WIP-tember 2014 Progress

I cannot believe it is almost the end of September.  Three months till Christmas today!!  The kid in me still gets excited about that!  The crafting adult realizes that it is a deadline that is fast approaching!

This also means that WIP-tember 2014 is fast coming to a close.  I won't have as much dedicated knitting time in the next few days as I am leaving on a business trip to New Orleans tomorrow, so I figured I'd recount what I've done this month.  

Knitting

1.  Finish Welting Fantastic Socks - I worked a couple of rows, but really didn't spend much time on them.  Considering all the travelling/socializing I've done this month, I'm really not surprised.  I will finish these, but they're on the back burner for now.

2.  Finish Sorbet Socks - I finished these!

3.  Finish Where's the Opaque Sweater  - I finished these!

4.  Finish Effortless Cardigan - I finished this long languishing project, and I love it.  I've already worn it a number of times.  It's so cozy on a cool fall day.

5.Whip off the second Emerald Raspberry mitten - I finished these in two evenings.  I CANNOT believe I took so long to pick them up again!!  They're cute and I think the gift recipient will love them.  If not, I'll take them back for myself ;)

6.  Finish Brickless - Done!  Finished in time for the Yarniacs KAL and the Yarns at Yinhoo
Asymmetrical KAL.  I love the finished scarf/shawl.

7.  Steek (EEK!!) Francis Revisited sweater to make it into an, ahem, larger size as a cardigan  - This is considered done, despite the fact I actually Threw. It. Out.  (gasp).  At least it's no longer in my WIP pile.

8. Finish the Not Manos Jacket.  Did not finish.  Probably won't finish until November.  It is a warm woolly sweater that will serve me well through the winter months, but I need to focus on a few other projects for the time being.  I have tried it on and figured out where I was in the pattern, so I'm ready to go when I have the time to focus on it.

9.  Work on February Fitted Pullover at Lace Knitting Nights.   Can you believe I didn't make it to lace knitting night once in September?!  Not frogging this one yet though, I'd love to have the finished object, but again, will focus on other things for the time being. 

10.  Work on Cabled Yoke Sweater - Didn't even look at this.  I will pull it out in October.  I don't think it will take a whole lot of time to finish and I need it for Christmas!

11.  Make decisions about frogging the remaining Hibernating Projects, or whether I will buckle down and continue to get them done. I frogged at least one project, the Summertime Amiga.  It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be and was actually quite liberating.  And now I have yarn for another project.  Because I need more yarn.  HA.

12.  Plan my Reward Cast On Sweater to start when I've finished all these projects!!  So...I didn't wait until I had finished ALL the projects I mentioned above, but I certainly cast on and knit 11-1/2" of stockinette stitch in the round.  This project is perfect for movie nights, campfire knitting, Knit Night and other social events.  Since I had a lot of them this month, I am progressing nicely.  Besides, I need to finish this by November 1 for the Joji Fall KAL.

I also cast on another pair of toe-up after-thought heel socks for a Christmas gift (Lucky 13 2014).  I have completed the "body" of the first sock, and am a good portion through the foot on the second.

There you have it.  I consider that to be a lot of progress.  

So, without further ado, here are my goals for October:

Knitting

1.  Finish Boxy sweater by October 31.  Need to finish for the KAL!

2.  Finish Lucky 13 Christmas socks.

3, Start and complete a pair of Halloween socks for myself.

4.  Work on Cabled Yoke Sweater.

Sewing  

Because I haven't done hardly ANY in September.  And I NEED some new fall work clothes, if not casual clothes!  If I don't set the goals, I will be too lax...so here we go!

1.  Sew homework for Sleeveless Tops and Dresses sewing class (I missed two weeks because of travel).  So, I'll have to finish two tops or dresses, one is a tank with facings at the armholes and neckline, the other is a knit tee type top.

