And the Winner Is...

Drumroll, please, I hopped on over to random.org and plugged in the numbers from 1 to 73 from the Mr. Linky list, and-

Here is what it said:
59
34
6
44
3
13
5
57
63
20
41
9
12
58
25
73
28
69
45
65
10
66
32
33
17
30
38
27
42
26
23
53
64
15
16
7
52
18
55
37
8
22
67
36
56
48
14
50
60
24
61
54
72
62
21
29
1
51
4
47
68
40
35
11
31
49
19
2
39
43
46
70
71

Our winner is #59, Aberdonian, from across the pond, in Grenoble, France. Congrats! I'll be watching your blog too see what you create with your new yarn!! Have fun with it.

A big thanks to everyone who participated in the contest- it's been fun to stop by your blogs (many of them new to me!) and see the wide range of goals out there, some of them nice, sweet, and simple, some of them loftier than my own!

A peek into the start on my own summer knitting goals should come later this week. Right now, I'm finding myself knee deep in book lists and lesson plans and ideas as I am attempting to put together at least the first trimester of our upcoming homeschool year- with 9th & 4th grade boys, and 2nd & 1st grade girls, a 3 yr old preschooler, and a 1 yr old wee one (and a baby due in October!) That planning, perhaps with a little spring cleaning that got missed, and a camping 'trip' to gear up for next week, will suck up much of my non-knitting time, I'm sure... oh, yeah, and playing in the pool with my kids as soon as I manage to find an acceptable maternity swimsuit (this one, perhaps?)...

Happy knitting-

ali

My Summer 2008 Knitting Goals

I only managed to finish 1/3 of my list for spring, but I did also knit an extra adult sweater, several baby hats, and I managed to sew a lot more than in previous months... I can definitely feel a sense of accomplishment in getting that much done!

I'm going to try to limit my summer knitting goals list to 20 items, knowing well that finishing 10 things would be a more than adequate accomplishment. I also have sewing, quilting, and other general crafting goals, not to mention the major goal of getting out of the house and having loads of fun in the sun with my 6 little people.

You may notice the the first many goals are socks- I've been compiling a list of socks to be working on for SoS2008 (Summer of Socks 2008), for which I've been trying to accumulate yarn ahead of time so I'll be ready to rock... we'll see how many of those get done, but they will make easy portable knitting to have with on some park days and other such galavanting that's bound to happen soon.

Also, some goals are being carried over from spring- I still want to knit them, so here goes-

ali's summer knitting goals 2008

1. Merino Lace Socks (FS) in Fearless Fibers Superwash Merino Wool, colorway: Thoroughbred, in stash
2. Lace-Cuff Anklets (FS) in yarn undecided... (I think I need to make the skirt in the book pic as well...)
3. Retro Rib Socks (FS) in Trekking XXL, color 283, in stash
4. Uptown Boot Socks (FS) in Fearless Fibers Superwash Merino Wool, colorway: Coral Pink, in stash
5. Wendy's Basic Toe-Up Socks (2 at a time) in some hand-dyed stuff my mom bought in Amish Country last summer, in stash
6. Slipped-Stitch Rib Socks (SKS) in Trekking XXL, color 84, in stash
7. Chevron Socks (SKS) in Trekking XXL, color 150, in stash
8. Cable Rib Socks (FS) in Trekking XXL, color 145, in stash
9. Fixation on Lace Socks (KCAS) in yarn undecided
10. Chunky, Cozy Cotton Socks (KCAS) in yarn undecided
11. Worsted Knee Socks (BSA) in Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Hand Dyes, colors undecided
12. Sweater Socks (BSA) in Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Hand Dyes, colors undecided
13. Baby Bobbi Bear (w/sweater!)
14. Maternity tank in cotton (working on design)
15. Kai Cable Sweater (Natural Knits for Babies and Moms) for nephew
16. Kai Cable Sweater (Natural Knits for Babies and Moms) for our new baby boy
17. Design sweater to replace old favorite from Anthropologie that I accidentally shrunk/felted so sad... (didn't get to this one this spring, but that was my favorite sweater ever, I need to make a new one)
18. Cropped Cardigan (BSA) in Blue Sky Alpacas Sport Weight, color 506 (Natural Strky Brown)
19. Girls' version cropped cardigans for my girls (didn't get to this one, either, but definitely still want to)
20. Update more on Ravelry and Flickr...

I know for a fact that a number of other knits will sneak up on me, squeezing their way onto my need-to-knit-this-next list, but having some of these laid out before my eyes will help, I hope, to keep me reigned in, at least a bit, over the summer.

I'll leave you with a pic of the finished Baby Shrug that I neglected to blog about. Notice how it's not on my baby, but my rather large toddler instead, details in a furture post...

21. Green Gable

22. Tangled Yoke Cardigan

I know I said I'd try to keep my list at 20, but I forgot about that blasted queue on Ravelry- how could I forget that?! I'd better get busy.

Happy knitting-

ali

Husband's Sweater- Day 4/Skein 3

Well, that immune system pumping up came none too soon. Husband called yesterday- he was on his way home and he was violently ill... As horrible as it is, I really hope it was food poisoning, and not a stomach bug, as the latter would be so very unpleasant with 6 children to pass through. The knitting was set down, the disinfectants came out and the laundry got underway... and well, I was too distracted so much of the night to pick the knitting back up- so I didn't get through skein 3 on day 3. I did, however, enjoy much blog reading and blog hopping, discovering several blogs new to me... a girl could loose a whole lot of time that way...

Despite working my husband's sweater in the round to avoid that time gap I mentioned a couple posts back, I did manage to find a way to exercise a little ADD and stop by the sewing machine to finish a little person skirt that I started way too long ago (notice the springlike fabric...) I even went so far as to add a few stripes of rick rack to this one. Quite the pleasing extra touch. I think it would be good to note that when working with rick rack, one should pin it firmly in place, as it tends to get pushed around a bit by the presser foot; at least this tiny stuff did. I was trying to get by with as little effort as possible, which, I should learn, usually ends up causing more frustration than I would've experienced if I would have done it right in the first place... what is it 'they' say? If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it again?

So skein #3 (of 11) did end up finished a day later... I never actually stood a chance of maintaining that skein a day rate... and the sweater is a bit over half-way to the armholes. My husband held it up and pointed out the fact that there was still quite a long way to go. I sweetly informed him that it was not every knitting wife that would knit that much in 4 days... Such single-ness of knitting mind is not usually my way. Yes, there was the sewing distraction, but I often sit with 2 or 3 current works-in-progress within reach, switching between them randomly. I don't think he realizes the devotion it displays for me to knit on this one thing for 4 days... yet. I'm sure he'll realize soon... I'll make sure he realizes soon... (Love you, dearest!)

We had our first big bad snow today! Church has been cancelled for tomorrow morning, hence the late night, and the sleeping in to follow... Not sure how much knitting will be done tomorrow, nor am I sure that all of the knitting that does get done will be on that sweater...

Good night, and happy knitting-

ali