It’s aliiiiiiiiiiive!

Well, well, well… I’ve been gone for a bit. But I assure you I have been busy.

I have finished a few things for myself, my shop, and I have even started my Christmas gifts.

Here is a variety of photos of things I have been working on:

Easiest Fingerless Gloves in Vanna’s Choice – Cranberry

Link to FREE pattern on Ravelry: Easiest Fingerless Gloves

Scotty’s Hat in Vanna’s Choice – Cranberry

Link to FREE pattern on Ravelry: Scotty’s Hat

Shorty Seed Stitch Socks in Sock-Ease – Taffy and Red Hots

Shorty Seed Stitch Socks in Sock-Ease – Taffy and Red Hots

A Day of Style Tote in Berraco

Link to pattern info on Ravelry: A Day of Style Tote

Peace on Earth Tote in Red Heart Shimmer with added granny square pocket

Link to pattern info on Ravelry: Peace on Earth Tote

Slipper Socks in Wool-Ease – Lemongrass

Shorty Socks in Patons Kroy Socks – Blue Ragg Stripes

Button Flower Headband in Deborah Norville Everyday

Flower Headband in Read Heart Super Saver

Kerala Tank in Bernat Cotton-Ish

Link to pattern info on Ravelry: Kerala Tank

Bridal Shawl in Homespun

Link to FREE pattern on Ravelry: Bridal Shawl

Moss Stitch Socks in Knit Picks Felici – Shamrock

Multi-Directional Scarf in Deborah Norville Everyday – Parrot – with added fringe

Link to FREE pattern on Ravelry: Multi-Directional Scarf

Multi-Directional Scarf in some mystery yarn that was in my stash

I’ve made a few other items that I haven’t taken photos of yet. There are also super secret Christmas gifts finished and/or in progress that I won’t be posting until after the holiday.

I’m also experimenting with writing some simple knitting patterns for hats and as I get those done I hope to post them here. 

I’ve got a long list of things to finish so I had better get going! Look for a new Pinterest Day post soon!

Authors, Socks, and Badgers.

Just kidding. No badgers.

I would like to introduce you to my dear friend, Allison M. Dickson. She’s pretty much the bee’s knees of horror fiction. Take a look at her web site.

She’s written many a short story, has works in some different collections, and has two novels, Strings and Colt Coltrane and the Lotus Killer, available right now. You can find them all on Amazon.

She is also a co-host on the podcast Creative Commoners. She and the other co-hosts, Corey Bishop and Chris Armstrong, discuss the challenges of being creative. They also talk about games, super heroes, writing, movies, and just generally being awesome. Creative Commoners sometimes features a fellow guest host of the creative community and things can get even more awesome, if you can wrap your head around that. (Which you can, I know it. I have faith in you.)

Speaking of guests and fellow creative persons. Allison has been featuring an interview series on her web site called “5 Quintessential Questions” where she poses 5 questions to an independent artist. This person can be an author, musician, painter, sculptor, chef, comic book inker, birdhouse maker, underwater basket weaver… Whomever is creative, passionate, and a level 50 karate-ninja-robot-assassin. (Okay, maybe not that last thing, but you get the idea.)

I was lucky enough to earn an interview with her. I had a lot of fun answering the questions and quite frankly, I’m still flattered that she included me in this awesome series. You can read the interview here.

I encourage, nay, I insist you use the links I’ve provided above to get to know more about Allison, her great stories, and the podcast Creative Commoners. You will not be disappointed.

Okay, I know that I lied to you about the badger thing, and for that I’m a small amount of sorry. However, I came clean about it straight away and that has to count for something, right? What I didn’t lie to you about is socks. That I do have some content about and here it is in all it’s glory. (ha. glory.)

So, I’d consider myself an accomplished and experienced crocheter. I’ve made blankets, slippers, sweaters, scarves, potholders, hats, batman masks, plush dolls, purses… You name it, I’ve hooked it up. I’ve written patterns, I read patterns, I read charts, I make things without patterns. I do it all. Oh yes.

But when it comes to knitting, I’ve always felt like a n00b. I mean, I’ve made things like washcloths, hats, headbands, scarfs… I’ve made a queen size afghan (still needing finishing touches, of course) and a sweater. A freaking SWEATER. Which was not an easy task. I had to learn all the different joining techniques because sewing pieces together doesn’t use the same style of stitching for different seam placements. Sigh.

I’ve always wanted to knit up some socks, but using DPNs has been so awkward for me. I felt like I was trying to knit with a spider that constantly wanted to poke my eyes out.

I finally sat down and said, “Self, you are going to knit a sock if it is the last damn thing you ever do.” So I got out the DPNs, some scrap sock yarn, a free pattern I picked up at Joann’s, and I made a blasted sock. It was awkward and it’s full of little mistakes, but it’s a sock and I made it.

Behold! My first sock.

One lonely sock.

Since that one turned out decently I decided I was going to get comfortable using DPNs. I got out a different pattern, some other sock yarn that I got on clearance, and I cast on another sock so I can make a pair for my husband. Since I am using clearance yarn that I didn’t have enough of one color to make a whole pair, these socks are going to look like Joseph’s technicolor dreamcoat, but that’s okay. This pair of socks are a learning exercise for me. Besides, my husband says he will wear them with pride.

I’m almost done with the first sock after 4 days. This pattern is a spiral of 4×4 ribbing until you get to the toe, and then it’s just done in stockinette stitch. There is no heel on this pattern, which I am thankful for. It gets me used to working in the round and it will also help with making sure it fits his giant, size 13 feet.

Here are some pictures of the sock in progress. Look at them. Love them.