2.  Sew two pairs of work pants.  These are already cut out.

3.  Sew a winter coat.  I need one before the weather gets too cold!!

4.  Edited to add:  I cannot believe I forgot this one.  Sew a pair of leather leggings.  I have stretch pleather (which sounds awful but is amazing from King Textiles in Toronto), and I have perfected my legging pattern, so technically it should take no time at all to get these done!

BTW - I've been browsing blogs online recently, which was something I have not done for a while.  I think it depressed me a bit that I couldn't take the time to sew, but I'm starting to get some mojo back (just in time for me to NOT be able to sew for about a week!).  Anyways...one of the blogs I'm loving right now is www.beautejadore.com.  Nikki has an awesome sense of style, and I love that she uses the same patterns over and over again, but modifies them for completely different looks.  And, the photography is amazing.  She inspires me.  I highly suggest checking her site out.

Well...I'm off to go pack for my upcoming trip.  Hopefully I'll get at least a bit of plane knitting done (hello Halloween socks!), and when I get back, hopefully I'll get some sewing done as well.

Progress on WIP-tember

I cannot believe that it is already the middle of September. I have no idea where the time is going.  In any event, I've been trying to get a bit of crafting/knitting/spinning/sewing in every day despite being on an insane travel schedule this month.  I am currently out on training this week (which was excellent, I have to say), but brought knitting and my relatively-new-to-me Joy spinning wheel with me while I'm travelling.

I have made much progress on my WIP-tember goals, so I think it's time for a recap.

Knitting

1.  Finish Welting Fantastic Socks - one sock is finished without the heel, and I've started the second sock. Haven't touched this one yet, but it is on my list to work on after the Sorbet Socks are done. Started working on these!

2.  Finish Sorbet Socks 

3.  Finish Where's the Opaque Sweater

4.  Finish Effortless Cardigan 

5.Whip off the second Emerald Raspberry mitten

6.  Finish Brickless

7.  Steek (EEK!!) Francis Revisited sweater to make it into an, ahem, larger size as a cardigan (Note for Future:  Swatching for gauge is good.  Lesson learned.  Moving on.), add buttonbands and finish neck.  I've pulled this sweater out too, and will work on it again.  I'm debating blocking it before steeking, just to make sure the yarn doesn't stretch as much as I was previously told it would before cutting into my knitting! So...I steeked this last night.  Not sure how great of a job I did at it, and I have some darning to do, but the point would be here that I picked up a languishing object, and tried something new.  This is still a WIP, but it's now an active one.  UPDATE:  I have TOSSED this sweater.  Yup, you read that right, chucked it, binned it, threw it out.  Because the steek was an after thought, there were no "edge" stitches to anchor it and it actually unravelled sideways into the main body of the sweater (despite all the reading I did that said it wouldn't!!).  As a result, I ended up with a huge hole in the front of the sweater that would never be repaired without being noticed, and I figured there was already more than enough bad mojo in this thing, so into the bin it went.  I feel bad about it because I LOVE this yarn, but I couldn't even frog it after cutting the front - I'd end up with a million pieces of yarn in short lengths.  Consider this one DONE.

8. Finish the Not Manos Jacket.  This will be perfect for fall.  And I thought in 2011 (!!!) that I would have it done for the new year.  HA.  Really need to get this long time hibernating project off the needles.  I've pulled this one out of the storage area.  I'm debating not doing the sleeves, and leaving this as a vest.  It seems as though it would be a pretty heavy sweater otherwise.  Will have to revisit once I've finished the Emerald Raspberries and the Francis Revisited. As I am still working on the Francis Revisited, I haven't knit on this project yet.  I have pulled it out and tried it on to see where I am though...UPDATE:  I have put this into the rotation of knitting to be worked on next.

9.  Work on February Fitted Pullover at Lace Knitting Nights.   I didn't go to lace knit night last week, but will go tonight and bring this along. I STILL haven't made it to Lace Knitting Night yet, but I think this project will get picked up in the near future, even if I don't actually make it to Lace Knitting Night.

