While this is a picture of an upside down cone (thanks to my Ravelry peeps who pointed that out before I started winding it into balls) you can still see the quantity of yarn. This has since been wound into 9 large balls of yarn and as of last night I have finished knitting 9 rectangles. 2 balls were given to my mother so that she and her neighbor could help out - also helping my mom get her knitting mojo back.
I was excited to work on this because I've always like the Warm Up America group and what they do. My only reason for not knitting for them before now was that previously if you knit up rectangles you had to drop them off at a store and there were too many stories of the store managers just throwing them away instead of mailing them to the appropriate place to be seamed up. This time, I was contacted through my membership with The Knitting Guild of America. For sending me free yarn they asked for my commitment to knit 51 rectangles before December 15th AND they included an address of a real person for mailing them in. I figured this was perfect timing for me to crank out some mindless knitting and help out. I need this too since I've got a ton of work and personal stress all around me.
I worked out the stitch and row count for 4 separate patterns so I don't have to keep measuring all the time. It's a great little system and I haven't gotten bored yet. The yarn is a very loosely plied 4 ply with a heavy cotton component - not exactly the most stretchy but it is soft on my hands. I have to pay attention to knit split the yarn with my needle occasionally but that's pretty much my only complaint so not bad overall.
I plan to knit this monogamously during the evenings until all of my yarn is used up. My calculations have me finishing with plenty of time before December 15th. During the days when I have meetings I've been working on a few warm weather items for my husband - more about those later.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Warm Up America Project
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Finally Finishing
Some people say that a project isn't completely finished until it's been blocked. If that was the case, I did a bunch of finishing this weekend. Two projects I can show (Mystery Stole & Dainty Bess lace scarf):
The other one I can't but it was a great feeling to finally get these out and finished. No clue what's going to happen to them next but I see some gift giving in my future since my finished projects drawers are over flowing!
The other one I can't but it was a great feeling to finally get these out and finished. No clue what's going to happen to them next but I see some gift giving in my future since my finished projects drawers are over flowing!
Sunday, July 4, 2010
I Actually Did It!
It took me a little while to remember how to adjust the wheel to spin just right but I actually did it. I filled an entire bobbin last night and got a second one started. I'm going to keep going with a one day at a time mantra so that I don't get overwhelmed. Last night was successful because my only goal was to figure out how to spin again. It was wonderful.
Tonight, I'd like to fill another bobbin and then start plying the yarn. I'll have 6 full bobbins and that's plenty for now. It will be a good feeling to get the yarn off those so that I can fill them again. Still no clue yet what I'll eventually make with the yarn but that isn't the point. I'm just going to spin this month and figure it all out later!
No pictures because it wasn't anything special to post. It was a bit thicker than I've done in the past but by the end of the night I was getting the groove back. My overall goal is to get spinning lace weight yarn once it's plied. This Tour de Fleece is the best thing ever to take on. I've having a great time and it's only day one. Now I just need to work on my posture so I can make it to the end . . .
Tonight, I'd like to fill another bobbin and then start plying the yarn. I'll have 6 full bobbins and that's plenty for now. It will be a good feeling to get the yarn off those so that I can fill them again. Still no clue yet what I'll eventually make with the yarn but that isn't the point. I'm just going to spin this month and figure it all out later!
No pictures because it wasn't anything special to post. It was a bit thicker than I've done in the past but by the end of the night I was getting the groove back. My overall goal is to get spinning lace weight yarn once it's plied. This Tour de Fleece is the best thing ever to take on. I've having a great time and it's only day one. Now I just need to work on my posture so I can make it to the end . . .
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Tour de Fleece
I signed up about a week ago and organized by spinning fibers and supplies yesterday. Today is the official start of the Tour de Fleece but since my parents are moving into a new home today my start won't be until later tonight when my son is in bed. I signed up for 2 teams on Ravelry:
Rookies
Stashbusters
Wild Card
I probably could have joined several more teams but I wanted to keep this simple for my first year. I think it's so cool to have prizes in the mix as an incentive to join up. I'm really looking forward to getting back into spinning again.
