Made just a few things this year

I've kept a written list of all the craft projects I have completed this year.  The list has everything from jewelry making to sewing and embroidery projects on it.  With the two completed projects below, I have sixty one items on that list.
This was an impulse join, and I'm so very glad I did! The pattern is Just For You Two by Laura Aylor the yarn is Malabrigo Mecha in the Hojas colorway.

The yarn is soft, squishy, and beautiful. The pattern was a joy to knit as it flew off the needles.

The second project is out of Hunter Hammersen's latest book Fine Things for Plain Occassions the pattern is Distinct Moral Support made using hand dye from Lucky Ewe Yarn in the Sedona colorway.

It's unlikely anything else will get finished between now and when I start my list of finished projects of 2016...maybe I should knit a little faster?  See if I can hit sixty two?

Yarn Realization

So, I've been getting all my yarn together.  This is it, minus two more bins (one of the bins shown is actually sewing supplies).  The bags are yarn and projects that did not fit in the available bins.

I have realized I may have quite a bit of yarn.  My bag of sanity, plus a large purse, both with yet more projects worth of yarn in them have not been included.  Those bags contain a decent sized yarn stash in their own right. They may have a solid two dozen projects worth under their slightly stressed zippers. I will likely weed out a couple more by the end of the day, but there will be enough downtime through New Year's that the number of projects is not unreasonable, just mildly insane.

Distracted By Making

Mostly what I am making is space.  Space has been made in closets, cabinets and the garage.  Who knew we had so much stuff we didn't need?

Socks have also been made:

A couple of shawls have been completed.  Rincewind:

It is warm, squishy, and as is common for me, green and purple.
The Vanessa Ives knit along also got completed, though it is still unblocked. I chose to add more beads instead of knitting nupps (which are decidedly not my favorite).  I even did the crocheted bind off, which took me a solid four days!

I really rather adore it, but probably won't have a chance to block it into it's full beauty till some time next year.
The other thing I am making is practical and in colors I like (and isn't solid green). It can also be picked up and put down easily between bouts of space-making.  The pattern is Uncomplicated by Alicia Plummer in KnitPicks Stroll in the Inverness colorway, the size I am knitting is causing the yarn to pool and stripe in interesting ways that are unexpected and entertaining.

Cupcakes were also made.

They were mini Boston cream pies.  The candy eyes were left over from Halloween, we couldn't possibly leave them to go stale could we?

The Closest I Get to Participating in Black Friday

I am not a fan of Black Friday for many reasons.  Staying home, crafting things, and maybe doing a little shopping on Small Business Saturday on a weekend devoted to the consumer hordes is my personal rebellion against the status quo.
This year, Alex Tinsley has put out a knitting pattern collection (two of which I plan to knit once this move is done) called Knit It Black that I thought it perfect to mention today.
It's thematic and supports a cause I appreciate, works for me.

Having to be responsible....

There's been far less time to knit on large projects lately.  Mostly it's been going through old boxes in the garage and breaking down disintegrating shelving to get rid of things before the movers get here.

I did stop to put together my bag of travel projects, labelled for ease of identification:

Small knitting projects are getting lots of love right now.  I finished a green version of the Scathach hat.

It may not look exciting, but it's tightly knit and warm, knit in Valley Yarns Northampton Bulky, in the discontinued color Forest.
The next two projects getting most of my attention right now are to warm my feet.  The Bovary socks by General Hogbuffer and the Tangled Rose socks by Linda Antons.

The pictures show the colors fairly accurately.  Bovary is being knit in KnitPicks Chroma Fingering in the Lupine colorway.  Tangled Rose is being knit in Cascade Yarns Pacific in Beet, there is a skein of Cactus waiting to become a second pair.  Both have been incredibly enjoyable knits, resulting in beautiful things to put on my feet, (which will be more wonderful when I finish the second sock in both pairs).
As I have announced to the family, it will be a Sock Holiday this year.  When Daughter was told she was getting "socks in potentia" she giggled.  Boy is just thrilled I am finally willing to knit him socks, even though his feet are not much smaller than his father's.  Husband knows about his one pair, but not the pair I plan to knit out of super outstandingly awesome secret sock yarn I may have recently received, (with enough for a pair for myself as well) and already hidden away until I can sneaky knit a pair of fingering weight socks for U.S. size 13 feet.
 It may be a high bar. 
There are also six lace shawls in the travel bag, five have beads.
 I am aiming for the highly accomplished side of yarn insanity.

I was only going to make one...

Maybe two at the most.  I'm not quite sure what happened, but this is the result:

The pattern is Leafy Washcloth by Megan Goodacre.Worsted weight dishcloth cotton on larger needles makes for a finished project in just about an hour, which may be much of the appeal.  It also means putting a bit of a dent in the yarn stash with minimal effort and useful results.

