My New Mantra

Okay, I'm a couple of days late, but I'm back.  And I don't really have a game plan for all these seasonal crafty projects--just one rule and a new mantra.  The rule?  Don't start any new projects.  The mantra? (With apologies to Alec Baldwin's character in Glengarry Glen Ross) Always Be Knitting.

I finished the second pair of mittens. And the only way to take a picture seems to be with the flash.  This picture was taken before I finished the thumb.

I'm working on another pair of mittens (another pair where I had to merge two patterns--so the writing out of the pattern has been time-consuming and there has been some trial-and-error).  And I started a hat for one of my nephews.  Yes, I started a project, but this one was already planned.  I am trying to avoid starting any unplanned gifts.  I am also working on Caroline's sweater at night (those secret knitting projects are tough to fit in, I tell you!).  I'm almost finished with the back.  My sweater?  Is on hold (see my one rule above).  I'm okay with it. For now.

And as a corollary to "don't start anything new," I decided to find a stopping point on other projects.  So these little decorations are done--I finished stuffing them and sewed them closed.

 And these unsewn ones will go into storage for another year.

Just this morning I realized that my parents will be arriving here next Tuesday.  And while this is super-exciting, that also means that it's time to start preparing the house for guests.  I am hosting Thanksgiving again this year, and I am super-tickled about this because it is also my fortieth birthday!

Friday again

I'm finding that having a camera on the blink just kills my blogging mojo.    My 365 project is now going to be more like "283".  Oh well.  Last week I found a book at the library that was full of red, white and pink Christmas decorations.

I went to Joann's, and for a couple of days this week, my dining room table looked like this:

 And this:

 And this.

I love that red-and-white homespun in a way that probably isn't normal. . .

Other than that, I've been slowly knitting.  And I'm in a funk about my own Christmas sweater.  Actually, it was going to be my Birthday sweater, but that is not going to happen.  Last January, I bought the pattern for this.  In August, I purchased the yarn (it's Deep Red).  I was going to knit this sweater for Christmas, maybe my birthday if I finished it early enough.  Now I'm running out of time and am looking at other patterns.  I truly love this (in much the same way as I love that homespun fabric), but I don't think I'll be able to complete it in time for Christmas.  So now I'm contemplating this.  And I'm thinking that it could become a Valentine's project if I really run out of time. 

What I need to do is stop taking on new projects!  Those Christmas decorations are not finished.  The nieces' mittens are not finished.  The nephews' hat and mittens are not even started, and I'm contemplating knitting a scarf and a throw blanket as Christmas gifts.  Those Christmas lights I started a month ago?  I have three of them.  Do you see a pattern here?  I think I have Seasonal ADD.  It's time to get realistic.  How about I come back on Monday with a realistic game plan?  What are you doing for your holiday crafting?  Are you on schedule, or are you (like me) easily distracted?   

Hey!

Did you miss me?  I missed last Friday's post!  Oh well, nothing like a Monday Five or Six to make up for it!

1.  I call this "What is going on with my camera?"

 This was taken in my kitchen during the day--it's not super-bright in there.  I was checking the white balance and pressing all sorts of exposure compensation buttons.  No idea what the problem is.  But it does work later in the day (and in lower light).

2. See here--the flash came on, which I don't love (but it was night), and now you can see that I've finished the first mitten for this set!

These mittens...are tough.  There are some mistakes.  I can live with it.  The next one will be better.

3.  Here's a completed set!  I finally finished the last thumb--and it didn't turn out right because I should have reversed the pattern (not that the book tells you that).  Anyway, it's done.  These mittens have been so challenging for me.  The hats were an absolute breeze, so the difference is surprising.

4.  Soccer season is almost over.  But we have to get through a tournament first--a "two games in one day" tournament!  And there are two days of "two games in one day"! 

This picture is of Bobby at a soccer game.  He sure looks funny, doesn't he?  He's stooped over and reading the first Harry Potter book!  Each child is reading a Harry Potter book!  They are all so into it, I'm just tickled!    

5.  I finished that scarf for Hermione just in time.  And then Bobby said he wanted a scarf! 

Happy First of November!

Friday Five

1.  It's "Celebrate Education Week" over at the elementary school.  This means that I've been over there almost every day to play math games with first graders, visit the third grade insect zoo, create an advertisement for one of the thirteen colonies.  It's also book fair week, so I got a little Christmas shopping done (Knuffle Bunny Free!  I didn't even know this was out.  We love, love, love Mo Willems in this house!)

 2.  I have finished one of my mittens.  That top picture shows it without the thumb, but it's done now. 

 Runs a little large, I'd say.  But there is no way I'm re-knitting this, so I'll just have a gorgeous pair of really large mittens (whenever I finish the mate).

