A Sure-Fire Antidote to the Shopping Impulse

Help someone move and downsize. That will keep you out of the stores.

A few years ago we were grateful recipients of donations of sewing supplies from a community member who was downsizing. Recently she moved into an assisted living center. She's given us scads of things again.

I had a phone call for help today as her support team members worked to empty out the last loads which were moved into a garage. Since I didn't leave home AT ALL yesterday, I was glad I was up and showered and could head out.

So. I will tell you no tales. Our donor was not extreme. She just had a lot of stuff because, over the years, she DID a lot of stuff.

Still, it makes me ready to head back home to do some work with my stuff.

One day of knitting away from finishing the soft black wrap. That's yarn from the stash. I have gloves to get cracking on for my nephew. Have a sale skein of some solid sock yarn wound up. Did I mention that once I was done with some big projects I might knit again? Started this one for portable and easily repetitive knitting, an inexpensive gift for a recent grad.



Startitis, of a sort. Stashitis. Not shopping. I think I might be in the mood for holding Santa's Workshop again. Still, it will be on my terms. This holiday season I'm not shopping much and I'm not traveling much. I need my impulses to focus at home.

Time for some stuff-reduction.

JK

WYSIG. OMG. JK.


What Yarn? Sale is Good.
Off My Giftlist.
Just Knitting.

Don't ask. I'm tired. Had to stay up way too late on Saturday, and Sunday and Monday are too, too full. Fortunately, I scored some knitting time during those full weekend days and will again tonight. If I can't go home, at least I can knit.

This yarn is Pemaquid - it's soy and alpaca and merino. Very soft. Will probably pill like mad. Colorway is Starry Night; despite the greyness of the photo, it's a nice soft black.

But it is yarn I tried to put into a sweater. That failed. I would like to use this yarn before it becomes a permanent stash resident. It was a pretty good sale.

It's not on my gift list. It's for me. I'm just knitting something to toss on when my office gets cold, like it does right now. Or to be one of those great big puffy swallow your head trendy eternity scarf things. Or to button. A Quickie Lacy Ribby Buttony Wrap Thingy.

It's just knitting. It's a repeatable stitch pattern - from f.pea's quickie cowl. The needles are size US 11.

Just knitting.

Good Golly, Miss Gaenor

Thanks again to Ms. Picnicknits for her lovely and generous offer of a pattern for a Knittyboard KAL. I sort of fell off the face of the knitting planet for a bit there.

Yarn is a cotton and silk blend from Great Adirondacks Yarn Co. - Nassau - in a colorway called Cappuccino. Used most of one skein, just a bit left. This was merciful, as I worked past the middle and ripped it back twice, as it was clear I'd be running out of yarn. Third time was the charm. Used size US7 needles. Pattern is Gaenor.

Finished this tonight. Two ends woven in. Photos taken and loaded up.

PS. New male figure mannequin. Very exciting upgrade.

Reaching for Ends

I went to California this summer for a conference. As is my new habit, I try to take a little time for some vacation time for myself. One day I journeyed out to Santa Monica.



People I don't know, the only photographable landscape moment, with a bonus lamppost.

I have pictures of lamposts in a variety of locations. I don't know the end purpose of those, but there will be one. Eventually.

Went in to see the art museum another day. Had a lovely little meal at one of the trendy little foodie trucks which parked that day at the art museum.


In addition to the lovely mini burger with local goat cheese and other tasties, I particularly enjoyed that their dining counters were repurposed ironing boards.

It was on the bus back, at the end of my outing, that I noticed something as I was knitting. Naturally when you are knitting...,

...you notice other textiles. I saw a young woman wearing, as a shawl, what was absolutely without any doubt a lovely piece of lace that had its first life as a bureau scarf. A table runner.

Decided I HAD to photograph but decided to be coy in the way of some knitters, and pretend I'm photographing my knitting.



The sock was a helpful tool in my photographic pretense.I had to try to catch the lace trim on the petticoats and the longer lace trimmed pantelets.


It's good to know a household dainty does not have to end its life because household decor tastes change. Here's another shot wherein I simply hide behind the young man who took up the set in front of me. There are proper terms for this "was-trendy-in-Japan" fashion style which blends Victoriana and baby doll into a style for young women. The name escapes me, but the extended life of lace objects I applaud.


In other news, I have almost reached the end of my part of the tenure and promotion application process.
I wrote the 25 page portfolio.
I assembled the binder chock full of support evidence.
I met with the tenure board.
I have one more closing meeting with the Academic Dean.
Other steps will occur without needing my attention or input, so the rest will be out of my hands. I'll have to wait for the end. One way or another, there's an end to that mountain of work and stress.

Where one thing ends, another begins. Tonight, I will have sociable dinner with friends, and I will go home and knit. I might reach the end of the Gaenor shawlette I began in summer. I'd like to see that project reach a successful end, too.

Phew.

I finished my homework yesterday. Work portfolio.

Big stuff, Maynard.

Phew.

I slept for 12 hours last night. Too many almost-allnighters lately.

I now get to do all the two hundred and eleventy-five things I've pushed to the back burner.

What a relief. Tackled a bunch of things today with gusto, I was so relieved to be doing anything BUT what I'd been doing.

I may now get to knit. I made the hair appointment.

I may even stop writing inane un-posts. (Who's kidding whom?)

Seriously. I may even have a glass of wine this weekend. AND KNIT KNIT KNIT!

Phew.
===========
Cryptic note to Julia: New email? Old? Guess I ought to try it out. Lovely article in the late spring newspaper, though I only just read it now. Thinking of you both in Idaho!