by Kat | Mar 8, 2023 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Greetings Unravelers!
It’s been a week of incremental making… bits of knitting on several projects.
I almost feel like he needs another strand of buttons… bandolier style!
First up, I finished Gnedward! Gnedward has had a wandering life… and along the way if he saw a button, he picked it up! He has an impressive collection of solitary buttons. In fact, if you are missing a single button… it is very likely Gnedward has what you are looking for! He is very happy that I have invited him in to spend his days on the mantel talking with the other gnomes. He has so many stories about his travels… gnomes are very good listeners! However, I am contemplating a new home for the gnomes… stay tuned. I am looking for more twinkle lights – because gnomes can’t live without twinkle lights – and will be making some cottages for them in the coming months. However, I am going to start a new gnome soon… Gnormanda is calling to me! That frilly dress!!
Because I don’t apparently have enough projects going, I could not resist casting on Fibernymph Dyeworks Pi-Yarn. It is my first time knitting with her tweed yarn and I love it! And the striping is the perfect “just another color” incentive!
I am not showing you my Base12 Hitchhiker but, I am in the final rows! There is nothing like knitting a handspun Hitchhiker. It is simply the greatest joy!
Speaking of spinning, I am almost done with the second skein from the the batts from Hipstrings… warm is finished, and cool is coming. I am contemplating knitting a cool/warm sequence shawl with them… I need to do some swatching to see if they will play well together.
The reading this week has been a bit prophetic… I finished Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring… and what a gut punch, especially in light of the East Palestine disaster. She was an incredible trail blazer…and it is eerie how her words feel today. If you are interested in the environment and pesticides… it is a must read!
I went from that to Imani Perry’s South To America. I am not quite half way in and I am learning so much… her sharing of history in the way she does is impactful and eye-opening!
I am still making my way through Comey’s Central Park West – though I will likely have finished it last night. I confess… the second half is much better than the first. And I have an “adjusted” idea of “who did it” but I am not sure.
And there you have my Multi-faceted Making… what about you? Are you wanting to cast on new things?
As always, if you wrote a post to share please leave you link below and thank you!
by Kat | Feb 22, 2023 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Greetings Unravelers. It is a day of many things; it’s the last Wednesday the month and it is Ash Wednesday which brings return of “Fish Fry Season” (at least in my corner of the world!)
And it is, of course, a day to share what we are making and what the books have we read or are reading this week!
I have made some progress on my handspun sweater… but… (of course there is always a but, right?) Anyways, the ribbing… oy, I think it is just a bit too tight…I mean I don’t need a band hugging my, umm… generous backside. I am hoping that a bit of a spa treatment will relax the ribbing a bit – I think it will. Which leaves me with Sleeve Decrease Math for my desired sleeve length. The pattern called for decreases every 2″ but staying with that math will make for sleeves that are a bit too long.
Gnorton, The Round Weaver
I also got the “knitting” of Gnorton done… but I had zero success in my basket weaving attempts. Basket weaving is not a skill for the faint of heart… or Basket weaving newbies. So after multiple failed attempts… I needed a new plan. I stayed with the “weaving theme” for Gnorton. He is a Round Weaver… yes, that is apparently A Thing! Please note… the Easy Cardboard Circle Weaving for Kids was exactly in my weaving wheelhouse! Gnorton saw the finished circle and whispered… Handles! It needs handles! So I complied… Gnorton Weaves a Market Bag is now hanging on Gnome Mantel. I hope I have not created a monster who convinces all the other gnomes they need woven market bags too! LOL
Speaking of Gnomes… if you missed out on Sarah’s Gnome Collaboration with Jimmy Beans Wool last year… never fear! The patterns have been released into the wild! Yes, I purchased them. Yes, I have plans for more gnome knitting! I am very excited for Gnome Houses and Gnormanda’s frilly frock! Gnome knitting will be March-ing on!
Okay, enough silliness… big news! I have finished Sully… booo! What a delightful story, what incredibly well-written characters! I loved everything about it! I am eager to begin Book Two of the Sully Trio but I have a couple of Netgalley books to get through before I can start! Sigh!
I am currently listening to Signal Fires and what a beginning to a story! It grabbed me… instantly.
What are you making and reading this week?
As always, if you wrote a post to share please leave you link below and thank you!
by Kat | Feb 15, 2023 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Greetings Gentle Unravelers!
I am still feeling behind on sleep from a weekend of insomnia, but I got one good nights sleep and (at this writing) have my fingers crossed for a second.
But I wanted to catch you all up from the past two weeks of making!!
I am roughly halfway to the “knit 9″ of stockinette” portion of my handspun sweater. I am a bit concerned about the armscye because it is… errr… ample. But the body circumference is good, so I am contemplating solutions and knitting on.
But things are cheering me on!!
I have an African Violet that is blooming! (What a lovely treat in February!)
And my Temperature Embroidery is moving right along. I abandoned the onerous frame after doing some practice wheels free-form… and I think I got the hang of getting a well woven wheel! Bonus, I can keep the neighboring wheels out of the way and I have had to move into the “warm weather colors” once for the 72°F day we had last week! Crazy I know… and we have more of those temps threatening this week!
I also completed some Quilted Hearts Coasters! It was my first experience with the quilt as you go technique and I loved it! As I sewed the strips onto the backing. It was so fun… it was so easy! I plan on doing some research on this process to see what else I can do with it!
I am making progress on my Base12 Hitchhiker. I am almost at another color change and have more than 25 “teeth” completed.
And I have a finished skein… I spun a lovely gradient yarn with some batts I got from Hipstrings. These are the “warm colors” and I am almost finished with the first half of the “cool colors” so stay tuned. I have no plans for this skein… yet!
