by Kat | Dec 17, 2018 | General, Making
Today I am sharing the best of my making. 2018 was a most productive year for me! Ravelry tells me I completed 17 projects – a most impressive number! And, of these 17 items – 9 were sweaters!! It truly was the year of the sweater for me and I plan to work to continue that in 2019 as well!
And, that number grows with my renewed interest in sewing! I made a good number of things for myself and for Genevieve in 2018 – best of all, many of the things I made were repurposed from garments that were too large! I even did a bit of hand sewing with an Alabama Chanin-style top! All in all, I sewed 17 items this year!
But, out of these 34 things, these are my best items of the year:
Today, the making continues! I will be working on finishing a “snowsuit” for Genevieve’s Bitty Baby! Snaps and some elastic are all that it needs to finish it up!
by Kat | Dec 4, 2018 | General, In This Moment
It is dawning on me that keeping pace with knitting a full repeat each day on my ADVENTurer shawl is going to be a challenge. Last night, as I sat down to begin my Not-So-Peaceful Knitting again the reality of that fact became very apparent.
And, that is okay…
Because what could be better in the waning days of December to have something to look forward to beyond Christmas!
So, today on my list is to do some Peaceful Knitting and focus my mind on the joy of making.
And, to get outside to do some Peace Walking in the brisk cold air today – a very good way to clear out the cobwebs!
Happy Tuesday everyone! May your day be marked by spectacular moments of peace!
by Kat | Dec 3, 2018 | General, In This Moment
This image should be a reminder of how I should start every day – really. It entirely changes the perspective of Monday from something harsh, to something most definitely not.
Calm. Quiet. Meditative. Restless.
I had some moments of doubt as I began knitting over the weekend.
Ambah’s ADVENTurer wrap got off to an uncertain start. KSH is lovely, but it’s entirely unforgiving of mistakes. You can carefully un-knit a stitch or two, but ripping back is an exercise in futility. My early and hopeful start on Saturday was in reality slow and needed to be repeated – I had cast on the wrong number of stitches. I also had momentary doubts about knitting with KSH…k2tog and ssk’s are easy stitches, until they are not… and with KSH they are definitely not! But my perseverance and working with my restlessness and this morning as I gather this soft, gossamer fabric in my hands as I knit, and all doubt vanishes. This is just what I want to knit right now!
Saturday, I also started the Project Peace Cowl – foolishly thinking this would be a wonderful last-minute and easy Christmas gift. Last night I got in bed to knit a bit while Steve watched the start of the Steeler’s game and I discovered I had an issue with the number of stitches not matching up with the chart – and so I ripped out my fitful start and will begin again today. What I thought was going to be an easy knit, is absolutely not having an easy start. I will try and begin again this morning.
While none of this sounds calm, quiet, or meditative…there is a sense of restlessness that I am welcoming in my Advent journey and this morning as I consider Bonhoeffer’s advice on waiting… “Not everyone can wait: neither the sated nor the satisfied nor those without respect can wait. The only ones who can wait are people who carry restlessness around with them.” I hope to spend my Advent learning to be restless so that I can become better at waiting!
I send you a happy and restless Monday!
by Kat | Nov 9, 2018 | General, Words
It has most certainly been a week and I am so glad for the arrival of the weekend. Steve has today off (as well as Monday!) and a long weekend sounds just perfect. S-N-O-W is in the forecast which seems odd since all the leaves are not down from the trees. It seems odd to be thinking about snow, since it was in the 60’s on Tuesday! But there you have it…
Gratitude Week might be my favorite week of the entire year and this week it has been an especially profound experience. If you have been participating, I hope it has been for your as well.
Thinking About –
This post from Bacon on the Bookshelf – life in the cross roads in a starkly divided nation. More books, less strife – and yes, more quiet moments. Living in this perverted version of America is a daily struggle. (Oh, and This is How It Always Is is an excellent book!! I really loved it!) On Tuesday, I sent each voter off with a heartfelt “Thanks for voting!” and it warmed my heart that so many came to vote and, at least at my precinct, they voted with no hindrances. I met new “neighbors” on Tuesday and I was profoundly struck on how we talk to those directly next to us, but those around the corner…not so much. But, spending 14+ hours with people allows you to find things in common and new friendships are formed! There are even beginning talks of forming a neighborhood book club and, my up-the-street and around the corner neighbor dropped off a book for me yesterday!
Grateful For – The help of Mary this week. (Although, I am sure she thinks she did nothing!) I have spent the better part of a week struggling with the lace chart on my Blaer. Very long story short – the charts are to be worked concurrently, rather than one at a time as I was doing. And, yes… I am feeling profoundly stupid! All has been ripped back and I finished the lace charts, the short rows, and the first set of increases last night. It seems I am back to “smooth sailing” knitting…and happily! Thank you, Mary for your help and insight!
Inspired By –
This. Oh my. I am generally not a fan of Stephen West designs, and usually because I can’t get beyond the outrageous color combinations. Thank you, Lene for showing me to look beyond color!
Fun, fun, fun – I am dragging Steve (kicking and screaming) out this weekend to the Pittsburgh Vintage Mixer! It will be our first time there and I am so excited to go and see this fascinating event! I hope to have lots to share with you on Monday about our inaugural visit!
I hope you have a fun weekend! See you back here on Monday!
P.S. My friend Sarah has the most beautiful kippah pattern up on Ravelry. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Tree of Life. And, if you are planning on attending Indie Knit and Spin on Sunday, be sure to stop by to see Lisa at Fybernymph Dye Works to get a mini-skein or two!
by Kat | Oct 30, 2018 | General, Making
…have lots of choices.
ADVENTurer planning is underway!
What’s on your list today?
