Holy Pumpkins!

Wow, it's fair time already.  I have only a hand full of items to enter this year.

Here is the run down:

Snake sweater
Fawkes socks
Stag bag
Crochet clutch
Christmas frog
Neckwarmer converted to dish cloth (ran out of yarn)

Mmm, I am sure I am forgetting something.

Holy Pumpkins, I am nearly finished with Christmas!

This has to be a record, I am not knitting on Christmas Eve!  Here is what I have finished:

Daddy- wine
Momma- socks
Sister- Kindle cover
Brother- sign (I broke the rules and bought it.)
B-I-L- hat 85%
R- sweater 85%
Husband- Nothing yet.  But, he is getting a nice woolly hat for his birthday.

I am finished with Christmas purchases for R.  I haven't even started on Joe.  It maybe a one item year.  I really have no desire to purchase a bunch of little items.

Weekend-

Yesterday R and I got out the Halloween decor.  I have 3 stuffed pumpkins that were hand-me-downs and other little items that I have picked up.  Last year we made a felt creature/monster hanging garland.  It is still in one piece for most part.

This year I have knitted garlic hanging on our front door.  Joe came in last night and ask if it was Halloween decor.  I told him I thought it seemed fitting.  R has just gotten on the paper pumpkin roll.  I will try to post photos once we have about a billion cut out pumpkins everywhere.

I also hope to post pictures of Christmas and Fair projects soon!

Weekend in Review

This weekend was almost productive.  I had Friday night to myself because R and Joe went for an overnight stay to fish at the river.  R apparently had a blast.  They were supposed to be home at 10 am, they got home at 3:30 pm. She had decided 3 fish just wasn't enough she needed to catch more.

While they were gone I cleaned a little.  Cleaning my house is something that has been neglected for awhile.  I can actually see the top of my dining room table again.  Slowly I am getting things put away.  I also have been culling for a yard sale.  Some of my yarn is going.  Mostly it is acrylics.  I am sick of my Vanna Baby Choice.  I haven't been using it lately, so it is going. Some awful purple fluffy stuff and the banana silk.  I have been shoving it around my house since I got it. I, suprisingly, sold the purple and blue mix to a fellow knitter so she could finish up a project. Banana silk was a very expensive lesson.

As I am cleaning I am trying to organize future projects by using gallon size ziplocks.  At the beginning of summer I acquired several from places and I started storing WIPs inside them.  Depending on where I was going I would just grab a project. It was great until I spilled Dr. Pepper down one.  I am trying this method again by labeling and sorting by person or project.  So far I have:

R's Ladybug slippers
R's Future secret project (I might try to get it published.)
My sister's socks
My Leaf Yoke Sweater
R's Weasley Sweater
My future sweater, Maybe Mary Ann

That is all I remember.

Now to what I knitted on this weekend.  I started my sister's Christmas socks.  I have about 3 inches finished.  I imagine it will be a good work break project.

I finally finished the Retro Bathing Suit!  It is really cute.  Still big, but cute. I am hoping that R grows into it.  I have some awful photos of her wearing it.  She was being very contrary.

I restarted my bubble top sometime last week.  Did I even post what happened? I was on the last side decreases (about 5 inches from the beginning of pockets, 15 inches away from CO) when I realized something was very wrong.  I knew my numbers were off, but wasn't overly concerned, I thought it was just one extra stitch and I had one decrease round left.  So, I was going to compensate. I decided to count the pocket stitches to make sure I chose the ideal place for the decrease so everything would be even.  Well, apparently counting was a weakness the day I started the pockets.  I, from the very beginning, casted on wrong for the pockets. I did 37 for one and 42 for the other- 42 was correct.  I was so flipping mad at myself. I ripped and put it down for a week.

NOW, I am past the pockets and front section with all numbers mostly correct.  I think I had 2 or 3 extra stitches.  It was all good because I compensated in the bodice increases! I am so happy. The lace looks perfect and I am nearly to the arm holes. Bad news, I am on my last skein of yarn and it is half used.  I am not ordering until I completely run out.  I have many other projects that can be worked on while I wait for the mail.

Started and frogging the Beauxbatons sweater for Fleur.  It is nothing like what I wanted. I did too many raglan increases which gives it a bulky football jeresy look. I wanted a sweater that was fenimine and form-fitting.

Okay, I have resolved my stress knitting situation.  I posted the lasted time without my fair listings.  The list is so outdated and poorly catergorized that only half of my projects are going to fit.

Here is the revised lists:

Finished-
Fairy hat (hat)
St. Patty's hat (cap)
Nessie (toy)
Fluffy Bunny or Marmalade Kitty (Knitted toy)
Retro bathing suit (other)

To make-
socks?
fingerless mitts (Emerald Mitts with leftover Ultra Pima)
crochet toy? (Pass the Pigs or Owlet, depends on which is easier due to lacking skills in crochet)
pillow cover
purse
dish towl
pot holder
jewelry
doll with clothing
house shoes?

To finish-
Bubble top (sweater- yea! almost there)
baby sweater (infant sweater)

I have a baby hat finshed that I need to find.  My "To make" list increase but with small items. I think the pot holder, dish towel and even the purse could be a one day item.

I can't belive how out dated it is, but any who....  The list isn't nearly as daunting now.

Stress Knitting

It is sad when your knitting stresses you out. I want to make so many things that it drives me insane that it isn't not always possible.

For example, I have to knit Christmas presents. I don't HAVE to but I want to.

Another example, I want to add many many items to the County Fair this year.  I have 3 list going- Finished, To be finished, and To make.  It is a sad sight.

Finished-
Fairy Hat (adult division)
St. Patty's Day Hat (child division)
Nessie

And that is it. Unless I add my Zero scarf as a finished, which just might happen.

To be finished-
Bubble top
baby blanket (which I hope is big enough to count as afghan)
bathing suit (not sure if there is even a good catergory for it)
Weasley sweater (childs)
baby sweater

To make-
socks?
fingerless mitts
doll with removable clothing
purse
legwarmer (they are being frogged)

Gosh, unless I start making some of these Christmas presents, there is no hope.

It just about makes me sick the fact all of this needs to be finished in a month. This is just the beginning of the list. 

I am going to have a short weekend because there is so much I want to do during my 3 days.

Fair time

So, it is my county's fair time. I am gathering my knitting up to submit. I have to do it today and I am hoping I won't miss the entry time.

I survived the weekend mostly. My daddy has a new knee. He is in a lot of pain. I am hoping that he will recover just as fast with this one as the last. Today was his first day of therapy.

I have been in a dazed majority of the day.

Gee...I don't have much to say. I am going to go home, go to the fair grounds, and start working on my Halloween stuff.

I am finishing up packages tonight or tomorrow. I have 5 boxes to ship. Man, that is going to be pricey.