by Kat | Jan 27, 2017 | General
They say the first thing to go is your mind… and apparently, mine is well on its way.
Truth #1:
Yesterday, I confessed to being 57. However, as Steve so kindly reminded me yesterday:
Okay but, really – how the hell do you forget your own age. Well, because I do not have any issues admitting when I make mistakes – it is true, I am only 56. And, I really feel so much younger today because of it! LOL
Truth #2:
After a week of temperatures in the 50’s and 60’s – winter has decided to return…albeit gently which is greatly appreciated.
Truth #3:
My chives are very confused as to what season it is! (as are all the singing birds!)
This was taken this morning…
Truth #4:
I am so insanely glad that it is Friday – it seems like this has been the longest week ever – the cocktail hour cannot get here fast enough! I am thinking Margarita’s today to toast President Peña Nieto – that is if I can convince Steve to make them!
Truth #5:
Next week clue numero uno of Kirsten Kapur’s Sock MKAL arrives (on Wednesday, in case you still want to join in!!) My yarn is ready and I am eager to begin. Yarn choice? Deep stash diving (see above!) I am not sure who the brown yarn is from, but the lovely golden-yellow is some very vintage Kim Kaslow aka The Woolen Rabbit sock yarn in the Tupelo Honey colorway. Now, are you wondering how I can remember that tidbit but not my age – I am giving you some real insight into what is important in my life – yarn is obviously taking up LOTS of brain space! Haha!
Truth #6:
The LINKS are back! The LINKS! The LINKS!
That is all I have for this week – have a truth-filled weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!
by Kat | Jan 13, 2017 | General
I finished Steve’s Rob Roy on Wednesday and I am winding yarn today to cast on a second Rob Roy. I know…I am wondering what on earth is wrong with me also. However, it is a nice fitting hat and that is my story and I am sticking to it. Also, I kind of figured out a way to knit this blasted thing without following the chart with a gazillion different symbols. Maybe…
Gale has been distracting me with this hat and I confess that I have done some stash diving to see what I might have that would work. Swatching might have begun…
No progress has been made on sleeve two, see above…
Also – can I just say I am so thankful it is Friday? It has been a week of highs and lows and highs and lows – I am ready to get off the roller coaster that was this week. However, can next week be the LONGEST WEEK EVER?? (think the Jericho story from the Bible) I am wondering if I play Louis Armstrong really loud on the Sonos all week I might achieve success. Do you think that my Keen boots would work for marching boots in a pinch?
Meanwhile, back in reality – I am not going to the Woman’s March on Washington DC; however, I am going to the Sister March in Pittsburgh! If you are not going to Washington DC and you want to find a local march – you can find one here
But, really – are you ready for some links yet? I know I am!
That is all I have this week and I wish you a very happy Friday! See you back here on Monday!
by Kat | Jan 6, 2017 | General
When winter arrives in Pittsburgh, it arrives with a vengeance. I was greeted this morning with the stellar temperature of 8 whole degrees. (although they are forecasting for it to be well into the 50’s by next Thursday so this cold will be short-lived – which is just insanely crazy and if I was not already coming down with something, you know I would by this time next week!)
But, when it gets this cold – I am so thankful for wool! And, as my slippers from last year have a hole in one heel and I have not tried to darn/mend it yet – I cast on a new pair of my “go to” slipper yesterday. I have one done and am onto the second – it should be done shortly and my feet will be so happy.
Once that slipper is done, I will be working on swatching for a sweater. I have some incredible CVM yarn from Sheepspot and this will be something work related (I mean really, how great is it having a job that requires you to knit!!) Anyways, I have two sweater ideas that I think might work for this yarn – the first is a simple cardigan from Yellowcosmo and the second is Kathleen Dames latest knit along sweater – Basic Cable. I will be swatching for both this afternoon and we will see which swatch wins! Either way, you will find an article about my swatching journey later this month on the Sheepspot blog.
