2011 Knitting Plans

Toward the end of 2010, I cast on so many projects I surprised myself.  Even more shocking is that I managed to finish 3 of the 5.  So that got me thinking, I need to Plan this year's knitting for maximum efficiency.  I had planned on going to Stitches South, but I realized that I would rather spend that money on more yarn and actually make some sweaters...you know, improve my skills, before I go to Stitches South...

So here are 2011's knitting plans:

1. Finish the following projects:
1. Bedroom Blanket:  I cast on for that on April 3, 2010!  Time to finish up.  Besides, it is currently longer than I am tall.  Then I need to determine if I'm going to keep it or gift it to someone.
2. Henley Perfected:  I really wanted to knit this.  I was perfect for my sensibilities and I knit it in a linen/cotton blend perfect for South Florida.  Now I'm worried if it will turn out OK because I'm pretty sure I goofed up the armholes.
3. Convertible Mittens:  I'm finishing these before I fly into Wisconsin next week.  I'm rather fond of my fingers.
4. Felt Beret for Mom:  This is actually a never ending project, since she wants one in every color under the sun.
5. Print O' the Wave Stole:  I wanted to knit this so much.  It's a beautiful project.  But I despise the yarn.  Cobweight and I will never be friends but the colorway is so pretty I'm determined to finish.
2. Begin (and End) the following socks (Ravelry Links):
1. Firestarter in Inca Sportlace Hand-Painted
2. Baroque in Cherry Tree Hills Supersock Blossom
3. Rhombus in KnitPicks Stroll Tonal in Blue Violet (although this may change)
4. Sunrise Chevron Socks but the yarn is undecided
5. Bifrost in Noro Kureyon Sock Mt. Fuji Paths
6. Bex in Cherry Tree Hills Supersock Loden
7. Naive Socks but the Yarn is undecided
8. Mermaidia in Cherry Tree Hills Supersock
9. Twinkleberry
10. Oak Leaf Socks
11. Spring Forward
12. Elfine's Socks
13. Farfalle Sock (This is the backup Pattern)
3. Knit three Sweaters
1. Sweater Girl Pullover:  The Yarn has been wound, the pattern copied and sizing notes made, everything is ready to go.
2. Hey Teach!:  Again, the yarn has already been purchased and the pattern has been printed.  Just waiting to get started.
3. Deep V Sweater:  Yup, the yarn has already been purchased and the pattern has been printed.  Just waiting to get started.
4. The February Lady Sweater:  This was supposed to be the backup pattern, but I get the feeling I might make this first because I'll get more use out of this.

I also made the obligatory promise not to buy more yarn.   Then I completed my $100 order from KnitPicks, thereby breaking my New Years promise on New Year's Day.  :)  I like to start as I mean to go.

You deserve better

For all my readers, I want to issue a sincere apology.

I'm sorry.  You deserve much better.  I haven't been blogging as I've meant to, to the extent that I thought about changing the entire format over to Tumblr . . .as much as I tweet, you would get more frequent updates.  But I'm loathe to move from Blogger.  I just have to try harder.  For me, blogging takes effort, because I really hate releasing a blog without a picture to go with it.  So, I'm going to start taking my camera with me more often so I can blog my mobile life and update you more.  Yes, I'm still knitting (more on that below) and sewing, so maybe I can get more info released.

A year later

As of September 28, I have been a traveling consultant for my company for 2 years.  What has that meant for me?

• I'm so tired these days I missed the 1-year anniversary of this job.
• I sleep in my bed at my own home (the one I pay taxes on) 3 nights a week.
• I consider the hotel (any hotel) my home.
• I've developed gastritis and duodenitis. Trying saying that five times fast.
• My yard is a disaster-zone
• Spiders are running my house
• I visit family twice a year and they're only 5 hours away.
• I have 300K frequent flier miles.  I am now Platinum Medallion on Delta.  I'm aiming for Diamond by the end of the year (My coworkers have been doing this so long that they think my mini-celebrations when I hit a new level are mildly amusing.  They're so jaded).
• I have 200K+ points with both the Marriott and Hilton chains. I like both, but I think Hilton sometimes edges Marriott out.
• I constantly feel stupid.
• I'm back to working 10+ hours a day just to keep up.
• I've developed the ability to fall asleep anywhere.

I've also learned the following:

• To be grateful I have a job.  Unemployment is at 10%.  Nothing can be taken for granted.
• That regardless of intentions, higher salary really does mean you spend more.  I can't understand how I'm spending more than I use to, but there it is.
• Savings are important.  Emergency funds are your friends.
• It is important to take time to enjoy the small things.
• The North has four distinct seasons.  I've now experienced them all and I like them.  The south has HOT, "I'm sticking to the car seats HOT", Hot, and cold snap.

I initially started writing this post on September 30 and was planning on publishing it that night.  However, I found myself unable to press the button and I still don't know why.  Possibly because it just didn't feel right, but now it does.

Twitter + Kanye

What happens when you combine pictures from the New Yorker with Tweets from Kanye West?

LMAO!!!!

Please excuse me.  I need to find a tissue to wipe my eyes....That was hilarious!

Investing

I've been watching Clean House all week. It's an exercise in amusement and bemusement.  My favorite part is watching the homeowners, who have presumably watched the show and know what's going to happen, try desperately to hold on to their stuff.

However, it is making me look around my house and wonder what I would get rid of if Niecy and company blasted their way into my house.  Thankfully my house isn't very cluttered, just slightly messy.  So I started thinking, what would Niecy and Company want me to get rid of the most, my Tigger?

Eh.  That might not hurt.

What would hurt?

The Yarn.  Yeah.  I would put up a fight over the yarn.  So, just out of curiosity, I pulled a spreadsheet from Ravelry and did some quick math to determine how much yarn I have.

$1,140.33

That was the total for the yarn, in stash, that I had prices attached to.  71 yarns didn't even have a price attached.  So, that means that I probably have over $2000 of yarn...


Whoa....

I have ~$2000 of yarn in my house.  That means that the stash is easily the most expensive collection of anything in my house.  The stash is worth more than the TV, the computers, any other single item.  I have in yarn what I am trying to save for wood floors.

Whoa...Clearly, I need to rethink some priorities. Perhaps I won't put so much in the yarn budget each month...

I'm glad I have alarm system on the house.