The Deal

I made a deal with my besties to try and motivate myself to use the copious amounts of yarn in my stash instead of buying more.
I need to use a third of what I currently have before I can buy more.
Is it bad that I already have a wishlist of what I want to buy as soon as I'm allowed!?

Here's my stash:
Jo-Ann Sensations Truly SolidsCharcoal GreyFingering26260g2524524Knit Picks Imagination Hand Painted Sock Yarncloud castleFingering21950g2438438Knit Picks Imagination Hand Painted Sock YarnOver the RainbowFingering21950g2438438Knit Picks Imagination Hand Painted Sock Yarnruby slippersFingering21950g2438438Knit Picks Imagination Hand Painted Sock Yarnseven dwarvesFingering21950g1.25273.8273.8Knit Picks Paletteaurora heatherFingering23150g1231231Knit Picks Paletteautumn heatherFingering23150g1231231Knit Picks Palettefairy taleFingering23150g1231231Knit Picks PalettefuchsiaFingering23150g1231231Knit Picks Palettegarnet heatherFingering23150g1231231Knit Picks Paletteholly berryFingering23150g1231231Knit Picks PalettelantanaFingering23150g0.5115.5115.5Knit Picks PalettemajesticFingering23150g1231231Knit Picks Palettemidnight heatherFingering23150g1231231Knit Picks PalettemullberryFingering23150g1.25288.8288.8Knit Picks Paletteoyster heatherFingering23150g1.5346.5346.5Knit Picks Paletteraspberry heatherFingering23150g1231231Knit Picks Palettesalsa heatherFingering23150g1231231Knit Picks PaletteSpruceFingering23150g1231231Knit Picks PalettetealFingering23150g1231231Knit Picks Stroll MultiheartFingering23150g2462462Knit Picks Stroll MultisunsetFingering23150g2462462Knit Picks Comfy SportBlackberrySport13650g4544544Knit Picks Felici Sport Self StripinggroovySport16450g4656656Knit Picks Felici Sport Self StripingmonochromeSport16450g4656656Knit Picks Felici Sport Self StripingrecessSport16450g813121312Knit Picks Simply Cotton Sportbasalt heatherSport16450g813121312Knit Picks Simply Cotton Sportbittersweet heatherSport16450g4656656Knit Picks Simply Cotton Sportgolden heatherSport16450g4656656Premier Yarns Serenity GardencrocusSport18565g3555555Premier Yarns Serenity GardenGemsSport18565g3555555Knit Picks CotLincoffeeDK12350g3369369Knit Picks CotLinLinenDK12350g1123123Knit Picks CotLinmoroccan redDK12350g3369369Knit Picks CotLinPomegranateDK12350g2246246Knit Picks CrayonclementineDK12850g3384384Bernat Cottontots Ombresdoll houseWorsted15085g2300300Berroco Cotton Twist SolidsIvoryWorsted8550g6510510Berroco Cotton Twist Solidsmasala mix jewelWorsted8550g4.5382.5382.5Berroco Cotton Twist SolidstangerineWorsted8550g10850850Caron Simply Soft Solidsautumn maizeWorsted315170g2630630Caron Simply Soft SolidsBlackWorsted315170g0.5157.5157.5Caron Simply Soft SolidsboneWorsted315170g3945945Caron Simply Soft SolidsChocolateWorsted315170g1315315Caron Simply Soft SolidsGarnetWorsted315170g1315315Caron Simply Soft Solidsgrey heatherWorsted315170g1315315Caron Simply Soft SolidsLavander blueWorsted315170g1315315Caron Simply Soft Solidsoff whiteWorsted315170g2630630Caron Simply Soft SolidsorchidWorsted315170g1315315Caron Simply Soft SolidsPersimmonWorsted315170g1315315Caron Simply Soft SolidspineWorsted315170g1315315Caron Simply Soft SolidssunshineWorsted315170g1315315Caron Simply Soft SolidswatermelonWorsted315170g1315315Caron Simply Soft SolidswhiteWorsted315170g0.5157.5157.5Knit