10.  Work on Cabled Yoke Sweater - another Christmas gift, and I'm at the stockinette stitch portion, so it should be relatively straight forward!  Haven't made it to this one yet. STILL haven't made it this far yet...

11.  Make decisions about frogging the remaining Hibernating Projects, or whether I will buckle down and continue to get them done. I haven't made it to this one yet either.  Figured I'd reassess after seeing how much progress I could make on the others.  UPDATE:  I frogged my Summertime Amiga.  There was no way to finish it with just the one skein of yarn, and the second skein I purchased in the same colourway was completely unmatched because they're hand painted at different times.  The yarn is awesome and I'll just use it for a different project.  I haven't yet gotten around to frogging anything else yet, but I think the next one on the frogging list will be the Summer of Trinity Shawlette 2 because I'm not sure I made any notes on where I was in the pattern...

12.  Plan my Reward Cast On Sweater to start when I've finished all these projects!!  I'm thinking this one will probably take the most time out of the entire list!!  Always thinking about this one.  So.  Many.  Sweaters!!! UPDATE:  I did in fact cast on a sweater.  It's the Boxy by Joji Locatelli.  I want to finish this for the Fall KAL that Joji is hosting, which is over November 1.  That doesn't leave much time to finish the miles and miles of fingering weight stockinette in the round needed for this sweater.  With all the travelling I'm doing this month, this is the perfect knitting! After a false start where I twisted the 390 stitches when joining them in the round, I am already 4" down, with 16" to go (I'm lengthening it a bit, but still...)

Finished Objects!!! WIP-tember 2014 Update

Well, another week has gone by.  Though it isn't officially fall for another few weeks,  it is starting to feel like it.  School started last week (though I'm not really involved with much around that anymore).  We're still getting hot temperatures during the day, but it certainly feels like it with the cooler temperatures at night.  Things at work have geared back up after a slower summer season.  All of this makes me feel like fall is coming, and of course, with that comes sweaters!!  Big, bulky, tweedy, knitted sweaters.  And that is my incentive to keep me going on the WIPs and get the big reward of being able to cast on a sweater.

Here's the update:

Knitting

1.  Finish Welting Fantastic Socks - one sock is finished without the heel, and I've started the second sock. Haven't touched this one yet, but it is on my list to work on after the Sorbet Socks are done. Started working on these!

2.  Finish Sorbet Socks - these are actually going to be a Christmas gift so that's two incentives to get them done!)  I've actively been knitting on these every morning before my brain has woken up ;)  I'm almost done the leg of the first toe-up afterthought heel sock. I've finished the first sock, and started working on the after-thought heel of the second sock. These are DONE, DONE, DONE!!!  I even have photos up on Rav!!

Sorbet Socks 

3.  Finish Where's the Opaque Sweater - this should be fairly easy to do since I'm actively trying to get this done to wear before the cooler daytime weather arrives.  The front and back are already finished, and I'm now working on the two sleeves. The knitting on this is finished and it has been blocked.  All I have to do now is sew it together and weave in the ends. This is DONE as well!!!  I love how this turned out.  Also have photos up on Rav.

Where's the Opaque Sweater (great late night selfie)

 
4.  Finish Effortless Cardigan - again only have the two sleeves to finish, along with the front and neck bands.  This is blocking as I type (I think it should be dry today, unless the humidity is unbearable, which it is forecast to be!).  The knitting is completely finished, all I have to do is weave in the ends. I already love this sweater and cannot wait until it gets cooler so I can wear it!   Another project DONE!!!  I really love this one, and can certainly see wrapping myself into it in the cold winter months!

