A Little Yarn On The Side

Yesterday: family reunion, no knitting Today: cooking and canning 15 pints of tomato sauce, no knitting Tomorrow: garden be damned, knitting

I have enjoyed the "Project a Month" idea so much that I have decided to continue next year, so a couple weeks ago I packed up 12 sewing or knitting projects: I thought I would do it early so I would definitely not remember what was in them by January, but I've already lost track so that was easier than I thought. I've also been bagging up "extra" projects in big bags: because my stash is big enough that in slightly more cases than I am willing to admit to, I have forgotten what I bought a particular yarn or fabric for. As you may remember, my goal next year is to FINISH 100 projects, so I thought it might help to have "ready to go" projects. Often when I want to start something new it takes so long to browse the stash that the urge to start something dissipates before I've decided on anything. Currently, this is a GOOD thing, but will be a problem next year. So, I just have to reach into the bag & go. And as a side benefit, it turns o...

I have passed the 10,000 yards knitted mark!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The January aran almost has one full-length sleeve. Well, okay it almost has 2 full length sleeves, but only one is on the needles right now. I'll fix the other one later. The steeks are sort of freaking me out, so last night I did a little hand-sewing reinforcement of where I'm going to cut for the front. I'll still sew it on the machine, but this is "just in case." I may not be cut out for steeks....

So....do I get any credit on Finishing Friday for 8 quarts of pickles and 12 pints of tomatoes canned? I mean, they're "finished" and everything, and I planted the garden back in May, so that counts, right? And on that very weak note, I'm going to go work on that sleeve. I'm pushing to have to do the steeks during canning season, because it's hard to be intimidated by anything after facing 20 pounds of tomatoes.....

You know, you just can't do a good spit splice after eating a chocolate cookie

One perk to having an entire tub of WIPs is the great variety. Yesterday I was helping a beginner knitter to do a knitted edging on a blanket, so it seemed like a good time to dig out the baby blanket which is STILL on the first side, but at least I'm more than halfway along the side by now. Today I have been taking a break from canning--which thrills Theo almost as much as it does me --and have been knitting. Remember the January Aran? Probably not, since it's September by now, but I had only one sleeve to go before the steeking which totally freaked me out and sent the project to the Project Time Out Bin. Apparently it's for projects that frighten me as well. Deciding finally that I AM an adult (sort of), I dug it out and have a second sleeve well underway. I had the sense to keep the first sleeve in the bag with it as reference, but when I dug it out I discovered it's about 2 inches too short. No idea what I was thinking, though as this was during the kitty re...

You know, I don't know if I've ever said that in a good way, but today I pulled out the next "Project of the Month" bag to reveal: I bought these on clearance at some point--they're rooms and furnishings for Barbie dolls. I have two young nieces who might be the right age for Barbie. I have a kitchen & a bedroom (there wasn't enough to get two of each), and theoretically they'll be pretty cute. They have curtains & furniture. I'm thinking they will either be a fun little project that doesn't take too long....which of course increases the odds that it will be anything but . But at least it wasn't another knitting project. Day TWO of the double-dog dare has gone well. The baby sweater got some attention early this morning: and the sleeves got some this afternoon after an episode with zucchini marmalade left me pretty well wiped out by two o'clock. Still 18 WIPS, but there was a lot of PROGRESS on them. I even did 10 rows on th...