I had a lovely day today (Sunday). I blogged my YOP update. Bob made eggs with toast for my breakfast. I took a nap. I knit. I enjoyed our Blogville Knitters virtual knit. I finished my emPower People bandana. The boys came over and Bob made tacos for our dinner.
❤️ Nerds ❤️
We are playing a role playing game called Ashen Stars. This is my first time playing an RPG. Today we learned about the different races of characters in the game. I chose Val Mas. This week we are working on names and character development.
My brain glows when I activate my psychic resonance.
The funny thing is that Bob has been calling this game Sherlock Holmes in Space. I thought that was the actual name of the game but it turns out he made that up.
I finished my coffee filters! They work great and are much easier to use and clean than muslin bags.
Fiddle
My pegs weren’t holding their tune, and I was worried I would have to toss my fiddle goals. But I purchased some peg drops and they are staying in place now.
I restrung my fiddle and signed up for lessons on Peghead Nation. I’ve been practicing my scales and the tune June Apple. (Link is to a Bluegrass band playing the song. Note my fiddle playing sounds nothing like this.)
Knitting
Arachne yoke
I finished the yoke on Arachne. I accidentally knit all 59 rounds of the colorwork chart instead of 51 as instructed. I’ll cut 8 rounds off the plain knitting to make up for it. I hope the web won’t be too long. The neck is looking a little wide, isn’t it? I hope the ribbing will fix that. I love knitting with this yarn. It is so soft!
Franca back neck
I cast on Franca. I finished the back neck piece. Once I get going on this I have a feeling it will be a quick knit.
Pride socks
I’m ready to start the heel flap on my second Pride sock. Uh oh. I’m in the middle of the rainbow stripes. I think I will use the blue on my second ball of yarn for the heel flap so that both socks have blue heels and toes.
emPower Bandana
I’ve almost finished the emPower Bandana. I’m not sure if I will be gifting it. Pretty and soft yarn though. And such a pretty color.
Fiber Art
No progress. I’m trying not to worry about it. I did sketch an idea, but it’s not a very original idea. In the words of Twyla Tharp, “Everything’s been done. Do it anyway!”
Design
I have been sketching in my journal every weekday. Some ideas are interesting, some banal, some ridiculous. I’m trying not to judge.
Just as everyone was leaving Ravelry for inaccessibility, I seem to be spending more time over there. I’m contrary like that. I joined an audiobook group for more suggestions, and everyone is recommending Vampire Knitting Club. Vampires and knitting?! Two of my favorite things! I started it yesterday, and so far it is similar to other knitting cozies. But the intro made me laugh because the yarn shop is named Cardinal Woolsey’s. I figured that was a good sign.
Great, two books to read but nothing to listen to while knitting. I almost signed up for Scribd in desperation. Our library does have a download service through Libby, but I’m not finding much that I want to listen to there. Or the search function isn’t great. Any tips?
Today is Saturdate, and in need of something to look forward to since we don’t follow sports or anything like that, Bob and I are having movie theme weekends. This weekend is John Cusack. We are watching Grosse Pointe Blank and Say Anything. I have a feeling next weekend’s theme will be Lili Taylor in a Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon unspoken rule, as she has a great role in Say Anything. I hope so, because then my choice for next weekend will be Mystic Pizza.
I lost 5 pounds last month. I jogged at intervals yesterday while walking, which is so exciting because I love jogging. I will have to be careful not to push it or I will hurt myself.
OKC (obligatory knitting content): I have been focusing on Arachne. I look forward to posting my YOP (Year of Projects) update tomorrow.
I am missing Nova Scotia. Tonight Highland Village has their 59th Annual Highland Village Day concert. You can watch it on YouTube. I told Bob we will have to have a concert intermission between John Cusack movies. Seed Savers Exchange is also having a benefit concert tonight. It’s not free, though. We may have picked the wrong weekend to start movie themes.
I’m setting up a virtual knit for this Sunday, August 2, at 1PM EST via Skype. So far we’ve got me, Marilee, and Liz. I hope Sarah can make it, but I know she is moving.
Would you like to join us? Please send me your Skype ID via Instagram DM (my Instagram is headknits) or you can email me at my first and last name, altogether, at gmail. Or you can send me a message on Ravelry (alissahead) but I’m not the best about checking that.
Hmm… I think I will start a group on Ravelry! Here it is!
Please don’t post your Skype ID on the group. I’m not savvy enough on Ravelry to know how private that is. Just use the group to message me with your Skype ID, which I’m pretty sure is private.
I’m looking forward to some knitting comaraderie! All this quarantining is loooonely.
This is my first fabric coffee filter. I wanted to test it out before I made more. It works great! I used this pattern. I also used their fabric, but you could use a cotton muslin. I didn’t have any. I also didn’t have any paper filters to trace since I was using the muslin bags, which I don’t recommend. Not cleaning out the muslin bags was motivation number one for me to get a move on for this project.
I know Sarah is moving, but is there any desire for a virtual Skype knit? I miss the company of knitters.
Cedar House Yarns Fingering Merino and Nylon in Magnolia
I signed up for a Fairlight Fibers Yarn Club right before we moved. Because I need more yarn, obviously. But look at my very first skein! It’s Magnolia pink! Perfect. I thought a yarn club would challenge me to knit out of my comfort zone. And I really like Fairlight Fibers’ yarn.
