For real! I finished a quick project (actually two).
The first completed project is my Nolita Cowl. It’s massive:
The second project is a smaller cowl made with yarn from Kitty Grrlz, but I need to get a picture of the finished object. Coming soon.
Tomorrow or tonight I’ll cast on for one of the two shawls I’m attempting to knit as Christmas presents. Wish me luck!
ps. Did I mention I finally finished knitting my Clapotis? No pictures of that yet either as it is a gift.
Yesterday I spent probably 90 minutes knitting on a shawl that I’ve been working forever, which is the most time I’ve spent in consecutively knitting in quite some time. The downside is that I ran out of yarn. I have 6 decrease repeats left and I am out of yarn. Normally not a big deal except i bought the yarn in 2005 and it is no longer available. I ordered online what I thought might be a close colorway, but it is very brown where the prior yarn was not. I’ll likely have to just make it work (clearly channeling Tim Gunn).
I’d really like to wrap up this shawl this week so I can move on to the next two that I need to knit. I want all three to be holiday presents, which is overly ambitious if you ask me, but I will try anyway. And if I weren’t concerned that the people I’m knitting for we’re reading this blog I would provide more details, but since they may be, I cannot 
From there I’m not sure what the next projects are. I think I may default back to the afghan that I started so many years ago as well (I had it listed as part of my WIP Wrestling and never got to it). I have a panel and a half completed, which means 2.5 to go. If I recall it knits quick, but is just rather monotonous. However I may need just that as my pregnancy progresses and I find I’m too exhausted to do much but sit on the couch.
And that’s about all I’ve got. I wish I had something more exciting to share, but I’ve just not been knitting much and been really caught up in family, work and life. Maybe the next post will actually include pictures of a completed project of WIPs…
xo,
~L
I’ve landed in a knitting slump. As of late nothing has been inspiring and there are no real projects I feel like starting/completing. It makes me sad, but maybe it was/is time for a break.
I did get quite far on my Clapotis for WIP Wrestling, but alas did not finish. I am in the decrease section and out of the main body which is very exciting, however I’m also concerned I may run out of yarn. That is likely contributing to my slump.
I also mostly finished the nordic handbag. It is full knitted and partially seamed, but the hand felting was not working well to my liking and I’m not confident in trying to felt in my front loader. So now that project is also sitting on the sidelines.
As the weather starts to cool off over the course of the next month I really hope my mojo sneaks back in. I really kind of miss it.
Call me crazy, because we all know I constantly bitch about lack of time, but I’ve joined in on the WIP Wrestling KAL for July. It’s all about finishing as many WIPs as possible. I currently have 4 tagged, 2 that I think are perfectly reasonable and will get two and two that will be a stretch at best. I couldn’t join and then not challenge myself. Go team Knit Girls!!!
The projects:
Round 1: The Nordic Handbag. This is a fairly recent project that is already mostly knit up. I knew I’d lag on the finishing: embroidery, seaming, felting. Lag no more! This is the first project I’ll try and complete.
Round 2: BYOB bag form last year that I’ve still not finished because I didn’t want to deal with the handles. I’m going to improvise on the handles and work out my own version so I can finish this up. This was supposed to be a birthday present for my BFF last year in October. I guess it won’t have been quite a year by the time she gets it.
Round 3: That damn clapotis that I’ve been working on since 2006. Or at least I think it was 2006. I believe I started it just after moving to Ohio. Regardless, it is long past time to finish it. I think it’s about 50% done and I need to get it 100% done. It has so much potential as a Christmas present this year if I do. This project is a stretch, but not nearly as much as the next one…
The final round, round 4: The fantasy throw. This blanket is made up of four long knitted strips that eventually are crocheted together. I finish one strip and half of another before setting this down. I know where the completed strip is, but the pattern book and half strip is oddly missing. So beyond the challenge of trying to also finish up a full size afghan, I have to find it Certifiably crazy? Yes.
So there you have it. Ready? Fight!
I’m off to work on the Nordic Handbag and groove to some Stellastarr*
XO,
~L
This post is long overdue and I certainly apologize for the delay. Work is in the forefront right now (along with my daughter) so the rest of life seems to sit and wait until I have time.
About 18 days ago Carrie (craftypuppylover on Ravelry) posted a yarn that was inspired by me and some recent happenings in my life. It is the most thoughtful thing ever that someone I only know via the internet has ever done for me. I really can’t wait to meet her in person in August.
Before I post the story she wrote and the pictures, I should explain that Carrie spins yarns that are inspired by many of the girls in the Knit Girls group on Ravelry. I think that she’s created something like 14 or 15 amazing yarns to date. I’m incredibly honored to be amongst those other ladies.
