Saturday, June 23, 2007

Working on the Stash

Not that much progress to report on Bayerische, the second pair of socks that I'm knitting for my Sockapalooza 4 pal. Seriously, I took a picture, but decided not to post it because it looked so much like the one I posted almost a week ago.

On the other hand, putting all my yarn stash information into the Ravelry database and putting patterns I want to knit into a queue (76 patterns so far!!!) really highlighted the fact that a) I do have a considerable stash, and b) I should finish my WIPs and start some new projects so I have a snowball's chance in a warm place of getting to some of the projects in my queue some time this century.

Unlike some knitters, who suffer from second sock syndrome (SSS; in which a pair of socks is never completed, because they run out of steam after the first sock), I believe I suffer from armholeitis. This is the dread disease where I tend to fizzle out right when I hit the armhole of a sweater. Something about all those "bind off x stitches every other row y times," and "increase z stitches at each end q times, then m stitches n times, then j stitches k times" really gets to me. But I exerted willpower and completed the armholes on the Victoria Tank, which I had allowed to languish. All that's left now is to knit the picot edging around the armholes and neckline, and to block.

I've also been chugging away at a project I started very recently, the Clementine Shawlette. It has a very simple lace pattern, and I'm about 2 repeats away from finishing the second half, after which I just need to graft the two halves together, and block. I ordered a box of T-pins (and a box of coilless safety pins) from PinKits to use for blocking; I just hope they arrive soon, because I'm almost ready for them!

Another reason I'm trying to finish/start projects is that I'm moving next Sunday (in a week)!! I know, it probably won't make a huge difference in the size of my stash but, darn it, I'm going to chip away at it just so I won't have to duck away in embarrassment when my friends, who are coming to help me move because I'll be feeling poorly from having 6 teeth removed for my braces on Wednesday, see that I have 4 or 5 big boxes of something suspiciously light. (Okay, maybe not 5 big boxes, but definitely more than 1 or 2.)

Speaking of which, my orthodontist glued the brackets (the little squares you normally notice when someone has braces) onto my teeth on Wednesday. My orthodontist likes to do things differently. The brackets go on first, then the necessary teeth come out. Then he'll put the wires (and rubber bands) on, at which point the braces actually start working.

I got ceramic braces, which are the new "clear" braces. They're tooth-coloured, but better than the early, clear braces because they don't discolour. A lot of people didn't notice that I had them on until I pointed it out and gave them a huge grin. I'm relieved, because they do cost more than the regular, metal braces. I already feel as though I've gotten my money's worth!

3 comments:

T said...

If you want to get the suspicious number of light boxes down, you can always put groups of yarn in zip-loc bags and close them while sitting on them to squash the air out. All your yarn will smash down and fit into fewer (and heavier) boxes. I do this every time we move, which is nearly every year. When you unzip, the yarn fluffs back up to original size.

greeeenwithenv said...

So many changes for you, Lana! I wish I could help you move. I hope it's not too hot on your moving day!

Great news about your braces. It's clearly a good thing when you're smiling more to show off your braces than when you're closing your mouth out of embarassment. Oh, and do you have any teeth left? OUCHIE!

Kea said...

Hey, the tank top's looking good. Hope your move goes smoothly. I'd use the yarn as filler to balance out the heavier boxes. It be good to spread the weight around.