Project Christmas

This year I want to give everyone a self made present. That would be 6 items. Nothing fancy, otherwise I should have started sooner. I simply love lists, I have lists for everything or else I’ll make up a list.
So I made a Christmas-present-giving-list. I made a complete overview of the things I want to make and for every project I note how far I am. From this I have one sheet in which I can see how far the project is and how much longer I have to go. The whole system is based on me doing a little less than 1% of the total project. Right now I have 34% done and I expect to be finished by the 13th of December. That’s well before Christmas.

Of course everything has to work in order to be able to accomplish that. Mom’s gift gave me some trouble.

Last week, Sunday afternoon I had my pattern, needles and yarn ready by two thirty. I have to cast on 128 stitches. Long tail cast-on is what I normally do so there I go. I got to a 100 stitches. Ripped it out, a bit more yarn and I managed a 120 stitches. Grmbl. Okay, I’ll do the cable cast-on. Finally managed a 128 stitches and I proceed to knit in the round. Five rows of garter stitch for the border. After 1 repeat of the stitch pattern I realize that my yarn is going way too fast. Time to measure my work (waddaya mean gauge swatch?). I have 29 inches and I should have 21.5 inches. GRmbl. Ripping it out. I calculated the stitches I need and started to cast on again. Problem is that the cable is too long for the number of stitches. By row 2 I decide to get another needle, a longer one so I can do the Magic Loop. Second row is a purl row. Halfway through the row I realize that I’m knitting every stitch. GRMbl. I ripped it out again and went in search of a shorter circular needle. I found one, only it’s one size larger. Again cast on 96 stitches, 5 rows of garter stitch and start the stitch pattern. It’s really simple, knit 6, knit 2 together and a yarn over. Somehow I have stitches left over at the end of row 1. I know I cast on 96 stitches, I counted it several times. Great, at the beginning of the row I knitted 5 stitches instead of 6. GRMBl. Tinked back to the beginning of the row and started again. At the start of repeat 2 I seemed to have lost a stitch somewhere. At one spot I have 5 knit stitches instead of 6. Can’t for the life of me figure out what went wrong. GRMBL*. Ripped back to the border and started again. At eleven o’clock at night I had a total of 7 rows done. I kept going at it, counting and recounting my stitches and I think I won.



Maybe it’s too simple for me. At least it’s wonderful yarn (Drops Alpaca Silke) and it sure can stand being ripped out 6 times.

*use of language was a bit stronger in reality.

Cherry blossom in September

Finally finished another project, my CherryBlossom Shawl.



I had already started on the Christmas presents, but put them aside for a while to finish it. Now I can fully concentrate on Christmas (yeah, right).

This past Wednesday I had a team day with my colleagues from work. The goal was to get to know yourself and the other better using MBTI. For those who are curious I’m a ISFJ.
During lunch I pulled out my sock. I had no projects that were portable so I started a sock. It’s the September Mystery Sock from the SKA (Raverly group). As usual I received comments on the needles.



After the workshops we had diner. In between the different courses I pulled out the sock again. We were with 12 at the table. First comment came from my boss. He grinned and said that it was nice I was doing that. After a different course someone across the table noticed me. Again my boss responded positively. Actually, he sounded like I was 4 years old and showed him a picture I drew. It felt positive.

I really should have a sock with me at all times. Up till now people have responded positively or simply looked without saying anything. I do explain that I can listen better with something to knit in my hands. It actually keeps my thoughts from wandering.

Fiber rich week

Last Tuesday José gave me this. She found out that I have a spinning wheel at home.



Thursday these goodies came in the mail. I got it from snorrepot (Ravely link) so I can play with my new spindle.



She also pointed out that the was a day of wool on Saterday, not far from where I live. Of course I went to check it out. I forgot to bring my camera, or I’d have more to show.
When I got home this was in my car.



And this is what I’ve made so far with all this pretty stuff. From a distance it actually looks really good.