Distractions and Detours

Also Known As: why I rarely get things done in a timely fashion or in any sort of logical order.

The wildflowers I planted produced a daisy (I think) in a color I have never grown before:

It is pink y'all.  Like '80's L.A. Gear tee shirt I used to own, pink.

A glass table we have had, and moved, for the last twenty years (the last ten it's been outside in all weathers), kind of...randomly exploded, the other day:

The one chip that was in the table?  Was still there when I went to clean up the resulting mess.

I recently made friends with a young military family getting ready to have their first child.  As I rather like them, they've been invited for food (of course).  Knitter Mom also kicked in, especially as the first full season the newborn will experience, is Idaho Winter.
So I cast on some socks (based on this pattern) earlier this week with yarn pillaged from stash:

Then I realized, woolies for toes are good, but during Idaho Winter, child needs their head covered as well...so I went into the stash, found some yarn and a pattern:

I'm trying to get both projects done as fast as possible, they need to be washed before I pass them along.
I was making progress on my Autumn League (Summer edition):

As well as my Special-T:

The yarn for the Special-T has been surprisingly nice to work with, particularly as it's a nylon/cotton/acrylic/silk/linen blend.  Definitely a non-wool blend I would work with again!

The real problem/distraction I am having?  I went and took a good solid look at the pages for the Ripple Bralette and the Ripple Crop Top.  Now I think I need both.  In multiple colors.

I was just browsing new patterns

Scrolling through the latest pattern on Ravelry, like I do all too often, I found one of the latest by Boo Knits, Venus Rising.  Interesting, though goodness knows I was not looking for yet another giant lace shawl pattern with beads.  I still went with my normal routine with patterns I am interested in; look for yarn and/or beads and if I find things, plan for the purchase of all the things needed, put them together in a kit and chuck it in a bin in the craft room for later.  The whole process sounds simple enough.  Usually, if I am truly taken with a pattern, I buy it, then can't find the "perfect" materials to make it, so it gets set aside indefinitely, with the supplies I envision for it bouncing around in the back of my skull. 
This time, the pattern was not put on the back burner.  I went looking, only to find a BFL/silk lace in the Rosewood colorway from NorthBound Knitting and Sparkly Champagne beads, with a Venus theme?  Perfect.

As it was Eat. Sleep. Knit., they are doing their yarn marathon again this year (I hadn't bought yarn from them since fall last year) I grabbed a skein of Malabrigo lace in the Velvet Grapes colorway to pop me to the first level.  I knew I already had one in the yarn stash.  A second skein would give me enough yardage to make something substantial.

As Daughter gasped when she saw the color, the Twenny Dolla Sweater I will make with it shall go to her. 
To find that second skein,  I had to dig through bins in the craft room. Which means I found yarn for two or three more Twenny Dolla Sweaters in colors I prefer(charcoal and blood red).  The Monarri pattern  has been bouncing around in my head as well.  I may have found a couple of quantities (in burgundy and green) of yarn in the correct gauge and fiber content, (I do adore silk) to make the top.  Trying to be sensible, I grouped them in little piles and told myself once I got a few more things off the needles, then I would pull them out and kit them up properly to be cast on.
I did allow myself to pull out one kit that had been put aside for a good long while, my Abomination Unto Nuggan shawl

Of course it's blue.  What other color could I have possibly chosen?  I do love a novel inspired knit.

The yarn for my (first) All Tied Up tank has been left out:

And the My Boy Lollipop sweater is practically begging me to find yarn for it!

I have six sweaters, a minimum of five shawls, seven pairs of socks, some shopping bags, and one Cal-King sized crochet scrap blanket in progress at this very moment.
Two sweaters have actually been finished in the last two weeks:
Mini Montrey (which even Husband announced was cute when I tried it on) still needs buttons:

As well as a third June Lake:

At that rate I can totally get all the sweaters on my needles, maybe some socks and a shawl or three completed by the end of August....right?

There are just a few socks to finish...

