The January Effect

I have noticed on all of the blogs I read that they all are concerned with unfinished projects. As a general rule, I am a good finisher, meaning I finish what I start at least 90% of the time.  But I noticed that I've started a good many projects lately that are un-done. 

I think this is what I call The January Effect.  We start the new year by clearing out the old.  Most of us are like that I think.  So in December, I had this frenzy of everything I wanted to do in 2011.  I had limited myself to four projects and guess what?  I not only started those four and had a great start, I started four other things. I made three hats and a pair of gloves.  I mean I started five, because I also started a crochet shrug.  I used to say crochet didn't count because its not knitting.  Who's fooling who?

The three hats and one pair of gloves are done, but the four main things I wanted to work on are in various stages of completion.  The Rowan Winter Drift sweater has a completed back. The "mixed media" sweater also has 95% of the back done.  The one piece garter sweater is actually pretty close to half way and the baby blanket is well past half. 

The main thing I wanted to accomplish in 2011 was to "knit-down" my inventory.  I came up with little plans to use up some of my excess stash.  And then I promptly went out (online mostly) and bought MORE!  Why did I buy more yarn?  This is the whiplash of The January Effect. I start thinking I can get all this done, I am so efficient.  I started knitting in June of 2010 and have made forty or more knitted items.  I am so conceited, lol.

So next month is February, Knitters Repentance.  I will turn from my "start a bunch a stuff" ways and bend low over the current in-progress and mend my ways.

Pray Hard

I started something not on my project list.  I do that all the time.  I found this pattern for knuckle gloves (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/knucks) which I put on my Ravelry queue.  Then at my DOK meeting one Wednesday evening, our church secretary said the church was so cold she needed some gloves with the finger tips cut out. 

“Ah-ha!!!” Says I, and I started the gloves. 

I did them in the blue that the “Order of the Daughters of the King” uses and when I embroider them, I’m going to put "PRAY HARD" on the knuckles and use the DOK symbol on the tops of the hands. I think "FHS" (for His Sake) on the thumbs or wrists (?).

Here is a blurb taken from the home page of DOK:

Who We Are

The Order of the Daughters of the King® (DOK) is a spiritual sisterhood of women dedicated to a life of Prayer, Service and Evangelism. We have made a commitment to Jesus as our Savior, and we follow Him as Lord of our lives. We are an Order for women who are communicants of the Episcopal Church, churches in communion with it, or churches in the Historic Episcopate. Today our membership includes women in the Anglican, Episcopal, Lutheran (ELCA) and Roman Catholic churches.

http://www.doknational.com/about_the_order.html

Post Christmas Blues…and Greens!

I am reviewing the 2010 project list, you know, what got done, what didn’t, what shouldn’t have been done in first place. I think I did a lot of work this year.

I made four quilts for my nieces, three of whom were present at the unveiling and only one showing delight in the gift. I guess that’s about 25% "Like it" on quilts.

Also five men’s hats were knitted. My plan was to photograph each guy in his hat candidly, action shots for my Ravelry site. Since it was too warm to wear them, I didn’t get to see what they looked like. My son and step son may have actually thrown them away from the look on their faces when they opened them, although my brother-in-law seemed to really like his. My husband swears he loves his but I think he may be bluffing but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. I couldn’t tell if my dad liked his or not. I did match it to the socks I made him. So I’ll say 40% "like-factor" on the hats and 0% on the socks.

I made two prayer shawls: one for my mom and one for my step mom. My step mom loved it. She wore it all day one of the days we were there and she really showed it off to everyone. My mom on the other hand showed my grandmother the shawl her friend made her and not the one I made her. That’s 50%-er for sure.

Not sure what became of the burgundy headband I made my step daughter. It may be under the bed by now, but that’s not really a "tell" if she liked it or not. Since she actually tried it on and seemed remotely interested in it, I’ll give this one a 50%.

Now, remember the piece de resistance (from Contrary-Wise blog)? The bamboo shrug I made my sister? I said, excitedly of course, "its a shrug!" She said, "I know what it is." I am pretty sure this one got a 0%. Wow, how much time did I put into that thing? Crap, the yarn cost a bleeding fortune. I should have given it to my co-worker that I had tried it on to see if it fit. She would have loved it more I think. /sigh. Maybe I can sneak in her closet next time I’m there and take it back, if it is still in the box, then I’m home free!

As for the dishcloths, those seemed to go over well. My Gramma, aunt and uncle liked them I think. I think I got maybe an 80% acceptance factor on those.

I may have gotten 90% or maybe a 100% from my husband on his sweater. He does really seem to like it but its been way too hot to wear. He wore it to my sister’s house for new year’s eve but had to borrow a t-shirt from my BIL because he was sweating. LOL have to laugh at that. It did make me feel good that he tried.

So if I analyze the data, I think I should stick to dishcloths or purchased items in the future. Its not my place to try to put a new face on Christmas in my family. Homemade junk is just not popular. I do feel dejected even though its not a requirement to like homemade junk.

Next Year's theme: Scentsy!!!!

So now I guess I’ll put my big girl pants on and make stuff for me and my husband. This year he wants socks in "DeWalt yellow." Well, ok, DeWalt Yellow it is.

On to 2011, undaunted! Knitting like my head is on fire!

Rowan Drift. The most beautiful yarn I’ve ever seen. This is Plantation. A gorgeous green with yellow-green and blue-black threads mixed in. Size US15 needles so this is going fast. I know for a fact the person I’m knitting this for will love it to pieces.

Happy New Year and may all your projects be blessings to whomever receives them.

2011-Blog This

I am moving my blah-blah-blahging to a new place...here.  Knit-Wise. As soon as everything is setup, I'll write something for no one to read.