Here’s my Mom’s Franca, all knitted but needs a little seaming/grafting and ends woven in and blocking. I wanted to do that tonight but I’m fried. I will try again tomorrow. Maybe if I get to it in the morning before work?
Wednesday WIP
Category: Works in Progress (WIPs)
Mambo! That’s Fun to Say: A YOP Update
When I was writing about my happy places, I was remiss not to mention Global Gifts stores. That’s where I work, but I work from my home office now. However, I was a store manager for four years, and the store was my happy place. It smells like incense and coffee when you walk in, there is global music playing, everything is handmade, everyone is happy, and there’s chocolate. Lots of fair trade chocolate. It’s a little different now because of the pandemic. There are masks of course, and no coffee samples. We’re at limited capacity to ensure social distancing. And now when I visit I realize I’m another potential germ carrier. So I make my visits quick, and shop online and pick up. I miss being in store. I can’t wait for COVID to end.
And to make good on my resolution-ish to listen to more music, here’s one that reminds me of Global Gifts.
Year of Projects Update
I may also lay out the wool for a new fiber art piece and dye some brown.
I do have another resolution-ish for 2021, and that’s to knit as much yarn as I purchase, at a minimum. So outgoing has to equal incoming, although ideally outgoing will exceed incoming. Since I’m signed up for two yarn clubs, that means I have to knit 24 skeins minimum. I also may have just stress bought a sweater quantity of Peace Fleece. I’ve wanted to knit a Peace Fleece sweater for several years, so I bit the bullet and did it.
Therefore, I’ve added a couple of things to my list:
Peace Fleece Ronan in Siberian Midnight (Ravelry link)
I wear my Christmas Village Rikke Hat all the time, so I’m going to need a new color, and this matches my coat. I love this stretchy German Twist cast on. It’s my new thing. I also learned a new stretchy bind off for Franca.
This has been a Year of Projects Update. You can read my updated list here. You can find out more about the group here.
Today is our Blogville Knitters Virtual Knit at 1PM Eastern. If you are new and would like to join us by Skype, please DM your Skype ID to me on Instagram or Ravelry. So far, it’s been me, Sarah, Marilee, Liz, Kath, Bonny, and Laura. Our group is growing!
Happy Places
Liz posted a wee quiz about happy places.
- Where are your happy place locations?
- Is there a memory you go to in your mind as a happy place?
- Is there one particular happy place location in the world you can’t wait to return to (once you are able to)?
- What are your happy place hobbies/interests that help you escape the outside world?
1. My most happiest place is in my comfy chair in front of a fire knitting. I’ve cast on my Turtledove! My second most happiest place is probably my front porch.
2. Sometimes when I need to go to a happy place in my mind, I imagine I’m at my grandparents’ farm.
3. I’m not sure if there is one particular happy location in the world for me I can’t wait to return to. My grandparents’ farm isn’t the same without them there. Maybe Nova Scotia, but I’ve only been there once. We’ll have to try that again and see.
4. I think we know the answer to this question: knitting, and felt fiber art are the hobbies that help me escape the outside world. I’m going to include some Nova Scotia pieces in my show. And maybe one of my grandparents’ farm.
2020-2021 Year of Projects Half-Year Update and a Resolution
Below is an updated half-year list that I will continue to edit as I complete and add new items. Scroll all the way to the bottom for my resolution. Don’t feel like you need to look at my list unless you want to.
Fiber Art
- I have a solo show in September 2021, and I need to make a body of work for this show. My goal is 12 pieces. 2/12 finished.
- I’m dyeing my own wool for this work. Above is sky blue and a mix of spruce and kelly green I’m calling Black Forest. Next up is a deep, rich brown. These are two different fibers: merino and shetland. They take the dye a little differently.
