September: Sort of Random Choices

I've done it before... I make up a list of items I want to make, number them, and use Random Number Generator to make a choice.

You know what happens? I get a number, look at the project assigned to that number, and decide I don't want to do that... so I do another random number generation!

So, this month I'm doing it a little differently. Yes, I picked out 15 projects to finish... I picked out items from my paid patterns list, items I need to restock, my scrap yarn list, and my list of items I think will be best sellers.

Scrap
Avocado
Purple Roly Poly Penguin - done


Best Seller:
Gecko Frecko
Hipster Llama
Octopus Hat - in the works
Rainbow Fox - done
Clown Fish Girl

Restock:
Big Red Puppy
Cat Mermaid - done
Hungry Caterpillar
Rainbow Elephant
Spotted Cow - done
Cupcake Penguin

Paid:
Mr. Wiggles

I have a spreadsheet with those 15 projects listed in different orders: alphabetical, by difficulty, by price, and by yarn usage.

For my first project, I got #3. That gave me the choice of spotted cow (came up as #3 on both lists), Avocado, or Clown Fish Girl. I pulled the yarn for a spotted cow. Once I finish that, I'll do another random number generator. Well, the cow is a big project. Maybe I'll pick another number and have a smaller project going too...I have two craft shows in September, including The World's Largest Yard Sale at the Hamburg (NY) fairgrounds. They say they have "thousands of shoppers", so I'm hoping to clear out a bunch of inventory! Small things tend to sell faster...

Hmm... Mermaid Cat, Big Red Puppy, Rainbow Fox, Spotted Cow (oops, should have removed that one and done 1-14). I think I'll start a mermaid cat.

I pulled this sparkly pink yarn for the mermaid cat.

As I thought, I'm getting bored easily with the spotted cow project. I'd rather work on something faster, like the Mermaid cat. I finished it already, and got it into my shop. https://marketplace.acmoore.com/penguinplacecrafts/crochet-mermaid-doll-amigurumi-mermaid-mermaid-cat-mermaid-kitty-mermaid-toy-mermaid-gift-mermaid-plush-custom-mermaid-doll-cat-doll

My next random number generator gave me the choice of Hipster Llama (twice), Rainbow Fox, or Mr. Wiggles. Since the Rainbow Fox is one of those "if you make this, I'll buy it at your next show" items, I'd better get working on that!

Finished the spotted cow, so I did another random number generator. (The Rainbow Fox is in the works, but I like having a little project to work on, too.)

Choices this time: roly poly purple penguin, Frecko Gecko, and Octopus Hat.

Frecko Gecko and the Octopus Hat seem too daunting to have as a back-up project, so Roly Poly Purple Penguin it is!

Since I think I might finish the Rainbox Fox tonight (I was up to the green stripe on his shirt when I finished last night, so only 3 rows of blue and 2 of purple, and I'm pretty much done with the body), I decided to go ahead and do another random number generator for my next big project.

Hmm... these numbers aren't seeming all that random... first 10, then 11...

Okay, choices for #11 are: Rainbow Elephant, Avocado, Clown Fish Girl, or Octopus Hat. Tough choice. Rainbow Elephant would be working from my handwritten notes. Avocado is quick and easy, working from a pattern. Clown Fish girl is working from a mermaid pattern to do clown fish striping, changing things up a bit... and the Octopus Hat (second time that came up) is from a pattern. Since I'm looking for a tough project, I guess I'm picking the octopus hat!

Rainbow Fox is done! 

Roly Poly Purple Penguins is done too...

So right now the only project from my plan that is in the works is the Octopus Hat, which is a big project, so I'll do another random number generator and choose a backup project. Next number picked is 2, which gives me the choices of Big Red Puppy (quick and easy), Rainbow Elephant (still pretty easy, and I have the rainbow colors out, but it is a bigger project... I mean, it's an elephant!), Avocado (small, new pattern so I'm not sure how complicated it is, I have the yarn colors out), and Fun Fur Hedgehog. Tough call... I'm picking avocado.

9/14/19 - As my GPS says, "Recalculating"
I had a booth at a local flea market (The World's Largest Yard Sale at the Hamburg Fairgrounds). The show was okay... booth rental was very expensive, so I didn't even sell double my rental. I had shared the booth fee with a friend. If I hadn't done that, I would have been in the red.

But, anyway... I did sell enough to make quite a few additions to my "remake" list... and I got three orders to be picked up at shows in October. Then I got another local order from a friend. So... I need to redo my list. I have fourteen items to make for orders or remake. Orders will get top priority, and then I'll see what I can do with the remake list by the end of September. So, while I will be finishing up a bunch more stuff during September, no more random number generator for a while!

Orders:

Newborn Pumpkin hat - done

Newborn mittens on a string - DONE

Bat - Done

Spotted Cow
Topo Gigio
Two Octopus Hats (child size)


Remakes:
Big Red Puppy
Cupcake Penguin
Rainbow Elephant
Taco
Sleepy Little Octopus
Carrottop Picklemonster
Rainbow Turtle
Cat with pizza
Rainbow Fox