October wrap-up/November resolutions

Okay, first off, I've figured out who I must credit with the idea of monthly resolutions - Polly of All Tangled Up. So thank you Polly. All in all, I don't think October was too shabby. Enough so that I'm going to continue.

So this is how I did with the October resolutions -

- I didn't finish the knitting on Robert the Bruce. In fact I haven't even found it again!
- I did finish knitting the socks with Regia Bamboo.
- I did knit at least 20 rows on Hanami. In fact, exactly that many!
- I did start something new despite the vow not to.

So, lessons learned. I get most of my knitting done on the train while commuting, and right now most of the WIPs/UFOs cannot be done under those conditions. Either too complicated and/or too big. So I need to make allowances for that in the plan not to start anything new.

On the other hand, the project I started when the socks were finished was also finished by the end of the month. As with most lace, its nothing much to look at right now. Hopefully I can wash and block it this weekend and will post a pic when that is done.

So here's the November resolutions -

- Finish the knitting on Robert the Bruce (at least run it to ground!)
- Knit Whitewater Wristwarmers.
- Finish the current repeat on Hanami and knit at least one more.
- Do not start anything new except to replace the current train project. Preferably with Christmas knitting. The Whitewater Wristwarmers are in that category and are what I'm about to start on tomorrow's commute. There's at least one other pair of mittens I'm considering as a Christmas gift for someone, so that would be good here also.

Beyond that, not buy anything in the UK next week that I can't get here! The dollar is so weak compared to the pound right now! The last time I was there (about a decade!), the dollar and the pound were almost equal. I really need to keep in mind that the real cost of anything I look at is more than double what that tag says now!

The Universe is Trying to Tell Me Something!

So I bought The Knitting Tarot. That block to the right is a "magnesium cut" used in printing it. Not being a printer, I really didn't know what to expect. I think I could even use it as a stamp if I wanted to. But this is where it gets weird. I'm flipping through the book that accompanies the cards and I find my image. And you're never going to guess what it is: Seven of Skeins - Too Much Stash. Is that eerie or what!



And to the left we have the wimple I started, breaking the first of those October resolutions. The yarn is cashmere lace weight from Posh Yarn. You have to lurk on the site for when the yarn goes up on Sunday (6pm on the east coast), but its worth it. This was actually sale yarn because it had a "flaw." I believe she called it a green spot in the description, maybe the size of a quarter on the skein. It broke up when balled and it just causes the occasional stitch that now seems more gold. I actually really like it as a highlight! The pattern is the Wavy Feathers Wimple from Caryll Designs. I'm really enjoying it and suspect it might end up becoming a go-to pattern for gifts.

BTW, on those monthly resolutions. Not my idea. And I really wish I could remember who I got the idea from to give them credit. Maybe in November I'll find another post from them and can do that.

And yes, there was new yarn this week. But I'm getting bored with posting about that. Never mind that tarot thing freaking me out!

Well one resolution done!

Finished the Regia Bamboo socks.

The yarn was a cream color with red, pink and purple flecks. The red dye really ran, so the background is more pink now. Just as well I decided to do some lace when I got to the cuff of the first one, thinking the yarn was girly and needed a girlier cuff than just ribbing!

I also got to some knitting on Hanami last night. I really enjoy that kind of knitting. I just need more time when I can sit and focus.

There's a little problem with the other two resolutions. First, I can't seem to find Robert the Bruce. Second, now that the socks are done I really need some traveling knitting! I don't know whether I can get another WIP there or not.

More yarn arrived this week - a few more colors of Kidsilk Haze (I'm also gathering yarn for the Earth Stripe Wrap in the recent Rowan magazine), my freebie kit for renewing my Rowan membership, some sock yarn from Spritely Goods. Oh, and my Wollmeise! I got some lace yarn, three skeins of worsted weight to do her moebius pattern, and one more skein of sock yarn.

As I'm typing this I kinda decided what to do about traveling. I gifted my sister with a skein of Posh Yarn cashmere lace weight. I think we finally settled on a pattern that will work for her. I'm going to start it myself with one of my single skeins, so when she starts I'll be better able to help her.

Have I said that I run a call-in Knitting Emergency Help Line? At least for her. Its kinda funny.

I think I'll give monthly resolutions a try

I've been thinking about this, and maybe monthly resolutions would work better for me. The big ones I seem to do okay at for a few months, then go crazy when I break them.

So for this month this is what I've decided:

- finish the knitting on Robert the Bruce
- finish knitting the socks with Regia Bamboo
- knit at least 20 rows on Hanami
- not start anything new.

Robert the Bruce is a gorgeous aran that I was test-knitting for a woman who unfortunately died before her patterns could be published. That caused me to put it aside when all that was left was basically finishing. Then when I picked it up again I started sewing it together without finishing the knitting on one side of the neck on either the front or the back. I'm ashamed to admit how long it took me to figure out why it just wasn't going together right. So totally fed up with myself I put it aside again. I'm thinking I'm make the knitting a goal for this month and the sewing up/collar knitting a goal for November and finally someone can wear this baby!

The socks are both at the cuff stage (they're toe-up), so that should be doable and get another project off the list.

Hanami was supposed to be my mother's Christmas present, so I joined a KAL for it. And promptly had life get in the way so I fell behind. Way behind. Some members are finishing and I still haven't finished clue 1! I'm re-evaluating whether this can really be her Christmas present, maybe it will be for her birthday in February. But I'd at least like to get back to the knitting!

Now you probably noticed that not buying yarn isn't on the list. Well that would be because I've already done that this month! In fact, a slew of mail orders arrived Saturday (almost 10,000 yards worth of yarn plus 5 kits!). It did help me decide not to go to the Fiber Festival in Montpelier on Sunday or Stitches next weekend though!!!!!