patelyne

This past week I only worked on the playmat for my nieces. Mostly because my motivation was still running high on it (new project and all) and also partly because my brain didn't want to focus on any complicated patterns due to having a cold/flu/horrific-alien-plague.

( pictures and stuff behind the cut )

In another long overdue update, I've made some progress on my playmat.

I had to return that library book, but not before I managed to find used copies of both The Knitted Farmyard and Knit an Enchanted Castle for really cheap. They include nearly all the things I wanted to make from the Knit a Fantasy Story book, even down to using the same photos an wording. The patterns are jumbled around a little, but they're there with the exception of just a few. I'm thinking they must be included in Jan Messent's Knitted Gnomes and Fairies book, but I'm not sure.

( Anyhow, this is where I'm at right now- )

My second project of the Ravellenic Games, Purple Socks of Sex, are DONE!!


( click the clicky click )

The Tour de Fleece ended yesterday, and so I held over this week's review until today so I could include my 'finish line' photo.

( That and a few other pics and ramblings hidden here )

I am SOOOOOOO tired of the hot. So Very Tired.

Now I know you would be fully within your rights to point out that I, the heat hater, moved to the desert, full of heat, like a big dumb idiot. 
BUT I urge you to keep in mind that I would be within my rights to squirt you directly in the face with the spray bottle I've taken to keeping in the fridge. Repeatedly. At close range. 
So maybe you could just not point out the obvious, and deal with a few days of my whining until the temp finally drops? At least until the highs drop below 100? Please?

( bit more whining and gratuitous yarn and Hedgie pics )

AKA I made it a week without getting distracted and quitting WOOT!!

To the peeps reading this post on Dreamwidth - So as not to cram your friends list with post after post of my tiny increments of spinning progress, I decided to keep the daily progress posts my craft blog and only post weekly recaps here. In case you are curious (or stricken with horrid insomnia and think a week of watching yarn grow might be the cure) you can find my daily posts under the TDF tag at the craft blog

Random people who have wandered onto my blog (probably on accident, and either got lost or too distracted to wander back out) and stayed to read my blatherings - since I'm crossposting here too, you can think of this post as those annoying sportscasters who just keeps repeating everything you've already seen while stalling for more exciting action to come

( click the clicky )

I love a good KAL, it's the reason I'm such a joiner when it comes to crafting. 

It is a great resource, especially if you're trying something new, to have a group (usually including the designer) that you can turn to if you have questions or problems. It's fun seeing how changing the yarn types and colors can make the exact same pattern turn out so incredibly different. Sometimes you get to knit patterns that haven't been released yet, or pay patterns for free which is always nice. And doesn't everyone having a built in audience who is just as interested in what you're doing as you are in their projects? 

The only problems with good KALs are that Rav has so many of them and I have little willpower to resist them. Not a really awful problem to have, except it's done some major adding to my WIP load. 

As of this month I am involved in 3 KALs. 

( More of what I'm working on right now )

You ever have this problem?
You are getting close to a project’s end and then you see something that is going to keep it from being the perfect finished object you imagined.
Then your knitting slows. Slooooooooows. And it’s like … you don't have to accept it isn't going to be what you wanted if you don't actually finish it. So you procrastinate.

Maybe you cast on a couple new projects.
Did I mention that I’m now in a Hurricane Hat KAL and another mystery toy KAL, both started this month?

Maybe you get a sudden interest in finishing other lingering projects.
Guess what - I finished the end weaving on the three finished preemie hats in my WIP post -
and I took all of Sunday and knitted that pink and yellow gift baby hat I mentioned.
Check out the swirly cute-ness, modeled by my slightly big headed doll:



I was almost ready to work on one of my other projects in the WIP box, or finish pulling all those pics of my cell phone from the Alapaca farm to post here.
But eventually even I had to accept that you just need to suck it up and just face those problem projects head on.

What was I stalling on? That cute and impossibly bright summer top for my older niece. The first one just sailed by easy-peasy. The second one seemed to, but then things started to go wrong. And I was so excited to make these shirts (the pattern is just perfect for them) which only made me more irritated with myself for having problems.

I suddenly was running out of every yarn I reached for. And the colors weren’t at the store anymore. I ended up having to change my color choices a few times.
I started out wanting a multi bottom, solid belt and multi top. By the time I got to the belt I realized I wasn't going to have enough multi left for that, so I decided for a yellow belt and top.
And speaking of the belt - the button mods I had notes copied down for looked like gibberish when I sat down to follow them.
After finally figuring out what I was doing and getting through the belt, I wasn't having confidence in having enough yellow for that. Soooo it got a blue panel in the middle.
I was happy with how it looked, coordinating but not too matchy with her little sister's. But when I got to 3/4 done with the straps I ran out of yellow. At least I was doing them two at a time, so they ran out in the same spot. I thought about changing to blue at the bottoms, but that might have stood out too much.
(and if you’re still following this, I give you a gold star)

I let the shirt sit for days. In very-nearly-almost-done limbo.
I did have a little bit of the multi left, not as jarring a color change as a block of blue and matching the bottom. I thought it might not look so bad, and couldn’t think of a better option.
Finally I decided to go for it. Figured I had nothing to lose, and it's not like garter stitch is all that hard to rip back.

And you know what? In the end I actually like how the shirt came out.



The color change that had me so worried is right where the straps cross, so it's just about the best spot to run out if I had to.
I might even be able to pull it off as intentional. At least I’ve decided not to talk it down to my sister before sending her the shirts.



Oh, and now that I’m feeling more accomplished by actually finishing things I’ll be starting on that Alpaca pic post … or maybe I’ll just work a little on these KALs first