I am not ashamed. I will not hide my love for yarn and all it can become. I will walk with my head held high and know that the world is a better place because of my incessant love of all things knitting (and crochet apparently) This is my WIP Pride Parade:
(Pic and link heavy)
Project: Liesl Cardigan for me
Yarn: Jaeger Roma (mineral)
Needle: size 11
Status: Needs ONE button. I love this cardigan so much and it only needs ONE button before I can wash, block and wear. I hate doing buttons SO much that I put this aside to "do the last button later." What is wrong with me people? How pathetic. Thinking I might do that button this weekend....must.gather.strength for button.
Yarn: Various. The teal is always Rowan Calmer (refresh)
Hook: H
Status: Most ends are woven in. but I am still putting the squares into strips, then strips onto the blanket. I'm a little tired of this color combination, because....
Project: Granny Stripe
Yarn: Again, various, all worsted weight. Teal is again Rowan Calmer. These were made specifically to coordinate.
Hook: K
Status: Just needs a few measly ends woven in, then washed and blocked out a bit. It's like falling down two steps from the finish line after a marathon and swearing you are too exhausted to finish. Clearly I have issues.
Yarn: Green is Zarone Reddish Brown is Comfy Bulky by Knit Picks (who the flip decided it was okay to discontinue this yarn??) in Adobo and the dark brown is Patons Shetland Chunky in Earthy Brown Tweed Going for a camo thing here.
Hook: N
Status: Almost done weaving in ends on the sides, then it needs a border. I can't stand this heavy wooly thing on my lap when its pushing 100 degrees, so I am holding back on finishing this until its a bit cooler (see how sensible I am??)
Yarn: The base color, Navy, is Knit Picks Sine (Sailor), and I am using some Cotton-Ease, some CottonTots and some Baby Cakes. The lovely orange is a vintage yarn I got in a swap on Ravelry.
Hook: H
Staus: Well this was supposed to be a twin sized blanket, but it recently came to my attention that Little Son would prefer a cuddle sized blanket (a witness saw child in question stealing his baby sister's cuddle sized blanket, prompting Good Mommy to take note of his desire for one of his own) Which has me itching to get this thing done. It's in a gift bag waiting for it's turn in the ever-rotaing pile of "current projects."
Yarn: Bernat Waverly which I scored for .88 per skein. I don't care how much people hate on acrylic, yarn this cheap is GOOOOOOOD. I love the colors.
Hook: I
Status: I have one more repeat of the color sequence and then I can weave in ends and start on the border. I don't mind acrylic but if I use it too long, my hands aren't happy. So this gets done in spurts.
Alright, so you're thinking....are blankets all this crazy chick does? I thought she knit...And mostly, I do knit. But as crazy as this will paint me out to be, there was a brief period of time when knitting made me physically sick (Yep, you're leaning towards a crazy person diagnosis, I can feel it...) The thing is, when I first got pregnant, I was laid flat on my ass. I was so horribly sick that all I could do was knit. That was the singular thing I was able to do with what strength I had. Well, then I visited a Magical Place called the ER and was given a special Potion that took the morning sickness away. Oh happy day!! Now I could do all the things I was supposed to AND knit. Wrong. The second I picked up my knitting, I immediately felt a wave of nausea so strong it was unreal. I guess my brain had connected knitting with sick. I was horrified. How could I spend my free time, if not with yarn and needles? Well, I started to crochet and for whatever reason, it didn't provoke the same response. I was eventually able to knit again, but seriously I was questioning my sanity for quite a while....
Now for some Knit Wips:
Project: Shades of Summer Swing Top This is actually a pattern for a dress, but I am making them shorter to be a top. I also modified this pretty heavily, skipping seed stitch for plain stockinette and adding ruffles to the shoulders.
Yarn: Knit Picks Comfy (marlin) for the upper body and for the swing skirt I am using a carry along Trendsetter Flora
Needle: size 6 Clover Bamboo
Status: Eh. I think the issue is I know I am going to run out of the carry along, so I am living in denial. Because if I don't actually KNIT it, the yarn can't run out. Dumb.
