Based on my New Years Goals/Resolutions, Friday is Accounting Day. The day to review my knitting progess, yarn purchases and report on any finished items for the last week. It is also the day yo keep in check the rule to only knit on 2 like items at a time until completion.

Let’s see if I can ‘balance ” my yarn stash or if I need to go back to school and take some accounting classes. I am pretty sure I have a little bit to learn about acount balancing.

Should I start with what came in or out?????? Tough choice but I think in! New yarn is just so much FUN. I ordered some Lorna’s Laces Shepard Sock 80% Superwash Wool/20% Nylon from Knit Knack, my favorite LYS last October and it finally came in. Woohoo!! Please note, it takes 2 skeins to make a pair of socks, so I am counting 2 skeins as 1 item. After all you can’t very well run around wearing only one sock every day.

YARN IN 

1. 2 skeins of color 1776 – Liberty (nice touch with the color number don’t you think!)

2. 2 skeins of color 403 – Tuscany

3. 2 skein of color 74 – Motherlode

Just beautiful don’t you think.

Is that all??? Let me think…. Yep that’s it! 

YARN OUT

1. One fine pair of completed sock given to my DIL, Katie.  I used the Zitron by Lifestyle. I took them to Florida to finish them up and I knew she really wanted them so, they were hers.  

2. One very fine skein of Socks that Rock went to Ms. Judy.

3. …… Got nothing. Oooops, I think I may be out of balance already. Although, to be fair I did order the sock yarn in October of 2007, having no idea at the time I would be on a quest to become a “balanced’ knitter so I have to get caught up to myself. Maybe I can make it up next week.

Let’s see how did I do on my 2 of a kind project rule? I only worked on the following projects this week.

 SWEATERS

1. Chic Knits Twist – completed the back and started on the left front.

2. Kerry Cardigan – started one sleeve

These are the 2 sweaters I will work on exclusively until completion.

 SCARVES

1. Sea Lettuce Scarf by Lucy Neatby – did a few rows. Really cool scarf but takes forever to get anywhere.

I am only knitting on one scarf at the moment. One day far, far away this one may get finished.

VESTS

1. Isabella by Debbie Bliss – past the armhole, worked a few rows up the back.

I am only going to knit on one vest at the moment.

 SOCKS

1. A pair made out of Claudia’s Hand Painted Yarn in the color Purple Earth – did a couple of rows.

So far I was able to follow the 2 rule. Woohoo, an accomplishment. I think I should give myself 2 gold stars because I really did have to talk myself out of starting the White Lies Design Lace Jacket that I want to start. I must finish either the Twist or the Vickie first.

So far and all in all not a bad start to the new year. I am plus 1 in the yarn department and maybe I will just have to do a very early year end write off for that one. Another problem is that I have ordered more yarn but it just hasn’t arrived yet. I am not sure if I can finish something before it arrives so ….. will it be more write offs or can I figure out a clever way to balance my yarn account. Does it count if you receive a box but don’t open it until I have a “yarn out” situation? I am open to suggestions!!!

Oh yea, this blog. I have been so very neglectful of my blog lately. I do apologize but I have had a lot to do because I hate Christmas shopping. I do everything at the last minute and to get it done under pressure just in the nick of time, takes all my time and energy. I do enjoy giving gifts but Christmas shopping is too stressful for me. I prefer to give special little gifts throughout the year as I happen to see something that I think is special for a certain person. I should save these up for Christmas but I don’t. I want that person to have it at once, right away, as soon as I get it for them. I guess it really it is my fault that when Christmas comes around I am at a loss. I just cannot find the perfect gift when shopping under pressure. A really great present just happens along the way; The perfect gift is found quite by chance and not usually in December when the merchants want you to buy the things they have stocked up on. Needless to say I really should shop early and be better prepared for Christmas because this last minute shopping and getting whatever is available is so tiring. Next year I will shop early.

Oh who am I kidding, next year I will probably do the same thing and just resort to giving gift certificates at the last minute.  If you don’t receive a special gift from me at Christmas time please try to remember that something special I gave you or something I did for you at some other time during the year because that is what I do best. 

I want to give a special thank you to Scout Swag for giving me very special secret help with my Christmas shopping this year. Check out her stuff, she not only has some way cool yarn, she has very cool knitting bags, books and accessories. THANK YOU JAMIE.

