Tag Archives: hibernation

Finish or Frog It Time

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Y’all….it is Stash Dash season. I won’t regurgitate the whole stash dash conversation, just go look it up at the KnitGirllls. I normally don’t participate because I really like to knit whatever feeds my mojo and not for arbitrary yardage goals. But I have been encouraged by all the recent projects flying off my needles that has really left me wanting to finish things. This led to digging around in the depths of my craft room I unearthed four long languishing WIPS. So lets play a round of finish it or frog it shall we?

Working clockwise from we have:

I was brutally honest with myself and frogged three of the four. Any guesses? Well I’ll keep this short and tell you I kept the MOA shawl in the variegated brown tones. This means I have new WIP to work on and I have freed up three sets of needles and three projects bags. I feel so much lighter and excited to find better projects for all that yarn.

Although….the Alpaca/Merino mix yarn just didn’t get my motor running anymore. I might be looking for it to find a good home somewhere else. Do you ever fall out of love with a skein of yarn?

Happy Knitting!!

 

Into Hibernation: Part Two

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Today I bring you the second WIP going into hibernation due to the Pigskin Party KAL. These are my Vacation Vanilla socks. I finally made myself make a decision about where to place the cuff and finished the first sock.

I have to admit this project was created sort of on the fly. I was on vacation this summer and needed another project on the needles after finishing the one that I had packed. So I had the yarn shop wind this right up and I cast on a vanilla sock with the needles I had on hand. They are size 0s which are not what I usually make socks on. But this yarn seemed on the lighter side of fingering and I went up to 72 stitches to compensate. But as I was knitting those niggling thoughts kept creeping in that this sock looked very skinny for my big girl feet.

Well turns out I skated through by the skin of my teeth. The foot fits beautifully as does the heel. But the leg is a wee bit snug. These will not fall down for sure. I did increase three stitches every inch or so as I went up the leg. You can sort of see my increases in the photo above. I’m so glad I did and honestly it could have stood a couple more. The fabric is really stretched at the top of the leg and cuff.

But if anyone is that close to my foot so as to notice that detail of the fabric they are going to get a foot to the face, lol. As with my Drunken Watermelon socks I did go ahead and cast on the toe of the second sock and get started in the round. These will be my “emergency movie theatre or spontaneous car trip knitting” if I happen to need an easy vanilla project.

Happy Knitting!!

Into Hibernation: Part One

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The Down Cellar Studio Pigskin Party KAL is here and sadly WIPs don’t count. I tried like the dickens to finish up all my WIPs before the knit-a-long started but alas I was not successful. So a few of my projects are going to have to go into hibernation.

First up is my, Strands of Drunken Watermelon socks….

As you can see I finished the first sock. I think it looks beautiful with this combination of yarn and pattern. I was feeling the time crunch and really just wanted to be done so I worked the pattern a few time for the leg and added the cuff. I’m usually disappointed when I make decisions like these. But I think the sock fits great and it’s really an okay length. And I only had a small ball of yarn left…I promise.

The sock has 72 stitches which is big even for my size 9/10 US feet. But the slipped stitch fabric really pulls in and tightens up the sock. The gusset heel also fits nicely around my big girl feet. I haven’t tried a short row heel yet but the gusset heel fits the best out of all the others I have tried so far.

I did cast on and establish the pattern for sock number two before putting these into hibernation. Well hibernation might be an overstatement. These went back into my desk drawer for “back up emergency conference call and webinar knitting”. They will probably get worked on here and there but won’t receive any concerted focus until after the KAL ends.

Happy Knitting!!

Back From Hibernation

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Remember my Spiral Leg Warmers from 2013? Ha, neither did I until I found them hibernating in my craft room. I put them away sometime in August or so. They were Stashbustin’ #34 for last year.

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This project was hiding in one of my favorite yarn holders…and I want that yarn holder for a 2014 project. Solution = finish the dang things! I only have 6-7 inches of pattern left to knit. (The second leg is a lot farther along than in this photo) How hard can that be? I hope to have them wrapped up by the weekend so I can have my favorite pink yarn case back!!

And on the plus side I can have some cute leg warmers to wear to the gym so I don’t look like the crazy lady wearing shorts or yoga pants outside in January! Not to mention….wouldn’t these look fab with some black leggings and boots?

Happy Knitting!

Coming Clean

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Time to come clean….

Remember this?

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Yep this if Florelei shawl in Cascade Sunseeker yarn or my Stashbustin’ #22. I started this waaaay back here. Then I filled you in my all my progress here.

Well, I feel obligated to inform you that it still looks like this. This pattern is great but represents a serious skills challenge for this shawl chart newbie. This summer has just been so packed with fun and activity I haven’t had the time nor inclination to sit back down with this. And now I’m in the throws of knitting for fall craft fairs for the next three months.

So in all honestly, I am going to let this project hibernate in my craft room. Right on top of my yarn cabinets where I can clearly see it. And come this winter when the snow is falling softly outside I will pull this project out and kick it’s shawl behind. I don’t care that it’s a shawl and I should be making sweaters. I know that I need some fortitude and peace to work this project out. And so it will have to be.

Have you ever had to put a project in long term time out?