Effortless Cardigan (another late night selfie)

5.Whip off the second Emerald Raspberry mitten - another Christmas gift with additional incentive, and they're tiny in comparison to the sweaters!  I've pulled these, and downloaded the pattern to my phone.  This will be one of the next projects.  I'm thinking it should be really quick to finish these off! WOW!  I appear to be on a roll!! These are also done.  Funny how long these hibernated when I finished them off in about two evenings! Need pics of these yet.

6.  Finish Brickless, which is part of the Yarns at Yin Hoo Asymmetrical KAL - deadline is the end of September.  This is an active project that I've been knitting on every day at lunch.  I'm really enjoying this knit!  I'm already about half way finished. Ongoing - working my way through the cake of yarn.  I think I may have enough yarn for one more complete repeat of the lace, garter and ribbing left.  Maybe.  There may be a game of yarn chicken in my future.  If I really need to, I can break into a second skein of the same yarn, but I'd really rather not if I can at all avoid it. Done!!!  Hooray!  This turned out great, and I really did enjoy knitting this.

Brickless Shawl (more selfies...sensing a trend here)

7.  Steek (EEK!!) Francis Revisited sweater to make it into an, ahem, larger size as a cardigan (Note for Future:  Swatching for gauge is good.  Lesson learned.  Moving on.), add buttonbands and finish neck.  I've pulled this sweater out too, and will work on it again.  I'm debating blocking it before steeking, just to make sure the yarn doesn't stretch as much as I was previously told it would before cutting into my knitting! So...I steeked this last night.  Not sure how great of a job I did at it, and I have some darning to do, but the point would be here that I picked up a languishing object, and tried something new.  This is still a WIP, but it's now an active one.

Francis Revisited

EEEKKK!!!

8. Finish the Not Manos Jacket.  This will be perfect for fall.  And I thought in 2011 (!!!) that I would have it done for the new year.  HA.  Really need to get this long time hibernating project off the needles.  I've pulled this one out of the storage area.  I'm debating not doing the sleeves, and leaving this as a vest.  It seems as though it would be a pretty heavy sweater otherwise.  Will have to revisit once I've finished the Emerald Raspberries and the Francis Revisited. As I am still working on the Francis Revisited, I haven't knit on this project yet.  I have pulled it out and tried it on to see where I am though...

9.  Work on February Fitted Pullover at Lace Knitting Nights.   I didn't go to lace knit night last week, but will go tonight and bring this along. I haven't made it to Lace Knitting Night yet, but I think this project will get picked up in the near future.

10.  Work on Cabled Yoke Sweater - another Christmas gift, and I'm at the stockinette stitch portion, so it should be relatively straight forward!  Haven't made it to this one yet. Haven't made it this far yet...

11.  Make decisions about frogging the remaining Hibernating Projects, or whether I will buckle down and continue to get them done. I haven't made it to this one yet either.  Figured I'd reassess after seeing how much progress I could make on the others.  Holding off on this till all the above-noted projects are done.

12.  Plan my Reward Cast On Sweater to start when I've finished all these projects!!  I'm thinking this one will probably take the most time out of the entire list!!  Always thinking about this one.  So.  Many.  Sweaters!!! I've been browsing my Rav queue and favourites when I cannot knit...

Stack of finished knits from this weekend!!!

I'm really happy with the progress that I'm making.  I've accomplished much in only two weeks.  I passed my re-certification exam that is coming up this past weekend (PHEW!!!), which should open up a few more hours of "free time" in my week.  My work schedule is a bit busy (understatement made dripping with sarcasm) over the next few weeks, but I will certainly rely on knitting as a stress-reliever!

WIP-tempber!!!

In my last post, I talked about the overwhelming amount of works in progress (WIPs) I had on the needles.  I have dedicated myself to trying to get as many as possible OFF the needles by the end of September.

So far, since starting on this journey a little over a week ago, I've made really good progress!

Let's review my goals:

Knitting

1.  Finish Welting Fantastic Socks - one sock is finished without the heel, and I've started the second sock. Haven't touched this one yet, but it is on my list to work on after the Sorbet Socks are done.

