2012 Knitting Challenge

Kelly is inviting us all to participate in a Stash Busting/Finish your WIPs Challenge for 2012. Anyone here have need of that? I know I do!


I don't keep nearly as large a stash as most people- my yarn is usually bought with the intention of a certain project (except for sock yarn, which I always buy enough for at least a pair of socks, but occasionally more for baby knits). However, not all of those projects come to fruition, so I do have about 2 rubbermaid totes worth of yarn in a variety of weights, some still assigned to certain projects.


And I've recently ordered yarn for the baby that I'm going to count as stash since I have grand plans (read: not all of it will actually get knit in time and chances are likely that half will land in stash!)


Another part of the challenge is finishing WIPs.... and I have to say that I have a few of those... Please tell me I'm not the only one who finishes a project but then takes a month (or six) to weave in ends, stitch a seam or add buttons! I have a lot of projects that are in that final finishing stage but just haven't quite made it through the last hour it would take to make them truly finished.


It's a sickness really.


So are you in? The rules aren't strict (you can still buy new yarn if needed, it's just to encourage each other to work from stash!) and most everyone has some stashy build-up to take care of.... what do you say?

Yarn Along

{Yarning Along with Ginny again this week...)

After 2 (too short) evenings of work on the Christmas mitten (and 1 evening of starting over 50 gajillion times because that's how it works around here) I'm about 3 rows from the decreases. I was hoping it would go this quickly on the first mitten, because my schedule completely crowds up starting today and that second mitten might be difficult to finish by the Saturday deadline.


This mitten is Rigmor's Selbu Mittens, and even though I'm carrying both colors in one hand it's going a little faster than I thought. I really will try to learn to carry one color in each hand with even tension at some point, but not on a Christmas gift. I just can't give a handknit gift with wonky tension.


I'm still in re-reading mode, finishing up Eclipse and on to Hunger Games this week. Because I'm knitting more I'm reading less since those hobbies have to share the same limited amounted of free time I have. I did just download a copy of Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's newest book on the kindle though, so I'm sure I'll be reading that too this week.

Christmas Knits

Last year I knit 7 items for Christmas, including 2 sweaters, 2 pairs of slippers, a shawl, a hat and a scarf that was the most challenging lace I'd knit up to that point.

 

 

Today is the day where I admit that I haven't made a single thing for Christmas.

 

 

That really can't come as a surprise seeing as how I haven't been knitting or sewing *anything* until about a week or so ago, but I am actually supposed to be busy making for Christmas and I've been slow to get going. I whittled the list down, and I think it mostly includes a couple of simple sewing things that can be whipped out in a few evenings.

 

 

Plus a pair of mittens, that can't just be whipped out in an evening or two.

 

 

See, my mom wants mittens for Christmas and I finally got some knitting mojo going.... so I'm going to go for it. So I guess the real question here is whether or not I'm crazy to try to knit a pair of mittens by next Saturday.

 

 

PROS:

• Worsted weight yarn already purchased
• A pattern ready to go
• Who doesn't like a crazy deadline once in awhile? I can totally work under pressure.

 

 CONS:

• My normal work schedule (aka not a lot of time) 
• Stranded color work (which I cannot yet do 2 handed with even tension, so I do it 1 handed, therefore slower)
• My usual need to re-start a project about 3 times before I get it off on the right foot. (Because, well, I can't just be finishing projects without some kind of obstacle right? I just like to get the frustration over with early...)

  

I started last night and have, well, not much to show you (I was busy getting that "start over 3 times" out of the way), but I'm hoping for some pretty awesome progress by tomorrow.


(I'm secure in the knowledge that my mother loves me and will totally understand if I only have half a mitten done by the 17th when we have Christmas with that side- as long as the full pair is delivered before 2012 I think we'll be okay.)