A Little Yarn On The Side

because that will make the math easier.  I'm halfway (sort of) through the year, and my stats stand thus:  (I'm always so excited when I can use the word "thus."  It makes me feel like those 4 years getting an English degree were a well thought out plan of action ) Yards of yarn used:  7050.5 Skeins of yarn used:  35.35 Yards of fabric used:  49.315 Projects finished: 53 (but there were actually 51 as of July 1) Which (easy math time) puts me on target to end the year with approximately: Yards of yarn used:  14,000 Skeins of yarn used:  70 Yards of fabric used:  98 Projects finished: 102 Not bad, I suppose--I'd have used up more of the stash than I did last year, but not as good as what I'd like to call the Great Yarn Reduction of 2008 (19,183 yards and 118 skeins).  However.....the year is young and this time the new part for Jeeves is being shipped from Kentucky--which is three times as far as where the last one came fr...

It's July 8, and I have just under half the year to go and just under half the projects to go.  So what am I doing with my spare time today? Working on the new Pi shawl.  As I need a little over 8 finished projects per month, what could be a more foolish idea than launching into a 1500-yard lace project--except, of course, starting a new quilt, which mercifully I haven't done.  I'm not using Elizabeth Zimmermann's suggested pattern.  Not that there's anything wrong with it, but I've seen so many Pi shawls on Ravelry that I needed something different.  AND, since I'm making it up anyway, it makes a great portable project:  no pattern means no pattern to cart around.  The color is actually a bit more accurate in this picture but the pattern so far might be easier to see in this one Not that I shouldn't be working on Andy's birthday sweater--or cleaning the house, for that matter--but Pi shawls are amazingly addictive.  I don't know why--pi as ...

So, you might have guessed that I didn't have the greatest holiday weekend.  Surprisingly, the Knitting Gods didn't think a broken "newly repaired" sewing machine & a cold were quite enough.  I ran into a snag on the Baby Reefer Jacket which, to be fair, is completely my own fault, but annoying just the same.  I decided to make the two fronts & back all in one piece, and just divide for the sleeves.  Simple, no?  Actually, no.  It turns out that the sweater is made with drop sleeves, so there I was knitting away, when I finally double checked the pattern and realized that I was going to end up with one great big piece of knitting with no armholes.  AND, there are no schematics for the pattern, so I have no idea how far down the body the sleeve will actually reach, so I decided to break at a reasonable spot for the sleeves and hope for the best.  I can either steek or sew a bit if I'm off, but I'm really hoping it will be the sewing option...

So...Jeeves is not so much fixed.  In fact, more things worked on Jeeves before I took him in.  I'm not even sure the original problem was fixed because most of the buttons don't work now, and without them, I can't test it.  Color me unamused.  He goes back to the dealer tomorrow for what I hope will be a shorter stay.  It could be that not everything was connected after they replaced the circuit board, but that still leaves the glaring fact that the repair guy didn't bother to test ANYTHING, which is irritating to say the least.  No referrals for them! THEN, in case that wasn't annoying enough, we had a 3-day weekend with beautiful weather....and I got a cold.   I guess that works out okay--I'd have been annoyed if after Jeeves being gone two weeks I couldn't sew because I had a cold, or if I was feeling great and had a sewing machine that could do less than half of its functions because of a repair guy who doesn't check his work, so as long as I ...

I got up bright & early this morning to find my little side-kick just waiting for some sewing time. I've been anxiously waiting as well, but my waiting is just not that cute.  I'd cut out a jacket while Jeeves was gone, and just put the finishing touches to project number 52 Here's an important lesson:  Under any other circumstances I would never have finished this jacket.  The material--while it will be totally fun to wear--is so light that it was a nightmare to cut out, and I only managed to finish the narrow hem around the ENTIRE jacket by utilizing all my pins as well as scotch tape and; a fabric glue stick that I REALLY hope is as water-soluble as it says it is.  Luckily, I was so excited to be able to sew again that I didn't even swear while making it--which Andy will tell you is a really remarkable feat for me, if not an absolute first. I would have started sewing last night, but there were a few technical details to attend to.  Know what this ...

And I'll be going to bed at 7:00 tonight to be fresh and ready for Finishing Friday tomorrow!

Sigh..... Since there could be no sewing, late last night I got the latest ostrich plume scarf done which currently looks a little ramen-noodle-ish, but should be quite marvelous when blocked.  I had hoped to pick up Jeeves today, and since I couldn't, I consoled myself with this Yes!  It's another ostrich plume scarf!  Though this time with little white seed beads--which you probably can't see as they never show up in pictures, but they're there on every-other pattern row.  I'm sure it will be a lovely scarf & will make a nice gift for someone, but the light pink is just a little too girly, so I decided to cast on a wool scarf as well I'm using the leftover yarn from my January Aran sweater which shows stitch definition well.  I'm using something called the "wickerwork pattern" from the second Barbara Walker treasury.  It's not a pattern I would normally use, but I think it will make a nice scarf.  Hopefully Jeeves can come hom...