Rainbow Carp

I've made a decision. I want to be able to wear this top on my next birthday. Which I've done the math, well, at least as much of it as I can do, and will be trying to work at least two squares a day. It might be pushing things while I'm still working on finishing up the last Christmas present, but I still think it's doable. Oh, it's not just the squares, it would be the little triangley bits too. Well, as long as I don't have to do two of the huge squares in one night right now, I should be good to go. I've still been being nice to myself and my wrists (not so much to my shoulders, but they're a little harder for me to reach).

I did fold this along the lines in the diagram for where the front and the back are for the picture, just to kinda help give an idea what the top is going to look like. We're looking at the public side of the back of the top, mainly because that's where I'm still working. I'm sure we'll see the front in a couple of days when I get the current strip around to that side.

Bright Blessings!

(If I think of it before this post goes live, I may pop in an update picture on Mom's blanket.)

Well then, Progress Update

So, that's how far I've gotten on the late Christmas present. It was kinda funny because Mom came up a while after I had taken that picture and fussed with it because I apparently hadn't laid it out straight. There's a Rupert for scale. Yes, I've actually pictured the yarn with the blanket for once. I've been using the Caron Big Cakes for this, and after doing some internet research a day or two after starting this and My Guy's blanket thing I went out and bought more yarn for each project having the feeling that I wouldn't have enough to finish either project. I used about a ball and half of each color on his, and I'm sure glad I have the extra yarn for this. You'll have to click to embiggen, but I'm nearly out of the red. I'll have tons left over, but that's better than running short.

I'm thinking I need to collect this information and have it like in the front of my knitting notebook. I might keep that on hand. Either that or in a doc on my phone or another easily accessible place. Any suggestions?

Bright Blessings!

Opps

So, I had pulled out my Rainbow Carp last night and was working on it, because well, Mom's blanket is going well. I don't have too much to complain about there. It's also been a long time since I worked on it and really, I just want my rainbow top. So, yeah, I had pulled it out and was working on it when I noticed I had made a mistake. I'm not ripping back and fixing it. It's likely the style of mistake that I am the only one who will know it's there, and if others do, well it adds character. Also, I don't really want to go back and rework another row and a half or so of squares. It takes me a while to work up each one, and I'm lucky if I get one of the larger ones done in a day. I'm also of the mind that if it's not going to ruin the project, then I'm not going to worry about it. Also, given that it took me this long to notice? Probably not a big deal. (I just know you guys like to see when I mess up.)

Bright Blessings!

Well, then

Looks like I made a good bit of progress after all. I kinda knew that given that I went down over ten stitches just on Christmas Day. I still can't lay it out flat while it's on the needles, but that'll come with time. Personally, I'd like to have this done by Jan 6th, if not earlier so I can say that I got it done during the Christmas season. (Pet peeve, the 12 days of Christmas are from the Christmas to Epiphany, not the days before Christmas like all the retailers want you to think.) So, that's kinda my goal. Looks like I'd need to do about eight ridges a day to reach that goal.

No, this was not all done recently...

I've found that I like knitting while digging an obscenely large hole in Minecraft. I either dig out the level and knit the corresponding number of stitches (usually 256, good luck keeping count) or dig as far as I can reach, run to pick up everything that dropped and then knit those 1-5 stitches (there's actually an area where I could have up to 10 stitches, but it only happens once per layer.)

Bright Blessings!

Christmas of Tea

Enjoying some blooming tea

Despite being pagan, I still give and receive Christmas presents. I only craft for a select handful of people, mainly to save my own sanity. I actually rarely get handcrafted goodness myself. Probably a lack of people knowing that I'd appreciate it. (Honestly, giving handcrafts to a handcrafter is the best bet.) So, I generally ask for things that I would find useful. This year I got the two teacups pictured and an electric kettle that has temperature control on it. I got the tea-steeper in the background in my stocking. I also generally get a tea sampler in my stocking. (The teapot pictured is one I already owned. It was easily 5 bucks worth of cute.)

I'm still working on my mom's afghan. I'm making progress though I kinda feel like I'm in a black hole. It's mainly that even though I am decreasing, I don't see the number of stitches going down drastically. I've actually been keeping track so that I remember that I'm making progress. I hope that you all are having a good winter holiday season (or just winter break if you don't celebrate).

Bright Blessings!

2/3s Done

Well, I still need to get ends woven in, but otherwise, it's done. Yes, I have two projects that are basically the same other than colors and gauge. They went quickly at first, but I didn't work on them consistently so I just ran out of time to get it all done without hurting myself. Also, he likes that his present is cat approved.

Now I just need to chug away on Mom's blanket that's on size 9, and likely still has over 200 stitches. My plan on that is to get it as far done as I can Christmas Eve, then get it wrapped up in a box and put it under the tree so she still has a present to unwrap Christmas morning. (I know this won't be posted until Christmas Day, but I often write these posts a day in advance and right now my head can't figure out how to word that to make sense otherwise.) So, I have a busy day of knitting ahead of me. Too bad it's too big to take along if I get dragged to church tonight...