Picks Brava WorstedblackWorsted219100gKnit Picks Brava WorstedcurrentWorsted219100g1219219Knit Picks Brava WorstedpaprikaWorsted219100g1219219Knit Picks Brava WorstedsiennaWorsted219100g1219219Knit Picks Chroma Worstedbittersweet heatherWorsted198100g1198198Knit Picks Chroma Worstednew englandWorsted198100gKnit Picks Comfy WorstedBlackWorsted10950g3327327Knit Picks Comfy WorstedBlackberryWorsted10950g0.554.554.5Knit Picks Comfy Worstedfairy taleWorsted10950g2218218Knit Picks Comfy WorstedHawkWorsted10950g2218218Knit Picks Comfy WorstedseraphimWorsted10950g2218218Knit Picks Dishie Multidaisy multiWorsted190100g1190190Knit Picks Dishie Multinettle multiWorsted190100g1190190Knit Picks Dishie MultiThistleWorsted190100g2380380Knit Picks Dishie Multiwaves multiWorsted190100g0.59595Knit Picks Dishie SolidscoffeeWorsted190100g1190190Knit Picks Dishie SolidsConchWorsted190100g1.5285-95Knit Picks Dishie SolidsHoneydewWorsted190100g1190190Knit Picks Dishie SolidsLinenWorsted190100g1190190Knit Picks Dishie SolidsmullberryWorsted190100g1190190Knit Picks Dishie SolidsPomegranateWorsted190100g2.5475475Knit Picks Dishie SolidsSwanWorsted190100g1190Knit Picks Dishie SolidsTomatoWorsted190100g2380380Knit Picks Shine WorstedBlackWorsted7550g17575Knit Picks Shine WorstedserranoWorsted7550g2150150Knit Picks Shine WorstedWallabyWorsted7550g2150150Knit Picks Simply Cotton Worstedbasalt heatherWorsted164100g1164164Knit Picks Simply Cotton WorstedCarnelian HeatherWorsted164100g3492492Knit Picks Simply Cotton Worstedgreen tea heatherWorsted164100g2328328Knit Picks Simply Cotton WorstedLimeade HeatherWorsted164100g1164164Knit Picks Simply Cotton Worstedmagenta HeatherWorsted164100g1164164Knit Picks Wool of the Andesgarnet heatherWorsted11050g4440440Yarn Bee Elf EyelashcloveWorsted5950g4236236Yarn Bee Elf Eyelashcosmic blueWorsted5950g2118118Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn! Ombresweet mocha ombreAran251140g1251251Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn! Sparkleblack sparkleAran251140g1251251Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn! Sparkleivory sparkleAran251140g1251251Hobby Lobby I Love this Yarn! StripesSurprize StripesAran251140g1251251Knit Picks Gloss HWblackAran164100g2328328Knit Picks Gloss HWcranberryAran164100g1164164Knit Picks Gloss HWDoeAran164100g2328328Knit Picks Gloss HWIvoryAran164100g2328328Lily Sugar'n Cream ScrubbybrownAran6850g16868Stitch Nation by Debbie Stoller Bamboo EweMercuryAran177100g1177177Stitch Nation by Debbie Stoller Full o' SheepblackAran155100g1155155Stitch Nation by Debbie Stoller Full o' SheepClementineAran155100gStitch Nation by Debbie Stoller Full o' SheepLittle LambAran155100g2310310Stitch Nation by Debbie Stoller Full o' SheepThymeAran155100g1155155Baby Bee Pitter Pattergrape jellyBulky290115g1290290Knit Picks Brava BulkyblackBulky136100gKnit Picks Brava BulkyRougeBulky136100g1136136Knit Picks Wool of the Andes BulkyblackberryBulky137100g2274274Knit Picks Wool of the Andes BulkycoalBulky137100g2274274Lion Brand HomespunrococoBulky185170gPlymouth Yarn Encore ChunkyGreyBulky143100g5715715Plymouth Yarn Encore ChunkyRedBulky143100g2286286Yarn Bee Playfulblack tie ombreBulky220140g2.5550550Lion Brand Fancy Furnight and daySuper Bulky3950g13939Gala Mixed Fiber Noveltygrey scale50g3

 It's a sickness.

