by Kat | Sep 16, 2016 | General
It has been a full week here in my house – although, my list still has a couple of things still lingering on it, but I will not be overly stressed if I do not get them all done.
I did indeed get the second Triticum front completed, I hope to cast on the first sleeve sometime this weekend. Seems like the perfect thing to do while watching the Michigan Game!
Plus, there were a few moments spent spinning this week. I am working on getting my Shetland from the Sheepspot Fiber Club finished. I was unsure of what I would do with this, but Ysolda provided a fantastic idea and gave me a problem at the same time! What did I have that would go well with this purple yarn?? I did some stash diving and found some “sport weight options” – imagine that! At first I thought that this Top of the Lamb might work. It looks nice in color but, as you can see in the black and white image, there is not enough difference in the hues of the two colors. Therefore, not a good choice. But, luckily I also have some Rauma Strikke-garn that works well as far as color theory goes. I will know for sure when I swatch and see how they play together.
Next week will be another full week, but I am going to spend some time today making some lists for our upcoming vacation. It is much easier to pack from a list; don’t you agree? If not, I tend to forget lots of things!
The Friday Links today have lots of good things, and not all of them are fiber related:
Today is “Read an eBook Day” – I mean, is anything even remotely more important than that?? (Psst, there is a contest involved too with a great prize…)
Finally, this is totally off track, however Steve is sending me Links of Torture – Pumpkin comes to Williams Sonoma – yeah, I reallllly want, but do I need… that is the question!!
That is all I have today – have a fantastic weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!!
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by Kat | Sep 15, 2016 | General, Words
I had been so filled with joy in emptying out boxes and sorting through things from my move to Pittsburgh.
Really.
Overflowing with joy!
There were things that were easy to either move on to a new home or get rid of because if you have not used something in 3 years, you probably don’t need it right?
However, I moved here with LOTS of things from/for my kids. Things they made. Things I made for them. Things I loved dearly and that sparked such amazing joy.
If something sparks joy, Marie says it’s a keeper and this stuff sparks joy and then some! However, would they spark more joy in my children’s homes now?
Two Year Old Hands carefully stitched.
I had to take a step back and reassess my Konmari process. There are things that Marie Kondo had left out of her amazing little book. She forgot about the Saudade items – those things that bring deep, nostalgic, and melancholic longing for a time that will never return.
So, I have begun a box or two that will go with us when we visit my kids at the end of the month. The sorting process has gone rather slowly as I have worked through the challenging task, and it has been filled with bittersweet memories and a wistful longing for days gone by.
I am going to need more Kleenex™ to get through this.
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by Kat | Sep 14, 2016 | General, Making
Earlier this week I felt very overwhelmed by my To-do list, but I finally feel like I am getting on top it today! I made raspberry jam again, and will probably be able to pick enough berries to make one more pint. I have had a number of questions about what jam recipe I am using. I am using Nigella Lawson’s recipe that The Spendid Table shared on their site. The first batch I made was really raspberry syrup – it did not set at all. Subsequent batches, I made some changes. I follow the recipe exactly, and after I have combined the sugar into the berries, I add the zest of one lemon and the juice of half a lemon. It is the perfect balance of acidity and sweetness, the lemon zest adds a lovely brightness, and the juice is the perfect pectin boost needed for it to become jam.
I also made more peach preserves and roasted a couple of bushels of peppers. I will make some pesto also this week. And, maybe something with all the cherry tomatoes…
My reading this week has been extremely varied – I finished listening to David Sedaris Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk. And, I am still reading The Hanging Girl and still enjoying Carl Morck and Department Q! Comedy and Mystery – joys for the opposite sides of your brain! You know, kind of like math and music.
Up next in my ears – Book Two of Inspector Gamache – A Fatal Grace.
I have been plodding along on my Altered Custom Fit sweater – these are some LONG rows and it is not a very portable project. So, it has been relegated to TV knitting when we watch at night.
I have not been knitting much on Triticum but my plan is to get back to this today and try to get the second front done so sleeves can begin. I think this is very doable and it will be the perfect laundry companion!
I also broke down and cast on a new project and got quite a bit done of the yoke. I am about half way through the charts. Thus far, the marriage of handspun yarn with the Briar Rose Fibers yarn is harmonious. This project is reminding me how much I love color work. To me, it is a bit like painting – I feel so inspired while I knit that it is hard to put it down.
What are you knitting and reading this week?
by Kat | Sep 13, 2016 | General, Words
September is upon us and that means FOOTBALL!
And for me, that means college football and especially MICHIGAN football!!
Why football, you ask? Well, Carole wants to know my:
10 Favorite Football Foods. (As in, your favorite things to eat while watching football.)
Well, let’s get to the starting lineup then!!
- Steve’s Buffalo Wings
- Hummus with fresh veggies
- Chili, which must have some nice warm….
- Cornbread, of course!
- Pizza – take out works so perfectly, really!
- Meatballs
- Chips and dip
- Sliders
- Nachos
- Jalapeño Poppers
Really, finger foods are key here (with the exception of the chili and cornbread!!)
Although Carole did not ask about things to drink – there should be beer!
There you have it, Gentle Reader – Football Eats! What’s on your menu?
by Kat | Sep 12, 2016 | General, In This Moment
The weekend was a bit of a blur and I am facing a busy Monday and trying to not lose my perspective. Do I look at my flower bed and see that much of it is done for the season.
Or do I see the blooms that persevere – brilliantly.
This is important for me, especially when I have a really long to-do list today!
It includes planting these lovely mums…
cleaning these babies…
and about a million other things!
What’s on your list today?
by Kat | Sep 9, 2016 | General
Tomorrow someone special has a birthday.
