*singing the finishing song*

Bali Bugs is completed. Isn't that something? I started this wallhanging 10 years ago to enter in a KHQS challenge. I have a really bad habit of designing and starting challenge quilts that somehow never make it into the challenges they were intended for. My other quilting goals for this year are also quilts designed for past challenges. But, at last, it is done and bound and just needs a label.







This week I also finished a UFO that I inherited from my mother (she's getting really good at that donate-and-upgrade thing). I finished the Bug Jars wallhanging on Sunday and left it with Mom. She works at our local library, and the theme for the Summer Reading program is Bugs. So this will be on display for the entire summer...I hope nobody looks at it too closely.



I finished the purple tunic as well. Now that really surprised me, because I wasn't planning on finishing it until April. Somehow, I ended up in a knitting time warp, which is the opposite of a knitting black hole. During a knitting time warp, you feel like you've spent very little time on a project, but it lengthens at a geometric rate. And so, the 8" of ribbing for the sides/hood and the 3" of ribbing at the bottom flew by.



What else, you might ask? A hat. Specifically, Tychus. Oh, and a second version of the Smackdown hat that I'm keeping for myself. Plus I've got the 6" of ribbing ready for round 2...because I wasn't eliminated! Woo-hoo!! Now I'm just sitting here, twiddling my thumbs, waiting for the next round to be announced. I'm going to get started on cutting out the pieces for The Lost Sister background. It was originally designed for MAQS's 2005 Seven Sisters New Quilts from an Old Favorite challenge.

Recovering...

Well, I did it. I survived my first all-knighter.

I had an absolutely fantastic crew last night, managed to leave work right at 8. Got a voicemail from Boredom Yoda, who joined me while she worked on thesis stuff. Printed pattern for Smackdown, cast on, and off I went.

We watched some tv while I knitted and she thesised. We put in Buffy Season 2 while I knitted and she thesised. She gave up the ghost, watched Buffy, and I knitted.

I knitted until approximately 1:38 am this morning. But the hat was finished. The only photographic proof I have that hat exists is on my phone, and sadly, I have no bloody clue how to get it off there.

By the way, Yarn Smackdown 2008 is a group on Ravelry. We're competing against eachother (and our respective Post Offices) to see who can knit a hat and eliminate their opponent first. Think NCAA tourney meets local yarn store.

So my hat is finished, and I dropped it in the post on the way to work today. And now I'm recovering. I haven't stayed up that late for a very long time. I can still feel the effects of excess caffeine in my system (I've been gittery all day, and quite frankly, I'm not sure if my heart is going to recover completely). But more importantly, I hurt. Yes, my hands and wrists are killing me. As they should be, since I just finished a 5 hour marathon knitting session, and then worked (where I had to lift lots of stuff). And as tired as I am, I think I'm too doped on caffeine to sleep. I did not prepare properly for this. Before the next round, if I'm not slain by hat, I'm going to stock up on these.

Fighting the disease...

And I may be winning...not the war, but the battle. I have successfully not cast on any new knitting projects, and have, in fact, been working on the purple tunic. Seamed it up, picked up and knitted the back of the hood, and am now working on the ribbing around the front edges. I'm amazed at how fast it's working up...the thing may get done by my goal date (April 5th). UFOitis, you shall not defeat me!!!

And I finished quilting Bali Bugs!! That felt really good...I finished quilting Bali Bugs!! Yup, still just as good. It's packed up and ready to head to Mom's this weekend. Unfortunately, I left the binding there. Which isn't a bad thing, since Mom's setup and sewing room is so very much better than mine. I'll stitch down the front of the binding while I'm there, then work on sewing the back down by hand once I get back here. I'll take pictures and post them from there (since I don't have a digital camera yet).

Tomorrow starts Yarn Smackdown. I'm competing against a very nice lady in North Carolina. I must knit, mail, and have a hat delivered to her before she does the same to me. It's going to be interesting. Pattern is released at 4pm tomorrow...and I won't get off work until 8pm, maybe 7:30 if I'm lucky. Yup, it's going to be an all-nighter. I've already invited Boredom Yoda and the Bitter Knitter to come over and laugh.

Well, I'm off to bed. Must rest up so I'm not completely buggered tomorrow night.

In the pursuit of craftiness...

I've been rather productive today. Granted, today's advance on the mound of unfinished craft projects bunkered down in my home is merely a glancing blow, but I'm quite proud of myself.

Bali Bugs is very close to being completely quilted. I'm doing it by machine with invisible thread, and it's going surprisingly fast. Which is really, really good, since it's my goal for March. With luck and 3-5 more hours, it'll be ready to bind by next weekend. I also blocked my purple knitted tunic today, finished the sashing on a flower garden block and got started on another. Organized a bit, and even went for a walk.

And throughout the day, regardless of what I was doing, all I could think about was casting on a new knitting project (note: the purple tunic isn't done. Once it's dry, I have to seam the thing and then knit the hood, 8" of ribbing around the hood and down the front panels, and ribbing around the bottom of the thing).

My mother passed her disease to me. I'm not sure if UFOitis is genetic or contagious, but she gave it to me nonetheless. Combating said disease is very difficult, as I'm sure any other victim will tell you. I've got to start aggressive therapy now, or the projects will stage a coupe and I will be forced out of my home by a pile of half-finished quilts and mounds of yarn. My first tactic in this battle: No more than one knitting project on the needles at a time.

But that hat would be a really fast knit...and the yarn that I've got for these socks is calling my name...*shakes head to disengage yarn fumes*

Must stay focused on the mission. Must not stray from the mission.

Boredom Yoda strikes again...

And this time we somehow managed to get on the topic of pirate names, so we went here.

I am now Captain Jenny Kidd. Yes, it's a sucky pirate name. I shall go into the West and remain, Mad Mama.

Boredom Yoda, however, had much better luck. I think I shall continue referring to her as Mad Ethel Bonney. Or not. It's such a long name to type.

How rapidly we digress.

Let the blocking commence...

After a cold and snowy weekend indoors, I have finally decided to break down and make the jump into full-fledged blogdom. Why? Why not. Should someone happen to come across my ramblings and smile, then my day has been complete.

The weekend has been slightly productive, however. I have managed to get two, yes, two projects to the point of blocking. Which puts me into a bit of a conundrum...how on Earth do I block something? I've never blocked any of the scarfs I've knitted (though there is one that I should, but alas, I am hesitant). Do I have to soak the thing in water? Or just spritz it with water? Spread it out on carpet and stab it with pins? Perhaps I should call in reinforcements. Yes, that's it. Time to call the reinforcements.

No, wait. The reinforcements just called me. Apparently large quantities of snow creates cabin fever in my dear friend, Boredom Yoda. Onward to blocking!!


Update: Boredom Yoda states blocking sucks. In future, will attempt to commandeer help with blocking from the Bitter Knitter.