Sheep Shots

Let's start the morning off, shall we, with a parade of the UFOs:


I had intended to spend the evening (last) ringing in the new year, and finishing up at least one UFO. That one (eyes left) has been languishing since I decided in August that it would not be completed in time for competition in the 2007 fair.

Yes, it's the Mr. and Mrs. Santa, knit. All of the knitting is done. What remains is the sewing and weaving. And only on Mr. And there it sits. Really must!

Let's call it my first entry for the 2008 fair, shall we?


Next up is the Bear Claw Blankie. It's been On The Needles even longer than the Clauses.

This is really pretty and soon will be absolutely useless for the Tiny Prince of Wails. It's small. Like to tuck around a stroller- or carseat-bound not-terribly-mobile infant.

I fear that Master Rowan will be very mobile and Bound By Nothing before I finish it.

Too much work to frog. Too much snipping of yarn ends to recycle the yarn, as well. Press on. There will be other babies needing gifties.

And it can be entry #2.



Car Knitting. Long-wise garter stitch scarf. Wooly yarn, thin, size 6 needles providing suitable drape.

I think this is weaving yarn or something. I did the bleach test and about 85% of the yarn disintegrated. What was left crumbled between my fingers. Wool and nylon, perhaps? Scratchy as all get out.

I am hoping to 1) use up this yarn and 2) wash and condition it into softness.

Pray for me. I have no earthly udea where this one will end up. Hair shirt?


Last FO of 2007. For the Reservation. The ubiquitous Girl Scout Slipper (or a variation thereof). Admit it, you made these by the dozen for friends and family the first Christmas after you learned to knit.

I hate these!


And now, for something a little jazzier! Pattern I have stashed forever (got it from elann.com a bunch of years ago and decided to give it and all that yarn that Mary sent me a whirl).

The pattern suggests starting with the baby size to "get a feel for the gauge" (I am doing that). It also suggests using a wool/mohair blend (Classic Elite Tapestry--I am not doing that).

I still need to do cuffs to finish these off. I think they are kind of sweet!

I'm using a combination of acrylic yarns: the purple is Caron Sayelle, the red is Patons Canadiana, the others are Red Heart. I'm using size 4 dpns for a firm fabric.



And Now For The Resolutions: I have dubbed my personal Yarn Control System "One in, 2 out" because, folks, my yarn habit is Out Of Control. I ended 2007 with slightly less yarn than I started (that's the yarn I acknowledge--the stuff I acquire for "community" knitting isn't counted in there).

In a private conversation about "stash dieting," a friend pointed out something to me that I hadn't really considered before (okay, I had, but she put it into words better than I): "If we buy food and then just let it rot so that the grocery stores will stay in business, it's false economics. Nobody would think of doing that." (Well, actually, I knew someone once who did that. When he died, there was so much food in his house that it was shameful. And yes, it was donated, but some of it was so old that it should have been thrown away years before--but I digress. Besides, I don't think he was trying to keep BJ's in business. He just liked to shop. And hoard food.)

To each her own as far as yarn buying goes.

I, personally, will be bit more conservative in my yarn buying. I will continue to be ultra-liberal in my politics, however.

I'd like to get my stash confined to the cubes I have (and maybe the 3 more that I still have to assemble).

I'd like to knit up (enjoy, IOW) the wonderful yarns I already have stashed.

I'd like to share (i.e. give away, donate, sell) the yarns that I no longer consider wonderful.

And I'd like to lose 25 pounds.

None of these resolutions will come easy.

I absolutely will attempt entrelac this year. I possibly might try spinning.

Labels: baby things, big people clothes, charity, fair entries, yarn diet