Finished Fiber Art
Haze Over Maize: Granville 2020 for Mother Artists at Work Show
Knitting List
Moondrake AdventLitmus Cowl (Ravelry link)- Blue Turtledove (Ravelry link)
- Malabrigo Brambleberry Rikke Hat – I bought this yarn when I was in OKC. It might be their Anniversario colorway.
- Arrowhead Cardigan (Ravelry Link) in Lettlopi
- Celtic Myths Shawl. I am so close to finishing this.
- Water Shawl KAL
- Skipwith in black Rauma Finullgarn (Ravelry link)
- Hansel Hap
- Peerie Flooers. I have the J&S Shetland yarn for the original version of this that you can see in the show Shetland.
- Emma in Black Welsh Mountain Bulky (Ravelry link) Another Cocoknits cardi
- Celtic Tree Handwarmers. I haven’t swatched or cast on yet, but would love to have them done by fall.
- Gryffindor Winter Ferns Hat. I haven’t swatched or cast on.
- The Oa. Cast on but languishing. I still want to knit it. In other words, I won’t be frogging it.
- Teal Niamh. I purchased some Nomad Noos High Mountain Yak yarn for this in a moment of weakness. At least I got the Fruity Knitting discount.
- Pink Rhodes. My goal for this is to cast on in January or February so it will be wafting-ready by April or May.
- Seavaiger
- Shoalwater Shaw
- Hot Waffles Hat and Mitts. I have some beautiful blue yarn for this.
- Sunset Slouch
- Cabin Kitchen Towel Set
- Strom Cardigan
- Aurora Borealis Cowl
- Less Is More Cowl
- Peace Fleece Ronan in Siberian Midnight (Ravelry link)
- Taxus Mitts in Tukuwool Fingering (Ravelry link)
- Best Loved Shawl in Knitting Goddess Berry BFL-Masham (Ravelry link)
Finished Knitting
- Franca
- Paris (Twilight Tunis) Toujours Shawl (also dyed the yarn in a gradient for this)
- Deschain Tee
- Hermione’s Everyday Socks
- Pride Socks
- Purple emPower Bandaner
- Shetland Tweed Throw
- Arachne Sweater
- Four Square Cowl
- Mistletoe Kisses Socks
- Pumpkin Spice Latte socks
- Broom Riding Cowl
- Halloween Socks
- Trans Pride Socks
- Accidental Autumn Barley Light Hat
- Rikke Hat
- Meep the Christmas Mouse
- Midnight Merino Raglan Frogged
Knitting Design
I’m going to knit this eyelet tunic design in the Blacker linen merino, I think.
Completed Design
Updated Sewing List
- Yates Coat in navy wool.
- Cotton Twill Ottobre Pants. I have navy stretch twill and gray twill fabric for these.
- Sew something amazing with this plaid flannel!
- Knitting alpacas PJ set
- Another Rachel Blouse
- More PJ pants
Finished Sewing
- Ace top, two versions (one shown above)
- Billie jumpsuit
- Enchanted Kimono Robe
- Poudre linen curtains. Only one to go!
- Coffee filters
- Knitting Sheep flannel PJ pants
- Halloween Rachel blouse
- Winter Solstice project bag
Fiddle
I canceled my lessons because I wasn’t doing them. My new goal will be to practice fingering and scales when I feel like it.
Tapestry Weaving
Not into it right now. Back burner.
My One Resolution for 2021
I don’t normally make resolutions, but this year I’m going to listen to more music, intentionally. I normally listen to music all day while I’m working, but it’s the local public radio station. I like the music they play, but it’s passive listening. And I listen to Celtic fiddle music when I run.
For New Year’s Eve, Bob and I watched the first movie we bonded over. There’s a song in it by Gogol Bordello, and it’s kind of an ear worm, but I love it. So yesterday, I listened to a Gogol Bordello Essentials playlist while I vacuumed the house and had a really good time singing along.
My friend Sharon recommended I watch that movie, so she kind of started the whole thing. She’s blogging again, so check it out if you feel like it. I hope she will turn her comments on.
