YOP Week #28

 I've been feeling a little overwhelmed lately with all the things I want to do and make this coming year.   I'm trying to fit it all in and yet stay organized.  So, I made little "rules" for myself along the way based on last year.  Rule #1:  I will only have 3 areas of projects going on at the same time....in other words something for me, a gift and a WIP (work in progress) that has been put aside and needs to be picked up again.   I'm not sure that is going to work but that is my goal.  It may take awhile for it to take affect so "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain"! LOL!
This is a gift to finish.  A Corner-to-corner crocheted baby blanket for a puppy.  I haven't decided if I will put an edge on it.  If I do it will probably be an off white scallop or picot edging.  My goal is to finish it this week.

 I also made my first project keeper but the only lobster claw clasp I could get at Walmart was this one which is way too big.  It's okay for this acrylic worsted but not for anything else.  I have lots of little charms but now I need smaller clasps.  I can now see the need for progress keepers too and I want them on all my projects.  It's a motivational tool! LOL!  Above you can see yesterday's progress.

 I have made progress on my Jingle socks which are for me............loving the yarn and the knitting......
West Yorkshire Spinner's yarn and Karbonz DPNs.....my favorite needles so far are Addi's circulars for socks but I could change my mind.

 

Okay, this is where I run into my first glitch with my new system of rules. The cowl below is for me but so are the socks above but the cowl has a deadline of January 31st because I have joined the Red Heart Lover's group on Ravelry and the January CAL or KAL (you can knit or crochet as long as you use Red Heart yarn) ends on 1/31 so I will be putting the socks away and working on the cowl until finished.  I am using Red Heart Fiesta worsted from stash and the pattern is a tutorial on You Tube   
called the Circular Scarf (I think) by Love4Nails.  It is an excellent tutorial and I have made 2 of these before and I love them.  Goodbye turtlenecks and hello cowls!  I am hoping to finish this coming week.

Below is the first slipper of another gift (oops.....there goes my rules right out the window!).  I finished one slipper and was so proud of myself until I went to try it on.........it was way too small and it was supposed to be for my son who's feet are even bigger!  What?  So, I revisited  the pattern and realized that the length of the slipper based on foot size was supposed to measured from the beginning of the stockinette stitch NOT the garter stitch.....measure twice.....cut once!  DUH!!!!!!!!  Oh well, it will be used as a Christmas "pocket" to fill with greens and some tiny Christmas ornaments and berries next year.    

 So close but no cigar!

 Meanwhile, I was able to order some "slipper gripper" fabric on Amazon to sew on the bottom of them when I do complete them.  The deadline for this is January 18th with time for mailing in front of that.  I would like to have blanket done too so I can just mail one package.  So, as soon as the blanket is done I will be picking up this project again...........I was able to get a start on it (this was before I set up my "rules")..........so the cuff is done.  I'm using a really cheap circular needle from Walmart and have since ordered a Chiagu circular size US 4 as I feel like I will be making more of these slippers.

I also committed to Inside Number 23's KAL(knit along) which is a year long (but with monthly prizes) Harry Potter KAL.  The rules are it has to be at least 50 grams of yarn and Harry Potter related either by yarn or pattern or some connection to HP that makes sense.  So, I will have to put the Christmas socks away, finish the cowl and get started on Hermione's sock pattern using this Sirdar yarn which was in my stash for my Summer socks.  It reminds me of watermelon thereby my Summer socks.  These also have a deadline of 1/31 and I need to plan what to do for February in case I need to order supplies.

 In honor of my birthday last week I acquired a little more stash...........my first handspun yarn by Happy Handspun Yarn on Etsy.   Isn't it beautiful?  Don't ask what I'll be doing with it.....right now I just want to display it like a work of art!

 I was really out on Etsy looking for Harry Potter related yarn when this little number caught my eye and several more too but we won't talk about that right now...............just feast your eyes on this Christmas miracle!  These are going to be my Christmas Eve cast on for next Christmas if I can wait that long! LOL!  It is called "You'll shoot your eye out" from the famous Christmas movie "A Christmas Story".  It is from Brazen Stitchery on Etsy.  She has many more beautiful yarns but this was the last skein of this one......for now...........I talked to her and she does repeats so just contact her if you see something you like.  Right now she's working on Valentine's Day....oh be still my beating heart! Did I tell you I also joined Yarngasm's Box of Socks KAL for 2017 on Ravelry? A pair a month for 12 months and at the end you have a "box of socks"!

Well folks....that about wraps it up for this week but I will be very busy behind the scenes until next week.....there may be more CALs and/or KALs and I still need to plan my next Harry Potter project and I am trying to follow a de-clutter challenge  on Mary Organizes which is a great site...thank you, Marsha!  Plus, there is definitely going to be major updating on my projects page on Ravelry, my YOP list and my blog in general.  I love the new year......one more chance to try and get it right! LOL! 
Happy Trails!