by Kat | Sep 13, 2019 | General, In This Moment
Nine months into 2019 and we have our first Friday the 13th of the year…(and there is only one more in December). We have rain in the forecast for tomorrow but I am hoping that the skies will allow for some Harvest Moon viewing! The moon was spectacular last night! I took a small break from debate watching/knitting to head outside to watch it rise!
Friday has arrived and my list is not complete. But, there were some very good accomplishments and an unexpected outing with a friend!
I also put my Reagan on two needles so you can see the progress I made this week! I have 8-ish more inches of lace to knit before the bottom band. I think it is moving along nicely. And, though I have not memorized the 12-row lace chart, I have worked out 4-row sections so I think the lace knitting will go a bit quicker now.
Things completed:
- 5-days of Pilates – it felt so good to be back to my mat, but it was so hard! Gah, no more skipping this routine because starting again is not easy!
- 3-days where I managed to squeeze in a walk – I would like to be walking every single day, but my gradual easing in is not creating any residual pain in my ankle at all! Next week my plan is to walk 3 days again but begin to walk longer distances!
- Rose pants, completed! (and yes, I found the missing elastic after I purchased more elastic!)
Things uncompleted:
- Zadie Jumpsuit – after a long discussion with a “sewing” knitter on Tuesday night – I am going to hold off sewing the more expensive fabric until I have made a much less expensive muslin to work out the pattern kinks. My weekend list includes finding some fabric to make the muslin.
- Genevieve’s reindeer costume parts – although I did pull out fabric for the ears, I need to find some yarn (preferably in my stash) that might work for “leggings” so stay tuned!
Unexpected things:
- I went to Sewickley with a girlfriend on Wednesday! We had lunch and wandered around the town, including a stop at Sewickley Yarns! I was good and did not buy any yarn! Although, I did get some fiber wash and put my name on the list for the final issue of Laine Magazine, which will be in sometime in mid-October. This will facilitate another trip to Sewickley, which is a very good thing!
Things that crossed my radar this week:
- This sweater popped up on Ravelry this week and oh my… lovely! I am not a fan of knitting cables, but this sweater just might change my mind about that!
- Romi also posted that this beauty is coming next week. I just LOVE the colors of the yarns and the stitch pattern:
That is all I have for this week. We have a few things we want to get done this weekend, but the list is not overwhelming! I hope you all have a good weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!
by Kat | Sep 9, 2019 | General, In This Moment
The “list-free” weekend was truly restful – although, on Sunday we did get some much needed yard work done! We did a bit of culling of the dying plants from the pots on the patio – the coleus was getting pretty leggy and were dropping leaves thanks to the spate of cool nights we have had. I would like to get a couple of mums for the fall but I won’t have time this week – maybe next week that will happen. But for right now the impatiens remain the star of the waning days of summer – they are just magnificent! The remaining vegetable plants in the garden have also headed to the compost pile. I have made a somewhat detailed list of garden successes as well as failures. August’s hot humid days did my basil in – perhaps assisted by my overzealous watering.
On Saturday night as we were looking for something to watch on television and we discovered that there is a new season of The Great British Baking Show on Netflix…produced by Netflix. There are 2 episodes up currently, with a new one coming each week until the end of October! Only Paul remains from the original shows, but I thought it was still most enjoyable!
But, it’s Monday and this is what my list looks like this week:
This is the September inspiration from The Balanced Life and these words are exactly what I need as I head back to my Pilates mat this week. As Kym has shared many times over the past few months – you can go from one who avoided exercise to one who finds something so very worthwhile in it! I really want to be in the latter group and I am going to make moving and exercise my focus this month!
This week, I have just the inspiration necessary to bring me back to the mat… stay tuned for my Friday check-in to see how I did! Add to that, my daily walks and moving my body is getting back into focus! I am so disappointed at how easy it was for me to lose this essential habit! I have put these words in several prominent places and hopefully they will continue to inspire my movement this month!
I have a wee bit of sewing to finish! One pair of Rose pants and a Zadie Jumpsuit have been patiently waiting for me to get back to them. Which will happen this week because there is no baking or preserving to distract me!