I start socks rather endlessly.  The appeal of a bright skein, sometimes sparkly, often variegated, in colors my normal wardrobe rarely sees.  Toe up or top down, magic loop or double pointed needles, plain or patterned;  construction doesn't matter.  Socks are the quintessential "quick project" for me, despite the actual (i.e. embarrassingly long) amount of time it takes me to knit a full pair.  Cast on to be popped into a bag for travel knitting, to be completely forgotten about when at home in favor of a larger, more intricate project.

It shows:

Which is exactly why, over this long weekend I have decided to finish my Mini Montrey:

I bound off the collar this morning and have been picking up button bands this afternoon.  Hopefully, it will get blocked this evening and the buttons sewn on tomorrow.

While it is drying, I should have time to work on the multitude of sweaters that take up far more space than any sock; especially the Hyde sweater for Darling Son, (even if it is only the mid-range size).

Maybe I should make a list for Stash Dash and set some goals?  Or will I get distracted once it finally warms up (supposedly next week) and throw over all my knitting to pull out my sewing supplies (that I am seemingly constantly derailed from using)?  None of the sewing is portable, which means I may actually finish some socks, eventually.

Thoughts on Current Events as Well as Plants, and Probably Some Needlework

I read the news every morning, I prefer to be informed about the world around me and what people are doing to it.  The last two days I have read the news as usual, my physical response to my reading was not.  My hands shake as I flick through articles.  My stomach begins clenching just a few moments later.  Waves of nausea follow shortly after.   How can this many people be in charge and this bad at human-ing?
If omens are your thing, this does not bode well.  As someone whose stress levels have finally begun to drop, (at least a little bit) this year, it is a response that is decidedly unwelcome.

People. Are. Not. Things.  I have stated this before.  It is a simple concept, one not based in religion, philosophy or random belief system.  I am a human.  You are a human as well.   Does gender, race, or religious creed automatically make you a better human than me?  No.  How you treat your fellow humans tells the rest of us whether you are a good human or a bad human.  Do you degrade and belittle others for your own benefit and power?  Do you give others the help they need?
There is always the choice to be a better human.

Oh look!  Plants!

Five kinds of mint...that the squirrels keep trying to dig in to hide their peanuts.

Three kinds of basil, dill, rosemary, lemongrass, oregano (Greek), cilantro, thyme (English), and plain old garden sage.
There's also raspberries, blueberries, five kinds of tomatoes, two kinds of cucumber, a few hot peppers...I may have gone a little plant happy, as there are multiple containers of flowers at the front of the house as well.  Honestly, I was being restrained.   There are no tiered beds, four feet high (minimum), packed with every plant that took my fancy.  I was sorely tempted.
I am hoping the weird weather (thanks climate change) isn't going to cause too much of a problem for the growing season.
I shan't properly rant about humanity and their lack of stewardship of the planet.  Or about the humans who refuse to accept responsibility, actual reality or the fact that something should (and can) be done about climate change.  Profit margins don't mean a damned thing when compared to massive floods, fires and mass starvation.  ::puts away tiny recycled soapbox

My crafting time has suffered a bit lately.  We've gone out or had company the last few weekends.  Then there were plants that needed potting. 
I have still managed to crank out most of sweater, with hopes to finish it today, so I can wear it out this weekend.
It's the Tpct pattern by Teresa Gregorio

 The yarn is Valley Yarns Charlemont in the Dark Olive colorway, only two skeins for the 37 size, in fact there should be some left....maybe to make a matching snood?
I've also acquired a couple new cross stitch patterns.  One is a random freebie found by my daughter and now everyone thinks they need one.

The other one was purchased from one of my favorites, Subversive Cross Stitch

It seemed an appropriate piece.

Happy Beltane! Joyous May Day!

Our current backyard is green and in bloom! 

I rather like the dandelions.  After the monochromatic colors of winter, they are little pops of sunshine.  Some of them get rather large too (my hands are not of the dainty sort):

Today, I give thanks that April is over.  It is a month that I approach every year with hope and end up praying for it to be over as soon as possible...could space folding please be involved next year?
Today we eat fresh things from the local area.  We drink tasty things bought from people we had a chat with during the purchase.

Meriwether Cider and Cold Springs Winery respectively, bought at the local farmer's markets.

