Santa's Workshop

Seriously will get this second batch done.

About That Swap, Helen

Seriously, this yarn is going to be used up.

I bought a bunch of this Patons for something like a dollar at a ridiculous close out - probably a big box moment where other merchandise needed the in-store real estate. It then sat, because it was a sale for which there was no actual need. I could make things from it, but I had no real interest in doing so. One summer it was duly and dutifully removed to swap at knitting camp. Helen, a thrifty and practical person, saw some potential in this large quantity of yarn. Terrific.

I don't have Helen's story, but I would guess that the bargain again outweighed the need to knit. Helen publically shared her recent successes with decluttering. And voila, the yarn turned up at knitting camp this summer for an encore. or a reprise. Or a reprieve. (Musical theatre or punitive metaphor, hard to choose....)

At the last gasp, or a few gasps before it, I put the yarn in my bag. Swapped and reswapped as it was, I had a couple ideas that might serve to use it up. First round, within that very week, was a day of crafting with my cousin's little girls. Yarn that changed colors - though not quite as magically as that description suggested - was wound round lots of sticks from the yard. I left the remainders of two skeins at their house for further craft play.

I have been making Fuzzy Feet for a slow gift for a friend and her family. Another skein left the swap bag officially this week.

I have two of these left. I am making monsters. Two strands will eat it up, but I will be interested to see how much - and how many monsters.

Ready for the washer!

Also ready for mailing! I sent a batch of these to a friend and her family some years ago, and they tackled the fulling-to-size.

I visited them a couple summers ago and was reintroduced. "Oh, the slipper lady." And, much to the delight of a practical knitter, the slippers had been Worn Out.

How could I resist?

Autumn Knitting Goal

How about that! I finished a pair of gloves for myself before Autumn turned certainly and completely around the corner into Winter.

Basting: Not Only For Turkeys

One quilt basted: turns out this is a great purpose for very old thread no longer suited for actual sewing!

Traveling Socks

Nancy Bush certainly captured a good name for a sock pattern book. These socks have been all over the map. Wish I'd been knitting faster, but happily they are done!

Pattern: Conwy
Yarn: Lang Wool's Jawoll Color Superwash
Needle size: 2

Off they go to Montreal, these quirky fraternal socks. The marl ply was definitely more mixed in true first part of that first skein.

Knitting is still fascinating, as slow as it goes from time to time on the journey.

Suddenly Last Summer

That's far too dramatic a film, Mr. Williams, but the phrase is appealing.

I finished the knitting of this scarf (shawl?) at camp this summer of 2015. Blocked it on Sunday and left it two days to dry.

It has been toooooo long a knit. I am very happy to be done. Traveling Vines is the pattern. Yarn is from Schoolhouse Yarns in NYC, a hand dyed blend of silk, cashmere, a little nylon, and probably something else listed in Ravelry.

A Reasonable Finish

Hat is done!  And it's spring!

The pattern is the Antler Hat from Tin Can Knits.  Yarn was birthday souvenir yarn from This is Knit in Dublin.  It's Soft Donegal, from Studio Donegal.

That it is a hat already is pretty good.  (Whom do I kid?  For me that's pretty remarkable.)

It's not a fashion plate hat, but it's a Good Warm Winter Hat.  First time in ages I will have a new knit ready for the first cold spell in late fall!

Now I can finish up some long lingering socks.

Lots of stories to tell

The simple stories can be just as satisfying as the complex ones.

Hope my near and long distance knitting friends are well!

The knitting here is still on, even when it's simple.

Too Soon?

Holiday gift done for 2015.

It has been late for several holiday seasons, but these are done today.

I started the holiday gift list for 2015. The first item is checked off. The second item is half done. I am okay with this. There was no list this last year.

Don't hold your breath. It's another set, another family gift, started at the same time as these.

Set of six done: set of 8 to baste, quilt, and bind.

My goal will be May. I don't think that's too soon, either.

Knitting in Trains

I confess.  I sometimes don't tell all my stories because I don't want to brag.

I taught a class overseas in January.  I now have a sabbatical - doing some studying and other projects for a semester.  That said, I stayed overseas.  Having reduced my debt prior to this, and having the skills to be a pretty frugal traveler, I am managing not to go into debt on this adventure.

I don't do all the fancy tours, and my pleasures are pretty simple;  Apfel strudel in a cafe for breakfast today, bread roll and a clementine from the store for my lunch on the train.

Getting in some quality book reading and knitting time is also a good thing.