A Little Yarn On The Side

Nothing says "I don't believe the world is ending" like lace knitting: and nothing says "I almost wish it HAD" than working with mohair, but it makes such lovely things, and what better time to work with mohair than when one has Valium?  I mean, really.... I am having a little knitter ADD (if that isn't a redundancy) now that I've reached the 20,000 mark, and can't figure out what to do next--which is how the mohair shawl came out of the WIP basket.  It's going to be WELL into next year before I even use up the first ball of yarn on it, but it actually felt good to work on a WIP and not care about yardage.  Then, of course, I came back to myself, so: I made a little bell ornament for the Holiday Music stash-dash, which I think took about 20 yards of Red Heart acrylic.  It turns out that it's more difficult to get out of "high maniac" phase than I thought, so there may be another ornament or two or even a hat before the end ...

11 days left in the year, and here's where I'm at on the Holiday Music Stash-dash.  I'm thinking 6,000 yards in 2 months was completely insane, don't you?: **A. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - knit something small (less than 6 inches or thereabout) - mitten ornaments** **B. Frosty the Snowman - knit a snowman of some sort or something with a snowman on it - Mr. Flurry** C. Toyland - make the toy of your choice **D. My Favorite Things - make “warm woolen mittens” in your choice of yarn and size. Mini mittens do count - mitten ornaments** E. Here Comes Santa Claus - knit a Santa or something with Santa on it F. A Marshmallow World - spin the fiber of your choice G. Silver Bells - make a bell or something with a bell motif H. Jingle Bells - make something (such as an ornament or stocking or whatever) that can have jingle bells attached to it **I. Blue Christmas - make something blue - blue cable sweater** **J. White Christmas - make something white - M...

Sweater number EIGHT is done: which also counts as WIP number 6 for the year, AND it counts for "Blue Christmas" as well as "What Child is This?" in the Holiday Music Stash dash.  Dang, that feels productive--which is sort of amazing since 11 months to finish a toddler sweater is anything BUT productive.  I know I've been busy, but when it takes longer to produce the baby sweater than the actual baby, something is wrong. 

With less than 2 months left to go in the year, I have 5 sweaters and 7 WIPs left before completing those "12s."  So... a toddler sweater I started last December is the new favorite project.  I have one sleeve and the back done up to the raglan shaping.  The pattern doesn't say to do so, but I'm putting everything on holders as soon as I do the initial decrease for arms and will knit the whole thing in the round for the rest of the sweater.  Why would anyone sew raglan sweaters together?  Besides the fact that I am just lazy, the shaping never looks as neat when I sew it as when I just knit the whole thing together. Since they're fast and the least-complex part of the sweater, I'm about to cast on the second sleeve, so then I'll be so close to being finished that I (hopefully) won't even hesitate to cast on for the front.   Childish?  Yes.  Effective?  Sometimes.  Besides, if I get this thing done, I can also count it for "Blue...

So many people have had so many great ideas to round out the list for all 26 letters that I've updated the list to include many of them:  “FILL YOUR HOLIDAYS WITH MUSIC” STASHDASH Find a cute holiday-ish basket that will inspire you to fill it with yarny-goodness Between November 1 and midnight of December 31, fill it with any combination of the following: A. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - knit something small (less than 6 inches or thereabout) B. Frosty the Snowman - knit a snowman of some sort or something with a snowman on it C. Toyland - make the toy of your choice D. My Favorite Things - make “warm woolen mittens” in your choice of yarn and size. Mini mittens do count E. Here Comes Santa Claus - knit a Santa or something with Santa on it F. A Marshmallow World - spin the fiber of your choice G. Silver Bells - make a bell or something with a bell motif H. Jingle Bells - make something (such as an ornament or stocking or whatever) that can have ...