End of year accounting

Time to check in for the new year and wish you all Merry, Merry, Merry!  It's been a long, trying year; I'm still "between jobs," as they say, but 2013 just has to be brighter on that front. On a positive note, I'm still not smoking (27 weeks & 4 days!), my health is improving, my family is close by, and I've been kept a little bit more sane by dear friends, knitting, and exercise.

Sadly, not one of my quilting goals was accomplished in 2012.  I do hope my mojo for that comes back because I'm not ready to part with my stash. Although if this fiscal cliffhanger doesn't end, I may have to, to keep from living under a bridge next week. ;)

I have managed to complete 15 pair of socks, 4 hats, and 1 pair of mittens.  I also knit and frogged two solo socks that were pattern tests for others but weren't working out for my size/gift purposes. Carrying forward into the new year I have only a hat and a child's sweater as WIPs, and a pair of socks if I don't finish them tonight!

Until we meet again,

Best wishes, friends, for a safe, happy, healthy and prosperous 2013!

I was able to finish the Darjeeling socks late last night.  Definitely a pattern I'll make again.  Grant's OSU socks haven't fared as well, but they are quick when I get back to them.   I think these are actually pair 9 & 10 for my 12in2012, but in the end I'll probably only count the kid socks as 1 for every two pair.

Darjeeling pattern; KnitPicks Stroll in Midnight Heather

Ohio State-ish colors for Grant
Generic 52-stitch; KnitPicks Felici in Firefighter

The most exciting thing happening around here is lots of knitting in my 'free' time.  These projects were finished in May, June, & July so far.

Hermione socks; Corkscrew mittens; generic for Oliver (Grant's are not pictured);
Twin Rib socks; another generic for Oliver

I have a pair of OSU-colored stripes to finish up today for Grant, and I only have a few inches of leg to go on these Darjeeling socks so I should finish them today too.

Darjeeling--fantastic pattern with lots going on and a great fit. 

In other news, I lost my job in early June and spend countless hours in the quest for a new, better, less stressful one.   I also joined the Y a couple of months ago and quit smoking finally, once and for all, last time, EVER.  And of course, the weather continues to keep me on edge and/or paralyze me; bring on Fall & Winter!

I allowed myself to be talked into buying a bushel of tomatoes, and I made salsa for the first time yesterday.  It was quite bland so I'm off to try again today with different peppers!

Take care!
Sheila

It's been a long couple of weeks here lately.  I completely ripped back the Hermione socks and was sailing away on re-knitting them in a smaller size.  Ripped back the grandkid socks to re-knit them in a larger size.  Then I got a impulsive itch and decided I wanted to move to a new place locally with ground-level access.  Went through a flurry of making lists, cleaning, phone calls, emails, paperwork, packing, tossing, donating...  everything else got set aside.   I've since decided I won't move just yet, so while I regret wasting all those days not knitting or quilting I'm glad I have a head start on the moving process.

Friday I got to be part of a wonderful test knit class for Michelle "KnitPurl" Hunter who lives and teaches locally.  It was actually a process and timing exercise to see how long it took for her to teach certain things and for the class to accomplish each part and move on.  We all learned so many new skills:  Magic Loop, two-handed two color stranded knitting, swatching in the round, and afterthought thumbs, along with learning lots of new tips and tricks.  She's a great teacher, and so very patient.  The other part of the exercise is to see if all sorts of people (different skill levels and knitting styles, different size hands) can get the pair of mittens from 50g of each color yarn.  Except for the thumb, I finished one tonight and I have 28g left of the gray, so it will be close.

Pattern: Corkscrew Mittens; Yarn:  HiKoo SimpliCity 

No quilting to show, although I've been trying to do bits here and there.  Thanks to spraining my ankle going down the stairs, and then twisting my knee (while trying to protect my ankle when tripping over the dog's bone), I've had lots of propped-leg time to knit.  Thankfully seasons 1 and 2 of Downton Abbey appeared just in time to keep me company.

I managed to finish the red Simple SKYP socks in March (love these!) and started on prototype socks for the grandkids, who have exceptionally long feet for their ages.  But just like the three bears, the first ones were too big so I ripped them back and started over.  The second pair are too small, but I may just bind them off and donate; I hate ripping back knitting.

Simple SKYP

Plain vanilla socks in Kroy FX

While waiting to try the blue socks on the kids, I started the next pair for my 12 in 2012.  This pattern is Hermione's Everyday Socks in an old Knitpicks Essential yarn.  It's a lot thinner than the Stroll yarn I used for the SKYP socks. Even after going down a needle size after I finished the toes they are too loosely knit and too big, so I'll be ripping something back after all.  Although it doesn't show well in this washed-out photo, I love the texture this pattern creates. 