I may knit just a few more.

To break the jag of washcloth knitting, I cast on a sweater, Uncomplicated by Alicia Plummer.  The yarn is KnitPicks Stroll in Inverness.

There's also an assortment of socks, shawls in progress and the prep work for the travel knitting bag(which is over-packed, I am okay with this).  I really am hoping to get a few more things finished before the movers get here, but that may be overly optimistic.

So...Halloween happened

My enthusiasm wasn't really there this year.  I still decorated, inside and out.  The kids carved pumpkins and took up station on the front porch (they were quite enthusiastic):

I wore the costume I had put together, but it just didn't seem near as flashy as everyone else's.

Though some of that probably comes from dressing as a character that you just have to raid your own closet for.
The evening concluded with a down pour paired with a flash flood warning.  On the up side....it means we have candy left!

The final piece is complete!

This adorable little guy will hang out and wave at people from my lab coat pocket on Halloween.  I even put a little glow in the dark fabric paint on the tips of his branches and head spikes.  I modified this pattern, using sock yarn held double.  I also knit the tubes for his arms around pipe cleaners, so they are poseable.  A cardboard circle in the bottom gives him extra stability, along with some fishing weights tucked into the stuffing.  Thus completes the craft projects for Halloween...mostly, I may cut out some skulls and bats to put in the windows.

It kind of flew off the needles

Cast on the morning of October 19th:

Knitting complete, ends woven in, washed and blocked the evening of October 24th. 
If I focus, in the face of deadline, I apparently knit quite fast.

A few more things finished

The first thing was secret knitting that has already reached it's new home.  The Reyna shawl  with a few beads along the bottom edge for some sparkle.

The Mountain Trails MKAL is finished, though unblocked at this point.

This is just a partial shot, but it's a large piece, rather cape-like, very lovely!
I also finished a hat, this is the first of two of these.  It is the Scathach hat.

I put my third Date Night on the needles on Monday.  This is the progress as of half a round into day three.  I really am hoping to have it done for an office shindig in about a week.

The last thing being worked on right now is a plant friend to put in my lab coat pocket for Halloween.

Mine is not as chubby, on purpose.  I just have the head, arms, and leaves left.  Though I am starting to panic just a wee bit over getting the top and stuffie done in time for when I need them; the idea of not working on them, not making that real push to try and finish them causes more panic. 
Continued  fevered effort it is!

Attending to details

My yarn dyeing friend had handed me another two new colorways a little while ago.  These are Hummingbird and Snowy Forest:

And as she needed samples and I knit faster, I made sure she had them:

They were dropped off at Yarnivore, where her yarn is now being sold!  She's using a merino and silk base that even the people who worked behind the counter couldn't stop fondling, it's really lovely!

I've also almost completed the extras for my Halloween costume.  I decided my version of Poison Ivy (Dr. Pamela Isley) needed a little something on the lab coat:

The back is a tad more dramatic:

It's all hand-stitched, mostly back stitch (to keep things simpler).  The design is from Urban Threads, their Elven Court design pack (hand embroidery).  I also knit some rose hair pins to put in my hair, but haven't taken pictures of them yet.

The other fun detail I've been dealing with is my pile of works in progress.  What do I pack up? What do I carry with me?  How much can I finish before I have to decide?  Can I find some good vacuum seal type travel bags so I can carry more with me? 
Technically, I have two months to figure it all out...there's just a lot of other stuff that has to be done in that time frame too. 
I think I can finish the list of ten projects (all a solid half done already) before the official packing date. 
The problem is me, being calm, focused and rational about yarn and projects.  Sure...I can do that...maybe?

Today....

I am thirty nine and a half.  As my full birthday was spent at a family wedding reception,  (there was cake and singing, it was definitely not my party, nor should it have been) I figured I would post a picture today.  Sadly, the brain raccoons (so much thanks to Jilli for bringing the description to my attention!) got me last night.  Four hours sleep is not the most flattering look, but I went with it anyway.  Happily, it is enough sleep for me to finish embroidering my lab coat for Halloween!

Now wasn't that thoughtful?

They made a perfume just for me!

Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs, after years of haunting their site, made a scent I had to have.  Madame Moriarty, Misfortune Teller was too perfect for me to pass up! 
Paired with my new favorite lotion set I end up smelling like a dark, sexy pastry.  I love it rather a lot!

Maybe I should have thought this through better...

In my defense, the move was not official when these all sounded like wonderful ideas.  Now it is...and I'm glad lace shawls (even in progress) pack fairly well.
I may have managed to sign up for five different knit alongs all starting in a two month time frame.  They are all some flavor of shawl, I may have a teeny addiction.  Two of them have a Halloween sort of theme.  The patterns were bought almost instantly in a haze of black and orange. They are the Voodoo kal by Boo Knits and the Vanessa Ives kal by bunnymuff (Penny Dreadful themed?!? Yes please!!!)  Yarn and beads have already been kitted up.

