Yarn Diet & Destashing!

Well I decided last week while driving to work (all my ideas spring up in traffic!) that I really need to do something about my yarn stash!  I have been accumulating yarn for so many years that I just don’t remember!  I have donated some in the past, but it never really makes much of a dent in the reduction process.  I tried using up a lot with my last ripple, and while I did use loads of it, it still never quite gets the bins emptied!  I have 8 bins stuffed full and baskets and vases and jars, all around the house.  Heck I even have 2 hanks hanging as wall art in my living room on a pretty hook (must take a picture!)  So I decided (remember back at the start of this paragraph?) to go through it, and that’s what I did last Saturday.  Now the yarn that I have in 98% acrylic, you know all those Red Heart skeins that are forever on sale...I have my bins organized in color groups, variegateds & “fancy” yarns.  By fancy I mean any yarn that is not Red Heart or the equivalent, so Fun Fur or Suede or such.  So I went through each bin one at a time and pulled out everything I would not use (reality check!) anyway I managed quite well indeed on getting the numbers down!  I have 3 bags stuffed and ready for donation drop off tomorrow and organized much better.  I now have a bin for Homespun, for variegated, groups of colors,  the fancy ones and WIP's.   I got rid of old magazines and pattern books I will never use as well.  Made lots of space and this weekend I am going to match up yarns with patterns so that things will have a purpose.

These bins BTW 

I also decided that instead of buying yarn for no good reason (HAHAHA, seriously there is always a good reason!) Ok, without using some up first, I will not be purchasing any random yarns.  I get yarn monthly from a swap I am in on Ravelry so I am not really in a yarn deprived state and since I have to buy yarn for my swap partner, I still get to acquire new yarn, it just doesn’t get to be for me!  My Daughter is very proud of me!

Ok on another note, please someone explain to me why it is every. single. time. I try to write a paragraph someone feels the need to talk to me!!

That's it, I'm off to complete some work at this place where they pay me!

Listening to: Sound of Madness by Shinedown

Update for today.

Slow going around here at work since I got a new computer on Monday and have spent the last 2 days getting it set up and removing the important documents from my old dinosaur of a computer.  I feel so fancy now since I have windows 7 on this one and it moves at a much faster pace.  So anyway...I finished my project bag for my swap partner and it's in the mail finally.  So on with the pictures.

Here we are in the blocking stages, note the absence of wonkiness.

Final product.

It might look a little bit wonky, but it's not really and the blocking made a huge difference.  I was going to add some other flowers to the body as well, but my daughter liked it as it is.  I will try another and see if I can reduce the amount of wonkiness and add more flowers!

Ok back to work and adding more programs on to my new computer!

Listening to: In a Week or Two by Diamond Rio

Happy Milk Day

Yep it's Milk Day...who knew!  Milk was deliver for the first time is glass bottles on this day in 1878.  There know you have that random bit of silly trivia.

Ok now on with the show.  I have gotten the majority of the project bag finished.  Actually everything except the embellishments and the drawstring cord.  It is now in the blocking process in hopes that the wonkiness of it will go away.  

Here's a picture of it finished but not blocked yet.

I was going to weave the drawstring in right under the scallops, but it's really looking like it will not work well in that position!  I will try it out later if it's all dry and ready to come off the vase I found to use as a shaper for drying!  

Back to work now :)

Listening to:  No Time by The Guess Who

Wonky bag?

Monday morning and my project bag is nearly complete, but it's wonky somehow!  Ugh, that's what I get for trying to make up my own pattern!

This is where I am at with this....see it? wonky! Can I block it and have it right itself?  I so have no idea and while it didn't take me long to do, I really don't want to rip it out, I have an idea in my head and want it to be this!  Ok, I have another round of black after completing this current one and then I am going to do a pink round for the drawstring and then a pink scallop to finish it up, can you see it with me?  Sigh...I am going to google blocking right now.  We shall see how it turns out!

Listening to: Sound of Madness by Shinedown

1st project of 2012

And we're off!  I have this project bag I am trying to make for a yarn swap, let's see how it goes!

Today's work

the start the other night, I had to rip this out though it wasn't flat!

And included just for your viewing pleasure....

Death the Kid

Yep the reason I was up super early on a Saturday and why I am sitting around crocheting instead of cleaning house as I should be doing!  He only likes to sleep snuggled against you and when he's not asleep he likes to run around testing his new teeth on things and since he's only 6 weeks old, we let him sleep!  It's like having a newborn in the house again!  Waiting on my Daughter to get up so she can be on puppy patrol & I can shower!  I have a puppy pen on order but it hasn't gotten here yet, we got him sooner then expected since the mother of the puppies gave up on them.  What was I thinking???

Kid is awake again so I must go and play with him!

Listening to: Bittersweet by Apocalyptica 

A partial record of 2011

Some things done, others not photographed or on another computer.  I am trying to keep a better record for 2012.

A few projects that I had posted to flickr.

I will see what I posted on Facebook as well and maybe there's a few things there!  Ugh, well I did but I can't get the images into the mosaic program!  Crap, and my Sister is rampaging here at work so I will have to try later when I am not listening to her bitch about her job :)

Listening to: Sulfur by Slipknot 

Beginning of the year already!

I really should do an end of year round up of pictures, but lord knows where they are all at.  I will add the pictures of Katlyn's Creeper that I got done just in time for Christmas!  I got a scarf done for my Niece too, but  didn't take pictures of that.  When I see her again I will try to get some.  New puppy came home with us on New Years got a few things ready for him.  Went to JoAnn's and get some fleece remanents and made him a bed and a bed for Max because I don't want him to feel left out.  I saw a link for it on Crafster.org and will have to hunt it out again to post up the link.  Super easy and quick and both dogs loves them!

After thinking about it I did get loads of things done this past year.  Finished up my big ripple, hats done up like crazy, Lucy bag, a Creeper, star garland, fingerless gloves....hmmm, not as bad as I had thought!

Blanket started for Brooke

Creeper

Ok I really must find all my pictures, I think they are on this computer here at work and on my laptop!  Let me run off and see, maybe I can get a year end mosaic together to make it simpler!

Listening to:  Ten Ton Brick by Hurt