Mission: Possible 2008

Yes, I'm definitely a joiner. Like Madgik, I've joined a couple of Ravelry groups dedicated to Stash Management and Depletion and the Completion of Projects Mired in Terminal Cobwebbiness. Just to keep me honest, I'm going to post my goals here as well. I hope that it will lead to nudges and pokes in the ribs (not the sore ones, please!) and encouragement to get some of this accomplished.

Fanfare and flourish! Here goes:

1. Map of the World Sweater. Started in 1991. Needs to be sewn up and have a neckband knitted, about 8 rows I think. Caitlin still wants it.
2. The Sorbet Ab Fab. It’s my 6th or 7th one and I think I’m sick and tired of Colinette mohair.
3. The Mushroom Ab Fab. Maybe I’ll do a different design on this one, instead of the Feather and Fan I did for the others.
4. Audrey’s blankie. It’s gorgeous yarn, Lotus Knits’ Lullabye colorway. Needs to be done before Audrey goes away to college–she’s 8 weeks old already.
5. Laughing Carrots sweater for the Grandcarrot. I even have carrot-orange yarn to make it in.
6. Yet Another Endless Comfort Shawl. This one is half done. It’s LB Jiffy and will be colorful and cheerful, although the two variegated colorways are not even remotely siblings.
7. The Damn CPH. Needs to be sewn together so the hood can be knitted. Meighan wants it. If it doesn’t fit her, it’s going to Conn. and I’ll start another one for Meg.
8. Lady Eleanor I. Needs blocking and fringe.
9. Lady Eleanor II. Needs blocking and fringe.
10. Lady Eleanor III. Still knitting. Still loving the Rowan Tapestry.
11. Birch. In KSH no less, in luscious Liqueur. On its way to being my second-oldest UFO. Or third. Who keeps track? I can barely remember my kids’ birthdays, let alone my knitting’s.
12. Paris Scarf–Sea Silk in the Paris colorway. Started on the way to Paris, France, and looking really pretty. Just needs some TLC and time to remember the pattern. (Doesn’t help to get something done when you leave the pattern on a BA flight and break the needles in Nice. It’s now on a pretty rosewood circ and should get its share of time in the rotation. Ought to be good plane knitting for my trip East next week.)

There it is. I didn’t include the things that are done except for blocking, and I’m sure there are more things lurking out there in the stash. Especially the stash that’s in that OTHER ZIP code!

See that back there? That's More Yarn and it lives in storage. It has lots of company there--I counted 6 tubs, and that's just what's on top and easily visible.

Now do you see why I need this Stash Intervention Year??

Quilt Night

Here are a couple of projects from quilting class:
Louise with her strippy scrappy Lone Star.
I'm encouraging her to finish it and enter it in the big guild quilt show--it's very inspiring to see what can be done with small pieces!
This is Charlotte's big project. She's been working on it for quite a while now. Up close, you can see all the little squares--there are 24 different shades of blue in this one, to get the proper shading.

It's from a photograph of her granddaughter Tori, which through a fairly complex process was transferred to a graph and coded for assembly. The white "ruffle" is actually the interfacing it's been pressed to. Without going into great detail, the squares are laid out on fusible interfacing, ironed to adhere them, then the seams are sewn down. There's a book on the technique and I'll see if I can track it down--I'm blanking on it right now!

It was amazing when I took the pictures--the photographic aspect doesn't really show up unless you get a good distance from it. In the camera, it really came through. You might need to squint a little to "see" the image!
Anne was finishing the quilting on her "Divine Felines." This will go in her new home.
We don't know what her two dogs will think of it--but then, I don't think they are very critical of fabric cats.
And Gail's table runner. She was just getting ready to sew on the binding--so please imagine this with a narrow edge of dark green.

Well, that was some of what was going on tonight. We had a good class and a nice group of people. I'm crossing my fingers and toes that we can keep it up!!

I even got to knit a little tiny bit tonight, in between helping out with various projects. Yay for Tuesday quilting!!

Recipe Box Redux

Just to reinforce my cred on the whole recipe box issue, here is the thing in all its vintage glory.

Now, I ask you: is this not '60s chic at its finest?



Just look at that fruit salad-y lid! Not to mention the fingermarks and grime from many years of use!

What's in it, you ask? What does one keep in this little treasure, now that the recipes have gone to a bigger and more complex box?



Voila.
This, my children, is how we kept track of yarn in the days pre-Ravelry. Pre-computer, even. Index cards, with the yarn data on the front and a nice little piece Scotch-taped to the back. Filed in a little tin box.

And if you're a cat, this is what you do on a sunny January Monday while your peeps are hard at work. You supervise the traffic on the street, or you snooze. 'Cause your buddy is on guard.

When the knit content is low, I can always count on a flower photo or two for distraction, right?

The camellias are blooming. These first two pictures are of the same bush: it has both speckled and white blossoms. I'd say it's because it was grafted, but sometimes the two different colors are on the same branch.

It's pretty--reminds me of peppermint candy!

Then we have the other pink-and-white variety. This is the one that grows out of the hole in the deck off the back door.

In case you were wondering how ol' Padua is doing after his (expensive) traumatic holidays, here he is, doing what he does best:

keeping the sofa warm. He seems to be doing fine. He eats up a storm, drinks water by the gallons, and still begs for treats. He probably should go back for a checkup soon, just to make sure his numbers are on track.
Do you think this boy has enough fur to keep him warm?