Project: Fair Isle Christmas Stockings
Yarn: Mostly Wool-Ease and the pink is some Caron One Pound (not exactly my favorite but I love the color)
Needle: Addi Turbos, 16" size 8
Status: Well the first one is techinically done being KNIT, but it needs lined with velour. I need like 9 of these and even though they are a pleasant project and rather easy, but when I haven't worked on them in a while I sort of physche myself out remembering (inaccurately) that "fair isle is hard..." No it's not...I just have attitude about getting to the heel. I don't like heels. Stockings have heels. But it's getting on Christmas time, so maybe I should rethink my aversion for heels.
Project: Basic Hat, Camo colors
Yarn: Bulky weight 100% wool
Status: Need to weave in start/finish tails then wash/block.
Project: Another Granny Stripe
Yarn: Jaeger Roma (Fern, Raspberry and Mocha)
Hook: I
Status: This is a toughy. This yarn is my all-time favorite yarn. And I had this idea that since I love it so much I should have a blanket for myself out of it. So I started one. But the thing is, even though I lust after the idea of a blanket made of this, I somehow feel like I am destroying the integrity of that yarn by crocheting a blanket out of it rather than knitting it into a beautiful garment, because you know, I can't just get MORE and do that as well right?!? Sigh.
Project: Basic Hat with some purl rounds thrown in for interest
Yarn: Classic Elite Wool Bam Boo (pink)Needle: 16 inch fixed metal circular, Knit Picks, size 5
Status: Already have done a couple decrease rounds, but since the next step is DPNS (pointy little bastards. Ihatethemsomuch) I'm sort of dawdling on it. Great yarn though!
Project: Top down raglan Diane Soucey for around a 5-6ish boy
Yarn: Awesome steal from DBNY, handpainted superwash Merino from one of their yarn store close outs. It originated from a now defunct yarn dyeing business called WillowWoodPonds (I think)
Needle: Size 7
Status: I need to try the body on Little Son to see how much longer it is on him than it should be so I can match the sleeve length to it, but the kid is always so nasty I haven't even tried yet. I really am itching to finish this because I LOVE the yarn so much!
Project: Uhm, another Granny Stripe, without the stripes...easy pattern people. I'm not a bit obsessed and I resent you thinking so.
Yarn: This is called "Baby Cover" but I can't find it on Yarndex. It's a superwash wool that I scored at DBNY for a pittance.
Hook: I? K? I think K.
Status: Here's the thing. When you have a lot of kiddos, chances are they are going to like really NOT YOU colors (more of this below) and when they aren't your colors and the yarn is a bit scratchy (but will totally soften up after washing) it makes it hard to pick it back up. I will, but doubting that will happen anytime soon.
Project: Feather and Fan blanket to coordinate with the pink/brown/white of the other girls blankets, minus the teal
Yarn: Again, various.I collected odd balls of cotton blend yarns in a worsted weight for this. The varigated in this is Hobby Lobby's Hush A Bye yarn.
Needle: Size 10, Susan Bates Silverlume
Status: I really love knitting on this, but at one point a foster puppy chewed right through the cord and I lost a couple rows on the blanket. So while it's back on (nonchewed) needles, it was traumatic enough to keep me from wanting to work on it for lengthy intervals. I will work on this when it gets a bit colder, just out of guilt ;)
Project: Do I really have to talk about this one? I hate it. Really hate it. Supposed to be a Cassia dress turned into a top. I hate everything about it.
Yarn: Rowan Damask (lava)
Needle: Don't remember, don't care. Did I mention I hated this? That I still hate it?
Status: Much hated pile of yarny poo shoved in a bin, never to be spoken of again.
Yarn: Moda Dea Vision (Sedona)
Needle: Size 10 Susan Bates, some kind of gold one
Status: In one of my "current knitting" baskets, so I am actively working on this. Have one ball used up and just started on the second. I am plann!!ing on using all three that I have.
Yarn: Berocco Comfort (White, light pink, candy pink) and Knit Picks Comfy for what is showing up as a purple but is really a more darker/purpley pink, (lady slipper)
Status: Also in "current knitting basket" Loving it very much. The yarn is so soft and so girly!!
Project: My first ever real sock
Yarn: Bernat Sox (camo)
Needle: 2.25 mm, 12 inch Addi Turbo circulars
Status: It will never end. I will knit on these until it's time to pick out a casket for my husband and then, and only then, will he have these to wear on his feet. But still among the favorites in my current knitting basket.