I started listening to Lindsey Fitzharris’ The Facemaker. It is a fascinating look into how Dr Harold Gillies ingenious surgical interventions helped the lives of soldiers who were wounded in WWI.
And I am nearing completion (boo!) on Nobody’s Fool. I am utterly smitten with Sully and really don’t want this book to end!
And that is all I have for this week… what about you? Have you tried something new this week? Or is there a book you cannot put down? I want to know!
As always, if you wrote a post to share please leave your link below and thank you!
by Kat | Jan 25, 2023 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Greetings Unravelers!
This week is truly a week for unraveling… issues. So let’s get started!
First, I thought I’d give you all a very brief update on my experiences at the new doctor yesterday. No… there were no C3PO-style staff. Whew, right? But I am still “digesting” my visit and whether the doctor is a keeper or…not. However, I am having bloodwork done on Friday morning, because of course, right?
But The Big Issue that I need help with is my Temperature Embroidery project!! I have completed 19 days but I have run into a bit of a hiccup and I have been at a bit of a standstill until I can figure out a solution to my problem! I am doing woven wheels for each day and, honestly… I just love how they look and I don’t want to switch to something else! But here is my issue, those little wheels don’t play nicely with an embroider hoop and I wrecked a couple of them as I moved along the line of days …in the first row. I posted an image on IG and the pattern designer suggested a frame contraption that I hand turn. And since I could see that the hoop issue was just going to continue to be an enormous problem, so I bought one but boy… is this the most awkward thing ever created?!? I have not found a rhythm for how to use this monstrosity but stitching a woven wheel with no frame or hoop is a no go…because a lack of tension makes for sloppy woven wheels! So… if any of you have any tips or tricks on how to use the wooden frame… I’d appreciate them so I can happily return to stitching!
There has been the tiniest bit of making this week!! I have a completed pair of mitts just in time for the return of some wintry mix-style weather! They have been a welcome addition to my morning outings with Sherman!
I also cast on a new gnome. This gnome has yet to whisper any advice to me, but perhaps I am just not listening. I will forge ahead with the arms today… and maybe then we shall see if this gnome needs a beard… or some braids!
The reading this week has been good – I finished The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams (with mixed feelings) and have started listening to A Constellation of Vital Phenomena. I am just settling in with it and have no thoughts at all about it yet but I love the title!
I finished reading the soon-to-be-published Allende book, The Wind Knows My Name. I know that last week I was not sure if the book would fall into the “so very good or not so good at all” categories but, as it turns out, I ended up liking it very much! It is not a typical Allende book, but that does not make it bad… imo. Anyways, it is a book that I have not stopped thinking about – which is what I think Ms. Allende wanted…a book that will niggle at you, and this book is that!
As such I have found it hard to settle in with a new book so I started reading an essay or two from Ross Gay’s Book of Delight’s before bed and it is so delightful!
I also started the most appropriate post-doctor appointment book: The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly by Margareta Magnusson (of The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning) After Monday’s appointment, I needed a healthy dose of levity… and thank you, dear Margareta for starting with gin! (Yes, chapter one is about drinking with friends!)
I want to thank all of you in advance for any tips for using that embroidery frame… and I want to know what’s on your mind today!
As always, if you wrote a post to share please leave your link below and thank you!
by Kat | Jan 11, 2023 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Greetings Unravelers!
Welcome to the day that holds me accountable for what I am making… one of my favorite days! And this one has a fun play with numbering 1.11.23…
But, even better is that tonight is the Read With Us discussion on The Marriage Portrait… which I am eagerly looking forward to!
I began the making of the Third “Christmas Gnome” sibling and when I thought I had almost finished her, she let me know that NO, You are not done. Thank you, very much. And so, I scrapped the scrappy scarf and knit instead something every.single.knitter.has. A shawl…amirite? She wanted… no NEEDED a shawl. And a shawl she has! It needed to be wider than deeper, so I did simple increases (YO’s) at each edge RS and WS. I did a simple center spine to give it some direction. And have stitched it down so she does not lose it (wee gnomes have shoulder issues! haha) And she has her own set of pointy sticks with a project going… and a hand sewn project bag to hold her ball of yarn!
So meet the feisty Felicia Gnavidad! She rounds out the trio of gnomes and counts as the first project I have finished this year!
Felicia Navidad with her pointy sticks!
A bit of a “lighter” image of the siblings. But, as you can see up top, they have “Center Stage” of the mantel!
I have gathered *almost* all the necessary things for my Temperature Stitching Project. (I need 6 more skeins of DMC floss, sigh. Silly Stupid me, I found an online temperature chart but it was for Celsius and I did not even think to do the conversion from C° to F°. Sadly, the chart I used does not get “cold” enough for Pittsburgh winters… I’d have dozens of days all in the same color so I did some calculating, and picked some colors. I will head to JoAnn’s tomorrow to pick up the missing skeins.
The reading… well, I have traveled off to Three Pines to spend some time with Armand as he works through a curious mystery. I am savoring it… although the urge to just race through is strong, I am resisting! Three Pines is a lovely place to be and the perfect place to linger in January!
I just finished When Women Were Dragons and I simply loved it. I have not yet started a new night time read, but I have been approved to read Isabel Allende’s new book, The Wind Knows My Name and I will start it this evening!
One last bit of housecleaning… Anne of Little Skein is celebrating her 10 years of being a small business owner with a survey… and she is looking for any and all to help her with answers! If you’d like to help her, you will find her survey here. (And Thank you, Bonny for pointing her out to me!)
And there you have it for my making and reading for the week! How about you? What is on your shelf to read next?
As always, if you wrote a post to share please leave your link below and thank you!