Last month, Caffeine Girl Creates asked me about the size of my Peace Cowl and I wanted to share with all of you my thoughts on how the finished cowl wears. My cowl ended up 8″ x 68″ – so it is BIG! I went up a needle size because my handspun was a bit thicker than fingering weight and I did not want a dense, heavy fabric. Would I want this cowl this big if I were knitting it out of a worsted spun yarn? No, I do not think I would, so I might reduce it a few inches, however in my woolen spun Columbia, I simply LOVE it! It is light but so incredibly warm! I put it on yesterday morning and I wore it all day long. For not having a project in mind when I spun the fiber up, I’d say this was an excellent match of yarn and pattern!
I have some Dorset Down handspun that I was trying to use in another project which has been languishing on the needles as it is not a good match for a couple of reasons – my spinning was not very uniform and I am not sure I have enough yardage to complete the project. However, I think it might work well in the Peace Cowl pattern, so you can look for that to be repurposed in the coming month as well.
Now how about some links?
Tomorrow is Saint Distaff’s Day! So, if you have not used your spinning wheel in the New Year (or in a while…) this is the perfect opportunity to do so!
I am completely smitten with Selbu Norway. (And Selbu Mittens too!)
The OA and The Oa – I love them both!
Field Guide No. 2 is coming!
Water
Alien Trail
If 2017 is your year to try double knitting the Om Shanti Cowl is the perfect little project!
I love these Night Creatures Mittens!
That is all I have for this first week in January – I am off to have a bit of hot tea and to finish those slippers! See you back here on Monday!
by Kat | Dec 30, 2016 | General, Words
“It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” – David Steindl-Rast, Benedictine Monk
I worked through 2016 with a focus on gratitude – and though it took some effort, I really feel like I am ending the year with a better understanding of gratitude. This includes gratitude in my everyday life. From the simplest things to the most complex – I feel like gratitude is part of my being now.
Which brings me to 2017 – where do I go from here. I have been contemplating several words to focus on in 2017 and my mind kept circling around joy and then when I got an email on Saturday from Churchmouse Yarn and Tea with the above quote – the word seemed to leap out of the email.
It is so true, gratitude does make me joyful.
It is not complicated, nor does it indicate that I am adopting a Pollyanna-like view of life – but really, a simple joy stemming from gratitude in all things – even the difficult things.
In 2017, I hope you will come along with me as I celebrate finding joy in the journey.
Happy New Year to all of you!
by Kat | Dec 23, 2016 | General
I hope not. I have a few more inches of Christmas Knitting to complete, but the end is in sight and it will be done later today.
That is a good thing because I am ready to do some deadline free knitting.
Well, sort of…
There are some KAL’s coming in January and February that could be fun:
Last year I did 12 Days of Casting on with the now closed Natural Stitches, but I am not aware of any group doing this during the 12 Days of Christmas (there is a group that started before Christmas which was bad planning IMO) But, if you are interested in 12 Days of Casting on – rules are simple, cast on one new project every day from Boxing Day to Epiphany. End result – 12 items for your knitter’s gift basket… Or perhaps 12 items to jump-start your 2017 FO list… The goal is not in the completion, but rather the casting on. Last year, I cast on multiple mitts and a cowl or two and had things to gift most of the year. If you need some ideas – Gale’s Trip Mitts are super fun and a fast knit!
Now on to the KAL’s:
Kathleen Dames is leading a KAL for An Aran For Frederick. If you want to knit a sweater, or you want to knit cables – this is for you!
If your sock drawer is lacking, here are two quick MKAL options for a couple of pairs of socks in the first quarter!!
1 – MKAL – Kotukutuku Solid Sock’s – 1 clue a week beginning January 1st
2 – MKAL – On January 1st Kirsten Kapur will announce her winter MKAL Sock knit along. Knitting will begin February 1st – you can sign up for her newsletter here.
Need to ramp up your shawl wardrobe? Winter’s Whisper might be what you are looking for and this is free until the MKAL begins on February 1st.
Are you looking for a challenge? Want to learn something new? You can join Louise Tilbrook in her January Brioche Challenge!
And, last – although this is not an official KAL – I would like to invite you to join Juliann and me as we knit Thea Coleman’s Rob Roy together in a mini-KAL. Who does not need another hat? And, if you don’t – you could always add it to your gift knitting for next year!
And, finally – I would like to wish all of you a most blessed holiday weekend. See you back here on Monday!
P.S. A huge thanks to my friend Karen for her assistance with some of this linky goodness!
