Rainbow Knitting Continues

Welp- that was quick... blanket 1 was off the needles on Jan 16 and I need to jump and move quickly if I'm going to get blanket #2 going and done for Jan 31.  Here's a sneak peak on what I'm doing for #2....

Can you guess is yet?  Haha.  There is more than enough colors left, so I'm not worried about running out of yarn.  I bought some black this time to have a more consistent color theme throughout and we'll see how #2 turns out!

Wanna see #1?

Pretty colorful.  It's not ready for it's glamor shots yet.  I need to weave in ends and block it a little, try to even it out.  I now know what it would look like to graduate the colors like that.  It's um... bright.  It looks cool  but I will admit I'm not wildly in love with it- so to WCOBB it will be donated!

I've decided that the rules to knitting 2 blankets this month does not include finishing- because GAH- that acrylic is going to take forever to block and GAH... that'll just be too much.  I joined the "February is for Finishing" knit-a-long in a Ravelry group and will make finishing the blankets as part of that priority.  (I've also signed up my second set of Polaris mittens and the preschool socks for the finishing in Feb.)

I know that in January I usually do a great big stash analysis and WHOO BOY- I still want to do it- but right now frantic blanket knitting is the priority so there hasn't been time to really get into the cabinet and photograph what's in there.  (There is so. much.)  BUT, in a fit of organization, I did organize my knitting notions that I keep upstairs to have access at any time.

I store my knitting stuff in this little pencil case the lovely Knitting Water (Hi Anne!) gifted to me one Christmas many many moons ago.  (Pre-babies!)

I love it.  It's not too big, it has just the right number of side pockets and (bonus) it's pink and Hello Kitty!

Here's the content all dumped out....

YIKES!  Chaos!  Let's organize shall we?

So- what exactly is in here?

Well for one thing, the next time I see a row counter, ANY counter, I am just going to walk away because GOOD LORD that is a lot of row counters in the right corner there.  And sadly, that's not all of them, there are probably like 3 or 4 other ones kicking around in various project bags that require my attention.

Also holy smokes do I not need any more stitch markers.  I had no idea there were that many in there!!  Truthfully I use my donuts and rainbow yarn balls almost exclusively as they're a little more whimsical but the other ones do tend to serve purposes from time to time.

Apparently my next greatest need as a knitter is lip balm?  HUH?  I hate HATE chapped lips.  But I think 3 is probably a little excessive don't you think?  Haha.  It's a good thing I cleaned this thing out!

The rest of the stuff is used every so often, and probably good to be in there.  I like those cable needles-  in my opinion a shorter cable needle is better and I like that it varies in sizes.  Crochet (ew!) hooks are also a necessary evil, especially now since I've mostly made my peace with crochet.  My poor little tape measure has been around for a long long time and it's starting to show it's age.  (It also happens to be an often used "toy" my son favors.)

So tell me- am I missing anything in my little notions kit?  What do you keep fairly close at hand?