Hermione's Everyday Socks, Knitpicks Essential in Grasshopper

After slogging through the SKYP socks one at a time, I decided to invest in a kitchen scale so I could break down large skeins for two-at-a-time socks.  I researched scales on Amazon and finally decided on this one by EatSmart. I wanted something that could weigh yarn or food with appropriate units of measure and that would allow me to zero out any container before putting in/on the food to weigh.  I couldn't be happier with the purchase, and for food portion control it can't be beat.  They have exceptional customer service too.  No affiliation, just a very satisfied customer!

Weighing leftover yarn; 18 grams

International Quilt Day - 3/17/12

Reposted from Facebook (both by Mary Fanslau):

Big news from TheQuiltShow.com! In honor of International Quilt Day March 17, 2012, The Quilt Show, on web TV hosted by Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims, will "open" all of its shows from the first nine series--that is, from shows numbered 100 through show 913--for the entire weekend of March 16 –18. This means that—for three special days—everyone will have the chance to view these 117 shows, featuring some of the quilting world’s leading artists, at no charge. 

and:

If you have never been on TQS, some FMQ shows to look out for ... 111 Ann Fahl, 202 Cindy Needham, some feather with John Flynn 410, and Joannie Zeier Poole is great on show 509 

Simple SKYP Socks

I thought this was going to be an "no worries" pattern to sail through the shortest month, but I've only completed one sock due to lots of ripping back the first 10 days.  For the record, not a great pattern to rip back unless you have a lifeline.  It's much easier to count and examine your stitches every half-round.

I'll be binding off in daylight today, and then heading to the sewing machine for the remainder of the weekend!

Simple SKYP socks

***
I asked Santa for a hanging canvas shoe organizer but I'm pretty sure it wasn't expected to be used like this.  I love having most of my yarn in one compact place now.

We have FMQ!

Beginning and end of the month FMQ practice.  Unfortunately, there was no practice in between these two pieces, but I'm encouraged that I can do this!

Misc doodling - Beginning Jan2012

End of Jan2012

I really, really, really, need to work on the quilting not being so dense, but for now I was concentrating on the motif and the motion.  I can't make leaves going to the left!

We have socks!

Running late for work so I'll get better pics later with the particulars, but one finish and one needing only bind-off as of midnight (even though I was tempted to knit into the Pacific time zone to get them finished).  These were both UFOs from 2011.

Sept2011 UFO

ETA: Plymouth Sockotta #5618, 6x2 rib, toe-up on 64 stitches.  

Did a twisted rib on the cuff that I won't do again :-)

These will be going to my friend Maureen.

Jan2011 UFO

ETA: Knitpicks Stroll in Terrain Twist colorway, toe-up 72 stitches; Garter Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks.  Followed these directions to switch to 1x1 rib for the cuff and it was a thing of beauty.  My "something new" this month will be an invisible bind-off or tubular bind-off on these; just need to wait to work on them in daylight to do that.  These are for me.

Close but no cigar

Progress is progress!  Still not finished, but at least the end is in sight.  It looks so small here, but I ran out of room for all the blocks I have.  I'll add another row to the width and two to the length.

Diagonal 4-patch, end Jan2012

It's been a long dry spell!

First of all, Happy New Year! I'm so glad 2011 is done with and I made it to the other side. To quote a facebook friend, my plans in 2012 are to " Eat less, move more. Frown less, smile more. Do what I can, when I can." Especially those moving & smiling parts.

I haven't sewn a stitch since probably April, so I've decided to participate in Judy's UFO challenge to get several projects to the finished flimsy stage:

1- Rangeley Stars
2- Triple 4-patch swap
3- Blue/white Duck & Ducklings
4- Black S&W
5- 4-patch on design wall (Yes, I cheated and made this #5 so I could get it off the wall!)
6- Swap from California Cruisin' book
7- Cheap Trick
8- Green County Lines
9- Patriotic Hidden Star
10- Baskets BOM
11- Green Caffrey mystery
12- Leaf Season

I also joined in on SewCalGal's free motion quilting challenge.  A lot of comfort quilts are going to be my practice pieces this year, so hopefully next year I can quilt this year's finished UFOs.

And last but not least, I've joined Denise's 12 in 2012 sock knitting challenge.  I think I've only finished one pair of socks this year!