Merit Badges

So here's an interesting concept, +Knit Picks , in their infinite amazingness, puts out "merit badges" for knitters and fiber-enthusiasts AKA #Fiberatti. That said, their latest one is basically me. As made clearly evident from my Ravelry stash page, my stash is pretty much out of control...

Yes, yes it has.

For more proof, I'll even give you the link:
Pat's Stash

See? 233 unique yarns and growing...

::stands up::  Hi, my name's Patrick. I'm addicted to yarn.

Also, I just found this one, and it's also true.

Yup. I did last year. Not yet this year though...but close enough.

Project: Make My Queue and other Updates

I occurred to me the other day that I haven't written a blog post in a VERY long time. Life has a way of creeping up on you just when you think it's settled down a bit. I really do need to be better at actually posting though.

Over the past few months, I have had to deal with a lot of personal things. Loss, grief, sadness and stress. Most of that is over now and I'm looking forward to going on a much needed vacation with my partner, +Victor Woodroffe . This will be a chance for us both to get away, relax and rejuvenate ourselves. Of course I'm bringing knitting, even though I said I wouldn't. But chances are there would have been a time where I didn't want to read, drink or swim and I would have been craving the feel of yarn and the click of my needles. So I'm just bringing something basic and if I get it done, great. If not, that's ok too. The objective is to not have to deal with stress for an entire week.

Regarding Project: #MakeMyQueue, it's moving along. On Jan 1 I started with 47 projects in my queue. Goal? To make everything in that list. I currently have 7 projects out of that started and in progress, 9 to make that I haven't started at all, and 26 completed projects!! I also have frogged 4 projects which, if you do the math, gets me to 46. I've edited, added, swapped, my queue so many times that the original 47 have been sort of lost. But, even 46 is still a big task. The projects that were frogged will probably not ever be completed. That said, it's a small percentage of the overall Project so I'm still comfortable.

My objective moving forward, at least for now, is to finish what I've started. Projects like Stringband and Hitchhiker, though not part of my original queue, will keep me busy during vacation. When I come back, I need to put those projects down and finish up some others. If you'd like to see all the different things that I've made, feel free to check out my Project: Make My Queue page on Ravelry. Each project is numbered as I finish or frog it so I know where I'm at in the queue. Of course, this also means that things happen where project #15 isn't done yet but #35 is. Such is life! HAHA!

I'm going to try to be better about posting. I was going strong at the beginning of the year but it's pittered out a bit. Thanks for reading!

Take care,
Kobuu

The "Knitting Scale": And idea that needs input!

I was recently inspired to compile this and I'll add to it as people chime in. Thanks +Dave Bennett for the idea!!!


The Knitting Scale:

On the "high" end, that will be all the stressful situations. Like, as Dave said, midnight on Xmas Eve and you're trying to get that cashmere scarf to dry and block correctly. Let's call this #crisisknitting.

On the "low" end, we'll need the equal and opposite. The kind of knitting that you can fall asleep doing, lose complete track of or not even put any energy into. We'll call this #boredknitting.

Somewhere on this line needs to be #drunkknitting which doesn't really need an explanation.

I'm thinking I'll come up with an Infographic of sorts eventually.

What are your thoughts, Fiberatti?!

RECENT ADDITIONS:

#sickknitting (thanks +Erin W ) - when you're in bed and should be sleeping but you can't help but knit. Why? You don't know.

#plannedknitting (c/o +Dave Bennett ) - this. never. happens.... well, mostly never.

And a direct quote from +Zen Alpaca " #illicitknitting - (AKA #moonlightknitting) When you are cheating on the project you told everyone you are working on to cast on a new project, or You are so overwhelmed by your#stressknitting  that you need to do something else to get your mind off of the #crisisknitting project."

These are gettin' good guys!!

Another new one:
#meetingknitting - reserved for all those moments of conference calls or large-scale meaningless meetings. Maybe even during Webinars or training seminars because, really, this is cutting into your knitting time. Thanks to +Karen Bodil Pii Svane !

+Karen Bodil Pii Svane is kind of on a roll!!

#procrastiknitting - "when you really ought to go to the gym, but you could just do a few rows first..."

#focusknitting - that you can't do with too many people around - as opposed to #socialknitting 

Then +Zen Alpaca came up with #zombieknitting - the act of doing the same thing over and over again, for example:  knit one row purl the next to the point that you don't even have to pay attention any more. VERY closely related to #boredknitting

And also #warpspeedknitting - The act of being so involved in your knitting that you didn't realize what time it is until you look up and find that it is really late. Or  the last time you said just one more row and 40 rows and a few pattern adjustments later the sun is starting to come up again

Project: Make My Queue Week 13 - Catching Up!