My goals are super simple:
1. Spin every day
2. Finish up the alpaca roving I started 4 years ago and ply it into yarn
3. Start one of the luxury roving in my stash
I don't think it's possible to spin up everything in my stash this month so I'm mainly hoping to get the feel for it again and figure out a way to spin about once a week after the Tour is over. Here's some pictures that I uploaded to Ravelry of my stash:
My spinning wheel, fiber stash and supplies
Alpaca fiber that's in process (5 bobbins full already)
Rookies
Stashbusters
Wild Card
I probably could have joined several more teams but I wanted to keep this simple for my first year. I think it's so cool to have prizes in the mix as an incentive to join up. I'm really looking forward to getting back into spinning again.
My goals are super simple:
1. Spin every day
2. Finish up the alpaca roving I started 4 years ago and ply it into yarn
3. Start one of the luxury roving in my stash
I don't think it's possible to spin up everything in my stash this month so I'm mainly hoping to get the feel for it again and figure out a way to spin about once a week after the Tour is over. Here's some pictures that I uploaded to Ravelry of my stash:
My spinning wheel, fiber stash and supplies
Alpaca fiber that's in process (5 bobbins full already)
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Sweater #2
This is sweater # 2 for my father-in-law and I'm very pleased with it. I knit the medium size and it fits snug just like a fisherman's sweater should. It's extremely warm and turned out exactly like he requested. I was concerned with the doubled over collar but the extra weight ended up making it a tighter fit around his neck which he prefers.
I have been told that he already has in mind a design for sweater #3. He gets great ideas from foreign films and the Ravelry group "As Seen in the Movies" have been amazing with helping me find patterns to match. I would like to try a light weight sweater for him next since I've already done medium and heavy but we shall see next year when we sit down and choose.
More pictures here on my Ravelry project page: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/MotherHenKnits/snorri
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Hello Stranger
I haven't been around much lately since my massive addiction to Facebook but I'm still knitting every day. I'm in Ravelry every day as well dreaming about all the new projects to line up.
Today is a cold, dark, rainy day so I'm going to take this opportunity to photograph my stash of lace yarn and upload it to Ravelry. Of course I don't think to do this on a sunny day! I got a ton of beautiful lace yarn from my parents for Christmas and it's all still in the clear shipping bags. I was keeping them together because they're samplers but I'm at the point now where I want to "air the stash" and remind myself of all the beautiful yarn that I own.
This urge could be because I'm just a couple weeks from finishing a big sweater for my father-in-law and my next home project is going to be a lace shawl from the Shakespeare in Lace subscription. This is my second year in the subscription and I have yet to cast on a single project from it. Such a travesty! I slowly reevaluated my To Do list and stopped adding any deadline projects so now I'm actually close to being able to start one.
Normally I'm a monogamous knitter but my husband suggested always having two projects going so that I can do a major/complicated/big project at home and a smaller/easier/mindless project when we're in the car or visiting my parents. So far it's working out well and I'm able to get some sock knitting in here and there - should make Christmas a breeze this year!
Today is a cold, dark, rainy day so I'm going to take this opportunity to photograph my stash of lace yarn and upload it to Ravelry. Of course I don't think to do this on a sunny day! I got a ton of beautiful lace yarn from my parents for Christmas and it's all still in the clear shipping bags. I was keeping them together because they're samplers but I'm at the point now where I want to "air the stash" and remind myself of all the beautiful yarn that I own.
This urge could be because I'm just a couple weeks from finishing a big sweater for my father-in-law and my next home project is going to be a lace shawl from the Shakespeare in Lace subscription. This is my second year in the subscription and I have yet to cast on a single project from it. Such a travesty! I slowly reevaluated my To Do list and stopped adding any deadline projects so now I'm actually close to being able to start one.
Normally I'm a monogamous knitter but my husband suggested always having two projects going so that I can do a major/complicated/big project at home and a smaller/easier/mindless project when we're in the car or visiting my parents. So far it's working out well and I'm able to get some sock knitting in here and there - should make Christmas a breeze this year!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Gearing up for 2010
I originally started this blog to feel connected to other knitters and to keep a journal of my knitting projects. Then Ravelry came out and I really don't have a use for the blog anymore. I'm going to keep it going for the free patterns and comments I've made on past projects but I need to figure out what I want this space for.
Speaking of space . . .
My yarn is running out room. I have a beautiful yarn cabinet with class doors that is very full of yarn. Not just any yarn either. Beautiful, hanks of alpaca, silk, wool and cashmere just waiting to be knit up into something fabulous. I have a lifetime supply of lace weight yarn now thanks to 3 Knit Picks lace sampler packs from my parents for Christmas. I have 4 Shakespeare in Lace kits (still untouched) and 4 more on the way for 2010.