Project: The Husband Sweater
Yarn: Ultra Alpaca (Purchased in the natural, hand-dyed to be "Mossy Oak" by one very loving wife who can't find adequate words to describe the stench that is wet wool/alpaca being dyed with acid dyes, heating in the oven. I gag just thinking about it. That's love Man.)
Needle: This is SAFELY on a Susan Bates size 7 Quick Silver needle. Not once, oh no...but TWICE, I had this bad boy on my Knit Picks options and BOTH times the cord fell out of the connectors thingees. The first time it was so bad I had to frog the ENTIRE sweater back. I was PISSED. The second time, I noticed the break super quick and ran my happy little butt to Joanns to get a different needle. They almost got a nasty gram because although I love the pointy, optiony goodness of these needles, they have some serious quality control issues. Every cord I've ever owned has broken. Pisses me off.
Status: I work on it here and there, mostly during movies or something like that when I need some good ol boring stockinette to keep my hands moving. I am still doing the raglan increases, but almost ready to put the sleeve stitches on holders and work the body. My man is a big guy, so this is a labor of love!
Project: Christmas Tree Skirt (Basic Garter Stitch Short Row Pattern)
Needles: Size 15 Boye circulars
Status: I pull it out every now and then. Maybe done by this Christmas, maybe not. Who knows? I have to finish the circle up, weave in ends, then crochet a ruffle all around it. I do love it.
Yarn: I Love This Yarn solids and some vintage Roly Poly acrylics, in all the shades my daughter wanted. Again with the "not my colors" thing. I am holding this worsted weight yarn DOUBLED and knitting on big ass Addis (like 15 or 17, I forget which)
Needles: See above
Status: I love that my daughter loves this, but I have to wear sunglasses every time I work on it. But on the bright (bright HA!) side if she wants to go to a Gay Pride parade in the Artic, she's all set. I'll do a few novelty rows every now and then just so I am not lying when I say "I'm still working on that." (Hey you, quit judging, she did get the whole Granny Stripe in Neopolitan colors right quick.....)
Yarn: The purple is Everyday Worsted (a really nice acrylic), the magenta is Knit Picks Comfy (Fairytale) and the teal is Patons South Pacific, which is discontinued. Cool yarn.
Needle: K, wanted to keep the spaces open
Status: Another I will pull out and work on when I am tired of looking at the same old colors over and over again. I really love all the yarn and the pattern is easy breezy.
Project: Total hodge podge of random shiz to get a lacey, puff sleeve top
Needle: Was on 7's but now on the options cord holders
Status: got bored with it, but putting it up here piqued my interest. Hmmm....
Yarn: Uruaguay Chunky
Needle: I dunno.....
Status:What kind of dumbass gets this far and quits? This one apparently.All it needs is wee little button thingees (was planning on button loops since I didn't do buttonholes) and I kept forgetting which side you put buttons on for boys and in frustration decided I didn't really give a shiz and the buttons could take a flying leap, cheeky little bas-tards, all wanting to assert their masculinity and all that, so fine, you can get stuffed in a drawer. Pfffft.
And that's it. You have no idea how long it took me to put this post together and I am so not going to admit it. In case you are wondering why all the details, I am going to use this post as a reference when (if) I go back to these WIPs. Yeah, that's it.
So you are probably wondering, with this many projects...where do I put them? Is my house a total cluster-fudge of yarn and projects and needles? No, not really. I have one small corner of my closet that holds ALL my crafty interests. I have all my WIPS, stash yarn, stash fabric and other stuff like that, plus the bin of baby clothes I keep for my littlest one's outgrown and to be grown into clothes. Wanna see?
As for the favorite children, the "current" projects, I keep them in two baskets. One for upstairs, one for down:
Oh that Mosaic Moon yarn in the basket? Don't worry about that. You don't see that. It's not a WIP yet. We're in negotiations ;)
Do you have your own WIP Pride Parade? If you do, will you leave me a comment with where I can see it?? I'd really love to know where I stand ;)
I've been thinking I need to do this for my WIPs. Thanks for the kick in the pants.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see yours!!
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