Keeping Score

Results of my weekend to-do list:

• Make curtain for Office shelving --> completed though I had to use different fabric than I planned on and it's really not that functional to use all the time. It will work to hide the cluttered mess during Thanksgiving and the Christmas party.
  
• Make craft room curtains --> didn't happen. I'm not holding out hope of it happening this weekend either.
  
• Paint advent calendar --> almost done - completed about 70% of it before I had lost the drive to paint. Painting creativity ebbs and flows with me so I have to act on it when I get it and know when to stop when it's gone.
  
• Colorflow lady bugs and gingerbread house decorations --> didn't happen. Must make the ladybugs tonight so there is time for them to dry completely before next week.
  
• Start making reindeer candy canes --> didn't start making them but I do have all the materials. Will probably make them after Thanksgiving, in between decorating, Christmas cards and watching Christmas Vacation.
  
• Christmas photo of Seamus --> completed and I got some uber cute photos.
  
• Wrap Gifts --> completed
  
• Organize craft room --> not completed - and in fact, the craft room became less organized because I was doing all these craft projects. Hoping to get things under control this weekend.

At first I was disappointed that I didn't get it all done. I felt like I had only done a few things but my wonderful husband pointed out all the other things I got done while doing part of this crafty list, such as the mundane shopping and laundry. There was also a trip to the dog park that Seamus thoroughly enjoyed and some work done on the overdue baby blanket. This weekend promises to be just as crazy busy with lots of stuff to do. Fingers crossed I can get a lot of it done.

A Whirlwind Weekend Ahead

My to-do list for this weekend is daunting, and I'm not talking about the mundane grocery shopping, laundry and clean the house on the list. It is the crafty to-do's that are looking insurmountable - not each on their own, but all of them completed (or at least started) in one weekend is looking like too much. Here's the list:

• Make curtain for Office shelving
  
• Make craft room curtains
  
• Paint advent calendar
  
• Colorflow lady bugs and gingerbread house decorations
  
• Start making reindeer candy canes
  
• Christmas photo of Seamus
  
• Wrap Gifts
  
• Organize craft room

I need to get started and complete a few of these because Thanksgiving will be held at our house this year as well as a big holiday party a few weekends later. I've got to get this stuff done ahead of time so that I can focus on cooking and entertaining. I'm even going to have to break my own long-standing rule and put up Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving. The tree will probably wait until after Thanksgiving but the swags and Christmas lights will probably go up next weekend.

Any guesses on how much I will actually get done this weekend? And how much caffeine I'll need to ingest to tackle it all?

Sock-a-rific!

On Wednesday I started a sock-a-long with my cousin, "C", who lives in the Carolinas. She has knitted in the round before for mittens but has not yet tried socks. Since I was itching to knit another pair after the Harry Potter socks and to use a much better instructional book for my second pair, I asked her if she'd be interested in the sock-a-long.

We're using the following book - Teach Yourself Visually: Knitting Socks. I LOVE this book! The instructions are great and the photos are excellent. It is sooooo much better than the book I used for my first pair of socks. We were going to each use a skein of the ShiBui knits yarn I bought in Portland last year. I shipped one skein down to her and then I finally got around to winding my skein. I was less than amused when I had the finished ball in front of me. No way was there enough yarn for two socks, contrary to what I was told when I bought the yarn. Sure enough I checked the yardage on the label and then the yardage needed for the pattern and it was only enough yarn for one sock. D'oh!

Luckily, I had the perfect solution.

A couple years ago --- has it really been that long??? --- I bought some Socks That Rock yarn in blue to crochet Sean a pair of socks. I bought 2 skeins knowing that a crocheted pair would need the extra yarn. I had never made the socks because after my first pair of crocheted socks, I knew they would be too thick for Sean to wear. So quietly in my stash the skein waited patiently...

...until I yanked them out, stuck one in an envelope and the other on the swift.

It took a while for the sock-a-long to get started given other projects going on and general busyness of life. It was on Wednesday when we started. "C" was going to her knitting group and I had given up hope of finishing the baby blanket any time soon. The sock yarn was calling to me and it would have been rude not to answer.

