Where did you go.......?

That's a great question.  I'm still here.  I am busy.  No really.  Busy.  Crazy,  ridiculous,  mind numbingly busy.  It doesn't feel like I should be,  but there is just so much going on.  Every time something calms down,  something new comes up.  Well, and then there is the wanting to knit all the things,  read all the things,  and sew all the things.  Lol

To top my crazy, school is out for the summer......... and we got a puppy.  Seriously.  Things are crazy.  Oh,  and I got a job.  Whew! I work nights and that makes it seem like I should have plenty of time for everything else,  but I just don't.  I have a staggered sleep pattern and it takes up so much more time than the average 6-8 hours a night that I used to get.  I'm adjusting....... slowly.

On to more awesome subjects. My great purge=not so great.  Lol or more like not so done.  Slowly but surely seems to be a never ending concept.  I'm still moving forward,  and trying to upcycle and donate as much as I can.  Enter this dress:

Doesn't it just make you wanna She-bop?!?

My SIL gave me a bag of clothes and this was in it.  It's so got an 80s-tastic feel to it that I have love/hate feelings about.  Part of me wishes it would fit Ash (my almost 10 year old daughter) because I think it would be great on her.  She might hate me for it,  though.  Lol so I put it in a consignment sale and it came right back home.  Then I put it in the donate bag.  The donate bag is not full and so it sits.

Enter another obstacle: Mandi (my 3yr old daughter) is built a little differently than a lot of girls her age.  I can't find jeans that fit her middle.  I can't keep her in clothes.  Also,  she wears a 5 already.  I've had this problem her whole life.  It's a big reason why I started learning to sew.  Well, I've decided to sew as much of her clothes as I can.  There is no reason that my little girl should have to be uncomfortable because she isn't a bean pole.  Besides,  we all know that having clothes that don't fit comfortably makes us feel bad.  I am NOT letting that start with her.  Now,  she's not overweight.  I always think that people think that when I say she's big for her age.  According to everyone her height and weight are proportionate.  She's just big for her age and not built like a stereotype,  apparently. 

Moral: that dress will become something amazing for my girls.  I'll let you know how it goes. 

In fiber craft news I want a spinning wheel...... again.  Or still.  I always want one but my urgency seems to depend on my mood. Well, it's in full force again.  I did a little spinning on my drop spindle recently and it just made me want a wheel so much.  Soon,  right? 

My Inara. She's so lovely.

Also,  my startitis is in full gear.  Once I finished my baby set for my adorable new niece I felt aimless in my knitting.  I didn't have any projects that made me super excited.  Enter the baby chevron for baby Anna Lynn. 

Oh the baby cuteness!

Enter the Ten stitch blanket destined to be a Christmas present.

Cute, mindless knitting. 

I started a sweater vest for me.

This is only part of the sadness. Add 8+ inches to it. :-(

Unfortunately my inability to accept my size cost me 12" and a week and a half of knitting.  Oi.  It's in a time out until further notice.

In despair,  I started to trudge through my que. Now,  I use my que for things that I want to make (the reason it is 30ish pages long)  and my favorites are things I love that I will probably never make.  Thirty pages takes some time to go through.  I sulk through it occasionally. That's when I ran across the $5 in Paris that I wanted to make but didn't have the yarn for it.  Then,  I realized it was made out of Caron Simply Soft.  Hey! I can pick that up at Walmart. Hey! That's fairly inexpensive. Oh the happy dance!  So here's where I am with it:

And it fits and everything!

There are some things I will change next time I make it,  but those are things that were and/or in the directions.  It's sort of like a choose your own adventure and I took a path that gets me to an end I will like,  but it could be better.  Ya know?  Lol

I also have been working on socks.  Always working on socks.  This is The Year of the Sock!  (and the blanket,  and the early Christmas gifts, and and and) I thought I loved magic loops,  but it was blah to situate socks and yarn at the end of every half round.  I finally got the nerve to buy 9" circulars and wow!  Just wow.  I love them.  Here's a finished sock that I did middle of the foot to end to the top in just a few days.  Now,  I do not work on them all the time.  They are my purse project.  That should tell you how often I work on them.

On one circular, one at a time, toe up, short row (no wrap) heel. Love!

And I got the idea to work my socks around,  and around,  and around working on these.  I loved making them

Squircle bags!

Well,  that's all for now.  I have work to do today, *sigh*, but I have some neat extras planned,  too.  Talk to you soon.