 3. So here are all of the nieces' hats.  They were also running large, so for Sarah's (the pink and white), I took out one of the pattern repeats.  It seems to fit all my kiddos' heads just fine, so I think it'll work for her.

 4. Kristyn had a good idea--that I should finish up the sets instead of starting the nephews' hats.  She's right, I will feel so much better when I have some complete gift sets to admire.

 I had been dragging my feet on this because the mitten patterns I'm using are all adult sizes--way too large for an eleven-year-old.  I tried using the pattern as written, but it was huge on me.  I had to cut it way down, as you can see.

 Now that the first one is done, the second one should be a breeze!  I know I'm going to have to adapt Sarah's mittens, but I'm hoping that for Alexis (she's 14), I can just use the pattern as written and just knit with smaller needles.

5.  Harry Potter robes are done, now I'm racing the clock to knit up a Gryffindor scarf for Caroline.  It's really going quickly because I'm using ginormous yarn and size 13 needles.  My only concern is that I will run out of yarn before it's long enough!

Tonight we're going on a spooky hayride with the Boy Scouts.  I hope it's not too spooky--some of my littles are not into extreme spookiness.  I also hope it's not too chilly.  It may be time to dig out some hats and mittens.  Happy weekend to you all!

Friday Five

1. I have a new blog header.  No really, I have a new picture all ready to go over on flickr.  But when I try to add it over here, I get an "invalid url" message from Blogger.  Sigh.



2.  A couple of weeks ago, I bought this giant jar for cookies.  So much better than ziploc bags, don't you think?  And now there are only two cookies left in the jar...

 3.  This week, I brought out the sewing machine for the first time in a long while.  I made this table runner and some napkins.  We used them last night.   I had been wanting to make a table runner.  It was a good warmup for the sewing machine--I have two Hogwarts robes to make before the 31st.

 4.  This is the third hat.  I did take a picture of the second hat, but I managed to not upload it...it's done, I promise, and it's super cute, too.  Now, do I make hats for the nephews, or get started on the nieces' mittens?  Or do I chuck it all to make two Gryffindor scarves?  This homemade Halloween costumes thing is becoming time consuming!

5.  I don't really have anything else to add, but "Friday Four" just wasn't as exciting as "Friday Five."  I'll be back next week--hopefully with some finished mittens to show you!

Friday Five

Hey, there!  Another week gone by, another three or four quizzes I've had to study for...seriously, my children's schoolwork has been killing me this year.  I don't remember my parents having to be so involved in my daily homework.  They never had to sign my "homework assignment book", they never had to sign a daily reading log.  Frankly, I've had it up to here with the signing for the nightly reading.  It irks me to no end.  But I'm trying to keep this a happy place, so let's just disregard my mini-rant, shall we? 

Let's move on to what may become a weekly series (if only because five pictures and short comments may be all I can manage for the time being): the Friday Five!

1. My new favorite cookbook!  Mad Hungry by Lucinda Scala Quinn.  Eren at This Vintage Chica recommended it.  I borrowed it from the library, and after a couple of successful meals, I went out and bought my own copy.  I am very happy with my purchase.

 2.  The first Christmas hat is done.  The second one will be finished today.  Mittens...are going to take much longer.  At least, my Aran mittens are.  They are a very slow go!

3.  Last weekend, I broke out the beer and brats.  It's one of the things I love about fall.

4.  Because Fair Isle knitting doesn't travel well, and because there are at least three lessons a week that I have to sit through, I needed some portable knitting.  Enter the Christmas lights.  I can make one per lesson.  Hopefully by December, I'll have enough to string together on a small garland.  And the beauty of this is, I can add some each year.

5.  Baseball playoffs are here!  The whole town was already excited, and then Roy Halladay threw a no-hitter on Wednesday night.  People are out of their minds excited now.  It is so much fun.

I wish you a happy weekend filled with fall fun!  See you next week!

Yarn love

This week, I went to a yarn shop to purchase yarn for Christmas gifts.  I was going to call it "my favorite" yarn shop, but let's be honest--they're all my favorites!  Actually, this store is fairly close to civilization (one of my other favorites is way out in the country--a pretty drive, but not useful if I'm trying to fit it in with other errands), and it has a large selection of Plymouth Galway and Brown Sheep yarns.  You know, basic worsted wools that are reasonably priced. 

This time around, I was looking for yarn for my nieces (I have three).  I'm making them each mittens and a hat.  I also want to make a Libby sweater for Caroline for Christmas, so I also purchased yarn for that.  And I hope to have enough yarn leftover from the hats and mittens to use as the contrast colors for the sweater. 

In addition to all these gifts, I am also tackling these Aran mittens for myself.  It's a learning experience!

I just love having a multitude of knitting projects to work on!