The Monday List

My friends, last week was a wonderful week. 

As always, let's start with what I officially accomplished:

1. As you know...the sweater is done!  The handsome husband even wore it to work today!  (Let me tell you...if you want to make me happy, than please USE the things I knit for you!  Nothing is better than actually seeing my knits being used in the world at large.
2. Editing has begun once again.  He's almost caught up with the work I'd already done, and as our marriage has survived - and as I've actually received positive feedback on my notes (I thought I was pretty mean) - I'm very happy to be back to it. 
3. The gift project saw a lot of progress...but it wasn't the one that got most of my attention because...
4. I decided I had to finish Lisianthus,  because I need the circular needle it's on for the project pictured above.  The awesome news is that I will finish it this morning - having only six rows and the crocheted chain bind off to do! 
5. And I did get the first batch of letters and cards in the mail last week.  I so love the February Month of Letters!  Even better...I collected addresses from some online friends, so I have new people to send mail to this year.

And the one thing that wasn't officially on the list - I finished the shark hat, and delivered it yesterday!

The fact of the matter, though, is that this last week has been about so much more than the official list.  I feel like I've finally caught up after being so behind for so long because of the shingles.  Much of what I accomplished falls under the practical life "stuff" category, and is therefor too boring for the blog.  BUT.  The important thing is that I feel like I've been creatively clearing the decks.  All of the projects that have been hanging over my head for what seems like forever are almost - ALMOST - done now.  If things go as hoped, by the end of this week the only things that will be on my needles are the girls' college blankets and the hap shawl (again, pic above) that I started last month.  It feels as if I'll have a clean slate...a fresh start with which I can do anything I want. 

So what do I want? 

Let's start with the list for this week, shall we?

1. I would really like to get the gift project finished and in the mail by the end of the week.  Should be possible.
2. A good, old-fashioned stash reorganization is just what the doctor ordered to get the creative ideas flowing.
3. I've two babies to knit for this spring, and at the very least I'd like to make some decisions about what to do for them.
4. Tanith needs mittens.
5. I haven't spun for a really long time...I think it's time to get the wheel going again!
6. I ordered yarn to make a sweater for myself.  Shocker, I know!  It should arrive this week, and at the very least I want to do the swatching for it. 
7. Along those same lines, I want to order a skein of yarn from Sunday Knits so that I have a reference point for some spinning.  I have a wool/angora (bunny) blend that matches the Sunday Knits yarn in fiber content...and as that yarn is used for several of my favorite patterns that I'd really love to knit for myself...yep, I need that single skein so that I can see if I can replicate it.
8. That yarn order?  Included yarn to make a second shark hat for my husband.  Yep. 
9. I need to dig through my old stack of magazines to find a specific pattern in Interweave Knits from about 10 years ago.  It's a favorite.  I need it.  (Are you sensing the selfish nature of my knitting to come this year?)
10. I also want to spend some time with my lace books this week...and that's as much as I want to say about that. 
11. I need to update my goodreads page. 
12. I want to continue rebuilding my journaling practice, which has absolutely been better over the last week. 

Have A Great Week Everyone!