Yarn Along

I saw this Yarn Along over at KC’s blog and thought it might be nice to play since I’ve not posted here lately.

Here is what I’ve been knitting and “reading” (I mostly “read” audiobooks.)

 

Turtle in CottonTots

Caterpillar in Baby Ull

Dolly in Cascade Superwash

All for my newly crawling granddaughter, Gariníon

 

You can see some of the titles on the iPod Touch if you click the picture to see it large.

 

You can see what others are “yarning” at Ginny’s

Happy knitting!!

Yet another change of plans

After finding myself completely overwhelmed with my knitting ideas and queue, I stopped knitting for about a week and scrapped everything.  Okay, it’s not scrapped, but I’ve put things in hibernation.  I decided on some fun, quick knitting for my granddaughter for Christmas.

Here is a little caterpillar:

The pattern I used came from Kimberly Chapman’s site.  I modified a bit, and after having done it know that I will do a few more things differently if I make it again.  Still, she has some really cute, free, patterns for toys.

 

 

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Later I will make a “matching” butterfly toy.  There is a pattern for a butterfly in Zoe Mellor’s  Knitted Toys: 25 Fresh and Fabulous Designs, but I don’t think I’ll be using that pattern.  Her pattern uses felt that is sewn to the underside of the wings and such and I don’t really like the idea of having pieces that can come apart.  Still, I can probably use that pattern for some inspiration.  Or maybe not.  I’ve not gotten that far in my plan yet.

I am knitting the tortoise from Knitted Toys: 25 Fresh and Fabulous Designs.  It is very cute and the little pieces for the shell are very quick to knit and quite mindless.  I have substituted Bernat Cotton Tots for Mellor’s recommendation of Rowan Cotton Glace (because I have lots in my stash and I can easily get more locally ~ but mostly because it’s in my stash.)

 

I’m trying to let go of all of my knitting frustration of late and just enjoy the process of knitting and the idea of my dear granddaughter enjoying these safe, not made in China toys.

 

Are you doing any Christmas knitting?

Where did it go?

It’s been about a month (maybe more?) since my last tirade about this stuff, so consider yourself warned.  I’m going to go off about undisciplined knitting and me.
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So, back to my question… where did it go?

My knitting drive, I mean.  Where did it go?  Since Wednesday I’ve only knitted on a swatch (to test those needles, see the previous post) and two rounds on a baby sock.  That’s it.  I can’t even say that I’ve gotten so much done around my house or with my kids or anything like that.  I just haven’t done knitting ~ or much of anything else, either.

Why do you think that is?  How can I put the needles down for so long with so many things that I want to knit?

I am not really sure why, but I think that having so many things pulling on my knitting attention might be getting to me.  I have a little pile of UFOs (and, ugh! last week I found 2 hibernating projects!) and while I was trying to knit on one I was dreaming of another (or two!)  As I’ve told you a few times, it makes me feel kind of restless.  And agitated.  I have that nagging, overwhelming feeling of not getting things done.  I’m also undecided about a project I might want to cast on ~ which I wouldn’t even be thinking about if I were doing what I know I need to do!!!!  Anyway… should or should not, I have been thinking of it.

sorry about the coloring. iPhone photo

You see, I’ve knitted a little “santa cap” for Gariníon and I’m working on some stocking-looking socks to match and I thought that a sweater to go with it would be SO awesome….  So, of course, I start looking for a perfect sweater pattern, but it needs to be done in fingering weight so that the color will match properly (I’m using Baby Ull by Dale.  I love, love, love, that yarn!) and, of course, I need to find out if I can get more of the yarn in the same dye lot (though I suppose that if it’s a separate garment, even a different dye lot might be close enough… I need to email Larissa and Woolybaabaa and ask about availability.)  And then, of course, as I think of all of this, I think that I must be crazy and that I am not getting the things from my list done and I won’t ever be able to do my Christmas knitting and all of the rest, which, of course, makes me feel overwhelmed which seems to drive me away from the needles….

I’m about to do what I do every year and blow off the Christmas knitting. It’s November 1st.  I’ve only finished two pair of socks that I planned to give as gifts.  I’m not really a slow knitter (but slower than I used to be!) but I don’t have as much knitting time as I wish I did. Little things like the kids, the house, homeschooling, etc., need to come first, so my time is limited.

I’m about to tell myself that I’ll start my Christmas knitting for 2011 on December 26, 2010 (and this time, actually do it!  No.  Really.  I mean it.  Seriously.  Stop laughing!  I’m so very serious!)

This is why I hate willy-nilly casting on, multiple projects.  It’s just overwhelming and confusing and non-productive for me.  I don’t know how the rest of you do it.  I’m getting nowhere fast.  Next year is going to HAVE to be the year I get it together with this knitting or it will be the year I quit knitting.

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Okay, not really, but you know what I mean.

As if.  LOL!

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Off to email Larissa at Woolybaabaa about that yarn. I’m already “scr*w*d” so why not add a baby sweater to it?

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