Blarg....just blarg.

Fun things that happened today:
1.  I had to explain Tina Turner to 6th graders.  (A colleague couldn't believe I forgot about the Thunderdome.)
2.  I'm choreographing "Proud Mary" as a dance number in Hades.  It's glorious.
3.  When told one of my favorite hams that she needed to "work it," she replied, "Oh, I'll work it...you just need to tell me how far to work it."  Love her.
4.  There may be Tardis sound effects in the play now.  Also, got to share this:

I love that I have Whovians.
5.  I had french bread pizza and ice cream for dinner.


Not so fun:
1.  The two hours spent at the eye doctor.
2.  I have an infected duct in my left eyelid, and I have a minor infection in my right eye.
3.  It took an hour to drive home because of traffic.  (Should have been max 20 min.)
4.  I had to go to two different pharmacies to get the antibiotic eye goo.
5.  I have to use antibiotic eye goo.
6.  I still haven't ripped out all the paper from the feathers top.

That is all....

Life in Progress....

So, I'm not sewing as much as I usually do.  Maybe because I'm also reading and frantically knitting.

Can I please have more hours in the day?  I mean, I love my job, but longer days would be awesome....because I refuse to stop napping on occasion...ahem...almost every day.

I've been finishing stuff.

Now finished knitting stuff  (It all needs to be blocked.  I'm ordering a blocking mat.):

Red collar ( #1) Totally lucked out on this one.  Found some other alpaca, not the right weight but it worked doubled.


Mardi Gras scarf (#2)  Finished the scarf.  Not sure I like the three needle bindoff I used, but it will do.

Earthy Scarf (#3)  Ditto.  I have a friend this was intended for years ago...  She's going to finally get it.


Purpley scarf (#9) It's so gloriously smooshy.  I am loving it on cold days.


Fingerless gloves (#10)  Frantically finished these when I realized I couldn't find any gloves...and I had work on that incredibly freezing day the other week.


Pinky Scarf (#14)  same pattern as the others.  Found it and went to town.  My hexies have been languishing!


Baby stripes (#16)  sewed that puppy together.  Not perfect but hopefully a baby will like wearing it.  Now, to find a baby in need of a baby sweater....



Done:  7/35



Finished reading stuff:

The House of Hades by Rick Riordan


The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood

Books finished: 2
Is anyone interested in book reviews?  Not that I'm promising amazing ones, but I can give you my 2 cents if you want it.

Finished sewing FAL list items:
None.  Not a one.  Waiting on some flannel for the backing of the economy block quilt.
Edit: It got here.  I got distracted by something shiny I'll hopefully share later this week.

Working on Feathers QAL blocks.  Going to try to back it with a fleecey blanket.  This will be an experiment.  Yes, there are two upside down blocks.  So NOT taking it apart to fix them.


Heal circle Jan blocks:


I love me a churn dash.

Classic Meets Modern QAL, Jan blocks, Polar bear paws:


My goals for this coming week and weekend:
Finish the 3 Cyclops caps for the class play.  (Bases done, still have to knit eyes and sew them on.)
Work on shiny project.
Baste the Economy block quilt and make binding.
Remove paper from Feather blocks.  It's making me twitchy.  I spent hours on it tonight and am only half way through.
Baste it.
Sew together the brown sweater. (maybe)
Start pulling fabrics for the 4x5.

Phew.  Still need me a time machine.  Tardis, mayhaps?

Reading List 2014

Since I seem to be a list queen, (I am not OCD, no, no), I figured, what's one more list?!

Here's my book list (and I'll give progress updates each month).

1.  The House of Hades by Rick Riordan

2.  The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood

3.  Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks

4.  We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families by Philip Gourevitch

5.  Genius Squad by Catherine Jinks

6.  She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb

7.  Cane by Jean Toomer

8.  American Lion by Jon Meacham

9.  Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie

10.  My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk

I'm only starting with 10.  I'll keep adding groups of 10 as I get close to finishing a batch.  I feel like I haven't been reading enough.  I need to remedy that...and clear books as part of the clutter clearing....

ALYOF Jan 2014 goal

So, I can't resist the shiny at times.  I want to make all the projects NOW.

I've joined up on two trends.  One was the economy block along.


I made a top over the weekend.  Plus side, I used up some hoarded AMH Field Study.  Downside, I think I need me some leopard flannel to back this one.   (Upside, I have kona raisin I want to use for the binding.)  It's not cheating if it immediately comes and goes from the stash, right?)

But, that's not my goal for January.  I also started working on the Feather QAL blocks.  I decided to keep using up the Field Study.  I'm using the scraps from the Economy blocks and the rest of the bundle.  I'm going scrappy.  No set plan on this one.  I kind of need the improv-ness to keep me motivated on the paper piecing.  Got blocks A-D done.  I'd like at least stay on schedule for that QAL for the month of January.