My daughter added a couple of things to my list yesterday with a request for some “Halloween costume” help – so I need to look up some cable patterns to knit a tiny pair of leggings and see if I can pick up some flannel fat quarters to make some “reindeer ears” so Vivi can be a little reindeer for Halloween!
My final goal for the week is to begin the lace portion of my Reagan! I am ever so close to finishing the sleeves and hope to have some lace progress to share with you on Wednesday!
What’s on your list for the week? I hope that you can make the most of your Monday and start your week off wonderfully! See you all back here on Wednesday with a knitting and reading update!
by Kat | Sep 6, 2019 | General, In This Moment
I have been spending a good bit of time thinking about how to reinvigorate me as I contemplate my blog. I keep circling back to the less is sometimes so much more concept as I have contemplated this space. I know that we all have a finite number of minutes during the week and frankly, time spent on a computer or digital device sucks a great number of those minutes from our lives each day – so do you really need one more blog post to read every day? Truthfully, I just don’t have anything edifying to say every day! I don’t have a million fun little anecdotes to share nor have I gone to any exciting places to fill you all with travel envy! As you can see in my monthly “looking back” posts – we are truly homebodies and are most comfortable in our home. But finally – and perhaps most importantly – the tipping point to these blog changes is a result of my word – focus – this year. That word is having such a dramatic impact on my life as I have spent the year working through how to focus on my life, my days, and the things I do!
I do so love TGIF posts, but lately I have found them to feel a bit rote at times. So, Friday’s are going to take on a bit of a different theme here at AsKatKnits. I am going to use them to share things that will close out the week – my week, and usher in the weekend.
This week brought lots of changes – visually and physically:
I eased back into walking. My ankle has been feeling better, not perfect – but better enough to take modified walks.
I picked the last of the raspberries on Wednesday morning and made the final bit of raspberry jam for the year.
Signs of a fading summer are everywhere – the green of the trees is fading, and some of the leaves are beginning to dry and curl. The burning bushes in my front yard are beginning to show signs of the coming color around the edges of some of the leaves. I wish I could say that the grass is showing signs of slowing its growth pace, but as yet, that has not happened. Even the skies look different in these waning days of summer.
The Farmer’s Market is also slowly changing as fall fruits and vegetables are beginning to show up!
And, amidst all of these gradually changing things, I am spending my days welcoming these tiny changes – being aware of them – and reveling in them. And, those three things have helped me appreciate, and stay focused on the immediate rather than wishing for what comes next.
Yet, to tell you that I am not thinking about “that next thing” would not quite be true. Last month Joji published this pattern and I have not been able to get it out of my mind. It has filled my creative thoughts as I ponder what I have in my stash that might work. It is also keeping me focused on finishing Reagan so I can cast on sans guilt! I also don’t have Morinne Short and Sweet out of my system yet and have plans to knit another one this fall!
All in all, I feel very accomplished as this week draws to a close – which is just what I need to welcome a “list free” weekend! I hope your weekend list has little on it as well! Have a great weekend and I will see you all back here on Monday!
by Kat | Aug 30, 2019 | General, In This Moment
This year, I have really tried to be in the moment and enjoy the day at hand, rather than wishing for what comes next. I thought it might make the year feel like it is going slower, ha! I am sitting at my PC this morning wondering how on earth August is over, it is Labor Day weekend, and signs of fall are increasing daily.
Okay, so staying in the moment does not slow down the pace of days – however, it has allowed me to appreciate each day more and each season more fully! I think this might be the best summer of my life, not because I did all kinds of amazing things, but rather because I lived in each moment.
Thrilled —
This week, I finished and blocked my Morinne Short and Sweet. Oh my… this sweater is poetry. It fits perfectly, the yarn I picked has the perfect amount of drape and fluidity. The construction is brilliant – it is almost like a puzzle! You start and wonder how this will become a sweater and suddenly, before you know it (21 days from cast on to finish!) – you have knit a sweater! I posted more photos yesterday on IG and am making plans to knit another one!
