Charity and Other Distractions

My turn on a WCOBB blanket came up this past week and it sort of got me distracted.

"Tuxedo Junction" is done- and below is my 6" section in black and white mosaic.  (Each section is a black and white mosaic pattern.)

I had to stash dive in the acrylic stash to get the yarn out for this- and it just set me off on charity distractions.  I would REALLY... REALLY like to get my acrylic stash  down to nuthin'.  Like nuthin' nuthin'.  I'm actually pretty close.  Diving in the stash gave me a chance to survey what else was down there and lo and behold I a) signed up for another blanket, b) started my own blanket ("Seasonal" themed)

and c) got inspired to knit an entire WCOBB blanket myself.  (Because you know, I apparently think I have spare time.... HAHAHAHA)

THEN- I got inspired to knit a mysterious Christmas project for someone- but I'm not going to be spoiling that here.  Ravelry members can see what I end up doing once that gets going- but there won't be much discussion or pictures until that has been gifted.  It's another mystery project!

And then- ANOTHER inspiration for ANOTHER mystery project for Christmas fell into my lap and I fell down the pattern search rabbit hole over on Ravelry.

All of this means to say simply, I didn't work on what I'm actually SUPPOSED to be working on right now.  God I get distracted easily.

I've had to start doing a little knitting "goal setting" in order to get me through and knit all the things I want to knit.

1) I must get the entire knitting portion (not the rather substantial crochet border) of the argyle blanket by Nov 15.

2) I can then switch between pattern design, and cast on for Mystery Project #1 and crochet border done on the blanket by Nov. 30.

3) Mystery Project #1 must be in blocking pins by Dec 10.  (I cannot believe I'm already thinking about Dec!)

4) Mystery Project #2 must be blocking by Dec 22.

5) Charity blanket done by me can begin as soon as other projects are finished.

This doesn't include the other blanket I signed up for, but I can usually turn those around in a day or 2, so I think it shouldn't throw too much of a wrench into my planning.

So stay tuned- it's about to get a whole lot more interesting around here while I try and keep myself on track.  Hopefully it means a few more FO's to brag about soon!

Thankful

This Thanksgiving I have a lot to be thankful for.  (Knit wise... I'd be here all day if I had to list what I was thankful for in my "regular" life.)

I am thankful that the Mystery Mittens are no longer a mystery.

Pattern: Lotus Mittens by Heather Desserud (Ravelry download)
Yarns: Red: Madeline Tosh, Tosh Merino Light (in Tart) Black: Patons North America Kroy Socks 4 Ply (in Black)
Needle: US 3
Notes: I can finally, FINALLY say that I'm beginning to knit stranded mittens at a looser gauge.  My only complaint on these mittens is where the thumb joins.  (On the inside of the hand so you wouldn't exactly see it...)  I don't find the join clean, it doesn't seem to follow in with the pattern.  Just a tiny gripe though- otherwise this is a lovely pattern.

   

Mother in Law looks kinda thankful too huh?  (And yes- this was done PRIOR to snow flakes!)

(She helped pick out the red yarn so we'd get a really nice match to her coat... but she never knew what she was getting until she had them in hand.)

I'm thankful that the new blanket seems like a quick knit so far.

While the pattern does require some attention, it's actually pretty easy to knit and it knits up nice and speedy!  I'm hoping to have this one off the needles in November.  Baby is due Jan 1, but it would be great to be able to have it ready to go if that little bambino shows up early.

And, because I couldn't resist- I'm thankful for this little boy- who is happy (mostly) and charming and hardly a baby anymore!  (I'm also thankful that he takes EXCELLENT naps! {see how I related it to knitting there??})

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

The Adventures of Productive Girl!

*When we last left our hero, Productive Girl was distracted, desperately trying to achieve some kind of normal admist the chaos of moving back in after a major home renno.  Productive Girl was productive in unpacking her house but had little to no time to devote to her favorite past time, knitting.  Projects were going un-knit and Productive girl was feeling a little like she was never NOT going to be unpacking/moving back in to a house again.

Thankfully our heroine's house is beginning to look more like a house and less like a construction zone.  So much so that Productive Girl has been able to log in some real progress this week on her Mystery Mitten.  {There was a touch and go moment last week where it looked like it might snow and make me a LIAR out of my commitment to get these done before the first snow- but thankfully it didn't snow and I'm still on "target" to finishing prior to flakes.}

Oh NO!  It looks like the evil Super-Villian, the PROCRASTINATOR! (Muhahahahahaha), may be trying to throw our hero off course... it appears Productive Girl is going to run out of black yarn prior to the finish of the thumbs.

Our Productive Girl is trying not to hyperventilate over this set back- and plans to hit Michaels for more black fingering weight yarn, (where dye-lots didn't seem to matter last time she ran out of this yarn) and get these mittens finished.  Also, Productive Girl wants me to mention that her MiL has found her the BEST. MITTENS. EVER (for someone NOT Productive Girl) and Productive girl cannot start these in good conscience until she gets the Mystery Mittens done and a good jump on the blanket.

Productive Girl has also fallen into some other distractions this week that are slowing her progress on the Argyle Blanket.  Productive Girl conquered her "Mount Everest" in baking and successfully made French Macarons.

{I MADE THESE!  WITH MY HANDS!  And ok... my oven too.  BUT O!M!G! I am so stinkin' proud of myself for making these!!  It is physically impossible for me to talk about making these and not use exclamation! points!  !!!!!!!)

Productive Girl also devoted an afternoon/evening of valued knitting time to unpacking/hanging the Crystals on her Chandelier.  While it was a total time SUCK- look how pretty!  (JUST LOOK HOW PRETTY- I love this light SOOOO much.)

It's good to see you get some stuff done Productive Girl!  Keep fighting on!  Stay Productive!