NEWS BULLETIN

WE INTERRUPT YOUR REGULARY SCHEDULED KNITTING MOJO WHINING TO BRING YOU THIS IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:

I finished something.

Pattern: Cuddly Monster Blanket by Rebecca Danger
Yarn: Diamond Luxury Collection Pure Wool in 930 (Blue) and 934 (Blue-Green)
Needles: US 7
Notes: Instead of stuffing the hands I left them flat as I figured it would make the inevitable need to wash it a lot easier.  It's a whole "lotta" garter stitch.  You will hate garter stitch when it's over, but you will also love the finished product.

I'm the first to admit this... I gave this project a whole bunch of hate nearly from day one.  I didn't like the way the colors were blending and worried about the blue being too purple.  I worried about the size being too small.  I wanted desperately at several points just to be done the whole thing.  But in the end... when the last end was woven in and I took a step back I surprised myself by liking it.  Even husband was like "hey that turned out great!"  It's really stinkin' cute and I think the couple will love it.  (Even if it's a little late... oops!)

It feels good to have this off the needles and I've already started thinking about the next blanket that needs to get going soon.  I'm setting the goal to start Aug 1- so I have some time to mess around on Ravelry and find something I can really sink my teeth into.  I'm weirdly motivated on this so I'm hoping blanket #2 is what get the mojo back into the swing of things.

In other news- I've had two hours to kill time this week and both times I brought my Take 5 sock to work on, only to completely ignore it.  I realized that I didn't want to work on it because it was bothering me that the (hardly noticeable) problem of the pattern not lining up was subconsciously bugging me and I didn't want to work on it.  So- I fixed that problem.

Left is before, right is after.  I frogged the entire leg- which sucks... but honestly I'm more interested in knitting it today than I have been in months so it was the right, but difficult call.  Hopefully we can get that off the needles soon and drive ahead to something else.

Also I need to report that my foray into the Stampede wasn't it's usual success- mostly because I didn't really put in my regular effort.  I entered my Sydanmaa Mittens from waaaay back.  They are lovely, they are knit perfectly and they are so soft... but I'm being honest- they aren't show stoppers.  And I knew that going in.  I was not surprised that I didn't win anything.  The good news in all of this is that the theme next year is "WILD ROSE" and oh lordy do I have some ideas swirling in my ole head!  So who knows... hopefully I can build on that momentum.

Speaking of building on momentum... (and entirely unrelated to knitting)... THIS HAPPENED yesterday and we are VERY. VERY. EXCITED.

And so now my days will be spent outside trying to build on this momentum and get us to a good place by the end of the summer.

YOU MAY NOW RETURN TO YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED KNITTING.

That's One Slow Ass Monster

Hey Jen how's the knitting slump?  "bout the same".  Can you tell?

Thing to admit #1:

Guys- this blanket in my "glory days" of knitting would have potentially taken me 2.5 weeks.  TWO. POINT. FIVE. WEEKS.  How long has this thing taken me?  Longer than I care to admit.  Long enough that the baby is BORN and I'm still dragging my butt on this.

Thing to admit #2:

The main part of this blanket knit up slow.  So. SLOW.  But in the end... it's actually kind of to the small size of how I knit these and I feel badly.  Will the receive-ee's of this blanket look at me and be like "you're phoning it in"?  It's cute... but it's also... to the small size.

Thing to admit #3:

I only have a few things left on this.  I am painfully close to being done.  Like eyes and some teeth and a quick foray into kitchner stitch to seal up these ears.  I could, potentially finish it this weekend.  I won't likely (because time... WHERE ARE YOU?)- but I could.  And the idea of moving on to something, anything else, is vastly appealing.

I'd like to knit something small next.  A quick "Oh yeah- I made that"- just to feel like I've accomplished something.  But the truth is at my current pace, I actually need to start another baby blanket for other friends due in Sept STAT... if I stand a chance if getting them the gift once baby is born.

I'm still here.  It's still happening.  I'm not going anywhere... just at an insanely slow pace.  I'm waiting the slump out.  At some point the desire and motivation to knit is going to hit me again and I'll take off... in the mean time I'm riding this out and hoping inspiration strikes soon.  Thanks for sticking with me guys... I appreciate it!