50 books in 1 year, March 2010 edition

I have set myself up for failure in my quest to read 50 books in a year:

So far: 5

January:
1 Waking Rose - Regina Doman
2 Midnight Dancers - Regina Doman
3 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

February
4 The Practice Effect - David Brin

March
5 Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

I am currently ready Heaven's Net is Wide (a prequel to the Otori books I read last year) and Through the Looking Glass, which I meant to finish before seeing Alice in Wonderland, but I ended up going on opening night. It was a great movie. I love Johnny Depp.

I've borrowed a few books from my mom, but I don't seem to find the time to read with all this knitting, going from the Olympics to March Madness (I have 8 squares done, I'm behind by one, hopefully I can catch up on the weekends)

Olympic Round-up: Project 5

(still need a better picture)


Pattern: Toasty
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Woobu
Needles: US 6

Notes: I tried out my new 9" cirs on these. I'm not sure that it was any faster than using dpns, but I'll keep trying. I didn't know how much yarn I would need and I didn't have much left after a scarf and 2 other pairs of toastys, but I made it with plenty of yarn to spare. I didn't make these as long as the pattern. Using the smaller needle made these a little too tight for me, but they should fit my aunt much better. I already gave her the matching scarf (which I still need a picture of).

Olympic Round-up: Project 4

(I'll have to get a better picture of it later)


Pattern: Winter Night Afghan - Lion Brand
Yarn: Lion Brand Homespun
Needles: US 11

Notes: I started this blanket when I found out my cousin was pregnant. The "baby" has turned 5. I never finished it because I use to hate sewing things together. This took me one evening to finish. I was still a novice knitter when I did this, not all the squares are square and my bindoffs are really tight. I don't think I'd do this pattern again, but I'm sure I could do a better job now that I have more experience.

Olympic Round-up: Project 3

Pattern: Branching Out
Yarn: Jojoland Melody Superwash
Needles: US 6

Notes: I started this in December shortly after I finished a Cream of Spinach scarf in the same yarn. I had bought 2 balls and thought I would use them both on the CoS scarf. It turned out that I thought the scarf was a lovely length after the first ball, so I did some research and found that I could in fact knit a Branching Out with one ball of the Melody. I got just a few repeats in when I realized I needed to be doing Christmas knitting. I even forgot I had this laying around until Richard asked if he could use one of my knitting bags to carry our netbook in on our trip to the beach. There it was, the perfect Olympic project.

Olympic Round-up: Project 2

Pattern: generic feather and fan shawl
Yarn: Interlacments Rick Rack II
Needles: US 9

Notes: I started this shawl in 2008 and I had actually lost it a few times. I didn't think I could find it in time to finish it for the Olympics, but I did. It was in the bench storage unit (weird spot for it, but I vaguely remember Richard shoving things in there the day before Sabrina's 1st birthday party, almost a year ago). I thought I wasn't very far on it, but I'm guessing I was about halfway done. I didn't make it as long as I had planned because I'm told it will stretch. It's very pretty and soft, but I think I should have made it longer. Oh well, maybe it will stretch. I might give it as a gift, I don't think it's really my style.

Olympic Round-up: Project 1

I'm starting the round-up with my 2nd finished project because I sent my first one out the door without a picture (I know, lame).

I started this feather and fan scarf maybe 2 years ago. I decided to enter it into the WIP dancing event because it needed to get off my needles. I had about 4/5ths of it done, so it only took me a day to finish it.

I still haven't blocked it, but it's in the rules that blocking and end weaving (I did that) are up the the individual athlete... plus, I think it looks fine without blocking.

Specs:
Pattern: generic feather & fan
Yarn: Socks that Rock Lightweight, mill end, possible Sherbet
Needles: US 7

March Madness?

Wait, the Olympics are over? I can stop knitting like a mad knitter? I think someone forgot to tell my fingers.

I think I'm committing to what I'm calling "March Madness." I think other people are doing something with March, too, I'm just too lazy to look it up right now. On the 1st, I started in earnest my Barn Raising Quilt that I cast on for at Blue Moon Fiber Arts for their Once in a Blue Moon KAL thing. It is now the 4th and I'm on my 4th square. My goal for the month is 31 squares. That's very ambitious for me. I'm pushing my limits already with 1 a day, I don't know if I can keep the pace, but I'm going to try.

I don't know if I really have enough yarn for 31 squares and since I'm only knitting it out of Socks that Rock mediumweight mill ends, I may have to wait till Oregon Flock and Fiber in September to get more. I wonder if Tina would sell me some before then if I begged and pleaded.

Coming soon: Olympic roundup. (2 projects start to finish, 4 wip dancing projects)



(Oxbow park, Gresham, OR)