I May Have Figured It Out

I'm knitting away for Loopy Academy.  This semester's homework is due at the end of the month and I have one done, one needing felting and one that is still on the needles.  The problem is, the one still on the needles fits my girth but not my height.

This leaves me with a quandary.  I am not sure what to do.  And then it dawned on me.  I will just reknit it once I figure out how to get it shaped right.  Please note this one took no less than 12 skeins of fingering yarn, which means this was miles and miles of boring stockinette.  Miles and miles.

This does make me nuts about patterns.  Just because I am a 2XL or 3 XL does not mean that I am really tall.  I am really round.  Frankly I am the shape of BB-8, the new Star Wars droid (and my total infatuation).  I am round and have a round head.

However, I love this pattern.  Seriously love it.  To the point of thinking through the error of the length of it and turning it into a cardigan for spring.  So when I realized I could just reknit the current pullover, I felt better.  I can't wear the thing until like October anyway.

So the goal this time will be to make a swatch with the stripes in the order I think they should go and to fake out a button band on the sides of the swatch to see if that idea will work.  I am not making the cardigan out of just two color like I am the pullover.  I actually have stashed a ton of cotton in a myriad of fun colors, usually 2 50g balls of each color.  For 2 colors I accidently bought duplicates, so I have 4 50g balls of some stuff.  So this thing will have some wacky striping to it.  And frankly I think my wardrobe could use it.

After the stripe order is determined, then I will figure out the whole shorter length thing.  I think I need the 3XL width and an XL length.  I may even go short sleeve, ending right above the elbow. , but that decision can wait.

But first, I need to finish this semester's homework.  Especially since I just ordered for Camp Loopy!

Summer is here

I can officially state that summer has arrived.  How do I know?  Let me count the ways…

1.     It’s Mother’s Day weekend, which is in Illinois the official time to plan the garden.

2.     I have tomato plants from a co-worker already and my plant starts from the farmer are due to be picked up early next week.

3.     There is a tractor in my subdivision planting crops.

4.     The weather is crazy and I have already had 2 migraines this week.

Number 4 is the reason I hate summer with a blinding passion.  I am thankful for migraine meds that work within 2 hours, but still, summer is torture for me.  I keep practicing better living through chemistry.  And I eat a lot of Jimmy John’s!

Meanwhile on the quilty front, my guild had its year end Salad Supper Thursday night.  The word salad can be interpreted very loosely, with anything from garden salad to chicken salad to taco salad.  The food was, as expected, fantastic!  Our guild runs formally during the school year, which has its benefits.  The summer time holds sew-in days once each month which I will partake in this summer.  I’m trying to meet more people.  I’m also trying really hard not to volunteer.  I need to take a volunteering break.

The other update on the quilty front relates to Dear Jane.  My bee (small group / whatever) met last week and if we turned in D-13 to one member, she would get our D-13 blocks signed by Brenda herself at a retreat coming up!  So you bet I have done one square!  Additionally, another member provided a worksheet that divided all 169 blocks into techniques and ease of construction.  I chatted with a girlfriend of mine in the bee and we’ve decided that maybe it’s best to just work the list in logical progression.  Start with the very easiest block and work our way through it.  The only glitch I have is that I don’t have all the fabrics that I need.  So I guess there’s a little stash enhancement. 

I need to clean up my lower level / basement this weekend for 2 other reasons so I guess I’ll inventory my DJ fabrics and make a list.  Shopping, what a hardship!

The Ugly List

For me, lists are empowering.  I didn't know this but my husband pointed it out to me, so I guess I will take him at his word.

So I have started the Ugly List.  This started in March when DD was on spring break.  I made a list of nasty or timely items I wanted to get done because they were bugging me.  I didn't take any time off while she was off, but spring break gave me a timebox to try and get things done.

I didn't get everything done - I got about 2/3 done.  That's far more than when I started the month!  Fast forward through April and I only got about 25% done in the whole month.  That's OK - stuff still got done.

Now it is the beginning of May.  Yes, a few things have carried over on the list since March.  I procrastinate; it is called the Ugly List for a reason!

Anyway, yesterday was May 1 and I got one of those old items done.  I hope to get another done today.

I like to keep the list around 20 items to feel like there's hope.  Right now May has 19 items.

Watch for Ugly List updates....