The Pleasures of Winter

Yeah, right! I am looking out of my window, the snow gently falling and it doesn't seem so bad until I get into my car and join the masses.

But on the bright side....the cool weather provides the perfect opportunity to get into those wooly projects that just would not feel right in the heat of the summer! I almost look forward to some of these days to lock myself in with my hubby, cat and snacks to accompany my project.

I get so much done on these days. No, not housework, not taxes. I pull past issues of knitting magazines and create project matches between my yarn and my patterns to create kits of great new knits!

My latest stash acquisition is a teal Kimono Angora, enough to make a cardigan! Follow the link and see the Knitter's Review of the yarn, YUMMMY!!! I am still adhering to my rule, knit one old and one new. For each new yarn project, I follow with a project using stash. It has been a good way to encourage shopping the stash. Believe it or not, it is as exciting rediscovering what I have as it is seeing what the stores do. Actually, much of what I find out there is already in my collection or not on my radar for a project that I am itching to do.
This is a GOOD thing. Especially since I am heading out to Skeins on Main in Rochester on Sunday for the Grand Re-Opening with the new owners. I wonder what they will have that I "need"............

New Bunny Mittens!

Last night was a wonderful community event at Artisan Knits. Knitters enthusiastically joined together and were hosted to pizza and snacks while preparing to knit samples. We are trying out lace patterns and hand dyed yarns, wowweee! Of course, there was the usual socializing, learning, and, duh...shopping. I snagged some lovely handspun alpaca and a skein of handspun merino/angora. I am working on my scarf sample for the shop, but could not help myself from making mittens from some of my new stash....Here they are, the bunny mittens!

I can't wait to wear them! Soooo soft and the colors are delightful...much better in person!

A new year old and new projects

I briefly began a sweater last year, because I saw a friend wearing one and LOVED it! Life took hold and took me away from my beloved Hild (Elsbeth Lavold). Determined to make this beauty (and after discovering it in a bag among the mess in my fiber room, I checked it out on Ravelry. Yikes...many comments, not all good, about the making of this gem. Still, I am determined... Here is my progress

I have had a few problems, mostly due to reading subtitles on a movie while knitting dark yarn with a 25 row repeat of varied cables in a not so well lit room. Yes, I love a challenge.

On an easier and wonderful note, I made a couple of preemie caps to donate with our Black Sheep Knitting Guild. What a pleasure to know that a teeny tiny head will be kept warm with these!

For the new year, I have started Pilates at the community center in my town, started cleaning my studio/fiber room, joined my husband in the clay studio and threw pots (clay pots, not actually "throwing" as in breaking, but as in "making") for the first time in about 12 years. I am still aching from the workout. I am doing a little for me and a little for others and trying not to get overburdened while enjoying each day. Whew. I hope that you all can do the same!

Happy New Year!

It already feels like a fresh start! I have been relaxing in front of my spinning wheel, whirling away at some of that luscious fiber stash that has been patiently waiting. To my excitement and amazement, the navajo plying lesson that I got in the fall has actually stayed with me and I am practicing like crazy on what is now my second pound of fiber! What is even better, is that the yarn takes up much less space than my balls of roving, so it seems that there is less in that particular closet, I love the illusion.

I lucked out twice in scoring some anticipated books, Pluckyfluff, Handspun Revolution is now mine after seeking it out and having orders canceled on me when the stock ran out. I have Lexi's newer book, but really wanted to possess this original. Now I do. The new book score is "The Essential Guide to Color Knitting Techniques" by Margaret Radcliffe. It is a beauty, great ideas, colorwork in many ways and with great reference and even some patterns. Happy New Year to me!

After peeking at the forums on Ravelry, I saw a recent post from a guild member regarding how many projects we knit this past year. Boy, I wish I kept better track since I knit like a fiend particularly for the holidays. Maybe after looking at the projects that I have posted and some of the things stashed or noted, I can get a rough estimate. It scares me a little to look at numbers. I fear counting stash, dollars spent, hours spent and actual objects, not to mention skeins spun or dyed!

Just before the end of the year I made:
1 afghan (for my newly married daughter)
3 pair mittens
2 pair fingerless gloves
4 handspun hats
2 lace and cable hats
12 scarves of various lengths and complexity by special request for the holidays
1 grasshopper scarf
2 cable shrug capelets
3 wraps
1 handpun scarf for my hubby
2 baby hats

November and earlier

6 Fletching scarves in various yarns and guages
1 Clapotis
1 Lopi Maria sweater
1 Noro short sweater
1 Monkey socks
5 pair misc. socks
1 Suess like sock yarn scarf
3 piece felted hat, scarf and mitts
1 felted bag
2 market bags
10+ sampler scarves misc patterns and yarns

That is 65 items. I am not looking anymore. I can't even think of it. I have sweaters and socks and mittens to knit, more scarves to try, more shawls and wraps and tons of roving itching to become yarn to become things to wear or share.

I will try to keep track this year and see what 2009 brings for a grand total!
I will also try to keep better pictures and postings to represent my activities.
Isn't it amazing that there is so much to knit? So many patterns and ideas to explore and plenty of fiber to keep our interest, year after year. What a great life!