What up Pleeps and Peeps?! Yup, I'm finally blogging some progress! It's been a while but I've been busy.

So 2013 is all about making my Ravelry queue. I started on Jan 1 with 47 projects. I have completed 17 projects and I'm still at 39 projects... Reason? I keep adding things! HA! Seriously though, I see things and want to make them, then I go stash diving.

Oh well, with my current WIP's, and what's in the queue, I'll be done in no time.

Ok, so recent FO's:

Kerchief Cowl - 

Felted Yarn Bowl - 

Forest Canopy Shawlette -

And Gams - 

In progress I have a LOT so I'm not going to post all the pictures right now. Just know I've got a LOT of knitting to do!!

TA!
-Kobuu

#WIPWednesday : Blogged!

I have FAR too many projects going on right now so a single G+ post wouldn't have worked...

First up: #ChaosKAL Day 5!

This is the Chaos Scarf though mine will be a cowl. It's based off of +Ray Whiting 's "Dicey Knitting" which me and all the members of the Dicey Knitting Community are doing together over the month of March. 5 days in and I still haven't gotten the hang of the directions but it looks cool!

Next up: Falling Leaves
I love love love this pattern, and the yarn, I just need to get back to it!

Third: Skully Cap #3
Yes, this picture is blurry and yes this is the third one of these I'm making but I just LOVE this pattern and they're so fast and easy! Too bad I didn't get to be on the T longer on Saturday otherwise this would be done. But, c'est la vie. Maybe I'll crank this out on lunch today..hm...

Finally: Burning Branch

Ok. This pattern, omg. This yarn, heaven. The colour....::swoon::..
I'm in the 4th and final section of the pattern and it's moving along. The real problem for me is the purl return. I hate purling and I don't do it very quickly. I also can't do it without looking so it's hard to do while watching TV or something. What I really need to do is just listen to some music and power through to the end. That would at least get it done!

There is also #LuckyBag13 for the Project Bag swap I'm a part of but I can't show you that....yet..

That's my #WIPWednesday ! I have all these projects with me for the day (not sure why yet) so who knows what I'll actually work on. Project: #MakeMyQueue is ... continuing. Sort of. I just need to finish something to get back on track!

-Kobuu

#MakeMyQueue : Weeks 8 & 9

Two more weeks have passed and some projects have come and gone. I haven't actually completed any projects but I've started a couple and I've frogged a couple...

Chadwick is frogged, I'll restart it soon enough.

Metalouse is coming along but slowly.

#Hexie blanket is coming along, and All the Shades of Blue is moving..

Mostly just "in progress" versus "done". There's been a few additions and subtractions from the queue also.

Wow, so this post is completely meaningless but still...lol.

-Kobuu

Project: #MakeMyQueue Week 7

Another week has passed. I'm well into this project now so there's no going back. Luckily, one of my queue items was the #FebCAL for the +Crochet Along on Google+ group on Google+. I did this in only two days but on a size 'S' hook and three strands of acrylic, it's no wonder it moved so fast!

I present, the 5 1/2 hour throw:

Like I said, it worked up REALLY fast. It's super squishy and despite the extra large gauge, very warm. It's Vic's new blanket for TV watching.

I also started "All the Shades of Truth" but I'm calling it All the Shades of Blue. A while back I got a mess of KP Palette yarn in an assortment of colours. After playing with combinations and yardage requirements, I've come up with a recipe for this scarf. There are two sections where you need 420yds of yarn. Each ball of Palette is only 231. Clearly if I only use one colour for those sections, I'd be short. BUUUT... a little creative thinking revealed a solution. Using two colours, in two-row stripes each, I will in effect combine the yarn totals giving me more than enough to finish those colour sections. As you can see, I've already got this down and it's working up beautifully:

The dark blue is the first section, the grey will be all outlines and borders and the two blue stripes is the next section. Throughout this pattern, the sections don't go in order. You have to pick your colours and then follow the placement in the pattern. This gives the whole Frank Lloyd Wright effect. Now, with bi-chromatic stripes, those sections are going to have a lot more movement and character. Can't wait to get to the next section!!

So that's really it. Slow week? Not sure. No real #hexie work done but maybe next week (this week). Should probably get back to work now. LOL.

-Kobuu