2010 Fiber Resolutions

But first a look back at my 2009 fiber resolutions...

So here was my list for 2009:

• I’d like to get my WIPs under some sort of control.


• Make a least one sweater/cardigan thingy for Me ME MEEEEE!!!! And crochet/knit for me more in general! LOL


• Learn knitted fair isle/stranding or at least attempt learning it.


• Start Christmas gifts NOW!


• Write and offer at least 3 new patterns.


• Spin more!

I didn't do tooooo badly. LOL I didn't get my WIPs under control at all. They actually got worse! Unless you count the number I put into hibernation as getting under control. ;) I never did finish the cardigan for myself either. In fact, I think I'm going to frog it and start over. It's been so long since I've looked at it now that I doubt I could figure out where I was on it, so better to start again. I think. I did at least start a lot more projects for myself...even if I didn't finish them. I didn't get anywhere near close to knitting fair isle. I did start Christmas gifts early, but didn't finish any. I got a new spindle and did start some more spinning, but again, didn't get very far. And I officially only offered 2 new patterns. Sooooo, I didn't do as well as I thought after all! Humpf!

But I think getting a pattern published in Interweave Crochet...and on the cover!...more than makes up for my other fiber failings. Non? LOL

OK, maybe my goals were too lofty? So this year I should be more reasonable...right? Nah! That wouldn't be very Hopelessly Overcommitted of me would it? ;)

So let's see...for 2010...

• I think I should try the WIPs thing again. Maybe I just need to go through all the WIPs and hibernating projects and decide...frog or finish!


• I would still like to make a wearable piece for myself.


• I want to finish the big Christmas gift I started last year, but never got to finish. If I get any other Christmas gifts finished, it'd be a bonus.


• I'd like to spin at least half of the fiber stash I currently own. I don't have a big stash, so this shouldn't be too hard. And it would give me an excuse to buy more pretty fibers! ;)


• And write and offer at least 3 new patterns. (What can I say, I like the number 3!)

Still a little lofty when you consider how crazy my non-fiber life has become over the last year. And this year, it will likely get even crazier. I'm still teaching Art Awareness for Jitterfrog's class for the rest of this school year. The twins may start preschool sometime this year (still haven't decided). Plus our Cub Scout pack has just had another pack merge with us, so we have more than doubled our pack size in a year! Thing 1, my daughter, wants to start gymnastics or ballet...she hasn't completely decided which yet. Jitterfrog is thinking soccer this year. And I'm still hoping to reclaim some space to get back to my other non-fiber crafts. So, even without fiber, it should be a pretty busy year! Can't wait to see! :D

Happy Crafting! :D

FO's and Cast On Mania!

Oh my! Didn't I say I was going to try to post more often this year? Clearly, I'm not doing so well with that one! LOL

Well, let's see...what's happened since the last post...OH! I know! I finished the Daisy Sweater for Thing 1 ANNNNDDD I finished the Provence Cabled Sweater for Thing 2!!!!!! :D Yep! 2 FO's and BOTH are sweaters!!!! :D I appologize in advance for the poor picture quality...neither the sun nor the kids have cooperated with me on getting good ones taken.

Here's the Daisy Sweater:

And here's the Provence Cabled Sweater (it's really a blue color not grey or purple):

Then, as a reward for being so good about not casting on new things for a month and a half (OK, I wasn't that good), the Village Hopelessly Overcommitted decided to make February Cast On Mania month! We are free to cast on daily with abandon! Completely guilt free project starting craziness!!! Obviously, this does not help me get my WIPs under control, but it has gotten me started on Christmas presents already. LOL

Feburary is also me me ME month! Another guilt free opportunity for us to make things for ourselves instead of others...for a change. I have not done as well with this one, but I'm working on it. :D

So care to see the list so far???? I've not cast on daily, but I did start with 2 BIG projects, so I think that kind of makes up for it. Let's see...

Feb 1: a BIG Christmas present ...so I can't say much more, but it's BIG! :D

Feb 2: Burridge Lake Afghan (Rav link) I'm past the first cable repeat on the first panel. Very slow going, but better since I took the time to chart it! Here's my progress so far...

Feb 3: Fetching (for ME!) Finished one mitt and realized I didn't have enough yarn left to finish the other, so I had to order more. The new ball is a different dyelot and so slightly different color, but being on a different hand it shouldn't be too noticeable. I haven't had the chance yet to get back to this one, but here's the progress so far. (The ball in the pic is the new one.)

Feb 4: Super Secret New Crochet Design (more on this another time)

Feb 6: Crochet Dragonscale Socks (Rav link) (for ME!) from the Crochet Liberation Front First Ever Book...you know, the one I'm in! ;) This one, I got past the heel and halfway up the leg before it dawned on me that it was tooooo long! And that was after having to start over once cause my gauge was off and the larger size was even larger! LOL The marker in this shot shows where I have to rip back to :( and start the "scale" pattern to make it fit. I'm thinking I may just go ahead and start the second sock first before ripping out all this work. You know, just to make sure my plan for fit works.

Feb 7: Phoenix Mitts (Rav link) (again, for ME!) another from the CLF book. Really only started the cuff and put this one aside for now. Doing too many things with small size yarn and little hooks/needles and my eyes are paying the price! Probably won't be able to get back to this one until after I get my eyes checked. But I'm making it in a really luscious, super soft, pretty pink baby alpaca. :D

Feb 8: Cast On Mania Project My plan for this one was to cast on one "small" (ie. miniature) project a day for the month and then at the end, put them all together into something. So far, I've done 3...again with the eye strain.

Feb 9: Playing with new to me crochet techniques I'm trying a few things, first up is Tunisian Entrelac using up some old vintage stash. :D

Feb 11: Hand Springs Fingerless Mitts (another one for ME!) Love these! I'm almost halfway through the second pattern repeat and even though it hurts my eyes, I still try to do a couple of rows a day cause they're so pretty and I LOVE the yarn I'm using (Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud in Stream)

Feb 16: Hey, Teach! (you guessed it, for ME!) OK, I'm really just starting to swatch for this one...and not getting gauge yet.

So, been a busy month and I'm still working on another super secret project that HAS to be done before the end of the month too.

And you may have noticed my Stashdown 2009 ticker on the side. The goal is to complete 52 projects in 2009 or use 100 skeins of stash (whichever comes first). I'm only counting yarn from finished projects and I need to go back and add mileage too. Village Hopelessly Overcommitted is trying to help one of our members (LittlePenguin) reach the moon using yarn from our FOs! :D

Anyway, so far I've completed 4 projects now and used 8.39 skeins and 1362.3 yds! Boy, that makes it sound much more impressive! LOL

Happy Crafting!