Progress Report

True to my word, I met last week's goals and I'm proud of myself because I'm actually making decent progress on this plan.

Blanket #1 is off the needles, ends need to be woven in and blanket still needs to be blocked- but it's done.  And that feels good.

Blanket #2 is on the needles and moving at a decent clip.  I'm pleased that this pattern knits so fastly!  (Good choice me!)

When you put the two blankets together you can really see the difference.  I hope my cousin likes this and thinks it's neat... because I'm quite pleased with myself.

AND- I finally got off my butt and got my charity blanket section out the door.  Do I love it?  No.  But I couldn't just let it sit in the corner anymore.  I try to get those blankets out the door FAST and it was driving me nuts that I hadn't accomplished that yet.

 

Good thing it's done because I just received word I'm getting another.  I have stepped back considerably my charity involvement this year, allowing myself the time to work on my own stuff- but I'm hoping to pick that back up again later in the year.  I do have yarn for hats- which will get knit (eventually), but I've decided not to sweat it until the summer when I'm more focused on small, simple projects.

Since short term goal setting has been working well for me so I'll keep setting out my intentions.  I'd like to get to the half way point on blanket #2 by next Wed.  In that time I'd also like to knit the final baby hat for a pregnant preschool mom so I can get that obligation out the door too.

February has proven a fruitful month, and I'm hoping the pattern continues!  Back to knitting!

February Facts

FACT: if you make a point of knitting at every moment you possibly can, you see results faster.  WHO KNEW?

Something so glaringly obvious has been working in my favor this last week and the blanket is nearing it's completion, currently at 32.5 inches.

I'm going to do one more repeat of 24 rows (that require approximately 3 hours give or take), and then measure again before I cast off.  I'd like to have the blanket around the 36-37 inches mark.  

FACT: if your kid is Lego OBSESSED and you give him a kit to work on... you can squeeze in hour or so of knitting.

(!!!)

FACT: I LOVE YOU LEGO.

FACT: I'm sort of surprised with just how quickly this blanket is knitting up.  (I'm also extremely greatful.)

Looking ahead... the goal by the end of the weekend is:

a) Blanket 1 cast off

b) Blanket 2 cast on

c) get my charity obligation out the door (I'm woefully behind on that and I feel so guilty!)

Can't talk... must. keep. knitting.

Forge Ahead

Last blog post I left rather up in the air.  Uncertain what I was going to knit and living with the panic that these twins were going to show up and I wasn't going to be ready.  Knitting shouldn't be stressful but it is.  I have a LOT I want to get knit before June 25 this year and I'm not certain how I'm going to find the time to squeeze it all in.  Gentle reader I will spare you the suspense... I got it sorted.

Some looking around on Ravelry and I found my solution... right under my nose.  Pattern is "Mosaic Blanket" and delightfully simple to knit and looks smashing.  I'm sure when I knit it's clone in opposite colors I'm going to screw up a few thousand times mixing up the colors from this knit, but it's knitting along beautifully and fast.  I'm at 14" already.

I also got the monkey off my back and finished up the second last baby set, mostly because mom to be is looking more and more like she's going to need it soon.

Pattern: Cable Teddy Hat by Marinda Lariz & Cable Cuff Booties by Caroline Brooke
Yarn: Mission Falls 136 Merino Superwash (discontinued- but man have I gotten use out of that yarn in my stash... and it's ALL GONE now.)
Needles: US 6 for Hat and US 5 for Boots
Notes: WHY HAVE YOU NOT KNIT THESE PATTERNS YET?  (I'm fully willing to admit I might be getting just a little sick of these... ONE MORE TO GO.)

 

I'm in the thick of blanket knitting now.  It's going fast.  REALLY fast and I'm hoping to go into the long weekend with 20".  Here's the short term Feb goal: finish blanket #1 and be at least 10" into blanket #2.  Also, finish the final baby hat/booties set.

I can do this.  I just need to focus.  And get back to knitting.  I'll keep you posted!

February Follies

It's been another busy week here at Chateau Nennie, a lot of starts and stops and truthfully, frustration.

Let's start with the good... another finished Baby Bootie/Hat Set.  This time for my neighbor who's daughter is expecting a baby mid Feb.  This is grandbaby #1 and she was so excited she told us at like week 8... knowing we don't know her daughter and couldn't tell anyone else.  Thankfully all went well and baby is very nearly due.

Pattern: Booties- Cable Cuff Booties by Caroline Brook
              Hat- Cabled Teddy Hat by Marinda Lariz
Yarn: Knit Picks Comfy Sport (stash down!) in white
Needles: Booties- US 5 and Hat- US 6
Notes: I've knit this so often you've heard all I have to say on them- but I knit them regularly for a reason.  The results are smashing and highly satisfying and the mama is always happy with them.

I've already moved into the last 2 remaining sets.  The hat was already knit but I've also begun on the booties.  I'd like to finish this set up this week and gift to Mama by Monday next week if at all possible.  (Should be.)

I also got the chance to rescue a friend who had a knit-related crisis.  (She is not a knitter and as I far as she professes, not really all that crafty...)

 

I told her I should be able to help her out and a quick assessment and picking up the stitches later- I was able to assess the damage.  (not that bad at all)

Picking up the stitches, getting the right number of stiches knit together again and a quick finish off the top and this hat is ready to party.

SEEEEEEEE NON KNITTERS!?  You'll never know when you're crazy friend that knits all the time will come in handy!!

Now for the bad.  And it's ugly.

The blanket is gah.... the blanket is slowly sucking my desire to even knit.

I liked the swatch (last week) and figured out the right number of stitches and set to knitting.  All of this took me the better part of a DAY that I essentially wasted getting it right.  A DAY of childfree distractions.  (Which just feels SO wasteful...)

I got about 50 rows in and it just became straight up apparent that it wasn't working.  The pattern doesn't show up that well.  Don't let the picture deceive you- it actually shows up well in a photo for some reason, but seeing the blanket in real life you lose the pattern and it just didn't look right.

And so- I frogged it.  *sobs*  I kept the cast on because I figure whatever I'll do will be mosaic-y and I'll likely be within the number of stiches give or take a few.  The length, after I pulled it off the needles, was good so I at least know where I need to be.  (Although I'm considering going up a needle size...)

Truthfully, as of this writing, I'm not sure what I'll knit.  I'm still stubbornly holding on to this "knit the same pattern reversed" idea that maybe I just need to break free of... for my own sanity.  I'm heavily leaning to "Baby Bricks" which I have done a lot.  (A LOT)

What sucks is that this blanket is holding me up.  I'm stressed.  Babies are due in March and I'm already likely going to be sending them late.  I need to gear up, get myself sorted and SET TO KNITTING.  I also am apparently going to need to scientifically figure out a way to slow down time and to sneak in a million extra stitches.

So that's where I'm at this week gentle reader... I'm sort of lost in the woods on what to do and where to go from here.  If any of you have any inspirations- PLEASE SHARE THEM... I'm feeling a little lost.