1 Month of Yarn Diet: Complete

My stats:

Skeins used in the month of January: 13
Total skein count left: 249
Total FOs completed in January: 6 (a tie, a sweater, 2 pandas, 2 bags) ((oh and I added a new widget over there —–> so you I can better track my FOs this year))
Total yarn purchases in January: 1
Total purchase remaining: 4

I know the numbers above don’t exactly make too much sense (you used 13 balls but still have 249 left? what’s that about?) and I’ll explain that more tomorrow.

I’m very excited about tracking how many FOs I have this year, most other knitters do this but its something that I’ve never tried before, I usually just finish a project and that’s that.  I have no idea how many projects I finished in 2010, and I wish I did.  This year, I’m going to change that!

Hop on over to Tami’s blog to see how the other Yarn Dieters are doing!

FO Friday: What’s That Thing She’s Been Working On?

Ok, so let me just say that I finished this Sunday evening and I love it, so keeping it from you all for almost an entire week has been so freakin’ hard.

You know that thing?  That thing I’ve been showing you bits and pieces of since….oh….November?

what *is* that?

Yea, that thing.

Oh that's what it is!

Its done!  And its been released in to the world (or at least into my wardrobe) and I love love LOVE it.  I’ve worn it to class already and have a hard time taking it off, I can’t wait till it warms up just a leetle bit and I can wear it with some cute tshirts or camis underneath!

easy texture, easy shape

I do plan on writing this pattern up and released for sale through my Etsy shop and Ravelry.  I will also need test knitters for it *wink wink* so keep that in mind!

Adds just enough warmth

It was knit top down, raglan sleeves, almost seamless except for that front panel that adds so much to the piece.  Its knit up kind of like a short scarf then sewn onto the sweater.  I’m thinking of adding a couple of different sleeve lengths, whaddya think?

Wanna show off your own FO Fridays?  Join us over on Tami’s blog!

WIP Wednesday: Another Chevron Bag

Welcome back to another WIP Wednesday!  Wanna participate?  Skip on over to Tami’s Blog to join the fun 😀

Ok, this week my WIP is another Chevron Bag because the first didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to.  Which I’m actually ok with, I’d much rather to it right and get what I want, so I don’t mind doing it again.  And, I want the pattern to be perfect too 🙂

new colors!

Because I used up about 4 different colors in the last bag and had to scour the stash for more wool, the color scheme on this version is totally different, which, again, I love.

using bigger needles too, much better drape

I’ve already used up….one…two…five balls of wool with version and I’m not even done yet!  It feels great to go into my little widget over there —> and lower the number of skeins in my stash 😀

What are you making this week?

Not Exactly What I Wanted

Remember that Chevron bag with all the cool colors and the zig zags?

the ziggy and the zaggy

Yea, that one.

Well, I felted it and it turns out its not exactly what I wanted.  The shaping wasn’t what I had in mind post-felting, the size wasn’t quite right (although that could be because whilst I was felting, I was also cooking an amazingly delicious dinner and may have possibly forgotten about the bag…maybe…).

felted ziggy zaggy

Which means, I’m doing it again.  Making it bigger, more stitches and bigger needles.  But since I used up about four different colors knitting the first one, this one will have a completely different color scheme trying to use up even more of my stash!  This is bittersweet, I loved the colors in the first one, but I do love being able to use up even more of my stash to make a better bag (especially now that I need another one since some inconsiderate thieves stole my last one – I am convinced that they just wanted the colorful, one-of-a-kind, hand knit purse and not its contents).

Anyways, now I have this bag that I’m not sure what to do with.  When it washed, it turned itself inside out and the strap got wrapped around it which resulted in the strap not being evenly placed either.  Do you have ideas of what I could do with it?

When Tragedy Strikes

When tragedy (like the kind that comes in the form of having your passenger window smashed in and your purse stolen) strikes,

I just don't understand the door handle mutilation, not even on the same side as the smashed window

what do you do while you’re waiting for the police to show up so you can file a report?

sittin' on the truck of my vandalized car, waitin' for the po-po

You knit of course.  Or at least I do.

Some days

Some days you just feel like making a panda.

Meet Peter Panda

Yesterday was one of those days.

WIP Wednesday: The Chevron Bag

Welcome back to another WIP Wednesday!  Want to share your own projects or see others’?  Check out Tami’s blog 😀

its a ziggy-and-a-zaggy

My WIP this week is a Chevron bag that I started last…..week sometime, I can’t remember exactly when.  I’m writing up the pattern, which is supposed to be a stash buster for my Yarn Diet hence all of the colors and textures of the wools.

to be felted...

I will be felting it whenever I finish the strap, sew it on, and get over to my laundry facilities.  The pattern is being written up now and will need some test knitters (so keep that in mind 😉 ).

What are you working on?

All Grown Up

Remember this little guy I found a while back?

He's just a wittle guy

Well he’s all grown up now and even has a twin sister! They’ve been adopted into a loving home (by way of a Christmas gifting) and now the pattern for the pair is being written up and will need some test knitters.

now he's all growed up!

There are two sizes, S/M and L/XL, the small only takes one skein of Patons  Kroy Socks FX (166 yds), the larger size shouldn’t require much more (but that’s what the test knitting is for, to find out!).

and he's versatile!

To find out more or if you’re interested, let me know in the Ravelry Group!

FO Friday: The Hemp Tie

So I may have actually finished this last Wednesday, but I haven’t blogged about it yet, so I feel like its appropriate to share with you 🙂

The Ever-So-Handsome Wes adjusting his new tie

The tie used maybe half of the ball of Hempathy I bought, so I have plenty more to make one for myself (and I think I will).  Oh, and I am going to take this time to brag that I figured out how to tie a tie for the first time, and on the first try no less, when I decided to try it on after casting off 🙂

Don't you think I could fit one of these into my day-to-day attire?

Ravelry Deets can be found here.

A pattern is in the works based on all of the responses I got about other knitters wanting to knit one for their significant others, so be on the lookout for that!  I plan on releasing it as a free Ravelry download and I’ll probably be looking for test knitters, so if you’re interested just let me know 😉

Want to see more FO Friday goodies? Check out Tami’s blog!

Get To Know Me 2

• I love wine
• When I open wine bottles, I hold the corkscrew on the top of the bottle with my right hand whilst twisting the bottlewith my left hand – the corkscrew remains stationary

  

  I normally drink red, but sometimes you just need a white

• I tweaked my right shoulder a few days ago and now I’ve barely been able to use my right arm
• I’m right handed
• If I keep my knitting in my lap and don’t lift it up to look at it, it doesn’t hurt
• I don’t own a brush
• Nor a comb
• I don’t buy myself bath or shower products other than shampoo, facewash and razors because I feel that the rest would be self-indulgent
• But secretly, I really wish I had nice body wash, moisturizer, exfoliant, etc.
• Even though I may not know how, or have the time, to use them