Here is her post:
Alright peeps! Behold! New yarn!!
Ok that was the fun part. This yarn was inspired by Miss Liz and I would like to just add a disclaimer right now that we talked about this in part (no details of course…it’s a total visual surprise for her too!) because my idea is extremely personal and I got her permission to do this and share it with her and the rest of the world.
As most of you know, Liz had a miscarriage a few months ago. We were all so pumped (of course she was too!!) to hear the news and then equally as heartbroken to hear what happened on her vacation. Liz is no stranger to tragedy, I’m not sure how many of you know this, but she got shot through both of her legs in a freak accident in high school and managed to fully recover! Yipes! One night it all just popped into my head…I looking for inspiration for what to create with my My Little Pony spin-a-long batts from jazzturtle…and I emailed Liz. I asked her if they knew the sex of the baby and she said no, but had a strong feeling it was going to be a little girl. I knew then and there I had to do the batts for her! See pre spun:
I wanted a few things from this yarn. To provide Liz with a tangible thing for the memory of her baby. To create something beautiful and terribly girly. And also give it a bit of an unfinished look, as to remind us of this unfinished chapter in her life. I spun it up with a ton of locks from hollyeqq and even some sparkly bits from dena1975. It’s mainly pink, purple, and green, thick and thin, sparkly, soft, and in a few places a little harsh -due to sequin strands and easter grass- to remind us of the hardships we all face in life. In total, both skeins are 305 yards. It’s beautiful and unique, just like Liz. And whether or not you believe in reincarnation, heaven, karma, or that our precious time on this earth is short, I think we all can agree that the little halo effect created around the yarn from the locks is a powerful symbol for Liz’s little angel. We love you Liz!! I hope this brings you lots of joy, as I was spinning all the love I could into this one just for you.
(sorry it took me so long, pictures fixed!)
Yeah, Carrie rocks. ‘nuff said. Trying to determine just the right project for this. I will knit it up!
I’ll post another blog in the next week or so updating on my continued quest for a good bar/knitting night venue. I feel like this one should stand on it’s own.
Until then! XO
I previously mentioned that I have a directive from my husband to get out and knit more. Preferably in a bar or lounge type environment. So of course on the first Thursday following Mother’s Day I did just that… sort of.
The first venue I ventured to was Surly Girl Saloon in the Short North district of Columbus. I’d been there twice in the past, enjoyed the atmosphere and figured it would be a worthwhile first attempt. How can you go wrong when the décor is cowgirl pinups and other oddities? BFF in tow, we gathered our knitting and headed into the bar for food, drinks and not much knitting. Or rather no knitting at all.
We ended up at a tall table with high stools that likely had just enough light for knitting. However it was 6:30pm and we were both starving. Drinks and appetizers first, please! I started off with a Shady Lady and artichoke/spinach dip, Kerry started with the Sucker Punch and quesadillas (or maybe that was her dinner). Yummy! We hadn’t seen each other in awhile so being caught up in chatter was easy. Before we knew it our drinks were gone, the apps were devoured and no knitting was done. Time for round two!
Round two consisted of another Shady lady for me and Kerry moved on to a drink I cannot recall (maybe Lindeman’s Pomme?) Being mothers that rarely get to sit down and eat, we were clearly still hungry and ordered dinner; tomato, bacon & avocado pizza and something else I can’t remember (this is what I get for waiting to write my blog). On with the catching up we went and next thing we knew they were dimming the lights. Uh oh! It was almost too dark to knit.
At this point we gave up on the idea of knitting altogether. We were busy catching up, chatting with our waiter/bartender and people watching (note the creepy guy at the bar nursing his beer for an hour checking us out). Had I known there were benches in the back room I likely would’ve mentioned moving so we could knit and talk, but I had no idea they were there. Instead we ordered dessert! One maple bacon cupcake (it was like breakfast and dessert all at once!) and one chocolate cayenne (spicy!) Kerry threw caution to the wind and also ordered a Cucumber-infused Peach Vodka which tasted like spiked spa water.
After nursing the spiked spa water for a bit we decided it was time to call it a night and head back to the ‘burbs.
All in all an enjoyable evening, this was the ultimate goal, but no knitting accomplished. While Surly Girl has potential to be a place we can go and knit, the back room sounds like it would be the ideal location. Next stop, Grandview. I’m thinking King Ave 5 or Brazenhead.
Surly Girl inspired knits- Cowgirl vest and skirt TBD (to be designed)
Finally! Seamed and blocked, I present to you the baby cardigan I started in February.
I started to embroider it, but ripped it out as I did not like how it looked. I’m thinking a little felt something for one side or a patch. Something to spice it up for my little Bug, but not the embroidery.
Anyway, had to show off that I did actually finish it. