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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Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened. Dr. Seuss
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by Kat | Sep 1, 2016 | General, Making
Last week I shared my Plethora of Knitting that needs a washing and some serious Kon-Mari.
Yesterday, I began the re-purpose portion of my Kon-Mari binge! I began with what I thought would be the easiest – The Purple Custom Fit That No Longer Fits Sweater.
Step one was to rip out the collar band – easy peasy.
Step two was to mark out where I would cut – to do this I “yarn basted” with some scrap yarn to give me a guideline as to where to put in my crochet steeks.
Step three – crochet steeks, which were made incredibly easy by a quick review of MaryJane Mucklestone’s fantastic article in the latest Interweave Knits!
Step four involved a scissors! And, it was not scary at all! Really! The crochet steeks are just the most awesome things. The fabric just folds back at the steek. I left about 4 columns of knitting on the outside of the steek – I am still deciding whether I will trim this back a bit or just stitch this down to the back.
Step five – pick up stitches! Pretty simple.
Step six – knit the band/collar. I am not sure exactly how much I will knit, but for sure at least 4 inches, maybe more.
Thus far, Knit Kon-Mari Repurposed is going well.
Rehoming of some knits is also taking place, some knits will be delivered to the USPS to begin their journey to their new home!
All in all, a very good week for Knit Kon-Mari! How about you? Are you doing some Knit Kon-Mari?
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by Kat | Aug 31, 2016 | General, Making
The inability to be monogamous to knitting has always been an issue for me.
However, now the library is encouraging the same tendencies in my reading. I have been ardently listening to The Secrets of Mary Bowser, with LaRose waiting in the wings. However, LaRose is due back soon and there is a LONG wait list so I cannot renew.
So, Mary must wait while I have a LaRose marathon. I am not quite halfway though and I am not sure how I feel about the story. However, I won’t spoil any surprises for those who have not yet read it.
And, my Knitting ADD is strong – as you can see.
Triticum has one repeat and I can bind off for the shoulder – then I have a few repeats of the lace pattern only. Then I will be on sleeve island, thankfully these will not be long sleeves (as this is all the yarn I have).
I completed one sock and will cast on the second sock sometime this week.
Cladonia grows slowly and I am in love with this tweedy yarn.
Joining up with Ginny for her Yarn Along today.
by Kat | Aug 26, 2016 | General
Last night I achieved a goal I really never imagined I could reach – I finished reading Knitlandia, and with it completed my Summer BOTNS Book Bingo card.
A cover all, people! Twenty-five books read in eighty-seven days!
There were good books, great books, amazing books, and some books that were not any of the above. In no particular order, I present my summer reading:
- Knitlandia – 4 stars (With a one-word title)
- To Kill a Mocking Bird – 5 stars (Published the year you were born)
- 81 Famous Poems – 4 stars (Poetry Collection
- She Stoops to Conquer – 4 stars (From the Harvard Classics 5-foot shelf)
- Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls – 4 stars (By or about a member of the LGBTQ community)
- It Itches: A Stash of Knitting Cartoons – 5 stars (BOTNS BOOK BINGO free square)
- Emma, Vol. 01 – 2 stars (Manga)
- Shear Spirit: Ten Fiber Farms, Twenty Patterns and Miles of Yarn – 4 stars (From the top shelf of one of your bookcases)
- My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry – 3 stars (With a family member (wife, son, uncle, etc.) in the title)
- The Book Thief – 5 stars (Told by a child narrator)
- My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life – 5 stars (With food as the theme)
- The Inner Circle – 1 star (Hated by someone you know)
- Charlotte’s Web – 5 stars (A non-human main character)
- Doc – 3 stars (Western)
- The Summer Before the War – 4 stars (Most recently added to your TBR)
- Blue Lightning – 4 stars (Read another book by an author already used for this Bingo card)
- A Man Called Ove – 5 stars (Borrowed from the library)
- Hamilton: The Revolution – 4 stars (Nonfiction in graphic novel format)
- The Redbreast – 4 stars (A classic mystery)
- Still Life – 5 stars (Recommended by a librarian or bookseller)
- The Paris Architect – 5 stars (That you think you will dislike)
- The Goldfinch – 5 stars (With an animal on the cover on in the title)
- Written in My Own Heart’s Blood – 2 stars (Six words or more in the title)
- White Nights – 4 stars (Set in another country)
- The New Yorker – 5 stars (A literary magazine or journal of any genre)
This was a colossal undertaking for me. I have not been the most voracious reader in recent years, but this has truly brought my love for reading back to life! A huge thank you to Carole for talking about this all those many weeks ago – I would not have even known such a thing existed! It was a throwback to my youth and my local library summer reading programs!
And speaking of colossal – while nothing much looks fab in the gardens right now with much of it looking worn, weary, and burned out. Not so with the Coleus and the White Salvia we planted this year!! It is the King of the Garden right now and even the bees are paying homage!
That brings us to the linky portion of this post, enter at your own risk! You have been warned!
I will close with some incredible bloggy goodness, thanks to Kate Davies (who ALWAYS has the most phenomenal photos ever!) However, recently she shared some really incredible things:
That is all I have for you this week, the knitting continues – and last night I sat at my spinning wheel for the first time in almost a week! Have a fantastic weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!
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