For the Voodoo kal, yes, just basic black.  I think it will be stunning.

For Vanessa Ives, a colorway called Gothic Rose from Dream in Color seemed absolutely perfect!
The third knit along is an ongoing one.  The Elements kal from Erica Jackofsky that I am loving the patterns from. Admittedly, Earth hasn't been started (I have the yarn), Water is still on the needles, but I have the yarn for Air!

The fourth one that starts in October, (and one of the three of the knit alongs that starts on the first) is Wandering Moon.  I don't have yarn for it yet, a warm gray with a sheen to it would be lovely!
And last but not least, is the knit along that I am currently knitting (and keeping up with); Mountain Trails by Leedra Scott.  The following picture is out of focus, unfinished and unblocked, so should not spoil things for anyone wishing to keep the finished item a surprise.

The pattern has been wonderful to knit!  The yarn is Hawthorne Fingering Kettle Dye from KnitPicks in the Conifer colorway.
I'm sure I will absolutely be able to finish all of these...while doing knitting for the trunk show the first week of October, some secret knitting, getting ready for Halloween, knitting up woolies for a winter where is actually gets cold and oh, yes moving at the end of the year. 
At some point, I will also remember that breathing, eating, and sleeping are not optional activities to pencil in when I have time.

It was a knit wear kind of evening...

Last night we went out to dinner with friends.  One was a gentleman newly introduced to the idea of enthusiastic knitters.  I knew this in advance.  I dressed accordingly.

The top is the Date Night pullover.  The skirt is Intolerable Cruelty, (sorry no back shot, but I used black ribbon to lace the back of the skirt).  My purse was also hand knit, (black, felted, not very exciting)  with a shawlette tied to the handles should I catch a chill.  I was lamenting as we headed to the restaurant that I hadn't finished putting the hand knit mini roses on bobby pins to add to my hair.
At one point he asked if there were groups to help people like me; my response, delivered with a huge grin, "Yes, they are called yarn stores." 
He went home that evening under the impression I was crazy.  I am quite comfortable with the idea.

Definitely a successful evening.

Preparations for Halloween Have Begun

A Good Knitting Weekend

The first thing off the needles was my mutant bonfire hat. 

The hand dye I used worked up beautifully.  The hat pattern was simple and worked up quite nicely.
The next thing off the needles was a pair of baby socks for parents who are fans of rival basketball teams.

The last thing off the needles took some will power....and a little wine.

This is my third, decidedly final, LivedIn top.  It took much longer than the other two because while I wanted the finished object, I was completely tired knitting of it.
Which is why this was opened this weekend:

Yes, it has a sheep on it.  The label was a large reason why I bought it in the first place.  It just so happens it is named for shearing sheds in Australia!  Wine and wool!  Quite tasty as well!

So, progress was made. All it took was a long weekend, some minor housekeeping avoidance and a tasty beverage.  This may get repeated again!

Loud and not so loud

My Nerd Girl Yarn got here!!!  With a name like Glow Cloud, it had to come live with me.

It's actually brighter in person.  Definitely not my usual colors, so I was surprised to discover how happy it made me. 
I had it wound up less than an hour after opening the package.

The toe of the first sock I had planned may already be through the increases:

I may have also grabbed yarn for a Rincewind shawl, because I needed one. The yarn got here an hour ago:

It's Plymouth Encore Worsted Colorspun in Green Plum (7762).  Definitely my usual set of colors, (green and purple) and I love it.
At some point I will actually finish something to post, till then, beginnings it is!

A Finished Object Gets an Airing

That's the first LivedIn I finished, made with no ease. (Photo taken while staring into sun. Ouch)

I also finished a Simply Riveting in the Ocean Waves hand dye.  I bound it off yesterday and got it blocking this morning.

I finally decided on a hat pattern for my Bonfire hand dye, I Was a Teenage Mutant is working up beautifully.  My cat graciously shared her sun beam for the photo.

I keep trying to finish more projects from my unfinished objects pile (that is starting to eat the end of the couch), but more than five minutes time at a go is not enough to put a dent in it at this point.  It will happen...just not right now.

Is it Halloween yet?

For most people, Halloween is ages away.  The local craft stores have their Halloween holiday stuff out though, giving a trip for pillow stuffing a slightly gothic turn.
As it's vaguely Halloween all year around our house, I figured it wouldn't be too out of place to start decorating.

The package says some of the bits should glow in the dark.  We'll see how well this evening.
Once I get some tacks I will be able to put up the first stringer of lights I got.  Sadly, the blood shot candy eyes will have to wait till the holiday baking begins.

My excuse for buying more Halloween decorations is that most of ours are old and beginning to fall apart.  The actual reason?  I love Halloween!