Kilometers to Go Before I Sleep

Yarn is such a wonderful thing. I’m not sure if it is the fiber or the dye or what, but it sure is an addictive thing. It seems that the more you look at it, touch it, smell it and work with it, the more you want to be around it.

The latest round of fiber-y goodness, began with the Knitgirllls’ annual StashDash. Each year they challenge their watchers to whittle down the stashes hidden throughout houses all over the world. The official challenge  started on May 24th and ends August 5th. The goal is to destash 4K or 4375 yards of yarn. It can be knit, crochet, spun, or woven.  

I took the challenge. I have destashed 1860 yards so far. I have spun 19 yards of 2 ply yarn and 4 oz. of  brown alpaca singles (not measured yet, still needs to be plied); finished knitting a pair of socks, made a baby blanket, a baby hat, a pair of booties, and a lace shawl.  I currently have on the needles a log cabin baby blanket, a pair of socks and a cotton beach sweater. The Baby Wolf loom has a denim scarf. The cricket loom has a bulky green scarf. The Highland Handmades’ spindle has brown alpaca spinning a fingering weight yarn.  

I am well on the way to finishing my 4K on schedule. Which is a good thing, because plantar fasciitis has put my 5K walk/run training on hold for a while. Physical therapy has helped tremendously and I should be back to training by next week. 

So, back to the knitting, spinning and weaving.

Until next time . . . . . . 

But, I Want to Knit!

My knitting mojo is finally back! I want to knit. I want to finish my four works-in-progress (WIPS).  Not only is my mojo back, but it is overwhelming. I blame Craftsy! All I can think about is knitting. Sheeeesh!

But first, I need to meet someone for breakfast. I really like this person, but I want to knit!  So, since I made the appointment, I go to breakfast.  But as soon as breakfast is over I will sit down and finish the last five points (of 25) on my Skywalker lace shawlette. A wonderful pattern by Laura Nelkin that is part of her Craftsy class on mastering shawls.  

Earlier picture

Oh! but wait! I have another appointment to get my car’s oil changed. Yikes! Maybe I can finish the shawl while I wait. It should take long to finish five points. Should it?  So, I arrive at the mechanics. I head to the waiting room.  Oh, good, I am the only one waiting. I should be able to power through the remaining points. I sit down and begin to knit. Ahhhhhh!

Oh, no! a knot in the yarn!  Where are my scissors? Oh, there they are. Well, this should take too much time.  I cut out the knot and decide to use a Russian join to repair the yarn. Where is my tapestry needle? Oh, there it is.  Good.  Wait, I had better check YouTube to make sure I am doing the join correctly. After all, I don’t want a major mistake four points from the end of the shawlette.  But, I want to knit!

Okay, the video has been watched and the join made. It looks pretty good. Now, to knit!

After about a half of a point, the mechanic announces that my car is finished.  Ughhhhhh! This has got to be the only time he finished in less than 15 minutes. So, I pay the bill and drive away.

On the drive home, I stop at the grocery store for a few things (17) and then stop for gas.  But, I want to knit!  As I am heading home and in my mind, I can see my comfy chair and cool glass of ice tea, my phone rings with a reminder that end of the year Treasurer’s reports are due.  Double ughhhh!  This is not knitting!

Out comes the laptop, the papers, the colored pens, the calculator, the receipts, the checkbook and I begin. At least, I have my ice tea.

By the time I am finished and the reports are in the email ether, it is 2 pm.  Wow! I had better eat lunch. What to have for lunch? Something quick. Okay, I reheat some leftovers and sit to type this while I eat. Great for the indigestion, huh?

Okay, meeting done, check. Oil change done, check. Groceries and gas bought, check. Books balanced and reports done, check. Lunch finished, check. Blog post finished, check. Now I can knit.  Yeahhh!

Maybe I’ll take a nap first...

Until next time. . . . . . 

A Year of Socks

The sweater I am currently knitting is a departure for me. I am an avid sock knitter. Last August, I decided to join the hundreds of sock knitters who had started their own Self-Imposed Sock Club. The goal was to knit a pair of socks for each month of the year. Since I began in August, my year would end July 31, 2011. I finished my July socks on July 18th. 

Each month I chose a sock pattern and an appropriate yarn. The goal was to finish both socks before the end of that month. By finished, I mean knitting done, ends woven in and socks blocked.  To some knitters this might not seem like much of a challenge, but in August of 2010, I had never made a sock before. I was a newbie. Wasn’t sure even where to start.  

I mentioned this at my investment club meeting and the two knitters immediately sent me off to investigate Ravelry. One of the members mentioned a great pattern for a beginning sock knitter - the Lifestyle Toe Up Socks - No Swatch Needed by Charisa Martin Cairn.  Thanks, Mary and Lisa. 

Ravelry is a great resource for knitters and the Lifestyle Toe Up sock pattern is wonderful for beginners.  Thus, began my Year of Sock Knitting.......

August Socks - my first pair

September Socks

Self-patterning

 October Socks

Frankensocks

November Socks

Autumn Colors

December Socks

Christmas

January Socks

Almond Nutkins

February Socks

Red Heart House Socks

March Socks

Water Avens

April Socks

April Flowers

May Socks

Rosebud Trellis

(First Kathom Design)

June Socks

Farmland Socks

July Socks

Comfort Turkish Bed Socks

(Yes, there are two!)

Thus, begins my lifetime of Sock Knitting.......

Maiden Voyage

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Hello. This is my first try at blogging.  We’ll see how it goes. I am a born and raised southerner from the United States. Some of my favorite pastimes are sitting in the sunroom, drinking tea, looking out at our wooded property and knitting or ... and reading. Sometimes, ... knitting and reading!  Maybe this blog will be a good place to showcase some of my knitting, my favorite books (or just what I am currently reading), my love of tea, nature, and whatever else strikes me when I am typing.

Currently, I am sitting in my bright sunroom, knitting a cotton blend summer cardigan based on the Summer Cardigan pattern by Diane Soucy from Knitting Pure & Simple.  I am using a bright red pima cotton/nylon boucle’ blend called Bradford by Bristol Yarn Gallery.  The colorway is called an unimaginative #113.  The pattern is a short sleeve, neckdown, all in one piece, seamless, lightweight cardigan. Just the thing for summers in the south.  As I am very cold natured, I freeze in air conditioning and thrive in the heat. (It is currently 101.6 F at 3:45 pm) Guess I was born and raised in the right place.  As the cardigan is red, it should transition into the fall where the temperatures normally dip into the frigid 40s and 50s. Fahrenheit, of course.

I’m going to try to get another few rows knitted before I need to stop and fix dinner. Stay cool.