30 June, 2010

2010 Q2 Stashdown

And since I'm keeping track of this as well...



2010 Q1 Stashdown


Yardage in: 6,681
Yardage out: 9,766
Net stash change: -3,085
Ratio (yds out/in): 1.462



2010 Q2 Stashdown
Yardage in: 7,014
Yardage out: 7,498
Net stash change: -484
Ratio (yds out/in): 1.069


2010 Totals so far:

Yardage in: 13,695
Yardage out: 17,264
Net Stash Change: -3,965
Ratio (yds out/in): 1.261


Overall, it's still a reduction, but not a very impressive one. This quarter, my stash was reduced by what amounted to a skein of sock yarn plus a few yards. I definitely could have done better--and WAS--but some last minute stress binges did me in.

My goal for Q3 is no yarn in other then my one club. That should be easy enough and I have plenty to work on. I have 3 WIPs I want to get off of needles and some new projects to start. Hopefully, Q3 will be productive.

June Wrap-Up


Yardage Totals 2010

January: 1884 yds
February: 2850 yds
March: 2893 yds
April: 777 yds
May: 856 yds
June: 643 yds

Year to date: 9903 yds or 5.63 miles


Yikes, I officially dipped to under a mile knit a month. This was not a good month for knitting with the move happening and all. I did manage to finish up one of my UFOs, but not much else. (And for those who are wondering, the move is not going smoothly, at all. But that's not really craft related. UGH.)

10 June, 2010

Of pattern changes and dinosaurs

Oh no, there goes Tokyo! Go go Godzilla!





Pattern: Jellybean Dinosaur (Ravel it)
Yarn: Yarn Love Anne Shirley- Ancient Forest & Sparkling Pool
Needles: US size 8

This is pretty much a new pattern, maybe a month old. (Free too!) There is a part of me that loves finding it before it's had a chance to go viral or have many projects before mine. I have these delusions that someday I'll make That Project. You know the one; the one that everyone on Ravelry sees and exclaims how it's made them see the pattern in a new light and they will now make it. Perhaps it's time to talk to someone about my ego. Ahem.

This was very quick and easy. So much so that I'm working on a second one for The Boy in a larger size. You may have noticed it in yesterday's WIP post and wondered what the bowling pin looking thing is. It's a dino body. (Admittedly, The Boy's color choice for the tummy and scales makes me cringe a little, but it's for him, not me. And he can't be totally blamed for it: he tried to snake several of my fairy farts yarns for those parts, including some Wollmeise. Had they been remnants from a project, they would have been his. But as it were, they were virgin skeins so I told him to keep his little mitts off. Boy has good taste, though. )

I noticed a very minor error in the instructions, but it would be easy enough for anyone to figure out and know to change it, I think. In the instructions for the spines, row 5 reads, "5," when it should read, "k," for knit the row. Very minor.

I did make changes to the pattern. The entire thing is written to be knit flat. A lot of seaming. I converted all pieces, minus the legs and spines, to be knit in the round. It worked just fine and left a nice, neat guide for sewing the spines onto the back. The instructions for the face call for embroidering the whole thing, but I prefer the look and ease of safety eyes. So, I stuffed the head, placed the eyes in, and then gently removed the stuffing so I could snap the washers onto the eyes. Then while the face was still waiting to be re-stuffed, I figured out where I wanted the mouth to go. I did a straight line and then made it dip in the middle using an embroidery stitch I can not recall the name of--it's that one used to make flower petals and such. Then, I went back and back stitched over the mouth a second time to make sure it was nice and secure. My kids love to pull on threads and mess them up otherwise. The final change I made was to the tummy panel. In the pattern, the decreases are both written at K2tog; instead, I did mirrored decreases with a SSK. Minor, but I think it made a difference.

And that's it: my FO post for the month. Be seeing you all in blogland or on Ravelry!

09 June, 2010

Wordless WIPing


This will likely be my last one for about a month, kittens. I'll try to do an FO post before I go; we move on Monday & no internet starting Sunday.

04 June, 2010

FO Catch Up

Two posts in one day! Hoo hoo. Today's second post is a mini FO Catch Up: the toy edition. (I have a bunch of sweaters to photograph and blog, but you'll have to forgive me for not doing so. It's been hitting 100ยบ and no one wants to wear a sweater in that, no matter how lovely it is. Be expecting an, "Oh my gawd, here is 6 months worth of sweaters!!one!!bbq" post in the future. You have been warned.)




Pattern
: Daphne and Delilah the Momma and Baby monster (Ravel it)
Needles: US size 8
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton-Ease - Sea spray and Lime

This was a super easy and fast knit that I pulled out at the last minute for The Boy, who turned 4 a couple of weeks ago. I see a lot of possibilities with this pattern as a base. The technique could easily be altered to yield differently shaped monsters.

In fact...it's almost the same technique used for my next FO, just with different head shaping.



Pattern: Wasabi the Gregarious Pug (Ravel it)
Needles: US size 8
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton


Again, super easy to follow and quick knit. I wish I were a bit better at getting features attached evenly, but I think he turned out all right. He'll be going to his new home in a couple of weeks. Yay for babies!

Mini goal achieved!


I have a finished right sock. Now, to finish up the left one.

02 June, 2010

Wordless WIPing




Sorry y'all...I am dead tired here. Accidental gluten ingestion. Just a picture today.