As you know from my last post I have a hard time following rules. The whole knit from your stash loophole just didn’t fly with Nachaele. Okay, so I don’t buy yarn right now, I will be fine, I really do have yarn and I don’t need to buy more but I will miss the getting new yarn thrill. It is quite addicting; I am a yarn thrill seeker; a yarn addict and now that I can’t buy new yarn, whatever will I do? I will have to spend my days figuring out how to “legally” break the knit from your stash rules so I can ”get away with something” and get my yarn thrill “fix.” I found one ”not buying yarn thrill” and it is with my new secret knitting project. It is not on my top ten list so I feel like I am getting away with something and I am happy now, I am “fixed.” At least for now!!

It is a brand new pattern that I and one other person in my group is knitting. I am using some Black Water Abbey  in the color “Sky.” This project is not only a cute pattern for me but it will be a surprise for Judy and Marilyn to see a different pattern made using the BWA yarn. I am so excited. My friend Kathy and I are making this project together. Kathy found the project and shared it with me (thank you Kathy) I loved it and we will debut sometime in late Winter or early Spring. The thrill of starting a new project cannot be beat. I don’t need extreme sports, alcohol or drugs to get my thrills,  I just need to start a new project!

Here is a sneak peek.

Weird, each picture looks like a totally different color. The first photo has the best color. Yes it is a sweater with cables …. but you don’t know which one!

Stay tuned for more details.

Little Princess Dina just did not want her picture taken

Not her best look here

Nonetheless, she is my little cutie.

Finished Beaded Shawlette. Designer: Judy Pascale; Pattern source: Beaded Shawlette; Knit from 3 skeins of Koigu and over 1800 beads. These pictures do not show the beads well but trust me they are in there and the beads capture the light making the shawl ”glimmer” when worn. Great pattern, I highly recommend it.

http://top10shashprojectsknitalong.blogspot.com/2007/12/silly-girl.html

Actually Nachaele is right and has a good idea. Whenever I have the urge to buy yarn I will put the money aside and I will probably have more than enough to sponsor one of her Stitches for Britches kids for a whole year in addition to being able to buy yarn on April 1 with the money I save now. In fact , I could possibly have fun looking forward to a full yarn purchase blowout buy anything you want yarn bonanza on April 1. Oooooh you can bet that in the meanwhile I’ll be making my list and checking it twice! I guess I can give up buying yarn for only 4 months so I can try to make a small dent in my stash. It just isn’t there to sit and look pretty. Just please remind me of this once in a while. Also the fact is I did sign up for this quite voluntarily (whatever was I thinking!) Okay, okay I know, I know but I am easily distracted by all the pretty fibers, colors and new yarn.

I need to just be happy with the fact that I am in several “clubs” where you automatically get yarn every so often. I am in the Rockin’ Sock Club, The Chewy Spaghetti Blue Plate Special, The Yarniverse Koigu Collector’s Club and the Yarniverse Noro Kureyon Club. I will still continue to receive these little packages of yarn since they really are counted as stash yarn since I joined all the clubs prior to Dec 1. I will treasure the moments these packages arrive!!! I will hang on to these thoughts and I will live!

Meanwhile how is knitting from my stash going? You ask. Well I did complete the number 1 item on my top ten list, my Beaded Shawlette (pattern by Judy Pascale) is beautiful and I wore it to dinner Saturday night to The Briarwood Inn. I will post pictures of the shawl later. I had some of the biggest and best crab legs ever and I think I need to wash her again.  Don’t ask! 

Remember this mystery project?

I finished this lovely pair of Elegant Gauntlets. Designer: Sally Melville. Pattern source: The Knitting Experience, book Two; The Purl Stitch (XRX Books. They were knit from some Koigu in my stash and will be a Christmas present for my friend Patty. She works from home and her home office is located in her garage, in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, so as you can only imagine, cold garage, Colorado, winter, snow……. she needs these!

I actually like them a lot and want a pair for myself. My office is in the corner facing Southeast with 3 big windows, not as cold as a garage but I can sure use a pair of these! They are simple to make and they are quite simple and yet elegant if made using the wonderful Koigu yarn. Koigu is a very elegant yarn that comes in some very beautiful colors. The yarn has a beautiful sheen to it and it is a dream to knit with. It is also more Koigu practice knitting to get me ready to start the Koigu Magique Cloak. Okay okay I think I have me convinced, if not you. I went shopping in my stash found some more Koigu and started these, for me.

Granted these aren’t on my top ten list but they are being knit from stash yarn!