52 in 52

I came across an ambitious - and awesome - group on Ravelry this week. It's called "52 in 52" and the idea is that participants commit to complete 52 projects in 52 weeks. It's also not necessarily a one-project-per-week thing, since some projects go quickly and others not so much. (Ben's Henry, I am looking at you.)

One of the requirements of this challenge is that fiber artists have no more than 4 projects on the needles at once. I've developed up a bad habit that, along with stashing yarn, is relatively new and I'm not thrilled over: I've started starting multiple projects at once, then only working on one at a time. If I'm not switching between projects, what's the point in multiple starts?!

2010 In Review

2010 was my most productive year, needlework-wise, ever.  I also tried a lot of new things, this year.

In 2010, I completed 26 knitted projects (27 if I finish my Spearhead Cowl tonight).  I also finished two large home-dec sewing projects: a replacement for the way worn-out comforter cover and a new tree skirt, since the one I made in 2004 was far too small for our tree.

Christmas time is here, again!

OK, not really, since it's JUNE, but I've finished the first gift for Christmas 2010.

This does not classify me as one of those super-organized people, unfortunately; gifts from Christmas 2009 are still here - they never made it to the intended recipients (family emergency that required me to fly across the country on Christmas Eve plus recipients with address unknown, but still.)

BUT.  I have completed the first Christmas gift for this year.

I am very excited about this.  (No pictures, as it's 11:30 pm and I am tired.)

My First Lace Shawl!

A friend of mine from way back is a knitwear designer.  In the interest of supporting my friends, especially when they make awesome stuff, I added a couple of her patterns to my Ravelry queue.  And, in a moment of craziness inspiration, I decided to tackle my first lace shawl.  Using her pattern (Umbrous by Hippie Diva Creations).  In silk.

Shawls and socks

This is going to be the summer of shawls and socks.

Well, that, and Christmas gifts.  But back to the shawls and socks: I need some.  I need socks because my fun-n-funky store-bought socks are wearing out and my sock yarn stash is (ahem) considerable (by my standards) and my work environment is one that supports slightly funky fashion choices.  So I'm considering having crazy (handmade) socks be my trademark.  First up?  Play-off socks.  On account of the San Jose Sharks are in the semis and I have some Claudia Handpainted sock yarn in Sharks.

Is bee-yoo-tee-ful.

As to the shawls?

On the Wires

We have a phrase, in the fiber-obsessed world of knitting: On the Needles.  We use it for projects we are currently working on, since they are (generally) on our knitting needles while we work.  (The crochet version is, I believe, On the Hook.)

A related phrase I haven't seen but should exist is On the Wires for projects that are in the blocking phase of knitting.  Blocking is a recent discovery for me (because I am lazy, lazy, lazy), but it really can make a difference in how the final product appears.  It's an opportunity to massage the knitted object into a pleasing shape, open up interesting stitchwork, and smooth out the occasional oddity in tension or technique.

Even though I only recently discovered the Magic of Blocking, as a convert, nearly everything I knit goes from On the Needles (OTN) to On the (blocking) Wires (OTW).

Wisp Airy Nothing, for example:

Airy Nothing

My first foray into lace-ish work and I'm loving it.

I'm knitting Wisp from the Summer 2007 Knitty.  (Not that I'm behind the times or anything.)

And I LOVE it.  Enough that I'm wishing I wasn't making this as a gift.  It's light and airy and pretty (and will be stunning, once it's blocked and the fishnet lace opens up) and it's transforming my dusty-turquoise Kidsilk Haze from meh to whoa!

The Ballad of the Yarn Cupboard

(Why do I keep wanting to write a limerick here?  Also, my meter is always crap.  It's not like a majored in English or anything.  Or took the Lit-GRE.)

The Ballad of the Yarn Cupboard
or, How the Young Knitter Learned Self-Restraint

Daydreaming about summer skies

and warm days where it wouldn't be unreasonable to wear a sweet cotton skirt instead of sweats, slippers, and a blanket (as I am, now, on this 36-degree gray, gray, gray day.)

And I've been daydreaming about what I want to pack for Hawaii (in July - I'm not planning ahead, just daydreaming) and doodling with SWAP boards.

Like this one.

Shoes, found at Zappos, are $85.  If I was sure I'd be able to stand to wear them while teaching, I would so snap them up.  But I'm unfamiliar with the brand.  Need to research - after I finish this stack of lesson plans and philosophy statements.

Pretty Maids All in a Row

So, as I'm finishing up my current project(s), I like to think about what's next.  (Ignoring, of course, the in-progress socks, sweater for my beloved, and Lady Eleanor wrap from 2005 that is between 25-ish and 50-ish percent complete.)

Part of the planning process includes yarn-visits.  I go into the Craft Room and check on my yarn.  Pick up a skein, admire the lovely colors (and notice that I seem to have gone on a purple tear at some point), and daydream about what they might become, someday.

(The cats' methods are different from mine.  Clearly.  I only sniff the yarn when no one's around to look.)

