I Came, I Saw, I Swift.... Swift-ed... Swift'd

I wound yarn.

That just sounds far less fun that "swift'd"  But it does mean that the rest of the yarn for my make up from Junior Fall Semester for Loopy Academy has been would and is available without delay --a  good things as I've started using all but two skeins of it.

The shawl continues apace, I'm on section 3 and I don't have any photos for you. I'm on the "outer cog" section, which is thankfully going to require far less attention than section 2 did. 18 rounds but relatively straight forward. If I can get some concentration going on the train this week that should be doable. The edging repeats are definitely going to take some time.

The owls are also moving right along. And yes, I changed my mind about the inside out thing. Unlike the elephant of last fall, I don't have to stuff this toy until the very end, which means my style of knitting doesn't affect the final product. Owl 1 is still missing wings and eyes and I need to sew down the beak rather than use a DPN and attempt to stab myself while taking a quick photo.

Owl 2 is just over halfway done. There are 110 rows in the project and I'm on 63. This is mindless enough for tv watching but not quite for reading through news feeds or blogs. I have a post it note going marking my rows, it's just easier that way for me. Of course, all of this taupe means I really want something else bright and cheerful to knit. Must get those gloves started. 

And here is my "help."  This is immediately post-yawn.  She takes up a large portion of the desk and while I adore her as a small feline, she's been in the way a lot.

But it looks like I might be able in the next 9 days to nearly meet my incredibly optimistic goal of re-doing Fall semester in the month of February, which means I need to make sure I'm still happy with my yarn and project choices for Spring Semester if I'm going to hit buy sometime early next week.

Inside Owlettes

Tonight I started the second of my three Loopy Academy Fall Make-Up projects. It's February 9, so I'm not doing too badly. I've been focused on the shawl/bobble project --Industrial Revolution. I've even had a couple of knitting meetings this week, although I had to take time to handwind a skein.  I know, I just need to set up the swift and get all of the yarn done for this semester. Maybe Saturday... 

Anyway, I'm participating on Instagram in the #yarnlovechallenge that Mary Heather from Ravelry is hosting. Each day we get a prompt and post a representative picture. It's been fun and there are so many interesting pictures going by.  Normally I tend to push my pictures out to FB or Twitter but because this is everyday and themed, I haven't been. If you're interested in seeing what I posted, my profile is https://www.instagram.com/hedgielib/ 

My picture from yesterday was taken on the train on the way home, rather late. Work days have been running long and nights very short. "I'm going to oversleep" insomnia is so much fun. 

Anyway, toy shot... 

I'm about  a third of the way through the body on my first of n owls. I'd originally guessed I'd need to make around 3, I'm going to revise that up right now and say closer to 5. These are going to be dainty little owls, which is fine my me. 

Also, anyone who has seen me knit in the round knows that I knit inside out. Rather than working on the stitches closest to me, I'm working on those farthest away. I'm not sure where I learned this technique. As I demonstrated with the elephant, I'm capable of doing it "correctly" but I realized I don't need to for the owls. Purl side out should be fine.  

So instead, I'll have Inside Owlettes. The Philsopher has already heaved a deep sigh at that joke and wandered away. Apparently he doesn't want an owlette of his own.  

Did you know a group of owls is called a wisdom? Things I've learned from mystery author Donna Andrews. 

Project 2 underway, maybe this weekend I'll start the gloves too.... or at least get out the swift. 

Loopy Academy Semester 5: Take 2

I haven't had the stomach to come and blog about the fall semester. I was so delighted with myself, finishing with a full seven hours to spare. I posted pictures, I was all done....

And neither me, nor anyone on the uber-thread on Ravelry noticed I'd missed a very specific instruction: my toy had to have 2 colors of yarn.

My elephant? One color. Which means I did not complete the prompt and therefore did not complete the semester. And it wasn't until a full week later--when my photo hadn't been approved, that someone sorted it out for me. So I spent the rest of January figuring out what I'd do since I needed to redo those three projects. (There was also some pretty solid gnashing of teeth and chiding myself for not double checking the instructions.)

So here we are February 3 and my Box of Fun, as The Loopy Ewe calls them, arrived this afternoon. As soon as Sheri announced Spring Semester being open, I pressed Purchase on my cart, which has been hanging out waiting for me.  I have plans and they are not to be thwarted.

First up is that Bobble project. You will recall I was annoyed with myself last semester upon realizing I'd not bought the right wool for the project (apparently an inability to read instructions was my entire state of being last fall). This time I have it correct and I have four skeins of the Malachite colorway of Loopy Solids. For those of you who also like mixing solid colors--they are still clearing out stock from the old run of this and it's $9 a skein for 220 yards. It's a very decent price and it's a nice little workhorse yarn. It's a light fingering--similar to KPPPM or Louet and if I were knitting socks, I'd use size 0 (2.0mm) needles. This is going to become an Industrial Revolution Shawl. 

For the toy, I have 2 colors--see there--2! Sand and Mocha and more of the Loopy Solids. These are going to become Dreamy Owls. They'll probably be smaller than the pattern says (8") because I intend to use size 0 needles (2.0mm) and make as many as needed to get to 250 yards.  I'm guessing 3. Not sure how thin the fabric would be with size 3 (3.25 mm) needles...

Finally, I have to suffer through gloves again. Yes, the fall pair was much easier, no, I'm not thrilled about making these. But I can at least use yarn I love and that's where BMFA STR Lightweight comes in, in the Valkyrie colorway.  I'm also leaving off the cables and just getting some gloves done. My friend G made a pair from the Sock-it-to-Me pattern last fall and they looked cool, so here we go. 

What about Spring Semester--which includes colorwork, buttons, and beads? It's on hold until March 1. I want to see how much progress I can make in February first. If I'm moving along well and have at least 2 of these projects done, then sure, I'll order yarn. If not--then we shall see.  I'm also looking for *small* projects.  I really must stop with this whole "let's knit an 800 yard shawl in fingering weight for one of these projects" kick that I'm on. 

Wish me luck...