I bought my third knitting pattern of the year, the first two were bought to help with stash busting in January.  This pattern was bought with intent.  The Tumanako Pullover is a lovely piece, by a designer I admire, while trying to do some good.  I bought yarn for this sweater today.  It is the first yarn I have bought since late October 2018.  Unsurprisingly, I bought the Evergreen colorway.

I also bought henna in the Ginger Blonde as well as the Wine Red shade (with plans to mix them 3:1).  My hair should look something like a cartoon characters until at least September, and as my sewing has been pulled out again, my wardrobe should soon follow suit.

I am still processing my latest personal reality shift.  The realization only hit me a couple of days ago;  my appearance can truly be what I want it to be.  What I wear will not be used as secondary judgement on my husband by his superiors.  A vaguely vulgar pin on my bag will not offend someone who will then think less of my husband for it.  I no longer have to attempt conformity as camouflage, (which is good 'cause I am terrible at it.)  If I could, I would apologize to the embarrassingly long string of random people trying to be nice to me that I was awkward and cagey around (especially at official functions) for the discomfort I caused them.

I am best at eccentric rambling discussions (frequently over fabulous food and a few cocktails) on everything from politics to religion, plants and small farming techniques, to makeup and hand made garments; I may even offer you a tarot reading, if you are interested in that sort of thing.

And We're Back...

I did not get the cardigan done.  The outside of the center pull ball I was using unwound, found some of my hair, random cat fluff, plus a few fuzzies for good measure and ended up with partially matted knots in a few spots. 
Scissors were involved.
I refused to stress about it. 
So I pulled out a lovely shawl I had made several years ago, flung it round my shoulders and called it good.
I did get the sleeves attached to the body though:

Most of the yarn barf mess has also been attended.  The project got put in time out for a few days.

I have managed to complete most of the body of my modified Brenda sweater in KnitPicks Wool of the Andes in Winter Night colorway.

Sadly, that is pretty much all of my knitting.  The time and the drive just haven't been there.

Spring is finally starting to show itself around here.  Mostly in hazy clouds of green, pink and white around still skeletal looking trees.
And in dandelions:

I also turned forty three.  Can't say I feel any different.

Ah first week of April....

Book-ended this year with us remembering a friend who passed today, as we have every year since his passing,  and a family funeral this coming weekend.
Meaning while the week involves wine:

As well as knitting:

Neither is really for a joyous reason. 

It's only just lunch time, and so many other things that should be falling into place...just aren't.  Much of the irritation and problems are being caused bureaucratic nonsense that could be resolved with a minimal level of customer service instead of treating a customer like an inconvenience at best.

On the plus side, the lip paints I bought from ColourPop's Disney Villain collection got here today:

The colors are exactly as expected, if not better.  The lip glosses are Bad Apple and Sad But True, they have mild vanilla scent that is rather pleasant.

My lips will at least be wicked and wonderful this week, even if everything else keeps insisting on skewing the other way.  We shall see what happens.

Not the post I had planned

I was going to post pictures of the multitude of projects I have on the needles right now.  This changed a couple of days ago, and now I am trying to knit a cropped, short sleeved black cardigan in a week.

The pattern is a heavily modified Montrey with buttons purchased from my local JoAnns, in black Valley Yarns Charlemont from Webs out of stash.  Half the body is done.  Half the first sleeve is done.  Housework may have to suffer.  This cardigan will get done.
In slightly less urgent sounding news, I got a new water bottle:

Yes, it is a metal water bottle made to look like wood.
I also bought stickers to put on it.  I couldn't have a boring water bottle! 

They may not all be put on the water bottle, we'll just have to see.  I did grow up in the '80's though, so coating something in stickers seems like a wonderful idea! 

Now back to knitting the cardigan!

Doughnuts, Unreasonable Craft Goals and Hair

First and foremost; they opened a huge new Albertsons just a few minutes from the house.  Shouldn't be at all exciting right?  Wrong.  It is one of the most amazing grocery stores I have ever been in!  The store has standards like a bakery, meat counter and pharmacy...as well as places where you can grab poutine, a bison burger, fried chicken or a poke bowl.  They make tortillas fresh and there is a bar in the grocery store!  The selection was outstanding.  The produce was some of the best I have seen in ages!  I may have called it "Food Disneyland."  The only down side is that everybody else seems to love it too, so it is quite busy, pretty much all the time.
We may have bought a smattering of their doughnut selection...to taste test of course.  And that giant apple fritter just seemed to hop into the cart.  It was all quite tasty!

