What a Mess!

While in a knitting frenzy I tend to let things pile up. If you’re knitting up a storm why organize, clean, straighten or even care? Knitting is upper most when you are ‘in the moment’. So when I came up for air after Lara and looked around at my knitting/needlework/office I was stunned to see piles and piles and piles of ‘stuff’ everywhere. There were packages that had arrived, packages that needed to be mailed, the next knitting project (and the next and the next and the next), baskets full of newly purchased yarn (oh yeah, and more boxes full of newly purchased yarn) and a few (well a little more than a few) needlework projects. I ask you, what was I thinking, what was I doing!? Goddess only knows. When faced with a mess like that it is hard to be creative…a grrl can get overwhelmed easily in a mess like that. So there was a mad dash to organize and see what’s up. Here are a few things uncovered and recovered from the piles o’ stuff.

Last year at the BOW Fiber Festival I bought 3 skeins of glorious alpaca. It was so soft and beautiful and the animal had pass on to the green, green grass in the sky. SO, I just HAD to have it. I had to sell my first born (oh yeah, I don’t have a first born). Well, I used my grocery money (we ate poorly for a week), but buy it I DID. I made this scarf from Weekend Knitting by Melanie Falick and then set the two remaining balls aside. My intent was mittens and a hat. Well, Amy’s Hat Trifecta reminded me that the glorious alpaca was still waiting and her first hat, Linda would be perfect out of this ever so wonderful alpaca. For the mittens I’ll use Ann Budd’s Knitters Handy Book of Patterns as she has lots of good ideas for creating your own custom fit pair.

I also found the Frog Tree Alpaca sport weight purchased a couple of weeks ago in black and sea foam green. So, I quickly knit up a pair of black Voodoo’s the last couple of days to give as a gift. The real story is this fabulous yarn…inexpensive, 135 yards, very, very, very soft and great colors. I’m going back for more. No pix of Voodoo’s sorry, they have left the premises.

Then the left over Kersti from my Raglan was in a little sack and the Mistake rib scarf that I had started was at about 12”. It would be a nice portable project so it’s now in plain sight so I can work on it. But then, for another portable project there is this lovely Opal yarn that is becoming my Fluted Banister sock for the Six Sock Along. I should be starting the heel for the first sock very soon. I LOVE this color and find it very fun to knit. I have until the end of November to complete the pair, thank goodness!! Don’t you just love that pink?

One of my sisters (not the Charlotte Theif) had a birthday and as a way of penance for not getting a gift to her in time I sent my FBS. The Mongolian Chinese Cashmere will become one for moi! This lovely yarn was also buried in the piles.

There is more…

A pile of threads and instructions for a needlepoint class on Saturday (I’m woefully behind with this and need to spend a day doing needlework).

New yarns just arrived and as yet unpetted. Think Silk Garden…gasp…

Seaweed (remember?)

Lotus and Blaze (well protect and occasionally worked on). You’ll see more of them soon.

Oh, and Domino.

Bags with sock yarn, shawl yarn, more yarn and more...

Books and Magazines on Knitting and Needlework (not put away for at least 3 months).

And so much more I won’t bore you with the details. I’m going to try and get this mess cleaned up over the weekend and put in some good hours on Blaze. She is my new love.

And when the election is over (please let it be over), I'll clean up this blog, too.
~~~
To my Secret Pal 2 (the one to whom I give gifts). I’m not sure you read this blog but if you get the package I mailed on Tuesday please hang on to it…I’ll announce who you are on SUNDAY as Heidi recommends. It has been fun! I had to mail the package early as there was no other day I could make it to the PO.

To my Secret Pal 2 (the who has been giving wonderful, fabulous, sweet and delightful gifts) I can’t wait to find out who you are!!!

Comments

[Anne]

Lovely pink colors - the socks are looking great. I really like that fluted bannister pattern; it has a lot of bang for the buck. I'm a big fan of Ann Budd's pattern books as well. I'm anxious to see how the mittens turn out.

[Amy Boogie]

Wow have you been busy. I love Laura. Great closure idea and it really looks great on you! All these projects you have going. Makes me feel normal :)

[Christy]

I love the part about the grocery money!

[Wendy]

The alpaca will look great as that hat! Thanks for the help with my Banff. I'm going to knit up the sleeves and start the front. I think I'll have a better idea of yarn requirements at that point. The back will go two by two with the skeins of different dye lots. Happy Thursday!

-Wendy

[Colleen]

Margene,

Your knitting room sounds exactly like mine.... I have a table full of print-outs/patterns that need to be sorted and filed in the appropriate notebook.

I also bought some Frog Tree alpaca in dark red for the Flower Basket Shawl... at least that yarn has been put away in the lace yarn container.

[jenifleur]

I have the same spot on my horizon when everything will start to get done-"after the election". I figure that after I go vote I'll be hiding out for a few days waiting for the fallout to settle anyway, so that's when I'm going to fix this mess. And sort my stash. And clean my closests (yeah, right.)I'll be thinking about you doing the same thing and maybe I won't feel so sorry for myself!

[Miriam]

*lol* Can I come and steal your stash? Mine feel so pitiful in comparison, but I also live in a one bedroom house with a way too small storage closet. I have one big plastic container and one large basket full of yarn and the no room for any more! I have so many things that I'm drooling over, but I refuse to get them until after Christmas. That way I will use up some of my stash to make Christmas gifties and then I can add to it without guilt :)

M

[Jaimi]

Margene....I feel your pain! My knitting/computer/random crap room is SO unbelievably messy. I swear when I buy yarn, I don't put it away, I just throw it in there in a pile until it turns into Mt. Yarn and I have to hire a Sherpa just to get to the end of it. Maybe that's what I'll do tonight...play with my stash and call it "cleaning" :-D

[Laurie]

I'm so disillusioned! I thought you knit one thing at a time, all the way from start to finish, and had an eeensy stash. (Where did I get that idea?)

Actually, I'm more relieved than disillusioned. You're not perfect--whew!