Here's what I have done so far:



To be on schedule, I have to do blocks E, F, G and H still.

I'd love to be ahead of the game and up to I or J, but through H will still be acceptable to me.

Also, I wanted to put out there my goal of reading actual books more often.

So far, I've finished a Rick Riordan that was languishing for a long time.
I'm also almost done with The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood.  Update:  Finished it last night!


I have to knit like a fiend this month.  I just got some scentless Soak yesterday for washing and blocking!  On top of all the projects on my FAL list, I have to knit 3 cyclops caps for the play and paint flats.  Wooo.  At least the play is written.  I have to cast it this week.  I also have plans to chop off my hair.  I hate it right now.  Did I mention wanting to do all the projects NOW?

2014 goals...FAL list

So, my list continues. I'm expanding it to also include knitting projects.  I have both a bin of knitting shame AND a drawer of knitting shame.  They both need to be empty, sooner rather than later.  If some of the knitting doesn't get done, it's getting frogged.  Seriously.  I stopped knitting regularly in the early 2000s after the invasion of the carpet beetles.  (My cashmere yarn still lives in the freezer.)

The sewing/quilting list pretty much rolled over from 2013.

Quilting/sewing bits

1.  Hexy MF--I need to finish the applique on this one and get it sent off to a long armer.



2.  Marcelle Medallion--I kind of petered out on this one.  I love the fabrics and need to come back to this one.



3.  Mad's quilt--There is a deadline on this one.  I need to pick a layout.



4.  Red/Purple quilt--layout in need of picking as well.



5.  Tear Drop quilt--Ok, Shanna knows this one.  It was the first bee I was ever in.  I have yet to finish the layout and piece it.  (The bee blocks are the colorway on the right.)



6.  Hexy Diamonds--my hand sewing project.  I need to add more and decide on a size.  It's actually bigger than this pic now.



7.  Converging Corners--One of my longer lived UFOs.  I think it should be a baby quilt.



8.  Retro rubies--ditto on this one.



9.  Sidekick bag--I need to make me a bag again.



10.  Meridian #2--Just didn't get this one in under the wire.  I loved having my other one on my travels.  Will use this one as practice matching stripes again.


11.  Economy Block top...because I needed something new and shiny to add to the list.


12.  Feathers QAL quilt...ditto.




Knitting Projects
Let me start off by saying that most of these go back to the early 2000s.

1.  Red Collar--this one is in need of repairs.  I think the moths got it before I even blocked it.  I need to find a color match and repair it.  It's made of gloriously soft alpaca.  I think I can fix it.



2.  Mardi Gras scarf--I have to find the pattern.  I think this is only half the scarf.



3.  Earthy Scarf--This one is mostly done.  I think I have to finish and three needle bind off the two lengths.  First, I need to find the pattern and see how to do that.



4.  Peacock mittens.  I started these a few years ago.  (I know it was at least 2, probably more like 4 since it was another year I taught Ancient Greece.)



5.  Sherbet shawl---Again, have to find the pattern.  I don't think I was making this up as I go...



6.  Pink Cinnabar and Spice sweater--this one has to be one of the older ones.  The bits are done.  I didn't (and still don't) know how to do the crocheted border.  Will figure this one out using youtube!



7.  Central Park Hoodie--one of my oldest UFOs.  Not even sure what size I was making.  May have to frog and start over.



8.  Stripey sock---again, got to find pattern.  (Noticing a trend here?)  I have one sock done.  Not sure if there is enough yarn left for a 2nd.  Gonna try anyway.



9.  Purpley scarf--I need a scarf.  Smooshy.



10.  Fingerless Gloves--one done, but missing its thumb.




11.  TuttiFrutti socks--almost one done.  Gotta find the pattern and make sock #2.



12.  Pastel shawl...not sure what pattern I used for this one.



13.  Leaf sock.  I have one done.  I have to find the yarn and the pattern to make sock #2.



14.  Pinky scarf--yup, gotta find the pattern, too.



15.  Green belt--have to find the hardware/buckle piece.




16.  Baby stripes--I think it's mostly done, but it needs to be sewn and the neck needs to be finished.




17.  Blue sweater--I think this was take #2.




18.  Icarus shawl---sadly, this one would have been done, but I ran out of hand-dyed yarn.  Um, yardage was NOT accurate.  So I need to find something I like enough to make the bottom edge.



19.  Yoda hat---started this one for a friend of the hub's little boy when he was born.  He's um...four, I think, now.




20.  Cable scarf---yeah, kept forgetting where I was.




21.  Black cardigan--I think the bits, all but the belt, are done.  Still not assembled.



22.  Sock scraps blanket--started this to use up leftover sock yarn bits.



23.  Brown alpaca sweater.  All done but the assemblage and blocking.




Total number of current UFOs: 35

Sadly, I think there are still knitted projects lurking around the house.  Sigh.

I'll link up when Katy posts the new linky!