TGIF | 6.12.20

TGIF | 6.12.20

Another week in the bag and this one brought our first 90+ degree days. If this is a taste of what is to come…sigh. Honoré commented yesterday on my “summer sweater” and it not being very wearable in 90+ degree weather. And that would be true if it were wool, but it is linen and yes, I can and will wear it all summer long. Sorry I did not get a photo of it yesterday, but it was exactly what I hoped it would be! Light, airy, and so comfortable! I finally added my modifications to the project page if you are interested.

It was a week with lots of reflection and inward looking… and listening. So much listening. And that is where I am going to start this post.

Tune in —

And this is a fantastic 8 minutes and 33 seconds. Thanks, Casey Neistat!

Get Going —

Katie gave me the inspiration to cast on my Mystery Shawl. I did start. I am on Clue One. Clue Three is out. I am not stressing about being “behind” (okay, maybe a little especially when I have this list of things I want to knit and wear yet this summer!) what yarn? I am using Jill Draper’s Ansel in Forget Me Not 1 and 3. And this yarn… oh my. It is scrumptious. I just love woolen spun yarns… and this one is perfectly done.

And then Julia Farwell-Clay had this temptation this week! Oh boy. WANT!! I am planning on this to be the perfect August Knit, you know for those days when the constantly running AC makes the house feel like a deep freeze and a nice lap full of wool is just the thing you want!

Inspiration —

This year I have been spending time reading poetry. Each month I try and find a “new to me” poet and settle in with their words. It has been inspiring in ways that I never imagined. And these days poetry becomes more and more vital to my day. I am in awe of poetry writers and their ability to put their words and feelings on paper. I think it would be so much fun to take a poetry class… and perhaps a socially distanced poetry class!

Finally, open your eyes —

Yesterday’s episode on The Slowdown was brilliant, go listen… it will be the best 5 minutes of your day! (and it was the perfect thing to have listened to before seeing this:

Yes, I see you. Yes, I care.

That’s it for the week, I hope I shared some things that will make you stop and think, some resources to help us all be better, and a little knitting… because sometimes it is the only think keeping me (somewhat) sane.

See you all back here next week!

 

Sometimes Monday | 4.6.20

Sometimes Monday | 4.6.20

Starts with a trip down the loveliest rabbit hole!

Clara started it, but that led me to this and this and finally this! These kids… PURE JOY (and you can believe me when I tell you that because joy has been a scarce commodity in my life these days!!)

Perhaps, a trip down a rabbit hole is the perfect thing for today since I spent much of the weekend with things on repeat!

I could not get enough of this and I listened to it several times on Saturday and again on Sunday.

Which led me to “Google” Pádraig Ó Tuama and I discovered he has a twitter account! (My twitterverse just grew infinitely richer!)


I finished Clue One of the Genius of Romi! My brain loved every bit of everything I thought I could not understand – that is until I broke it down and just did what the direction said to do, and not worry about that next step until its turn. (I am knitting this with a heavy-lace weight yarn and a bit of a smaller needle than the pattern calls for, but oh my do I love this start!)

I also did some “repeats” knitting and finished a long lingering UFO* (I saved the pattern in 2015 and I think I cast on shortly thereafter, but never started a project page.) Today, a good soak and some blocking to reveal the beauty! (My yarns are about a half a ball of Zauberball Crazy – in the colorway that the designer used, and almost an entire hank of Lorna’s Laces sock yarn.) There was something entirely satisfying about knitting alternating repeats of welts and wedges.

I hope you enjoy these rabbit holes! Happy Monday!

A Making Focus

A Making Focus

Joining with Juliann today to share an update on my word!

Over the years, I have tried a number of different crafts – cross stitch, embroidery, weaving, spinning, sewing, and knitting to name a few. But, in all things focus is important. and this year as I unpack my word and apply it to my life – I have come to the realization that more is not better. All is not needed and I don’t need to worry about FOMO at all. Knitting and sewing are more than enough to keep me occupied and happy. I don’t feel the urge to try every latest thing that comes along.

Yet even knitting and sewing do not mean successful projects if you do not have focus. And, I have come to understand that not having a focus means projects that seem like a great idea at the time, might not be so great in the end result. And so, with my thoughts on focus this year, I have been more mindful of what I am making. I have spent time thinking about my wardrobe and the things that I wear all the time. I have pondered my perceived “holes” in my wardrobe – which has resulted in actual planning in my making. Having a focused plan has shown me areas that I can perhaps try some new things as well as making more of my favorite pieces. Having a focused making process has also had an unexpected effect as well! It has buffered the desire to cast on a new project or rush out to buy some fabric to sew up something that caught my eye!

My in depth look at my wardrobe showed me that a few things would be a nice addition so when I saw Mary’s Screen Door, it was the perfect fit for a “hole” and I cast on, sans guilt!

And, this focused way of thinking has expanded beyond my closet to the lingering, unfinished projects on needles in various places. Are they something I am going to actually need or wear? It is a freeing way to think about things, because I really don’t want my making to be without vision and that has given me a much better focus!

Photo by Wendy van Zyl from Pexels

Macro Monday | 6.24.19

Macro Monday | 6.24.19

It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powered gold over the grassy hillside. – Maude Hart Lovelace

Despite the volume of rain we got last week, I did manage to get outside with the camera and practice a bit more! I am looking at things differently as I contemplate images. I am learning lots from Carole and Vicki and I am so thankful to them and their brilliant photos that inspire me to get better!

If only that tremulous drop of water was more in focus!

It is amazing what just a tiny movement of the camera can do

I think early morning photos after it rained might be my favorite thing of all and the light is wonderful! This waning rose turned out wonderfully – not perfect, but I really love the image. Rosy reds are so hard to photograph, but early morning light gives the best possible conditions to try – and try I did!

The focus was not perfect, but that mosquito!

I also love the “surprises” I get when taking photos. These tomato blossoms are a perfect example of that with the fly in from a mosquito! I am glad her attention was focused elsewhere and not on me!

Color, water, definition… and one wee bug!

Finally, this little zinnia (I think? I am not sure, Steve’s mom gave us some “left over plants” she was not going to use) Anyways, the color is so wonderful and I love how it turned out – although trying to focus on something so low to the ground was a challenge.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and that your week will be full of good things!

 

Macro Monday | 6.24.19

Macro Monday | 6.10.19

More learning over the past week in regards to my camera and macro settings. For this Perfectionist, the struggle is real in the learning curve. I took many photos, but few made the cut.

This Week’s Winner:

A million maple “helicopter’s” means a million baby maple trees are growing all over my yard. This is the true Yin and Yang of life – yes, they are fun to photograph, but the weeding…oy. However, this photo won the week because I think the colors are extraordinary. Not perfect, still lots of room for improvement, but to me it is a most pleasing photograph!

The Runner Up:

This just unfurling Dianthus caught my eye this photo of the dozen or so I took was the best. If only I had noticed when I was photographing it that the yellowish “dash” above the anther was a tiny bug! He might have been too small for my lens to capture, but it would have been fun to try!

Happy Monday everyone!

 

 

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