Whoops

Due to massive insomnia and lack of pictures, I didn't actually post daily for November so far. Well, I wrote posts daily, but didn't want to post without pictures and then I didn't want to post because I had skipped a day or two, and then...it snowballed. So, here are a bunch of posts dated when I wrote them, but posted today, Saturday the 8th.

In other news, I have moved on from the cross stitching jag I was on. We all knew it was going to happen sooner or later, but almost certainly before I was done with the piece. I wasn't feeling the cross stitch vibe anymore, and then, a few days after realizing that with a concentrated effort and a good plan I could get the number of open projects down to single digits, I learned that my cousin is pregnant. Which of course means that I get to knit baby things!

I was thinking of knitting her a Samony (rav), as she's in her early 20s and I think would like something like that, but it's not going to happen. It's a really cute sweater, I want one for myself, and it looks nice as a normal sweater or as a maternity sweater. The bottom bit is lacy and stretches to accomodate. I'd need to get it to her by Christmas for her to get any use out of it (baby's due in March, but it's a nice sweater, so I'd want it to her by the holidays) and for that I'd need to finish it in just over a month. That is do-able. It's a cabled DK weight yarn sweater, but it takes about 700 gr of yarn, which is quite a bit. I am a fickle knitter, so I know that I may or may not actually stay on task long enough to finish it on time. Also, the pattern is not the most clear pattern ever, and I'd have to be doing a bit of swatching and calculating, which isn't good for a sweater that I want to knit up quickly. Lee and I are also attempting to not spend too much money, and I can't really find a good yarn here in Japan that is within our price range. Well, technically, I did, but the shop did not have enough skeins. They had 10, and I need at least 15, though 17 or 18 would probably be right. The yarn here comes in odd sizes, like 40 and 88 gram skeins. I'm going to check one more shop, but from what I remember, that shop does not have very good prices and would therefore be out of our price range. Ah well.

I do however have quite a bit of light blue cotton rescued from a Goodwill sweater that will now be put to good use. A baby blanket with matching burp rags is what I'll be making from that! It's DK, not worsted as the pattern calls for, but I have a lot more yarn than the pattern calls for, so it will work. I'm not sure how many burp rags I can get out of it, but I may as well use up all the yarn! I also have a bunch of Bernat Handicrafter Cotton from my BYOBs. Lee doesn't like the pattern and won't use the bags, so I'm just going to make one more for me, and use the rest of the yarn for bibs. I should be able to get 2 from each color, so six bibs. I like a couple other patterns for the baby too, but I'll probably just use up stash yarn and then see where I am. I definitely want the blanket and at least one bib done by February so I can send them home in time for the shower. I know I usually think I can knit more than I do, so I'm keeping it fairly simple, and if I do finish, then I can think of other things. I knit while walking to work daily, 20 minutes in, 20 minutes out, so those bibs should be something like a week each if I work on them while walking, and then the blanket can be an at-home thing.

This totally blows my goal of getting down to single digits out of the water. However, I am not allowing myself to start anything until I finish at least three projects. I set this goal at the time that I just had to sew the button on and weave the end in for my Calorimetry, so that is #1. #2 is the Thank-You Scarf, which will be published so no pictures, and that is soaking as we speak. #3 will be, I do believe, Rogue, as I have the first sleeve mostly done and then just need to make the second, then attach them and block. I can work on the sleeves while walking to work, so that helps too. Next up for a wash is the blue yarn that has been salvaged but not washed, so is still all kinky from being a sweater.

While it may not be helping with my fewer projects goal, it is helping to reduce the stash, which is also a good thing. After all, once that's gone, I get to buy more!