Here's all I have so far. The k1-p1 ribbing always seems to take forever so I'm only a few rounds into the stockinette stitch. The sock color is "In the Navy" and I'm using size 1 DPNs. I'm yanking on the second stitch of each DPN to avoid the dreaded ladders. So far, it seems to be working.



You can see the Shi Bui knits ball - less than half of half a skein of the Socks that Rock yarn. You can also see Seamus hoping to get his paws on the ball of yarn. While a cat will take the ball of yarn to play with it, when Seamus gets a hold of a ball of yarn, he runs off playing catch-me-if-you can, gnawing on the yarn as he runs and hides. Funny to watch but bad for the yarn.

I hope your socks are coming along well, too, "C"!

Damn Deadlines

The baby shower for little baby "Q" is today. Here's the blanket that was supposed to be all wrapped up and waiting for the momma to open it.



::sigh::

I did send the baby hat and booties and a card with a bow of the baby blanket yarn. The card informed her that a blanket was being made and would be sent upon completion. I should have had it done and at the shower but - c'est la vie. I believe baby "Q" is due mid December so I'm hoping to have the blanket done in time. If not, I'll bring it up at Christmas. And if not by then, hopefully before the spring. I love the Afghan of the Sandman pattern but it is going to be a long time until I make another one of these blankets. They take FOREVER and I'm not sure why that is. I'm a fast crocheter and the pattern is easy. It must be the yarn and hook size.

I also have a project that must be done by Christmas. Little Brodie is 2 1/2 and she would know the difference if her Christmas gift arrived in January. Her mom has informed me that she loves bright, bright colors. I think this yarn will do and it should look great on her new "big girl" bed.



I was hoping to make a sweater for Edward but alas, I don't think that will happen this year. I will have to adjust the pattern for a bigger size and start in February so it will be completed by next Christmas.

Where did this year go??? It seems like June was last week and October was yesterday.

California Dreaming

I had a blast in California last weekend for the Mistress' wedding reception! Hanging out with the Mistress, the Queen, and our boys - it was so much fun. We pre-partied on Saturday with wine tasting at local vineyards followed by the main event Saturday night. Good times were had by all.

While we didn't visit any yarn stores, I did get to converse with the Queen and her current crochet project (gorgeous in person) and I picked up this souvenir to remember the weekend.



I wish they had one of these in regards to friendship and yarn/knitting/crocheting. Any ideas for one to make?

Completed Project: Garter for The Mistress

One of my dearest friends - a sister by choice - got hitched on Labor Day weekend. Since I could not be there in person, I made her a garter to wear.



Yes, that is a skull button on the garter. Nothing less for Mistress Dark Forces. I also made a matching tie clip for the groom.



You'll also notice the calla lilies on the garter, one of the Mistress' favorite flowers. The grey matched the sash of her beautiful wedding dress. I did a pretty good job considering this was the first garter I ever made and I had no idea what I was doing except for directions from the internet and a lot of hope.

I also personalized some beer cozies for the bride and groom. They told me they used them all weekend. It made me smile. :)



While today I celebrate my third anniversary to the most wonderful man in the world, this weekend I get to celebrate with Mistress Dark Forces and her man as they host what surely will be one hell of a Halloween reception in San Diego! The Queen will also be there and Perches will be there in spirit. Fingers crossed I can get the second garter finished before I leave so she has something to throw.

Completed Project: Baby Set (hat and booties)

This set is for a cousin due in December/January but with a baby shower in early November. They are keeping the gender of the baby a surprise until the birth so this set is in yellow and the baby blanket I'm making will be in lavender.



Both patterns came from Knitting-A-Day calendars though it is not actually a set (2 different patterns). Details (yarn, needle size) can be found on Ravelry for the hat and the booties.

For the hat, instead of sewing the brim to make a picot edge, I thread ribbon through the holes to match the bows on the booties. If I were to make the hat again, I'd leave out the holes and the picot and just have the brim roll up.

I was reminded when making both projects that I really need to learn to check the properties of the yarn I'm substituting for the yarn called for in the pattern. The yarn I used has a bit too much stretch so I'm not as happy with the results.

I have to buckle down and crochet! crochet! crochet! the baby blanket that must arrive in Massachusetts by November 6. But the sock yarn on my shelf is tempting me to bring DPNs and a skein with me to Chicago.