31 posts tagged “knitting”
I have not had much time for knitting this year, until the month of May really. I have not progressed too well on 5 skeins used per month, but I have not been adding many skeins either (unless it was for a specific project)
Per the card system, it appears that I have (usage total in parenthesis):
Jan: finished 3 skeins (-3)
Feb: finished 3 skeins (-6)
Mar: finished 1 skein (-7)
April: purchased 3 (-4)
May: purchased 6, finished 12 (-10)
so, averaging 2 skeins used per month... I can do better. some of my projects this month include several cloths:
until the next time...
Yes, I am still working on this project... It is an easy knit, but time consuming! Something that I do not have much of these days as I have taken on a part time job. It is an amazing opportunity for me, I am very excited. But I have so much to learn!
So I finished one sleeve and started the second. Photo #2 shows I only have a few more inches to go and I can bind off! Then I can make progress on the body....
As far as my stash goes, I only used up three skeins in May :( and I was gifted 6... So I have more to knit... I have to be creative with what I was gifted as it is not yarn I would normally select, although the gesture was nice.
So I have not have much time to do anything lately... It seems I fell
down on my stash posting too... The cards (used for tracking skeins and
projects yarn was used for) are handy. For March I used 9 skeins and
acquired one as a gift. In April, I have only used 3 skeins and it is
not likely I will use more in the next 3 days although anything is
possible. So that is -12 skeins for two months.
So I failed miserably on my quest to use yarn, not buy yarn in January... 34 skeins added to the collection, only 5 skeins used... Granted, I purchased yarn for three sweaters, so it will be used... Some of my creations now listed for sale at etsy:
Knitting resolutions:
1) Continue with stash reduction
2) Finish a pair of socks
3) Finish Central Park Hoodie (or similar)
4) Continue charity knitting
5) Knit more for me
6) Knit more projects that I have purchased patterns for, or have patterns "waiting"
Stash Rules:
a) Restrict purchases to those needed for a project or to finish something (or as requested), not impulse purchase "because its pretty or soft"
b) Knit at least as many skeins as purchased in a month by the end of the next month (trying not to increase stash, although large purchases such as for sweaters may be extended for the time to complete the project for the sake of dye lot) This is a modification of my old rule of one skein for each 5 used.
c) Specific requests (i.e., gifts or customers) may be exempt, but should be knit in a timely manner.
Per my count I should have about 122 skeins in my stash. When I entered my collection on ravelry, I do not think these numbers quite match... but at least it is a starting place... I hope to have fewer skeins at the end of 2008.
Back in April I decided to go on a Yarn diet and complete a few projects... The list I made at that time was as follows:
1) Chic Knits Ribby Shell
2) Knitty's Isabella
3)
Shawl... I know this one is vague... I have several picked out, but I
keep changing my mind - there is yarn for at least two...
4) Baby
hats... I have been buying some soft acrylic that will be easy to wash
in bright colors and have several ideas in my head
5) Charity afghan squares... maybe one in-between each of the other projects?
6) Socks... now that I have several skeins of sock yarn, it is time to make progress in this area too.
7) Fake-a-gamo in lovely bamboo yarn
8) Isabeau in Rowan summer tweed that I have ripped out about 20 times.
9) Dishcloth squares in various patterns that I have been accumulating
So how did I do:
1) Finished Ribby Shell (before Christmas, but it took a few days for the photos to come)
4) No baby hats, but I did make several baby bibs
5) Finished knitting a charity animal shelter blanket (not afghan squares, but this works for me)
7) Started the fake-a-gamo -- needs lining and handles
8) Started the Isabeau -- needs assembly, a strap and a lining
9) Finished tons of dishcloths!
Finished several bowls that were felted and a pair of slippers for my mom (flickr is a great record keeper)
I
bought yarn (especially for dishcloths) and last week for a new
sweater... Most of what I purchased I have used up, or purchased with a
specific project in mind.
Since starting the first stash diet in April/May
(when I did the inventory although I don't think I posted the total
then) I have 86 skeins remaining in my stash...
+ 15 purchased in June
+ 5 purchased in September
+ 6 purchased in November
+ 10 purchased in December
Grand total: 122 skeins (or partials) hanging around my stash currently
This is not to say no progress has been made:
9 skeins finished May
13 skeins finished June
14 skeins finished July
10 skeins finished August
9 skeins finished September
8 skeins finished October
15 skeins finished November
11 skeins finished December
OR 89 skeins used since I started keeping track. I feel pretty good about that.
I have plenty of yarn to keep me occupied for awhile, so no new purchases are necessary. I want to use up what I have, but I don't think I will join a stash along again in 2008. I did sign up for a clean plate in 2008 -- achieved that goal, but then I started the isabeau and fake-a-gamo, so... The biggest lesson: don't let projects linger! The ribby shell was an excellent example of lingering. It was not hard, there are no mistakes (that I remember) and it fits. The yarn is nice to work with, so why did I wait so long to finish? I let other things take priority... I'll do another post with the next set of projects that I want to accomplish in 2008 once I decide -- or just look at my list in ravelry :)
I forgot to post the finished pictures: Yea!!
I pretty much followed the pattern, no problems although I let it take much longer than it should have while I got distracted on other projects... I like the way it turned out :)
In the spirit of Christmas trees past, this one is no exception. On purpose, I did not stuff this tree (1) because it would be fun to find random things to put inside and (2) unstuffed makes for easier storage. I started with rags, but brother #3 suggested the cat scratch post -- BINGO! We covered the post with a rag of some sort so minimize cat hair transfer. There is a crumpled bow for a star and a very short strand of lights for additional festivity. Even brother #2 liked it.
