Perspective

My last post I wailed on about hating my Stampede project, about being totally miserable and just ready for it to be finished.  I acted like I was the most miserable, suffering person in Calgary.

And then...

(THESE ARE NOT MY PHOTOS... they are taken from Google image.... I did not take these photos!)

Suddenly a stupid blanket doesn't mean much does it?

Somewhere in those pictures is a zoo (underwater), many friend's homes, (underwater), the Stampede grounds themselves (underwater).  The rivers are not supposed to look like this.  100,000 people evacuated from their homes.  These were photos on Friday morning, after the waters crested.  Thankfully most of the water has receded now and people are getting in and trying to clean up and rebuild as quickly as possible.*

A blanket means nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  Especially when OUR HOME is 100% okay, and didn't see water.  2 blocks from my house there were flood waters, but my street is dry and remained dry.  Hell, I'm one of few downtown Calgary dwellers that still even have power.  I HAVE SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR RIGHT NOW.  A stupid blanket means NOTHING.  Not enjoying myself while knitting it means NOTHING.

And so, with little fanfare, I have to also tell you it's finished.  (And yes, the Stampede and the Western Showcase is STILL ON.  I'm still dropping this puppy off on Wed... somehow...)

Pattern: Bunny Blanket by Amy Bahrt
Yarn(s): Cascade 220 Superwash Sport colors 1914 (blue), 802 (green), 817 (cream), 826 (orange)
Needle: US 5
Thoughts: I've already complained enough about this blanket.  There is nothing wrong with this pattern, you just have to like knitting with bobbins and weaving in ends.  I found out I like neither of these things.  I will say it's a very cute project but also not practical.  Sadly, 3 months of effort and I can't really give it to anyone... as all of the "3D" aspects of the blanket make it impossible to wash.  Impossible to wash = not a good baby gift.

It was painful to knit but it is insanely cute....

And for those of you, like me, who like to see the "other side" of things... I give you the blanket on the reverse...

I won't lie.  I am SO. SO. RELIEVED this is done.  I'm just trying to figure out how I'm going to get it the BMO building (around all of the road closures) on Wed. 

So now, as I'm finally free to knit what I'd like... I'm left just to reflect just how damn fortunate I am that I have a dry house (currently under construction...) and the time to knit on things that are not this blanket.

*Calgary has proven itself to be a simply amazing city- the way I've seen people help others, complete strangers mostly, is truly heartwarming.  I am so proud of our little big city and the way we handled this.  *GROUP HUG!*

In Which I Complain Bitterly

How sick are you of this stupid blanket?  How sick are you of hearing me complain about this stupid blanket?  If you take all those things, you wouldn't even come close to how SICK I AM OF THIS STUPID BLANKET.

I hates it.  I hates it so much.

Yes, I'm close.  Really close.  So close a blog post bitching and whining about how sick I am of THIS STUPID BLANKET is probably unnecessary- but here we are.  Because, in case you missed it, I AM SICK OF THIS STUPID BLANKET.

It's blocked and I'm sewing on ears.  The ears aren't perfect.  They are making me twitchy.  I like perfection.  I need to accept that when it comes to sewing on ears... perfection is not going to be achieved here.  It also bugs me because the less perfect the ears are, the less I want to submit this as my Stampede entry.  It's not perfect- what if people look at it and say "WHAT A HORRIBLE KNITTER!?"  (They won't- I'm entirely in "over dramatize and over react" stage of knitting this blanket.  I am at the stage where I think this blanket may be responsible for Cancer.  Seriously.  I hate it that much.)

I have until Wed.  The ears aren't the final part.  I still need to crochet and attach (*sob- I hate sewing more than I hate this project I think...) "stems" to the "carrots".  Suddenly Wednesday is coming up on me so fast it's making my head spin.  WHEN WILL I FIND THE TIME TO DO THIS!?  WHY WILL MY CHILD NOT NAP FOR A GOOD FIVE HOUR STRETCH?  (For the record, he's never, ever, in his entire life, napped for a 5 hour stretch... but see the part about being dramatic written above.)

I look at other projects with agony and desire.  I LONG TO KNIT SOMETHING THAT IS NOT THIS STUPID. BLANKET.  

Did I mention this blanket is stupid?  Did I mention I'm over it.  Like O.V.E.R. I.T.

GAH.  I need wine.  SO MUCH WINE.

(No- there are no pictures... because I'm too mad at this blanket to capture it on photo.)

Summer Planning

For the next three months the stash and I will be separated.  (Commence hang wringing, fidgeting, nail biting and any other nervous twitch associated with being apart from your beloved.)

(Feels like a good reason to separate for awhile... the whole house is like this.)

I'm always so overwhelmed when it comes to project planning for the future.  I needed to pack up enough stash to get me through the summer.  (I do have access to my stash so it's not like I can't go back to get something.)  BUT- on the upside, it makes great blog fodder... so here's what I packed.

Black & White: Leftover acrylic for a blanket section I'm knitting for WCOBBS.
Small Blue Ball: The Lace shawl I haven't given up completely on.... yet.
The Pink Stuff: Hat yarn for pink hat project of 2013.  (I'm ahead!  More on that in a minute)
Red & Black Balls: Mitten yarn for MiL... I promised her mittens back in February... it's probably time I started those.
Green with Pink and Purple Stripes: My simple self striping sock
Grey, Blue & Purple Stripe blanket

So yes, I'd say that I'm optimistic on what I can accomplish this summer.  Not pictured is the Misery project because IT IS BLOCKING. 

I have officially entered in... so this MUST BE DONE by June 26.  I am heeding the advice from those of you who commented to me that washing pom pom's is not advised and am devising a way for them to be detachable.  MiL and I were discussing this the other day, this is probably more of a wall hanging than an actual functional blanket.... but oh well- it'll be cute in someone's room?  The end is near!  I also decided to enter the Belearique Socks I finished back in January because, why not?!

I mentioned that I was ahead for my hat knitting count as July hat is done.  Say hello to my pinky friend....

AND, if as if that isn't enough good news to kick off the summer- my kiddo is finally over his cold and is back to his much more normal self. 

I'm so glad it's finally June!  Let's see where all these projects will be at the end of August!!

Closing in on the Finish Line

 I'm just going to say it.  Weaving in ends is the bain of my existence.  I like the knitting part, even when it can be excruciatingly painful, but gah, weaving in ends is just so... so... I don't even have the adjective to tell you how much I don't enjoy it.

We started here:

I wove in the blues:

Then I wove in the greens:

And finally the oranges:

THEN- I had a G I G A N T I C glass of wine.  GIGANTIC.  (Waiting to do whites last, a) for my sanity and b) because it might come in handy to tack other parts on after.)

I also knit most of the fiddly parts.  (Anyone know how pom poms wash in a washing machine?  ANNE... looking at your knowledge on this particularly.)

Next up is blocking the blanket and pieces, which will happen this Sunday or Monday.  And then... THEN, OMG- more sewing and likely more ends to weave in.  *enormous sigh*

BUT, trying to look on the positive side, we're close.  SO. CLOSE.  It's going to happen for Stampede.  It is.  So I guess, memo to self, enter that this week.

Oh yah... since I'm down a blocking board until late this weekend, I also knit June's hat... kinda cute huh?  (Also half way through July's hat too- woo!)

It's going to be a big party when this baby is considered "FINISHED"- we will celebrate.  I promise you that.