Celebrations!

So, the bloodwork is back, and it's neither a virus nor something pancreatic. They haven't done the final tests, but it's looking like Sweetie's got an ulcer, which is GOOD because it's not anything WORSE. He's even allowed to eat red meat again, so we celebrated with gyros.

In knitting news, I spent much of yesterday cleaning, and then organizing the stash. I wound up lots of yarn that'd been waiting for it, stacked things nicely, and packed them into the stash cubbard. I need a new (or a second) cubbard, I think. Or, you know, to knit a whole bunch and thereby reduce stash. I've been putting like yarns together, and I might have the yarn for a whole bunch of projects that I didn't think I could do - like a Seraphim shawl out of Elann's baby silk, in that lovely camel color. I have eight balls of that, and whaddaya know, it's enough!

In the same vein, my second installment of Hastur's Challenge starts tomorrow. I admit, I was bad in the interim between the 10 and the 15 project challenges. I bought patterns: Seraphim, the one-skein seasilk shawl, and fiber trend's felted clogs. I ordered yarn: Some hand-dyed laceweight from Etsy (the color is Crocus, it's just lovely), two more from handpaintedyarn.com (green apple and lavender), a skein of handmaiden mohair in Seashore and some colourmartUK cashmere, which I've been wanting to try for quite some time. I was very, very bad.

I regret nothing.

So, in part because of my newly organized stash, and in part because I'm getting incredibly close to finishing the Icar-ish shawl, I've decided to change two things about this next Challenge. First, the scope: I will be upping the number of projects from fifteen to twenty-five. Second, the starting date: It begins now! So let's get this all formal-like, shall we?

I, Persian Pen Name, do solenmly swear that I will not buy any patterns until I have finished twenty-five projects from yarn that is in my stash (or on its way to me) right now this instant. I can still pick up the new Interweave Knits and Spin-Off magazines (girl's gotta have some fun), but no back issues or other titles. I can buy yarn for specific gifts for other people, or with money that is given to me as a gift (paychecks do not count as gifts!), but any other yarn that I purchase will count as a NEGATIVE project, EVEN IF I make something with it right away. I still can (and should!) get books via the library and as many free patterns as I can get my grubby little hands on. Every pattern of my own that I can get published counts as TWO PROJECTS towards my total, and yes Virginia, publishing on my blog does count, though it won't help pay the rent. I figure this, because it will probaly be me drawing up the charts, and then knitting the item to make sure the charts work. If somehow I can publish a pattern without knitting it up (seriously, does anyone do that?) it will only count as one project. For every ball of yarn I finish, I will donate $0.50 to Heifer International or Doctors Without Borders (a la Kim). If, in a moment of weakness, I should purchase a pattern, that pattern will count as TWO negative projects, AND I will add the price of the pattern to my charity total. Spinning 100g or more of any given fiber will count as a project, though spinning fiber itself will not count as yarn purchased. Selling of children is still disallowed, as is using sex (or the promise thereof) to obtain yarn or patterns. Sock pairs now count as ONE project, as do very large items like shawls (This part will be the death of me yet). And, as soon as I can find my camera, I should post pictures of WIPs and FOs.