2.  Finish Sorbet Socks - these are actually going to be a Christmas gift so that's two incentives to get them done!)  I've actively been knitting on these every morning before my brain has woken up ;)  I'm almost done the leg of the first toe-up afterthought heel sock. I've finished the first sock, and started working on the after-thought heel of the second sock.

3.  Finish Where's the Opaque Sweater - this should be fairly easy to do since I'm actively trying to get this done to wear before the cooler daytime weather arrives.  The front and back are already finished, and I'm now working on the two sleeves. The knitting on this is finished and it has been blocked.  All I have to do now is sew it together and weave in the ends.

4.  Finish Effortless Cardigan - again only have the two sleeves to finish, along with the front and neck bands.  This is blocking as I type (I think it should be dry today, unless the humidity is unbearable, which it is forecast to be!).  The knitting is completely finished, all I have to do is weave in the ends. I already love this sweater and cannot wait until it gets cooler so I can wear it!

5.Whip off the second Emerald Raspberry mitten - another Christmas gift with additional incentive, and they're tiny in comparison to the sweaters!  I've pulled these, and downloaded the pattern to my phone.  This will be one of the next projects.  I'm thinking it should be really quick to finish these off!

6.  Finish Brickless, which is part of the Yarns at Yin Hoo Asymmetrical KAL - deadline is the end of September.  This is an active project that I've been knitting on every day at lunch.  I'm really enjoying this knit!  I'm already about half way finished. Ongoing - working my way through the cake of yarn.  I think I may have enough yarn for one more complete repeat of the lace, garter and ribbing left.  Maybe.  There may be a game of yarn chicken in my future.  If I really need to, I can break into a second skein of the same yarn, but I'd really rather not if I can at all avoid it.

7.  Steek (EEK!!) Francis Revisited sweater to make it into an, ahem, larger size as a cardigan (Note for Future:  Swatching for gauge is good.  Lesson learned.  Moving on.), add buttonbands and finish neck.  I've pulled this sweater out too, and will work on it again.  I'm debating blocking it before steeking, just to make sure the yarn doesn't stretch as much as I was previously told it would before cutting into my knitting!

8. Finish the Not Manos Jacket.  This will be perfect for fall.  And I thought in 2011 (!!!) that I would have it done for the new year.  HA.  Really need to get this long time hibernating project off the needles.  I've pulled this one out of the storage area.  I'm debating not doing the sleeves, and leaving this as a vest.  It seems as though it would be a pretty heavy sweater otherwise.  Will have to revisit once I've finished the Emerald Raspberries and the Francis Revisited.

9.  Work on February Fitted Pullover at Lace Knitting Nights.   I didn't go to lace knit night last week, but will go tonight and bring this along.

10.  Work on Cabled Yoke Sweater - another Christmas gift, and I'm at the stockinette stitch portion, so it should be relatively straight forward!  Haven't made it to this one yet.

11.  Make decisions about frogging the remaining Hibernating Projects, or whether I will buckle down and continue to get them done. I haven't made it to this one yet either.  Figured I'd reassess after seeing how much progress I could make on the others.

12.  Plan my Reward Cast On Sweater to start when I've finished all these projects!!  I'm thinking this one will probably take the most time out of the entire list!!  Always thinking about this one.  So.  Many.  Sweaters!!!

I'm really happy with the progress that I'm making.  I'm also studying for a re-certification exam that is coming up this weekend, my pattern drafting and sewing courses start up again in the next few weeks, and I have a few things I'd like to do for Christmas gifts, so I'm anticipating my progress may slow a little, but regardless, I'm finishing things off which is my goal!

I'd love to hear from you - How many WIPs do you have on the needles?  How many is the tipping point before you feel overwhelmed?  What's the oldest WIP you have?  Any one want to join me in a journey to get a few off the needles before the end of September?