What a hectic week

Between working, fitting in doctor appointments, cleaning and errands, I have been running a race.  I’m glad the week is over and need to get ready for this coming week.  I escaped having to deal with snow and ice and I am very glad for that.

I did finish the first Vanilla Bean sock that I was working on.  The yarn is Lollipop Yarn in the Downton Abbey color using a size 1 needle.  I still have to do the afterthought heel on this sock, but will wait until I have the second sock finished before starting that. I love the color of this sock as well as the pattern.

I am also getting sucked into watching Downton Abbey.  I am still on Season 1 and I’m loving it.

I also finished a dishcloth called Butterscotch the Dog.  I used Peaches and Crème yarn in army tan with a size 5 needle.  I love this pattern and will be giving this to a good friend.  I will make another for myself.

Yarn made it’s way into the house again.  I bought more Lollipop Yarn.  I just love the striping.  I got Cold Snap (with heel and toe) and Lust for Valentines Day.

I also bought more GnomeAcres yarn, but this time I got worsted weight yarn to make a Zombie using the pattern Voodoo you love me and for a future toy.  My friend and I will start these next week.  The colors are Bertie Botts and I Dream of Zombie.

I am still working on my scarf and started a shawl called Cinnamon Toast.  Pictures coming next week.

Not much knitting this week

I’ve been trying to do things around the house to get caught up before I get busy at work.  I think I have another week before it gets really crazy with tax returns.

I am still knitting on my Vanilla Bean sock and Manly Man scarf, but I frogged the min ulla scarf.  I just was not happy with the jogging.  Maybe, I’m not cut out doing two color stranded knitting. I may try again another time.

I am planning on starting a new shawl called Cinnamon Toast (using stash yarn) and still have to cast on for a pair of fingerless mitts.  I keep changing my mind on which pattern I plan to use.

On the dishcloth front, I still plan on staying in the Monthly Dishcloth group and see how it goes, but I did order some new dishcloth patterns and I’m planning on casting on this week for one of the new patterns.

I have been bad and ordered more yarn.  I got Madelinetosh in dk and pashmina from Happy Knits.  They have their own color that Madelinetosh makes for them called Happiness.  I want to use the dk for toys.

I also got some GnomeAcres sparkle sock in the color I Dream of Zombie and a regular fingering weight sock in Bertie Botts.

Working on finishing projects

I am working on several projects.  I am knitting a pair of self striping socks using Lollipop yarns in the Downton Abbey color with a size 1 needle.  I am using the Vanilla Bean pattern rather than knitting a plain stockinette sock with an afterthought heel.  I love the colors of this yarn and the pattern is so easy to do.

I also started another Manly Man scarf using Plymouth Yarns Taria Tweed yarn in the color 2770 (green).  I really like this yarn.  It’s so soft and warm.  I am using a size 10 needle.

I did complete the January 2013 Dishcloth KAL.  The pattern is called Lacy Scallops by Janet Nogle.  I used Peaches and Crème yarn in baby blue with a size 7 needle.

This pattern is from the Monthly Dishcloth group on Yahoo.  I need to vent a little about this group.  I have belonged to this group since it was founded in 2005 (that’s almost 8 years).  I have always enjoyed it except for the last couple of years.  The person who founded the group, turned it over to Janet.  I’m not sure if this was permanent or temporary.  There are over 8000 members and I realize that it is a large number of people to manage.  As a result, there are a lot of rules, which I have no problem with.  I know that this is a free group and takes a lot of work. 

My issue is that Janet publishes a dishcloth calendar, which I bought for 4 years.  The last couple of years, many of the patterns published in the group came from the calendar.  I am not happy with this because I paid for it.  So, this past year, I did not buy the calendar. My second issue is that the patterns are starting to repeat from years past.  There are so many free patterns out there that I don’t see the need for that. My third issue is that the above pattern was published with several errors.  Several people did question it and Janet, who designed the pattern, did not respond to the group with any corrections.  She did post the completed pattern in the group when the KAL was over and that is where I found the corrections.  I did post the corrections and someone else posted the pattern in the group with the corrections.  I am not happy.  I am deciding whether I want to stay in this group.  For now, I will, but will not be posting in the group.  End of vent.

I have finally pulled out the Min Ulla scarf that I started and ripped back.  This is a fair isle scarf and I have since taken a class to learn how to knit fair isle.  I also got out the Central Park Hoodie and plan to finish that project this year as well.  I want to finish this sweater because I would like to try a top down sweater. Wish me luck.

Getting some last minute yarn purchases in

I am trying not to buy much yarn this year so that I can stash bust, but I had to purchase the skeins below.

My local yarn shop got Madelinetosh in vintage and I had to purchase this yarn in grey garden and fig.  I want to use it to make mitts, hat and a cowl.

I love how the grey garden knits up, so I had to buy it in the dk weight too.

And of course in a fingering weight yarn.  So, I got the tosh sock in the same color.

Green is one of my favorite colors.

I had some Cakewalk Footsie yarn on order prior to Christmas and it came.  I got the colors edisto and chalkboard.

Then, I couldn’t resist some Numma Numma the usual in the House Red and Gumbo n Greens.

I can’t say that I won’t buy any yarn in 2013, but I will try to limit my purchases and shop from my stash.

Happy New Year

I can’t believe it’s 2013!  Wonder what this year will bring.  It’s time to look back at my Goals for 2012 and see what I accomplished.

 

GOALS FOR 2012

1. Read 65 Books – I read 72

2. Definitely Stash Bust – well, that didn’t really happen

3. Knit 12 pairs of socks – I knit 15 pairs

4. Lose Weight – I did lose a little weight, but could lose more.

5. Knit at least one toy – I knit 9 toys

6. Finish knitting a two color project (this is on the needles) – I didn’t finish this one, but I did start two hats and finished those after taking a class.

7. Finish my Central Park Hoodie – didn’t happen

GOALS FOR 2013

1. Read 65 books

2. Knit 12 pairs of socks

3. Finish the Central Park Hoodie and knit another sweater.

4. Stash bust – at least get rid of one storage tote of yarn either by using it or passing yarn along or selling it.

5. Finish the min ulla scarf (two color project)

6.  Look into weaving (a way of stash busting?)

FINISHED PROJECTS FOR 2012

I Finished 55 projects this year.  In 2011 I did 71 and  in 2010 I did 47.

22 Dishcloths

15 Socks

1 Mitten set

5 Shawls

2 Fair Isle Hats

9 Toys

2 Scarves

1 Blanket

1 Coaster

1 small sock

UFO’s

I only had 4 UFO’s at the end of 2012.  Last year I had 8.

Central Park Hoodie

Olivia Sweater

Min Ulla Scarf

Soft Waves Afghan