30 May 2013

Any Port in a Stash

Earlier this week I spent a half day tidying the stash.  It was sort of like tossing the stash (cue the citations of other people's terminology now passed into frequent and familiar use),  I tucked away the souvenir yarn from my January travels.  I tucked away the leftovers back into the bins where they belong.  I reorganized.  And, with a great deal of dismay, I entered a whole whack of new yarn and previously ignored deep stash (again, borrowed jargon) into Ravelry. 

Goodness Me.  I Have To Knit.

I have a couple promised/requested scarves (for mother) and a scarf in progress (for an aunt) that were already slated to take up some stash yarn.   

My nephew lost a scarf I made him and sheepishly asked if I'd make him another.  Just like its predecessor, a stash sock yarn scarf, this one will come out of the sock yarn bins.  Yes, bins.  Not huge, but  surely plural.  And suddenly I'm onto another copycat imitation inspired bit of flattery.

It is a slightly stormy evening.  I have an errand to tackle, but while waiting for the weather to pass, I organized a Summer of Sock Club Kits From Stash:

Nephew scarf 
Mitts for cantata alto (RAK)
Red self-striping socks
Green self-striping faux-isle socks
A Mystery Shawl KAL
Trekking handpaint socks
A neglected pair of barely-started Skew Socks

That could do it for a start.  Need to do a bit of swatching and decide needles and patterns on a couple of them.  The result? I have an organized cache of portable projects for the summer.

I need some structured play time, otherwise I don't do it.

I promise, I am walking when it isn't so stormy.


Seriously.

I had the flu, actual flu, earlier this spring.  I had only enough sense to knit a square.  
I had sense enough to want to tackle a baby gift for a baby due shortly.  
I had sense enough to eyeball two skeins of indifferent baby acrylic that had been in the stash since certain other preschoolers were expected.  

It became a mission to get this done, and  that energy wasn't lost even when I set myself other spring-deadline hats.

The baby is here, enough weeks in that I can have a visit with the mom without overwhelming.  The blanket is drying from its quick wash.

But.  Seriously.
I bought a third skein, only to have 3/5 of it remaining.  I decided it seems big enough.  
I was too sick at the beginning to catch on to the fact that I would have gauge issues shifting from the garter center to the stockinette surround.
I thought an I-cord bind off would curb the curl, and it is not so.
I washed it, and days later the acrylic is still not dry.

This sucker is not square. I will try not to care.


In other serious news, I tossed the stash.  I entered long ignored items into ravelry.  I have one more box to go through.  

I am appalled.  I must knit more.  Seriously.  SABLE indeed.

Seriously not entering the kitchen cotton.

Excuse me.  I need to go work on a gift scarf that's been lingering in the basket.



09 May 2013

Dead Fish Hats, Unite!

Voila.

Mostly used a skein of Malabrigo for each.  Tried to up other yarn on hand for details.    


06 May 2013

Almost Done!

Fish in need of eyes.

I'll finish them just in time for the fishing opener. I hope the little guys enjoy them.



And if the big folks are bemused, there are still leftovers.