socks are close to halfway done.

So all in all a very productive month I’d say. I probably am not going to be nearly as productive in April with everything going on, but I’m hoping if I do stall on my knitting that it will be a short break while I get organized and back into a routine that incorporates all the family stuff going on right now.

No Comments | In: finished object, knitting, life, work in progress | tags: 2008, finished object, march, numbers, stash, work in progress, yards, yarn. | #