Bag Lady

I'm on a knitting kick, of late, although I find myself day-dreaming about apparel sewing, lately.  The changing seasons always read as changes of clothes, for me: fall brings tweeds and aubergine and cabled sweaters, winter is cozy socks and cuddly textures, spring ... spring makes me think of summer dresses and skirts and cotton prints and little cardigans.

And I find myself tempted to order 5 yards of this Amy Butler print or that Liberty of London.  I'm looking at my stash fabrics and wondering how many full cotton skirts I can make and whether I have any good blouse patterns that fit my current size.

I wonder if JoAnn's still carries these cotton prints I got last summer?  I have been looking at the polka-dotted one and thinking "skiiiiiiirt" for weeks, now, and now that I see the floral, again, I'm thinking they'd both be cute for summer.  Not in the same outfit, though.  The floral might even want to be a dress or an a-line skirt with patch pockets.

Victory!

OK, not a complete victory over The Dungeon of Craft, but I can walk across the room.  I can enter the room without turning sideways and ducking.

I haven't been able to do that since before the wedding.  (Because all my stuffs got sent to the garage so relatives could camp out on the floor in my room, then everything got shoved willy-nilly back in after everyone left.)

The buddy-monsters approve.

Craft Room Clean-Out: 2010 Edition

What's different about this year: I desperately need a discrete space to keep my substitute teaching and master's course material. Crate + tote bags strewn around the living room and shoved into the bulging craft room won't cut it, I'm afraid.

So, um, Yay! Finishes!

I finished the wedding dress. Actually, it ended up being Mom and SIL who finished the dress while I was off getting turned into Fancy Me. I had to calmly ask Mom to stop sewing because I had the sandwiches for the reception in the back of my car. Pretty dress was/is pretty. Maybe not as reusable as I'd hoped, but pretty.

(Yes, the neckline is high. There was some miscommunicaton.)

During my Month of Southern Living and House Cleaning, I got some knitting done. I flew down to Alabama on December 24, arriving the afternoon of the 25th. I finally got to come home this past Friday, January 22.

I may pull this off, yet.

Instead of fixing what I did to my dress muslin by interfacing the cut-up pieces, I decided to use the medium-weight interfacing to make a new pattern. I pinned the cut-up pieces of fabric to the interfacing, traced the pinned fabric to mark the stitching line, then added a six-inch hem to the bottom of each piece and a two-inch seam allowance to the top and sides.

Brief panic ensued when I ran out of interfacing at piece seven of eight. Duct tape + smaller pieces = useable interfacing piece. (I'll zig-zag along that seam this afternoon after work so there's no incidental shifting. Because that would throw off my pattern, and I don't want that!)

Nothing like a deadline for motivation.

It took me three months to complete the muslin for my wedding dress and 20 minutes to create problems for myself by cutting the dress apart along the stitching line instead of ripping the seams.

I have absolutely no idea what possessed me.

Tonight's plan: make muslin pieces into pattern pieces by stabilizing with Serious Interfacing. If that fails, backup plan: make new muslin from original pattern and get to altering.

I have less than a month to go. Better get to work!

Decluttering & cleaning

I've made myself a 66-point To Do list for the Great Craft Room Clean-Out ('06 Edition). I got started on the portion of the list concerning the Living Room, today. 3 of 9 LR items, completed; 3 in progress.

I also pulled my desk out from the wall, cleared it off, dusted and polished it, and dusted my computer. And vacuumed the Living Room. (Whee!)

Since I want this to remain a mostly-craft-stuff blog, I've started an adjunct blog here. I'll be tracking my progress and so forth over there.

Sweet. I'm looking forward to having a nice space to work once I'm finished cleaning and organizing!

CK not OK

I'm mad at Creating Keepsakes right now. I used to subscribe to their Simple Scrapbooks magazine, but had recently let my subscription lapse (with every intention of renewing once life slowed down a little for me).

No longer. A few weeks ago, I got an unsolicited package from them -- a DVD from CK's Essential Scrapbook video collection. I did not ask for this -- I'm not even a current subscriber. And as I've discussed previously, I'm actually trying to cull my craft supplies -- not add more.

Jenny's Robot Love Messenger Bag!

Just finished it last night ... a project that was supposed to take 2 weeks ended up taking 4. Typical, I guess. There was more hand-sewing involved than I anticipated. Anyway, I'm pretty pleased with the result.
The bag is a pattern of my own design and features an outside pocket on the flap, 4 interior zippered pockets, an integrated key fob (because I hate losing my keys inside a bag!), 4 internal open pockets & a pen-holder pocket. There are two small bonus pockets on the outside of the bag, under the flap. I also made the strap adjustable in the best way I could devise, since I couldn't find any slider-thingys for shortening straps ANYWHERE. So I used buttons. :)

Pictures? Yes. (Below the cut.)

Craft Room Clean-up '06

It's time. It's definitely, definitely time. I've started losing basic supplies (like my Ginghers) while sitting at the sewing machine. Time for a change.

The first step was completed last year, when I painted the room (originally boring white) and hung shelves. Now, for the next step: sorting, purging (eek!), and organizing.