I shouldn't be allowed to surf knitting sites. I want three new sweaters. Like I need three more sweaters worth of yarn.

I got my SP9 package last night. I have pictures I'll have to post later (I'm posting from work). I got a ball of sock yarn (Trekking), a couple of knitting magazines (which are interesting - my SP9 pal is from England), and a couple of cute stuffed hearts with little spangles on them, and some chocolates and a scarf (which my daughter stole - the chocolates and the scarf). There was the niftiest little old knitting book. It has a couple of REALLY cool sock patterns that I might have to try. I think I will photocopy the whole thing so it won't get ruined with use.

My secret pal is the BEST!

The resolution conundrum

Every year about this time people start talking about making resolutions for the new year. This year is no different. As I browse around the blogs I read I see it on many of them.

As a general rule I don't make new years resolutions. For me they are self defeating. I need short term agreements with myself, with a short end in sight. I can go three months without buy yarn, or fabric or starting a new project. But if I have to go an entire year I won't do anything.

As I start putting stuff in my new room though I'm putting projects together. Kitting it all up together with notes and patterns. It probably won't help destash, but that isn't really the goal. The goal is organization. I will of course be overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I have. But getting it all together will make starting a new project easier. I hate it when I go to get the stuff and I can't find half of it. I also know that I have a couple of projects I started gathering stuff for where I am missing a skein of this or a yard of that. So I think my goal will be to get them all together, with all the necessary bits and make a couple piles. Stuff that is almost finished, stuff that needs to be finished for a child - who will out grow it soon and stuff for me that can wait. I have a good list here already of stuff that just needs to be finished or needs to get done for a gift/growth spurt. I'm about 1/2 way through my goal time and 1/2 way through my list. Not bad.

I am not going to finish Beadwork or Mary Tudor by the 15th of January. That was obviously wishful thinking on my part. But I am going to reassess my projects on the 15th and create a new list and a new set of goals to keep me interested and progressing forward.

This weeks short term goal - finish that baby sweater. Before the baby shows up!

Success

I have managed to survive the holiday.

I am feeling better. I get SAD every year but I spend all day today sitting in sun puddles (starting under my daylight lamp at 7am and then again all evening). I hope it lasts through the week. The remodel called for BIG windows in the whole house so if I can managed to stay home a couple days a week I should be good. We'll see.

I have reknit the sleeves for the baby sweater again. I'm happier with them now. Fussy fussy.

I have also managed to knit two rows on the back of my Beadwork. I knit the second row left handed. It is not a good knit on the wrong side. If I was willing to put in the work to rewrite it and start over I'd probably knit it in the round. Right at the moment I want to keep knitting it as is.

My work room is done and I'm going to start moving stuff into it. There will probably not be a lot of knitting going on this next few weeks.

What are you talking about?!

I can't believe it is only Wednesday. It FEELS like Friday. How can it not be Friday!?

I still haven't finished the second sleeve for the baby sweater. With any luck I'll get knitting time over the holiday weekend. At the very least there shall be pictures this weekend.

We hung the last door last night. It went about the same way as the first one we hung Sunday. I am quite surprised that we haven't killed each other yet.

If things go well tonight I plan to get the base coat on the bathroom wall and then go to meeting. Things NEVER go like I plan. But I could take the baby sweater with me and work on it! This would be a very good thing. We will see.

Grrr!

Sewing room - The floor is finished and the trim is stained but it is NOT installed. We put in doors instead. We only have one left. I wish he had put in the trim so I could start moving my stuff.

I have 1 sleeve for the baby sweater finished and one about 1/2 done. I should have it finished tonight and then I can re-cast on for the body. It's going quick which is good.

I bought some more yarn - Bad me. It is beautiful and I have the sweater all picked out. I'm going to start it on my birthday. It will replace one that got felted in the wash. Plus I had a $20 gift card for the yarn store. So I got the yarn for $40.

SCORE!

There goes the schedule

I realized last night, while working on my mother's cardigan, that I only have about 6 weeks to get that baby sweater done! YIKES! So I cast on the sleeve (there being certain problems with the body I had already cast on) and began to knit it. I will have to knit faster if I'm going to finish and it looks like I will be busy at work the next couple of weeks as well.

I love it when directions say "center pattern over center of sleeve" It took me more time to count and double count to center the pattern than the actual knitting.

So while I was making good progress on my list I'm now side tracked by more urgent matters. Once the sweater is done the tablet weaving will take precedence since the recipient is going to be in town on the 13th of January. So I think I'll probably not get Victoria's sweater done soon enough. Poor little girl.

Fala lala la la la

We still have no snow. In Minnesota, in December!

I have to get my second secret pal gift in the mail this week, so it arrives in time for the holidays.

I found a pattern for my husband's sweater. It isn't exactly what I wanted but it will work.

I finished Liz' mittens. They are nice. They need to be washed but I don't think I will be able to get them back from her until spring.

This leaves just two sweaters to sew together and then I have knitting knitting knitting left on my list.

Tomorrow is another day

No knitting has occurred chez moi.

The yarn for my mittens is dry. With any luck at all I can finish at least one pair of mittens this weekend. Of course that is what I said last week.

I have decided to attempt reeling silk. I have ordered cocoons and begun a list of necessary equipment. I have found a partner in crime. I am all set! Now we just have to get our supplies together and find a day we are both available.

I have learned through my research that reeling results in a certain amount of reeled silk and a roughly equivalent quantity of spinning silk. I think I will attempt to dye it, mix it with wool and spin it for either embroidery or knitting. In my copious free time.

And this is why I get so little done.

Not much happens here

I have 1 1/2 mittens done for my daughter. I don't think I'm going to get the done tonight. Especially since I'm sitting here on the computer reading knitting blogs.

It is cold in my living room and I can't decide if I want coffee or tea so I'm having nothing. How is that for indecisive?

I want to work on my Beadwork. We need mittens.

I best get knitting so I can do what I want.

Hmmm

Well, this weekend was not productive in the knitting arena. I finished the blue baby sweater and started my daughter's mittens. I have one about 3/4 done. It would be nice if I could finish them both tonight. She needs them. I would also like to finish mine. It was pretty cold walking into work this morning.

Unfortunately I spilled a cup of cocoa on the yarn for my mittens (and the floor) yesterday. I managed to get the yarn rinsed but it is pretty wet. The carpet is probably a total loss. It is so nasty anyway that I only made minimal efforts to clean it up.

I'm really tired this afternoon. It's probably because I didn't find anything decent to eat for lunch. I need to bring some snack crap into the office to leave in my desk for those days I can't decide to eat.

The house will never be finished.

December - remember?

I don't know what we should remember. I think I'll remember that I don't need to spend the national debt and buy presents for everyone. This year, I think, just the kids and parents.

I finished Dad's sweater. The buttonbands are wonky on the starting ends. It needs 7 buttons. If my father sent me some antler I could make him buttons. I'll have to call him and tell him.

I am about 1/2 finished with my list. But I did the easy parts first. I have my patterns for the weaving drafted and I can start weaving. I still haven't found a pattern for my husband. Grump!

I finished one mitten, in green and ecru, for me. The pattern is nice. I am going to make my daughter a pair, in red and ivory, this weekend and then finish the second one for my pair.

Busy weekend!