Happy Birthday, Heidi! I love you so much!
Now on to the Friday Links:
That’s all I have for the week, have a fantastic weekend! See you back here on Monday!
by Kat | Sep 8, 2016 | General, Making
Knit Konmari resulted in several days of washing hand knits. I had to complete it in phases because I do not have unlimited blocking/drying space.
I am now almost ready for a new season, I have just a couple of hats and mittens/mitts to finish washing up!
They look so lovely, and while I don’t think I will be wearing any of them anytime soon…they are ready to go!
I also finally finished (i.e. washed and set the twist) a bunch of hand spun yarn! Now, some of this might just be used before I have to use a sweater! I for sure see some sock knitting starting soon!
Also, my week finally caught up with me – today is Thursday and it FEELS like Thursday!
How is your week going?
by Kat | Sep 7, 2016 | General, Making
Happy Wednesday in a goofed up week, because I think it really feels like Tuesday today.
That being said, the weekend is one day closer and that is not a bad thing.
This week I have this incredible urge to knit sweaters! Ravelry and a certain blog are not helping in this urge but I am plugging away on my repurposed Custom Fit That No Longer Fit Pullover Turned Cardigan. In the game of picking up stitches it is always a challenge to get the perfect balance between too few vs. too many stitches, I lost the first round (in the too few category) so I ripped back and started over again. This time looks much better which reinforces that you do indeed win some and lose some! Also, this pro-tip might be of some help in the Crochet Steek Category. I did not find this on any website or blog, however, with my Steeked Stopover – I noted a bit of flaring of the steeked edges. I followed instructions to crochet in each stitch along the edge. I noted this same occurrence in this sweater, so I crocheted in 3 out of every 4 stitches. This gave me a much neater edge with no waviness. I likewise picked up less to begin the sweater bands, but I did not need to do so – I should have been smart enough to figure that out. However, I hope this tip helps you in your future sweater projects!
I am also working on finishing Triticum and I am really itching to cast on some new things. I am trying to hold off, but I am not sure I will win that battle. The sweaters are just calling to me, what can I say.
I finished listening to LaRose, and while I finished it I really have mixed feelings about it. I loved the detailed storytelling, but it really surrounded a devastating story. I am still troubled by parts of it.
However, this week I am back to a story that I truly do not want to end – The Secrets of Mary Bowser. I have just a few chapters left and I am entirely enthralled with the story. I think Mary is a wonder and as the tale expands I am more in love with her. She is a true heroine!
I am also reading book six (The Hanging Girl) of the Department Q Series – so, so good! I just adore Carl Morck!
That is all I have for this mixed up day – and as usual, I am joining Ginny and her Yarn Along.
What are you itching to cast on?
by Kat | Sep 6, 2016 | General, Words
Happy Tuesday that feels like a Monday to me! Although that is not all bad because tomorrow is Wednesday already and that is halfway to the weekend!
Although, there may have been a conversation yesterday about needing a weekend from our weekend…some things are so nice they just should not end!
Carole wants to know:
10 Things You Did This Weekend
There were so many good things this weekend, I will be hard pressed to hold them to 10!! So, let’s get this rolling shall we?
- An extra special (and early) Happy Hour on Friday (thanks to Steve taking the day off from work, which started our weekend off nicely!!) It included his AWESOME Buffalo Wings and a plethora of Americano’s
- Estate Sale-ing (I can fondue, can you?)
- Walking – LOTS of walking! Up hills and down!
- Enjoying our repurposed fire pit – twice! Simple but effective!
- Eating… so much eating. And drinking!
- Reveling in a less humid, cooler atmosphere… ahhhh!
- Game playing… Uno, Bananagrams, and Pass the Pigs, note… these things inspired so much laughter, perhaps we spend too much time adulting and not enough time caring for our inner child.
- A minute amount of knitting, very minute.
- Picking MORE tomatoes and raspberries! Holy produce!!
- Thoroughly enjoying the Hummingbird Moth visits! So amazing!
That was my very full weekend! How about you? How was your weekend?
P.S. Sherman did an awful lot of this. I think he had a very good weekend too!
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by Kat | Sep 5, 2016 | General
Today ends my Summer Knit-Along. As you can see, while I made some excellent progress on completions this summer, I did not get everything done.
Truly, I am okay with that.
I am still working on Triticum and I am farther than I was before the summer began. Plus, over the summer – I have shown myself that I can indeed knit socks that fit! So, I will forge ahead with those Pushkinia socks and have a nice new collection of socks for my feet for when the weather requires socks (which hopefully won’t be too soon!)
There was also some ripping out – yes Jen Lucas MKAL Shawl #2 was sent to the frog pond. It was a Knit Kon-mari casualty.
I am even more okay with that! Knitting that does not spark joy should not be knit. Really.
Done (in order of completion):
- Indigo Cones
- Aestlight Shawl
- Picot Socks
- Thistle Rambles
- Tales from the Isle of Purbeck
- Handspun Nahant
- Pincha
- Jen Lucas MKAL Shawl #1
Undone:
- Triticum
- Pushinia Socks x 2
Totally Undone:
- Jen Lucas MKAL Shawl #2
Beyond all this knitting, it was a very good summer – and I especially enjoyed the participation of each of you! I loved seeing finished items pop up on Ravelry and I REALLY enjoyed the cocktails that were shared over the summer.
However, now I am strangely filled with a crazy urge to cast on all the things. Or, at least one or two new projects! And, despite all attempts to put summer into a permanent holding pattern, Christmas will be here all too quickly. I have to figure out who will be getting any Christmas knitting this year – ASAP!!
I hope your summer was everything you wanted it to be – and more!
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