What's this? I haven't blogged about knitting in a donkey's age, and that has to do with not blogging as well as not knitting. 2013 was a bum year for me, knitting wise, because I had neither the time nor the inclination to get much done. Projects that should have taken me a couple of days got dragged out over months, and it got to the point where the only time I would get any knitting done was when Dan and I took a road trip somewhere. I guess that house in Kinston was just not very comfortable for me to knit in.
Above is a hat knit out of mercerized cotton that Toni gave me a few years ago, and an improvised pattern. (I used a chart repeat from a legwarmer in one of my knitting books). See, I wanted a "summer" hat to wear (as in not so much for warmth but to hold my hair in place or keep my head cool) and I don't think I even finished this until the fall. In fact, it's still not finished, technically, I have yet to cut the yarn, removed the needle, and weave in ends. Sigh. It will be a nice thing to wear though.
This is a little project I started last year. We went to New Bern from Kinston shortly after I arrived in North Carolina, and I picked up this Cascade 200 at the LYS there for this very purpose. Somewhere on the Internet I found a pattern for these shamrocks, and my big plan was to make a bunch and hang them as a garland for the St. Patrick's Day dinner party we had last year. Only I didn't get to finish. Well, I think I have enough yarn left to double my shamrock count and finish that i-cord to boot, but I still won't get it done for March 17th this year. We aren't having a party this time around, so I am content to either continue working on it for next year. I am also reinforcing the shamrocks by stitching a denim backing to them, to keep them flat.
The Shibui yarn for this sock was purchased at Great Yarns in Chapel Hill early last year. Dan bought me yarn to make a pair of socks for each of us. He also bought me both of Wendy Johnson's toe up socks books, so this was my first from-a-pattern attempt at a toe up basic sock (I have done this before, improvised, and it worked out to about the same). I actually knit this to the heel, then realized it was way too long, and ripped the whole thing out. This is another one of those things that I started a l o o o o n g time ago and finished the first sock on the way to Utah. Soon after we arrived I started doing a test knit for Donna Druchunas so this one sits and waits. I think it will be the next thing I pick up though, Dan *loves* his snuggly socks!
Years ago when I was working at Knits by the Sea in Tofino, I bought Victorian Lace Today. I am a beginning lace knitter so I thought I would work my way through the book starting with the easy patterns. I used the silk bamboo from Gaia's Colours (now closed down) and I really enjoyed knitting this but, again, it took me a long time. I still need to weave in ends and block it, which will make the edging pop a bit more, and it will hopefully be easier to see the beads. It's not quite big enough to be a hip wrap, as they have in the photo in the book, but it is definitely a pretty neck scarf.
I have also picked up on working hexipuffs again for the Beekeeper's Quilt, and I think I have unpacked my knitting projects enough to be able to get all the hexipuffs in one place for a photo. I have a lot of leftover sock yarn - some of which I have held on to for mending socks but some I am ready to let go of. Hexipuffs are a good use of that yarn. I think at some point we'll get those big cylindrical vases from IKEA to store them in until we stitch them together into the quilt (I say "we" because Dan has offered to help!)
We finally got our Internet just three days ago and I am slowly getting organized. It's been years since I have had all of my things in one place where I can see/access them and oh. my. gosh. it is so amazing. I had no idea what an impact not having access to my stuff had on my mental health. I am so much happier now.
No comments:
Post a Comment