Yarn Explosion

Last year I added Knit Meter to my blog to record how much I knitted and crocheted. Also, I kept a total of balls of yarn in and balls of yarn out as I was trying to use up my stash. This year I added meters in as this seemed a better comparison of my stash (hopefully) reducing. For example, I could knit up a skein of lace yarn at 1000 metres and buy a ball of bulky yarn at 70 metres. The difference between in and out would remain the same but the actual amount to be knitted would go down.

The year was going well, even after the purchases on the yarn crawl both the metres out and balls out exceeded the in numbers. That all changed this month when I need yarn to make a baby blanket and it coincided with Michael's yarn sale. Some of the yarn was more than 50% off, meaning that I could not reproduce the price with a coupon. I purchased all the yarn I needed for the blanket (I think, more on that later) plus I bought enough yarn for the monthly challenges in Operation Gratitude.

Having done that I wouldn't say there was no stopping me but more yarn purchasing occurred. I had to take my husband to the airport so on the way back I stopped in at a store that I knew sold locally dyed yarn as I wanted a yarny gift and saw bulky yarn that I thought would make a great hat. (The good news is that the hat has been knitted and every centimetre used, so that at least is zero gain.)

Then a friend wanted to visit a yarn store a bit further north because the Yarnover Truck would be there. All I can say is that yarn fumes given off in the confined space made me make some strange decisions. I wanted to get some striping yarn to make a hat. They had some wonderfully soft yarn, merino/cashmere/nylon, in a great mix of colours but light fingering weight. The softness and colour were so right that I convinced myself that I would knit a hat in fingering weight yarn. This is so not going to happen but having decided I was going to knit a stipey hat I purchased some more yarn at a local store. A hat has been made but the whole ball was not used. So for this hat there will be 2 balls in and no balls out.

So instead of decreasing, my yarn supply is going in the other direction.

I Have Some Finished Items

Lately it feels as if I am knitting away but have nothing to show for it. But when I was rounding up photos for posting here, I was pleased to note that there are four different projects to show.

First is the crocheted baby jacket that I showed an almost finished photo in my last post. I am not too happy with the top of the stripes and as there is a good chance I will make this again, I might make some changes to improve this. Looking at the notes on Ravelry, I am not the only one to comment on this. The pattern only has two buttons but I did not do a fantastic job of picking up edge stitches and there were three gaps/holes that I decided would work as buttonholes. I had bought the buttons a while ago when they were drastically reduced. I had intended to use two for this and two if I made it again. At least I had three buttons but annoyingly I am left with one. Hubby said I should send it with the jacket, like you get spare buttons when you buy clothes. This is a gift for my nephew's little girl.

And here is the scarf I made in September for Operation Gratitude.



This was my last item made for Operation Gratitude this year. I am in the process of boxing everything up to mail before the end of the month. By that I mean I got a box from the Post Office but it is not big enough so now I have to go back to get another one. Which I did except I couldn't find anywhere to park so I have to choose a better time to go.

I finished the socks I started for the September challenge. To try to use up as much yarn as possible I made them longer than the original pattern. There's no way with this yarn I could make matching socks but the yarn is variegated enough not to matter.



And finally I made a hat for my Grandbaby. Apparently the one I made at the end of last winter no longer fits so I whipped up something quick to tide her over. This is a quick garter stitch knit. (Although as it is knit in the round, it's like knitting stocking stitch flat.) With ear flaps and a rolled brim and decreases to give it interest.



That's everything off the needles; what about everything that's on the needles?

As I am desperately trying to use up sock yarn, and I finished a pair of socks, I cast on for the November challenge. I'm halfway through one sock but it would be nice to finish the pair before the end of the month so I can start another pair for December's challenge. This would be doable if I wasn't knitting things to send to Calgary. Because it is cold up there. Also I have reached the cast off stage of a shawl that has been on the needles for a while but finishing has been delayed as I needed contrast yarn and beads.

The shawl I showed in my last post is finished and blocked, just needs the ends sewn in. And photos of course.