It’s very soft. I think I’m going to knit a Willow Cowl with it. When I first saw that cowl on Ravelry, I didn’t think it would be very flattering on me. But Caz from the Wee Sew N Sew Podcast knit one and it looked smashing on her, so I’ve added it to my favorites. Another project for the list!
Hans has asked me to knit him a scarf. The symbols/lines have something to do with music. I asked him to draw the scarf so I would understand what he had in mind. He’s asked for it to be navy and gray, and we chose Woolfolk Far for its softness.
I’m not sure how to knit this. The background is gray and the designs are navy. Should I raise them in purls? Brioche? I guess I have some swatching to do!
I made my own header image for YOP because I’m extra that way.
I decided to jump in and join Year of Projects. I have been inspired by Liz’s updates, and I thought it might be good motivation for me to blog along with my ever expanding, massive list. I read the group rules, and it seems pretty easy going, so if I fail (indubitably) it will be no big deal.
Without further ado, here’s my list!
Fiber Art
“Sunbleach” 2019
I have a group show in November 2020, and I need to create a piece or small group of pieces for this. I have some ideas.
I have a solo show in September 2021, and I need to make a body of work for this show. If I start on this now, it feels doable. I have some ideas. Once I have a firm concept for the show, I’ll make a sub-list of pieces.
Franca. For my Mom. I caked all the yarn today! This is unusual for me. I usually only cake up one or two hanks. But winding the yarn has become a real chore for me in my new house. I don’t have a permanent setup for it. So I decided to wind them all.
Peerie Flooers. I have the J&S Shetland yarn for the original version of this that you can see in the show Shetland.
Four Square Cowl. I could knock this out if I focused on it for a week. I would love to wear it this fall.
Farmhouse Cardigan. This is the sweater I was so excited to get the Black Welsh Mountain yarn for. What an investment! But I cast on, made a mistake in my knitting, frogged it, and now it’s all sitting in a bag waiting to be cast on again.
Midnight Merino Raglan. When I found out the pattern has you knit the pieces separately and sew them together, I lost interest. But hey. It’s my knitting and I can do it however I want! I need to remember that.
Mistletoe Kisses Socks. These were supposed to be for the Christmas in July KAL, but since socks are my least favorite thing to knit, if I get them done by Christmas in December, I’ll consider it a win.
The Oa. Cast on but languishing. I still want to knit it. In other words, I won’t be frogging it.
HAHAHA there is no way I will finish all of these projects in 2020-2021. But at least they are on a list now. And yes, I still have more yarn!
Knitting Design
My goal for design is to sketch a design 5 days each week, and knit one of my own designs in this 2020-2021 year. It can be anything. It might be a headband. It is not allowed to be a blue beanie.
Poudre linen curtains. The linen is a very soft pink. We are just waiting on the curtain rods and I will get started. Yay, more rectangles and straight lines to sew!
Coffee filters. I use a pour over and I have been using muslin bags to filter the coffee and it is such a mess! I have some organic hemp and cotton on the way. This should be a quick and gratifying make.
By June 30, 2021 I want to be able to video myself playing a song for you. Don’t get too excited. It will probably be a very basic song. But once I surprised my friends (and myself) by launching into an improv version of Three Blind Mice. So who knows?
I am knitting (not gnomes). Thank goodness! I’m not sure how all these projects piled up. And yet this weekend I am hoping to cast on Shoalwater Shawl and Franca for my Mom. But there’s not much to show you. I would love to finish the yoke on Arachne this weekend and delve into that sweet, sweet stockinette.
Pete the Watcher Gnome
Speaking of gnomes, this is our new gnome, who replaced an old gnome, named Pete. The kids named him – I think it was Sydney – because they loved to watch the show The Adventures of Pete & Pete. Old Pete was graying, had lost his hand, and his bird was broken. But Old Pete was alert and earnest. New Pete looks like he’s been into some magic mushrooms.
My geranium is blooming!
This geranium was a Mother’s Day gift from my oldest, Harald, in 2017. It is loving the new digs. (See what I did there?) I can’t wait until all those buds bloom. What will I do with it in winter? I hope I can hang it in the bay window.
I checked out the book The Knitted Rug at the library. I’ve decided to make a Coiled Cord Oval Rug someday. I copied it and filed it for later. I also purchase yarn for the Cabin Kitchen Towel Set pattern in… you guessed it. Pink! Pink, gray, and natural, to be precise.
Gratuitous yarn photo.Mmm… sustainability.
I finally checked out the new Ravelry. I don’t use the website much. I primarily use the Ravelry app on my phone. I recommend the app if the new Ravelry website doesn’t work for you. You only have to pay $5 to upload photos directly from your phone. Worth it! Although I noticed you have the option to switch back to the old site, so that’s good. I just can’t get into updating my Ravelry and keeping up with the forums there. It’s too much for me. Even the old Ravelry was overwhelming for me! I’m glad I have the Blogville Knitters.
I used the new WordPress block editor for this post. It was not horrible.
Yesterday I knit on Arachne, my second Pride sock, and my purple bandaner in the spirit of Thorsday three, though I was too immersed in Wild Wild Country to blog about it. Have you seen this show on Netflix?
I don’t know about you, but I really don’t like the new WordPress editor. I keep changing it back to classic in the hope the new one will go away. Do not want.