Free Spiral Sock Pattern by Patons (click the pic to get the pattern)

Work 4×4 ribbing in 5 row repeat until your fingers bleed.

The colors are hideous but the love… The love is there.

The progress so far. Only about 36 rounds to go.

I know it really isn’t anything special but making these socks means a lot to me. I’ll finally be a real knitter!

I feel bad about the badger thing. So here is a link to the badger page on Wikipedia. BADGERS!

A virtual cornucopia of yarny things.

I’ve been trying to get back to my UFO stash.
I decided to break out the afghan that ate Tokyo. I’ve made some progress on it, finishing panel 7 of 9 and starting panel 8.

Work 4×2 ribbing for the rest of your life.

The pattern is simple enough. So is stitching the panels together. But the ends to weave in. The ENDS!! Make it stop.

And as if I don’t have enough to do, I went ahead and joined a Granny Square Swap Group. I’ve already made some squares.
I thought it would be a fun way to use up scrap yarn and try out new stitches and techniques and what have you.

It’s more likely that deep down I’m a masochist and I need to seek some sort of treatment.

In other news, I’m trying to think of some fresh ideas for posts, as I think constantly publicly flogging myself for all my unfinished work will probably get tiresome.
I believe I’m going to start a Pinterest day (how frequently, I’m not sure yet). This will consist of choosing a pin from my mile long crafty Pinterest board and seeing if it’s worth while to have pinned at all. From there we can either ooh and ahh over it or laugh at how miserably it has failed. I look forward to starting this tradition and really exercising my sense of sarcasm when things go terribly, terribly wrong.

Until next time.

About that purgatory thing…

I haven’t been very good at working on my current unfinished projects the last few days.

I managed to weave in ends on this set of washcloths.

I was also able get a lot more done on my current scarf. I ran out of yarn for it. So into purgatory it goes. Not helpful in busting the stash of unfinished business. Sigh.

I did, however, use up lots of scrap yarn making these headbands:

Please don’t judge me by my Christmas tablecloth in January.

Now I’m working on some more washcloths because I need more of them in my life.

Also, I crocheted this baby beanie. The ends aren’t woven in because… I have issues.

That’s all for now. #startallthethings #finishnone

Making a dent in my WIPs

Yesterday I talked about getting my “Project Purgatory” under control. Using the guidelines I made for myself, I was able to make a bit of progress in my goal.

Between yesterday and today (and a couple pots of coffee), so far I have accomplished the following:

• Frogged one pillow – It wasn’t the correct size for a pillow form.
• Frogged the facehugger – I just wasn’t happy with the way it was turning out. I need to think this one over a bit more.
• Weaved in ends on the two fair isle hats – Finished.
• Weaved in the ends on one washcloth – Finished.
• Weaved in the ends on the zombie hat – Still needs the finishing touches with needle felting.
• Weaved in ends on a handbag – Still needs lining and handles.
• Completed crocheting a potholder, including weaving in the ends.
• Completed 80 rows on the latest “My Garter Slipped” knitted scarf, by Bereni, from my first post.
• Started making a list of materials I need to complete some other projects.

Progress! I’m so proud of myself!

Since the weather here is cold and dreary, I plan on working on the purgatory tote bag quite bit more this evening. I’ve found that a fresh pot of coffee and kind of bouncing back and forth between projects helps me get more done than if I were to try to just concentrate on one specific thing. It also helps me in not starting yet ANOTHER project.

So I am going to pour myself another mug of joe and get back to it. I hope that you are making progress on your WIPs and UFOs. I hope you’re making progress on any and all of your goals!

WIPs and UFOs

I have a very large tote bag that I keep my unfinished projects in. I lovingly refer to it as “Project Purgatory”.

I like to put things in the tote bag that are mostly finished. Things that need ends woven in or things that I need to get a couple materials for to finish them up. My intentions are good. Really, they are.

I recently went through this bag of nonsense and I have found that I have a lot of finishing to do:

• Zombie Hat: Needs embellishments and ends woven in.
• Baby Sweater: Needs another skein of yarn.
• 2 Throw Pillows: Need pillow forms.
• 3 Handbags: Need handles and linings.
• 5 Washcloths: Need ends woven in.
• 2 Fair Isle Hats: Need ends woven in.
• Change Purse: Needs clasp.
• Felted Tote: Needs handles.
• 2 Small Afghans: 1 needs ends woven in, 1 needs finished or frogged entirely.
• Large Plush Face Hugger (From Aliens): Needs finished or frogged entirely.
• 4 Miniature Plush Figures: Need embellishments.

Then there are the things I am currently working on. Like the scarf from my last post, a crocheted potholder/trivet, a knitted queen size afghan.

It’s so difficult to get motivated to finish these things sometimes. When I look at the pile of projects it seems so overwhelming. Even just weaving in ends seems like it’s too much just because I know how boring and tedious it can be.

I am making it a goal to get all of these projects taken care of as soon as possible. What I am going to try is this:

1. I will choose an unfinished project out of my stash.
2. I will assess what needs to be done to complete it.
3. If I need materials and I have time to get them, I will make a trip to the craft store.
4. If I am unable to get the materials for the project, I will simply choose a different project to work on.
5. Once I have chosen a project and have the materials needed to finish it, I will set a timer to work on the project for at least 90 minutes.
6. I will work on the project for the given time until it is finished or the timer goes off.
7. If the project isn’t done when the timer goes off, I will pick up where I left off the next day for the same amount of time.

I am going to try to hold true to this to get these projects finished. And I will try to post the finished results here when they are complete.

How do you motivate yourself to finish projects? Do you find it easier or more difficult to finish projects when they are for someone else?
How many UFOs and WIPs are too many for you?

Share some of your “Project Purgatory” busting secrets with us!