Gathering —
I have been picking what appears to be the final tomatoes, beans, and peppers and that makes me a bit melancholy. I have loved the time I spend each morning in my garden. It has been the perfect place to also gather my thoughts each morning along with the produce and the recent thought gathering is full of blog ideas and fall morning routines. Stay tuned!
Inspired —
I recently read this post and it really resounded with me. I am going to spend some time thinking about how I can unplug myself one day a month – or at least unplug on my terms.
Finishing —
My summer of reading has been magical. I have read some of the most amazing books and if I can finish 2 more books by Monday, I will have read 55 books this summer…That is amazing to write and think about. I think I can do it because I am almost done with Bridge of Clay and more than halfway through Suite Françoise. I would like to thank Mary for hosting Book Bingo because it just might be my favorite part of summer!
That is all I have for this week. Have a great LONG weekend and I will see you all here next week!
by Kat | Aug 29, 2019 | General, In This Moment
Joining Carole today with a Bridget themed post!
Per Bridget:
“There’s a meme going around on Instagram stories, where you name three things that you hate, but everyone else loves.”
And, I am adding her disclaimer as well:
So here are Three Things Everyone Else Loves and I hate*
*(which is to say ‘dislike strongly’ since I don’t want to be lectured about the word ‘hate’ (either)…..)
Thing One —
Instagram Stories. Honestly, I just don’t get them. Why are they so much better than just a regular Instagram post? Perhaps it is the most telling indication of my age coupled with my complete lack of understanding in how (and why!!) to do them. And, please, no offers to give me an Instagram Story lesson…(because that could be thing four!!)
Thing Two —
Chia Seeds. Seriously, is there anything more disgusting on earth? And, why would you ruin perfectly good yogurt with the addition of these nasty little things?
Thing Three —
Starbucks. Oy, I know! What??? Truly. They have done more for the ruination of coffee than any company I can think of. Truly. But this did make me laugh this morning!
That is all I have for today! See you all back here tomorrow!
by Kat | Aug 23, 2019 | General, In This Moment
Overnight rains have ushered in much cooler temperatures! After days in the 90’s, today our high will be in the low to mid 70’s — ahhh! I have the windows opened wide and my ears are rejoicing hearing the birds rather than the non-stop drone of the air conditioner. It is amazing how this change in weather resets your attitude, isn’t it? I also rejoiced at having a hot coffee rather than iced and it tasted so good!
Thinking About —
My next knitting project! I have some “lingering on the needles” sweaters and I will probably pull out Tegna first and try and get it finished. Why? Well, believe it or not – I can see the end of the Romi sweater – I only have the 6 rows to go to the lace (and final) section of the body and the sleeves! Now granted, the body rows are long, but the end is in sight! However, this sweater caught my eye this week and it has been rattling around my brain ever since! I even think that I have yarn in my stash that might work for it! However, no swatching until I have Morrine Short and Sweet finished! (At least that is what I am telling myself! Ha!)
Gathering —
I have started a “garden journal” (albeit late in the season) but I am writing down what plants I grew and how they produced. This way, next spring when the lure of all the seedlings calls, I will have a road map for what worked well and, more importantly, what did not work well so I can hopefully get better outcomes! I switched up cherry tomatoes this year and these were much less prolific than previous years plants and I had some large tomato plants that were real duds as well.
Inspiring —
I have been reading the NYT’s 1619 Project and this week these poems especially. They are hard to read – it is not a proud past we have and that is even more complicated in that this past is still our present in so many ways, and if we continue on happy with the status quo, it will be our future as well. But I believe we can do so much better and it all starts with truly understanding our privilege.
Finally —
I am so happy that the weekend is here! I have a new book from the library that I hope to read tomorrow. And, beyond that I am not planning much of anything for my “day alone”! I don’t really want a list a things to get done – but rather a day where I don’t have anything that I need to check off!
Don’t forget about my “Pay The Nickel Boy’s Forward” give away is still going on – if you want to put your name in the hat, you have until Sunday night to leave a comment! I will pick the winner on Monday and get the book in the mail to you! Have a great weekend and I will see you all back here on Monday!
