A Little Yarn On The Side

And I actually finished something. YAY!!!!!!! I need to find some buttons for it, and it needs to be washed and blocked, but the January Aran is done, steeks and all!!! And to be honest, I don't think the steeks were any big time saver--not even counting the hours of whining and whimpering. When you cut knitting, you're left with fuzzies like this which drive me crazy. So, I'm going over all the edges with a needle and thread and making the edges less "messy" which is really the same as sewing all the darn pieces together in the first place but without the psychological trauma. Still, it's a new technique and I'm glad I learned it, but I might reserve it only for fair aisle, or if I pick up a taste for self-torture. I have my FIRST WIP DONE for the Double Dog Dare Challenge, which leaves me at with 17 WIPS. The challenge, as you may remember, is to get down into the single digits on WIPS. Some would, of course, ask why not try to get down to NO WIPS,...

OK. There has been knitting. In fact, the second sleeve is almost done, and there was no way around it. The steeks were coming. I have been putting this off and putting this off. Seriously, what is more frightening to a knitter than CUTTING a sweater??? Maybe a colony of moths, but it would be a close thing. The sleeves are almost done and I could feel myself getting really nervous, and I was afraid I was going to shove this lovely sweater into the bottom of the project bin to get out of cutting steeks--which would be really unfortunate as I truly love this sweater. So, it was time. This is a cardigan, so there will be steeks for the front as well as the armholes, so first I set my sewing machine's presser foot to the lowest possible pressure, said a prayer to the knitting gods, then basted right down the center of the guide stitch I'd added I thought my hands might be shaking so badly when I did the steeks that I would need a very obvious cutting target. And alcohol. Lot...

Heaven help me, I'm sewing the cutting lines now....it's the scissors next!

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.....