A Little Yarn On The Side

This is probably a good illustration of my tendency to ignore all realistic expectations when it comes to knitting or sewing....

I am not the person I thought I was. My cheap thrills fling has distracted me from all other knitting. It's a chunky weight yarn called Gedifra Living, which I would link to if I could find it on the internet, and the pattern, which also can't be located, was free with the purchase of the yarn. Yes, I know it sounds like I made this all up, but it was out there somewhere at some time--I promise. This was even Deep Stash yarn--the stuff that has been in stash for more than a year and has very little chance by now of ever getting used, which makes me more than a little proud of myself--and explains how I have somehow inexplicably shifted the lace pattern over by one stitch--proving that old knitting adage, "pride goeth before a frog." (rip-it, rip-it) This time, however, I have left well enough alone. I can't find the error and have decided that searching down an invisible, unnoticeable mistake cannot be part of a "cheap thrills" knitting experience....

The plan was to knit a yellow cotton cardigan this month since spring is coming and a nice cotton cardigan would be very useful. What I am actually doing is dividing my time between the cheap thrills knitting: which will be a pullover, and will take all of this out of my stash, and dem fischer sin fru which has progressed but is still on clue 1. I think number 6 comes out this week--or perhaps the fashion show where the speed-knitters model their shawls made from handspun wool from sheep they have sheared themselves. I'm honestly not that competitive--I just want to know their secret. Do they knit in their sleep?

So far this year, I've used up approximately this much of my stash: While progress is progress, I was hoping it would amount to a much bigger pile--like overflowing the table bigger. Granted, it's only 2 months, but I admit that I had visions of using up so much yarn this year that the closet would no longer be overflowing with yarn, that there would not longer be bags of yarn teetering on the top shelf of the closet just waiting to fall on my head while I rummaged through the yarn on lower shelves. I might have to become a bit more realistic about my expectations. Maybe it isn't so much about getting the stash under control this year....maybe it's about finding the floor......

I'm on track!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Two months down and 2 knitting projects & 2 sewing projects done! For those who have known me for any length of time, you'll know that my project optimism runs WAY ahead of my project reality, so this is a very exciting moment for me--and, frankly, one that may never come again. The Pi shawl is done, blocked and furred: I ended up making up an edging for it as all the edgings I kept trying didn't work with the color striping of the yarn. Variegated yarn looks wonderful in a ball, but it's a bit challenging as a real garment. Thankfully, I sew, so when I figure out what on earth one wears with a tie-dye lace shawl, I can make it. Unfortunately--I don't know what that is yet. This is all that's left of the 1760 yards & 4 balls I started with: (my center-pull yarn ball sort of threw-up) It didn't physically take a lot out of the stash, but using up 1500 yards of yarn did a lot for the stash mentally. Well, I do...

MS3 has a mistake! I have to rip back 3 rows. While I know it could have been much worse, this may move the stole back to the Time Out Bin For Bad Projects. It was SO close! Dem fischer sin fru is still on clue one, but in my defense, it's a long clue one. Ah well, at least being this far behind I can see how the shawl is turning out and can be assured that I don't have another MS3 on my hands. I started the poncho's second side and have 1/6th of the new side done. The Pi Shawl is almost done!!!!! I COULD STAY ON SCHEDULE!!! Which really makes no sense--why am I working this hard to try to finish one project every month? Should hobbies really have deadlines? Obviously, this is what happens when Type A personalities knit. I cast on another sock. Besides needing a portable project (5 rows at stoplights every day can really add up), I have a lone sock sitting on my desk and if I finish it's mate it can be put back in the Gift Bin rather than continuing to sit on my...

First, I should probably come clean about the last post--the picture of the closet is not actually the whole stash. It's just the only part I'm willing to post pictures of--the rest is not even HALF so neat and orderly and has, in fact, overflowed (just a little) to the back room. The large pile of fleece that is teetering precariously on the table beside my computer....I'm not ready to talk about that yet. The first part of the birthday poncho is finished & blocked, though I am willing to finally admit that it doesn't have a glimmer of a chance of being finished by Monday, though I reserve the right to be delusional enough to consider Friday. Today I started on the February sewing project-- flannel-backed satin pajamas for me. Boise has finally gotten serious about winter and sleeping in regular flannel pajamas with flannel sheets has a bit of a velcro-effect. Other progress updates: 30 rows left TOTAL on the MS3 mystery stole!!!!!!! Everyone else's might b...