On the short list of projects to complete next:
-Striped fingerless mits that are already started (comfy worsted, seraphim and blackberry)
-hat for Z (cupcake... maybe something equally as cute)
-hat for JP (he asked me to make something specific... I can't remember what now.)
-SOCKS!
-mits for a friend (you should know who you are!)
-hat for baby M. (Cupcake.  Super cute.)

It's like I  haven't been working non stop the last 6 weeks...

My first design!

I have been horribly negligent.
I last posted about the bibs I was cranking out for my daughter.  What seemed like days after I made all of them, she figured out how to untie them and really didn't have much need for them anymore.
Lots has happened in the last year.  I got really sick, eventually needing surgery to remove my jerk of a diseased gallbladder.  I felt better almost immediately, but then needed to take it easy since I had just, you know, got cut open.
Then, I busted my hump for 6 weeks to get all my handmade Christmas stuff made in time.
I did get everything finished... And designed a few things in the process!

I will eventually get some pictures up in here...  But for now, here's the pattern for the Earwarmer that I just whipped together... Just cause.

Needles : sz US7
Yarn : Worsted - I used knitpicks comfy worsted in Hawk
Other materials : Darning needle

Key:
M1R - lift bar between stitches with L needle from back to front, k into front of stitch
M1L - left bar between stitches with L needle from front to back, k into back of stitch
(How I remember which one is which : M1R is knitted how you would normally make a knit stitch, so its knitted "right".  Also, once you do a few, you can recognize how the yarn is suppose to look for each. Admittedly, this took me a while)
ssk - slip one stitch k wise, slip 1 stitch p wise, insert L needle back thru both stitches and k
k2tog - knit next 2 stitches together


Cast on 12 stitches
Row#1 - knit
Row#2 k3, p6, k3
Row#3 knit
Row#4 k3, p6, k3
Row#5 k3, m1R, knit to last 3 stitches, M1L, k3 (14 stitches)
Row#6 k3, p to last 3 stitches, k3
Row#7 k all
Row#8 rep row 6
Row#9 k all
Row #10 rep row 6

Repeat Rows 5-10 five more times (you'll have 24 stitches on the needle, the whole earwarmer will be stockinette with 3 rows of garter stitch on each side to prevent curling under)

Continue in the bordered stockinette for another 6-10 inches (I measured the work after increases, then doubled it, then subtracted from 20".  This is how much you knit for the middle.  You could use a locking stitch marker to mark where the decreases stop to further keep track of progress)

Decreases :
Row#1 k3, ssk, knit to 5 stitches from end, k2tog, k3 (22 stitches)
Row#2 k3, p to 3 stitches from end, k3
Row#3 k all
Row#4 k3, p to 3 stitches from end, k3
Row#5 k all
Row#6 k3, p to 3 stitches from end, k3

Repeat rows 1-6 Five more times (You'll have 12 stitches after all the decreases are complete.
Bind off, (block iffen you want) stitch ends together

Finishing can be done however you wish!  I found some fun patterns on Ravelry for knitted or crocheted flowers.  I finished mine with a bow. (pattern here)

Unfortunately, I neglected to take a picture of the finished earwarmer, but rest assured that It's adorable!

Bibs galore!

I decided to find a pattern that I liked to make some bibs for my daughter...
Little did I know that I would quickly become OBSESSED!!!
Seriously.  I have made, like, 20 of these.
Here is the pattern.
I used Lily Sugar & cream for the majority.  Once I used some Knitpicks Dishie, I used that more frequently.  The end result was so much softer after laundering!  The Sugar & cream can get a little stiff, as I lay them flat to dry.  Otherwise, the edges curl under.
Probably, a press would work worlds better, but I don't have the time on account of the children.
The thing I might change if I made any more... making the garter edge more than 3 stitches.  I think that might help with some of the  curling under business.
Here's how some of mine turned out!

(Of course that's my Z modeling!)

I also did a few variations :

(Sheep and cabled owls!)
I have so much fun with these!  After making one or two, the pattern sticks with you.  I was able to knock out about one a day at first, then after a few were done, it only takes a few hours.
And... they are adorable!