It's quite necessary for me to declare a moratorium on yarn purchasing. Specifically, I need to stop buying yarn to knit other people stuff so that I can use the yarn I already own to knit myself stuff. It's not that I don't like knitting for others, I do, I really do. The problem is that my gorgeous stash just isn't getting knit up and my hands are just itching to work with all of it.
So no yarn buying in 2010. With the only exceptions being sock yarn purchased from the Finger Lakes Fiber Arts Festival in September and Rhinebeck in October. I'm going to have to be strong the next time a baby is due and just hop on over to Target instead of the yarn shop. Too much guilt lies in that yarn cabinet just staring at me day after day.
First step - accept there is a problem
That would be me purchasing yarn whenever I go on a trip. I like visiting local yarn shops but there's no need for me to buy yarn when I go. I can still browse the yarn but maybe buy a pattern or a set of needles instead.
Babies don't always need hand knit items. Sometimes wipes and baby wash make great gifts too and they'll probably get used more.
Second step - create the solution
This will be a work in progress but will start with a revamp of my current To Do list. I do have a couple deadline projects that I already have the yarn for so I want to make sure they're accounted for. The trick will be to not add any more deadlines and take breaks with projects that are for me.
Third step - be realistic
I will probably not work on the Great American Aran Afghan this year so it makes no sense for me to add it to my To Do list. Even one 12 by 12 square is too much to do if I don't feel like doing it.
Also, knitting up just one Shakespeare in Lace project would probably take me a couple months so it giving myself a goal of knitting all 4 in one year doesn't exactly work.
It's going to take me a couple months to knit up a sweater that I already have the yarn for so planning this project will be key. I need to make sure I'm not working on it in the middle of summer but I also don't want to get overwhelmed and crank it out ASAP. I'm thinking about working in a pair of socks after I finish each section of the pattern to break up the monotony .
I'm going to also work this week to get all of my yarn photographed and uploaded into Ravelry to help with knowing what I have and finding the perfect patterns.
Speaking of space . . .
My yarn is running out room. I have a beautiful yarn cabinet with class doors that is very full of yarn. Not just any yarn either. Beautiful, hanks of alpaca, silk, wool and cashmere just waiting to be knit up into something fabulous. I have a lifetime supply of lace weight yarn now thanks to 3 Knit Picks lace sampler packs from my parents for Christmas. I have 4 Shakespeare in Lace kits (still untouched) and 4 more on the way for 2010.
It's quite necessary for me to declare a moratorium on yarn purchasing. Specifically, I need to stop buying yarn to knit other people stuff so that I can use the yarn I already own to knit myself stuff. It's not that I don't like knitting for others, I do, I really do. The problem is that my gorgeous stash just isn't getting knit up and my hands are just itching to work with all of it.
So no yarn buying in 2010. With the only exceptions being sock yarn purchased from the Finger Lakes Fiber Arts Festival in September and Rhinebeck in October. I'm going to have to be strong the next time a baby is due and just hop on over to Target instead of the yarn shop. Too much guilt lies in that yarn cabinet just staring at me day after day.
First step - accept there is a problem
That would be me purchasing yarn whenever I go on a trip. I like visiting local yarn shops but there's no need for me to buy yarn when I go. I can still browse the yarn but maybe buy a pattern or a set of needles instead.
Babies don't always need hand knit items. Sometimes wipes and baby wash make great gifts too and they'll probably get used more.
Second step - create the solution
This will be a work in progress but will start with a revamp of my current To Do list. I do have a couple deadline projects that I already have the yarn for so I want to make sure they're accounted for. The trick will be to not add any more deadlines and take breaks with projects that are for me.
Third step - be realistic
I will probably not work on the Great American Aran Afghan this year so it makes no sense for me to add it to my To Do list. Even one 12 by 12 square is too much to do if I don't feel like doing it.
Also, knitting up just one Shakespeare in Lace project would probably take me a couple months so it giving myself a goal of knitting all 4 in one year doesn't exactly work.
It's going to take me a couple months to knit up a sweater that I already have the yarn for so planning this project will be key. I need to make sure I'm not working on it in the middle of summer but I also don't want to get overwhelmed and crank it out ASAP. I'm thinking about working in a pair of socks after I finish each section of the pattern to break up the monotony .
I'm going to also work this week to get all of my yarn photographed and uploaded into Ravelry to help with knowing what I have and finding the perfect patterns.
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