I finally finished my Sea Witch hat:

I've put in a bit more work on my crochet scrap blanket:

I also cast on a heavily modified Brenda in Winter Night blue:

I also realized just yesterday, that maybe I should be working on items that I could wear during the Spring and Summer...and I probably didn't need another Winter hat right this instant.  So on top of the list I already had planned for the year, I made a list of things I want to knit to wear in warmer weather.  There are twelve tops on that new list.  Those twelve do not include the five warm weather tops on the original list, nor the six other cold weather sweaters (three for other people) I would like done before Fall comes round again.
And because it is a Summer Knit List, none of the sewing projects (that I cut out last year) are on the list.
Even the brain that came up with these grand plans, trying to rationalize such a crazy amount of things to finish by say, the end of this May (at least for most of the sewing and a handful of the knit tops), is questioning the actual feasibility of this endeavor.
Part of this likely comes from the fact that I cut my hair (which totally requires new clothes, right?).  It's still just a bit longer than shoulder length, but I now have chin length bangs.  This is the most dramatic change in the styling of my hair for a solid twenty years.

Still not sure how I feel about the look yet.  It also requires actually doing something with my hair.  The most effort I've put into my hair most of my adult life is kept it trimmed and dye it red.  This is definitely new territory.

I guess I crochet now....

I finally dove into my basket of sock yarn leftovers and put a Granny Stripe Blanket on the hook.  It took a couple of tries to get things rolling, but there is now a six foot wide blanket started. The extent of my crochet before has been simple edging on random knitting projects and a double handful of festive dishcloths one year. This will be a huge blanket, which is rather the point, my bed is a CalKing.  What it really means, my crochet will get better, eventually.

It's not beautifully planned like some.  This will be a true scrap blanket, working the yarn amount that I've picked next till I run out or am bored of the color.  This...is going to take a good while, about five months at an inch a day.  It is kind of a perfect project for my accidental year of working from stash though.

I also had a sock jump on my needles, because my brain said I needed them.  These are the Kia socks by Dawn Henderson.  The yarn is Junkyarns in the Sophie colorway.

I really need to stop casting on new things, even if it is all stash yarn.

Randomness and Things I Think Are Important

There are a ton of things on the needles right now.  May even get that crochet scrap blanket on the hook soon too!

As I knit quite a lot of gray last year, I made the (unconscious) decision to knit more purple.  The glorious blue-green is the first of three Sweaters for Other People.  As two of those people are over six foot and all three are taller than me I feel it deserves a capitalized title.
The Sea Witch hat finally got cast on.  The Shiny, Datura, Rizzo, as well as the sparkly vanilla sock, in Endora from Blue Moon Fiber Arts, are all for me.  The first Sweater for Other People is the Hyde's Hooded Sweater  for Darling Son.  It will be hooded, long and rather a behemoth, but it's knit on largeish needles so it should go kind of quickly. I hope.

The other thing that is still consuming my personal brain space is the discussion of race in the fiber community.  No, it is not going away.  Yes, it is important.   A few weeks of discussion does not automatically fix a major societal problem in the same way a few rows of stitches do not a sweater make.  I will continue to randomly signal boost it.  This article on Vox sums things up nicely.  This is the blog the lovely humans have started, Unfinished Objects.  The Militantly Mixed podcast was recently brought to my attention, there's a Twitter too!  This kid...he is just absolutely amazing!  Please, go take a peek at Jonah's work.

I am a nerdy, over 40, white woman who rarely leaves her house and who talks more to her knitting than to other humans. I still try to practice what I preach when I do leave the house.  I am frequently awkward, but as that is the normal for me, it's all I've got to give.  This is my favored platform just because, by current standards, I am old fashioned in that I prefer my computer to my phone. 

Whatever method, you have to at least try.