Finishing up things

As September rolls around every year, I take stock and try to do some sorting out.

It is not just that I am thinking on an academic school year calendar, it is that Fall (and the High Holidays) seem more year-end to me than does New Years. Academic calendars really don’t impact on me directly – more on the off-spring. Medical personnel get on a 1 July schedule with Internships and Residencies; a fact that is reinforced by the military summer PCS cycle for docs which happens in July as soon as training is finished giving an underlap with those who departed in May/June to meet the 1 July starting date.

It is more taking the month of September and using it to clean up and catch up. Sorting out the studio, finding homes for things that I am never going to use, and frankly – not starting new knitting projects. Not buying any yarn is a good secondary goal. Or fabric – let me not forget to avoid buying more fabric. I don’t have quite enough fabric and patterns to start my own shop (unlike perhaps with yarn) but I could get close given half a chance.

I have convinced myself that a couple hours a day of cleaning and organizing followed by knitting time with audio books really doesn’t sound too unreasonable. After all, besides the studio there is the back hall, the entry way, the living room cupboards, the office and probably about 3000 books on various book shelves.

We made a start today. Ms Soprano gave me a hand this afternoon and logged about 80 books onto BookCrossing while I emptied two more good size boxes and put together another two bags of yarn looking for new homes.

The following is probably only of interest to fiber folks:

I took stock of knitting projects and am not surprised at the number of partly completed things:
1) I have a couple of things listed on Ravelry – they have been uncompleted for years and I am not sure that I really care, but would be too much a pain to rip.
2) then there is a heavily cabled sweater out of handspun that is 3/4 of the way finished. Started in 2003, I was headed down the body when I left for Kuwait. Knitting wool in 50C was not an option and knitting pretty much fell by the wayside for those 15 months.
3) between 2004-2007 – anything that was started has either been completed or frogged (Rip-it party in 2008)
4) however I now have several large projects just begging for finishing, all but one started prior to Aug 2010 when I headed for Afghanistan
a) Lastrada – a Hanne Falkenberg pattern in two pieces. The first is done, the second about 1/3. I am still at the infinitely long rows of garter stitch stage
b) Donna – another HF pattern. The body is complete, only needing the collar grafting. The first sleeve is half done and the second one is only a few rows into the pattern.
c) Swing Coat – body is 3/4 complete (only part of one front remains) and the first sleeve is done. This is an Australian designer and there are going to be a ton of ends as the garment is made of mitred diamonds. I love the colors and design, but not sure in which life time it might be completed.
d) Chess – Men’s Sweater started this spring (2011) when I got back. the Front is complete and I am 1/2 way up the back. I had lost the pattern for a while. Then found the pattern but lost the yarn. All are now in the bedroom on top of a bookcase so I have little excuse…

5) Digging through bins and baskets – three half done first socks turned up all of which will be frogged (two are plain and the third an intricate twisted stitch pattern, but I have no idea which pattern…). I have already frogged six different shawls, none of which were beyond the first 10-20 rows. No patterns with any of them – so what is the point in leaving them on needles?

Then there is the forever afghan which is 30 cm high and 500+ stitches long in feather and fan.
And the green pod for the Eldest to use in her photography.
And Nazo (a really cool vest for me for this fall).
And Aeolian Shawl (beads on stems, slows you down but looks really cool once you get the hang of a 1.00 mm crochet hook)

Time to crawl off to bed – I am tired just reading the list!

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6 Responses to Finishing up things

  1. Alison says:

    Someday I’ll finish the button band and be able to wear the handspun Wensleydale coat for the 1999 Spinoff Magazine Rare Breeds contest.

  2. Cat says:

    your knitting output is impressive! Far greater than mine!

    May I inquire why you are not knitting in ends as you go on what I presume is the Slicer-Smith – is this not possible? Is this why I have never started one of these garments? Looking forward to seeing a picture of it!

    You still seem to have more than enough to do with your time too.

  3. Isobel says:

    You are a better man than I am, Gunga Din. The floor of my “study” aka stash room looks like a cyclone hit it. We got two new kitten in May–they were 9 weeks old and into EVERYTHING. So everything had to be moved up from downstairs and into study behind closed doors. Of course I haven’t sorted through most of it. May have to as I think we’re having company the end of the month and one of them–will have to sleep in my study. What I did find was a started Kauni sweater. The pattern was the formerly free one by Ruth–little boxes. Anyway, I found the sweater but not the directions. Any chance that you have it?

  4. nana says:

    Any chance you could bring the unfinished-not ripped projects to knit meet and have us all guess, what patterns they are?

    Might be a fun game and save you a lot of time ripping 🙂

  5. Helen says:

    When you finish there you can come back here and do our place!

  6. Pat says:

    Long list, but they sound VERY wonderful and lovely. You will enjoy having them when they are done. I just shipped two large boxes of yarn to my niece. Hope she can use them. They have a new baby, so might be too busy. I have one particular project that has been slowing in the works for years now – that granny square vest out of the pretty but scratchy Noro yarns. I average a couple little squares a month. LOL!

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