Today is our Blogville Knitters Virtual Knit at 1PM Eastern. If you are new and would like to join us by Skype, please DM your Skype ID to me on Instagram or Ravelry.
December 9 HoliDaily: Holiday Doodle Hat and Cowl
This hat and cowl set is super festive! I would wear the heck out of these, and they would be so fun to knit. I don’t have much in the way of Christmassy colored solid yarns, so maybe that’s something I should remedy. (Cowl Ravelry link) (Hat Ravelry link)
No wonder JoJo loves this blanket so much. It’s wool, it’s squishy, and it matches her eyes! Yarn is West Yorkshire Spinners The Croft. Pattern is Hip to Be Square Blanket (Ravelry link). I still haven’t blocked it.
Here is my Wednesday WIP. I went ahead and started a Rikke Hat with my festive Ramen Needles Christmas Village yarn. It’s making me happy. And there’s just a hint of purple, so I can wear this hat with my purple coat! Not that I care about matching or anything. 🙄
Wednesday WIPs
Today is a bank holiday and Bob is off, so I took a day off too. We worked in our garden.
It may not look like much, but it’s ours. I don’t have a before shot, but it looked something like this:
This is the other side of the garden we haven’t gotten to yet. Basically we cleaned up trash, dug up weeds, and moved gravel. I also moved the mint, blackberry, and lemon balm from the front of the house.
Our garden architecture is a mishmash of breeze blocks, concrete, and ancient limestone pillars, like these two that have been made into steps. We don’t think they are tombstones, but they may have been gate posts. We have two more hanging out at the top of the garden looking for a new purpose. You can see them in the first pic if you look closely.
My Christmas cactus is blooming. I thought this made a good segue into knitting content.
My Shetland tweed throw is almost done. I need to finish the last repeat and then icord an edge all the way around. I would like to try to squeeze one more repeat in as I still have two full and two partial balls left. That may be cutting it close, though.
I’m enjoying the colors on my Barley Light hat.
Trans Rights Are Human Rights sock is coming along. One more blue stripe and I will start the heel flap.
Top down increasing on Franca. Round and round we go!
And here’s another pic of Barley Light. I couldn’t decide which one to use.
How are your WIPs coming along?
Franca Update
It took me all morning but I finally conquered the shoulders. The gap will be seamed. Now that I understand it, I could easily knit it again. It means I can knit more CocoKnits patterns!
Saturday Schooled
I’m struggling with this CocoKnits shoulder construction method. It’s driving me cocoknits. She has a YouTube channel with some great videos and I thought I had it figured out. But (commence knitspeak) I had the right shoulder turned around and the neck edging was on the seam side after I joined it to the collar. I thought, no big deal, I’ll just rip back and knit it forward again. But that makes the knitting go in the wrong direction, which ordinarily wouldn’t matter, except when you have a S1K1 edging that you cannot match in that direction. So I’ve frogged all of the shoulder piece and will reknit. At least I know what I’m doing now. I’m going to eat some breakfast and try again.
So here’s a pic of my easy knitting. Isn’t it pretty?
Wednesday WIP
I learned a new thing, Judy’s Magic Cast On. I woke up early and decided to use my freshly caffeinated morning brain to do the new thing so I could get rolling on my Mom’s Franca cardigan. This yarn is so soft. I may need to knit one for myself.
This photo is from Tuesday, and in fact I’m posting this Tuesday and scheduling for Wednesday. Dear Future Alissa, if you don’t know the election results yet, don’t dismay. It may take a few days.
Sock It To Me Monday and Crafts I’m Not Good At
I started a pair of Trans Pride socks for one of my kids. And yes, that’s snow.
I love seasonal decorating but I’m not very good at it. This ornamental corn I got at the farmers market to decorate my peace wreath is hitting people in the face as they walk in.
I baked a gluten free apple spice cake. It was not horrible.
