I can't wait until I can get back to New Pathways for Sock Knitters: Book One by Cat Bordhi. I made the little Blue Sky sock and it was so much fun, but right now I am knitting little camouflage sweaters, mittens and caps as fast as I can.
I finished Jacob's sweater so he could wear it on his first hunting trip. (He's 11 and headed for Virginia and the "Swamp Hilton" as the hunting cabin is known.) After that, I got requests for some of the new pink camouflage yarn, so I started a bulky sweater for my granddaughter, Eli. The one I made was too small, but we couldn't get it off her, so I went back to Florida to make her another one and send it back as soon as possible. I knit a desert camo sweater for her 3 year old brother, Charles, and he put the little cap on and wouldn't take it off. I hope to get some of the photos soon. I put a little "Alfalfa" tail on the top and he looked like a little elf in it.
Back here in Florida, I got out more pink camouflage yarn to quickly make a sweater for my other granddaughter, Addie. Winter is VERY short here in North Florida and if I don't get it done soon, it will be shorts weather again. In fact, I saw a girl in shorts out today. The high was in the 70's. I'm not complaining about the temp, but it is a little limiting for a knitter. Fortunately, there are all those wonderful things you can knit and felt!
I am using Bernat's new "Softee" yarn and it is really soft. The kids love it. I don't know how it will wear, but the kids grow so fast, they wouldn't be able to wear it more than 2 seasons, so that isn't much of a factor. I haven't washed it yet, but so far it is a real pleasure to knit with.
I managed to knit 6 pairs of socks in December also and they made great presents. For the hunters and one spelunker, I used Lion Brand Wool-ease and it kept the guys warm, but they could also just throw the sock in the wash. My nephew has had his for 2 years and said they held up just fine, so I guess that will be my yarn of choice for the guys.
The other socks I made from a variety of self-striping yarn and they were such fun to knit. It is magical watching the color develop as you knit. I'm totally addicted. Fortunately they make great Christmas presents, so I can knit to my heart's content.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
New Year's Resolutions - oh well!
It doesn't seem like I should make more resolutions if I couldn't manage to keep the ones I made last year, but I am ever the optimist. This year I have done a lot of thinking about the state of the world. It started when I drove past the huge pet supermarket they are building out on A1A. Suddenly, it seemed obscene when people are starving all over the world. Our pets live better than most of the world.
Don't get me wrong; we have a dog and we love him dearly. He is very well-fed and living the life the people in Darfur can't even imagine. So, what has this to do with my New Year's resolutions? I got to thinking about how much yarn, quilting and needlework stash I have and realized that just because it's warm and fuzzy, doesn't mean that I am not still using more of the world's resources than is right, especially when I am not using it and am buying more (and more...)
I thought about spending a year working from my stash and it suddenly seemed not only a good idea, but a necessary one. I'd like to use same rules another group used with a few modifications:
1. I will not buy any yarn during 2008, with the following exceptions:
a. Sock yarn does not count. What? You think I am made of stone?
b. If someone asks for a specific knitted gift that I really and truly do not have the yarn for, I may buy yarn to knit that gift.
c. If I am knitting something and run out of yarn, I may purchase enough to complete the project.
d. I get one "Get Out of Jail Free" card -- I am allowed to fall off the wagon one time.
2. I am allowed to receive gifts of yarn.
3. Trading stash is allowed.
I really liked those ideas except that I believe I have enough sock yarn to keep me going for several months, so I'll nix that one, at least for a while.
Resolution two: to do some knitting for charity this year. I don't suppose it will help anyone in Darfur, but I can use some of the yarn to knit for various charities, especially the Santa train in Appalachia. I have a lot of scraps that could be knit into hats and mittens. I used to do it all the time, but I haven't for ages.
Resolution three: to learn a new technique. Recently, I decided that I was going to master grafting stitches and to become so familiar with knitting socks that I could almost knit them in my sleep. That has gone really well and I like making socks so well, I plan to always have a pair on the needles. They are perfect to knit while I am working on the computer. I'm even going to make a knitted tree garland that has miniature socks, sweaters and mittens on it. I saw it in one of my books and I just loved it.
That worked so well, I thought I would chose another knitting skill. I haven't figured out just what I want to do, but I have some ideas. I got some qiviut yarn for Christmas and I plan to knit it into a shawl, so I think I might practice lace shawl knitting. I'd also like to do more felting so that I can feel more comfortable predicting the end product.
We'll see how it goes
Don't get me wrong; we have a dog and we love him dearly. He is very well-fed and living the life the people in Darfur can't even imagine. So, what has this to do with my New Year's resolutions? I got to thinking about how much yarn, quilting and needlework stash I have and realized that just because it's warm and fuzzy, doesn't mean that I am not still using more of the world's resources than is right, especially when I am not using it and am buying more (and more...)
I thought about spending a year working from my stash and it suddenly seemed not only a good idea, but a necessary one. I'd like to use same rules another group used with a few modifications:
1. I will not buy any yarn during 2008, with the following exceptions:
a. Sock yarn does not count. What? You think I am made of stone?
b. If someone asks for a specific knitted gift that I really and truly do not have the yarn for, I may buy yarn to knit that gift.
c. If I am knitting something and run out of yarn, I may purchase enough to complete the project.
d. I get one "Get Out of Jail Free" card -- I am allowed to fall off the wagon one time.
2. I am allowed to receive gifts of yarn.
3. Trading stash is allowed.
I really liked those ideas except that I believe I have enough sock yarn to keep me going for several months, so I'll nix that one, at least for a while.
Resolution two: to do some knitting for charity this year. I don't suppose it will help anyone in Darfur, but I can use some of the yarn to knit for various charities, especially the Santa train in Appalachia. I have a lot of scraps that could be knit into hats and mittens. I used to do it all the time, but I haven't for ages.
Resolution three: to learn a new technique. Recently, I decided that I was going to master grafting stitches and to become so familiar with knitting socks that I could almost knit them in my sleep. That has gone really well and I like making socks so well, I plan to always have a pair on the needles. They are perfect to knit while I am working on the computer. I'm even going to make a knitted tree garland that has miniature socks, sweaters and mittens on it. I saw it in one of my books and I just loved it.
That worked so well, I thought I would chose another knitting skill. I haven't figured out just what I want to do, but I have some ideas. I got some qiviut yarn for Christmas and I plan to knit it into a shawl, so I think I might practice lace shawl knitting. I'd also like to do more felting so that I can feel more comfortable predicting the end product.
We'll see how it goes
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)