Bright Blessings!

1/3 Done with Christmas

Fully knit up, ends woven in, and as of now wrapped and under the tree. My guy was actually a little worried when I got within a 1/4 of an inch or so of being done that I was just going to push on without heeding my breaks and stretches. Yeah, sure, I can ignore that to some extent and be fine, but I'm trying really hard to not make things worse. So, yeah, for as much as it seems like I'm pushing to get things done, I'm not. I have no chance at this point. There's too much to finish on my mom's blanket for me to even entertain that thought.

I think I might have the slightest of chances getting my guy's present done in time. Slight, slight chance. I counted my stitches I'm at 71, I need to get down to 3. That's 34 more ridges. Garter stitch on the diagonal, every other row I decrease two stitches. As I said, slight chance I can get that done. Depends on how much time I spend untangling the yarn in my room, and how much time I spend on his project. We'll have to see.

Bright Blessings!

Progress

So, I've made a good amount of progress on my dad's socks. Not really much exciting to say about them. Turned the heel, started the ribbing. That's about it. Slowing working on typing up that genealogy that's sitting underneath. It's a project I started mainly because I wanted a copy of the genealogy, but we only have hard copies. So, I'm typing it up so maybe we can have digital copies that are easier to pass around.

This is the only present I'm sure that I'm going to get done on time. Well, as sure as I'm getting. Should only take a couple days. I'll be packing the blankets when we head north. Actually, I may only pack one. I don't know. I really think I should only pack like maybe three to four projects. So, a sock for carrying everywhere, my rainbow carp because that's really not getting enough love, at least one crochet project for a different motion, and at least one of the presents. Honestly, we're only going to be up there a week, and that seems like way too many projects. We'll see.

Also, I'm going to see my friend to have her work on my forearms/wrists again today. Which also means that the only work I'm getting done on presents today is happening before I see her. I know people don't care if they get their presents on time, but I also know it's my fault for not planning ahead well enough to actually be able to get everything done on time. So, I'm still trying to get at least something done.

Bright Blessings!

Mom's

This present is most definitely not getting done on time. Between the other two presents (which I think I stand a chance of getting at least one, if not both done) and how much there is left on this. Yeah, no. Not happening. As you can tell, there are so many stitches that I can't really lay this one out flat yet. So, make of that what you will about how much I have left to get done. I know this needle is 47 inches long. As I've said, I've told everyone that they may not be getting their presents on time, and everyone who I'm making a present for would rather that I take care of myself than rush and hurt myself worse in trying to get everything done. Granted, if I had just kept plugging away on this one and my guy's back in November instead of lolly-gagging, I might not be in this position now. Well, I'm learning. I've already shown you some of the planning that has been going on for next year. May and Christmas are the big ones that I really need to watch out for. Which reminds me, I need to go add another person's name to the list for Christmas.

Bright Blessings!

My Guy's Present

I still have a ways to go on it, but it's possible that I could possibly finish this in time. I don't know exactly when on time is yet. I guess I should go discuss that with him. Well, there are some other things that I need to hand off as well. I don't know. Of the three projects, this certainly looks like it's the closest to being done.

It's kinda odd, most times I want to wait before making something for whoever I'm dating. At least to see if the relationship is gonna last and all that. I'm not overly worried about the sweater curse, honestly. I just started pestering him about things I could possibly make him, then he comes up with a project that's a bit out of my ken. In talking to him more about what he wanted, turned out he just wanted something like a blanket to help cover up a usable chair that has some minor visual defects only. He wanted dark colors to help hid cat hork. A bonus? It's been approved by the cats I currently live with.

Bright Blessings!

An Attempt

So, given all the issues with my wrist (I do have a friend trying to help, too), and that I know that this time most of my problems are coming from me not planning ahead. Well, I had bought one more planner than I actually needed, so I decided that it would be my personal planner for keeping track of my writing, crafting, and other personal things. One of those things is making sure I have plenty of time to get projects done. That should help with most of my problems right now.

As I said, I also have a friend doing what she can to help make sure I'm not making things worse. She did some work today on some of the trigger points in both arms and highly recommended no knitting. (Made my wrist ache, so I'm not much interested in knitting in the first place. Good thing everyone wants me to take care of myself anyhow.) So, between those two things, next year should go a lot smoother than this year. (We'll not start with how I may want to make presents for four people, but I've planned for that.)

Bright Blessings!

1 Hour

That's one hour of work on one of the projects I have going right now.

There are three main projects I have going. Socks for my dad, a blanket for my mom, and a blanket like thing for my guy. What you see there is the start of the second sock. My wrist has been acting up enough that I've warned everyone that I don't know if I can get any of the presents done I time. They all understand and want me to take care of myself first. ( Which has a side effect of me not working on anything for a day because I don't feel like it.)

I took off work this week, so I'm going to do my best to get lots of work done on all my gifts. We'll see how far I get.

Bright Blessings!