More things started, less things finished

It wasn't just panicking about the TKGA hat this weekend, no siree! I almost comletely finished a Little Redskins Sweater for Stitchlove's grandson; she's a killer-good crocheter of tiny things, so I decided to stick to knitting for that. (I'm doomed once I teach her to knit!). I've done all the finishing but putting on the buttons, which I hope I'll get to tonight.


Got about halfway on the Hooty Hat. Oh my Bob, the cluster-crochets take up a LOT of yarn. My yardage on this one project is going to be INSANE. It's also going to be very, very cute. And I'm calling mine a Gryphon hat, and I'm going to change the eyes a bit so they look like the cartoon Gryphonkits I draw. Hopefully, this will get finished during the week as well.


I started my Hearts' Illusion Mittens. This is the leftover yarn from my TKGA hat, since I decided doing the Broncos mitts on size 0 DPNs will look amazing and totally qualify as a BROOM just based on the number of stitches plus the fact they're going to be to-the-elbow mitts out of laceweight yarn. I mean, they'll be amazing, but no way in HECK will they be happening in three weeks! I used Hello Yarn's Generic Norwegian Mitten Blank to chart out the illusions, remembering to actually have four rows per thing. Can't see anything yet, since I don't even have one "heart" (16 rows) done, but soon!!

Now I need to get back to my OWL and Order Mission!

TKGA Master Hand Knitting Level I - Take 3

So, the second Quidditch challenge distills to "something representative of where you want to be in five years". Well, in five years, I'd like to be a Master Knitter, so it was time to tackle The Hat for the third (and hopefully final) time. This one is cream and orange, instead of cream and red; maybe that will make the difference!!

Here it is by the end of Saturday:


Here it is by the end of Sunday:


I just need to make the i-cord bow and/or tassle and/or pompom, and figure out how to block it. And then block my swatches, write my pattern, finish my questions and report, and mail the blasted thing in once and for all!!

Things at my parents' house

Since it's Groundhog Day... wait, what do you mean it's February 3? It seems like it was the 2nd forever... anyway, it's a good time to look into the past a bit. Since I was at my parents' house this past weekend, I took some photos of stuff I'd done in ages past. I think showing off your daughter's needlework is probably the grown-up version of pictures I drew stuck on the fridge...

My first and only bit of successful crewel, originally done for my mom's mom back in the 80s. I framed it myself, too, and was very proud of it.


First of a set of four I started in law school. I finished this one (Spring), and I'm about halfway done with the second one (Summer). I've been out of law school for quite a while.


Done when I first moved back east (after aforementioned law school), and one of my first samplers. Mom totally stole it, but that's OK.



A commemerative needleroll from a stitching camp in Ocean City, in October, 2001.

I'm going to guess that the cross-stitch bug started being replaced by the knitting bug not too long thereafter. I have finished some cross-stitch in the last few years, but it's mostly things I started earlier. I should pick one or two things and try to get some more cross stitch off The List!

Groundhog Day!!

D.J. #1: Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cooooold out there today.
D.J. #2: It's coooold out there every day. What is this, Miami Beach?
D.J. #1: Not hardly. And you know, you can expect hazardous travel later today with that, you know, that, uh, that blizzard thing.
D.J. #2: [mockingly] That blizzard - thing. That blizzard - thing. Oh, well, here's the report! The National Weather Service is calling for a "big blizzard thing!"
D.J. #1: Yessss, they are. But you know, there's another reason why today is especially exciting.
D.J. #2: Especially cold!
D.J. #1: Especially cold, okay, but the big question on everybody's lips...
D.J. #2: - On their chapped lips...
D.J. #1: - On their chapped lips, right: Do ya think Phil is gonna come out and see his shadow?
D.J. #2: Punxsutawney Phil!
D.J. #1: That's right, woodchuck-chuckers - it's...
D.J. #1, D.J. #2: [in unison] GROUNDHOG DAY!
(from imdb.com)

...for which I have crocheted a groundhog. Allegedly for my cousin, who is stalks an entire groundhog family, but we'll see if I remember to get it to her in the next 5 years.


I'm submitting it for Muggle Studies, which has an option to "craft a Rav approved project that leaps." To prove that groundhogs actually leap, I decided to see if I could find a photo of a leaping groundhog/woodchuck, and found two:



This pretty much proves that you can find a pattern for ANYTHING on Ravelry, and photos of ANYTHING on the internet, if you get creative with your search terms!

Cool little wooden tools

My dad does woodworking, and gave me & Mom each a darning egg and a cool little sewing kit (just add thread & needles).


He pointed out that he did NOT make these - he bought one set to see if he could do so easily, and determined that no, it would take about ten hours each at the end of which he'd be insane.



They're still really cool, though, and a great present! (And I just happen to have a glove that needs darning... hm....)