Sunday, January 26, 2014

Whipping the WIPs and Planning Projects For 2014

There's been a bunch of progress on the leftover WIPs from 2013. In the last week of December, I managed to finish spinning the second braid of Spunky Eclectic fiber in the "Kites" colorway.  The knitting projects included my handspun socks, a pair knit in Opal yarn, and a "Twistygoo" hat in Malabrigo Rios. 

The first part of January has seen the finishing of my Mystic Delight Shawl, a "198 Yards to Heaven" shawlette to match the Twistygoo hat.  The shawlette ended up being 231 yards since I wanted to use the last of the hat yarn as well.  It is part of a one skein worsted weight yarn KAL.  I need to get that pic posted in the next couple of days so it counts.  The Molly scarf is finished as well.  While at the LYS a couple weeks ago for Sit and Knit, a pair of mitts were passed around using the same yarn.  I decided to make them to go with the scarf. If I have left over yarn, I'll just add it to the end of the scarf so I can use all of it up.  The first mitt is done and the second is cast on.  Plans are to finish them this week.

So far, I've crocheted two pet blankets a/k/a "Snuggles" for the shelters.  January and February is the annual KAL on the Yarnivore podcast.  Number 3 will be finished tonight.  I am hoping to finish a few more since I still have quite a bit of acrylic yarn to use up.  It's really old stash and it's good to use it for this project.  Ever since I broke my wrist in 2007, crocheting causes pain in my hand if I do it for too long so I have to take breaks.  

The wheels were busy too.  I managed to spin up another skein of the Cria Alpaca/Merino Hogget blend, the first 4 ounces from a pound of the Ashland Bay "Diablo", and a 4 ounce braid of Frabjous Fibers Merino in "Verbena".

My next WIP I plan to get off the needles is the never finished "Ditto" sweater.  It's been hibernating since December 2011 and just needs to be finished so I can wear it.

One of the podcasts I like to watch is Twisted Strandss.  Jadee is doing 14 socks in 2014.  Now, that's not 14 pairs, just a total of 14 socks.  I plan to knit as many pairs as I can.  Another podcast I enjoy is Sockbunny Knit and Fit.  Last year, she made a sock advent calendar.  I would like to "borrow" that idea and make one of those, too.  The mini socks would be able to count toward the 14 total. 

My fiber goals/intentions for 2014 are:

4 hats
4 scarves/shawls
7 pairs of socks (might end up only being 5 but plan to try for 7)
3 sweaters
4 snuggles a/k/a pet blankets
Vivid blanket (knit in squares)
8 pounds of spinning
use the looms
use books from my collection/library for projects
finish most of my WIPs
frog projects I no longer like/love

I am counting WIPs as part of the listings above.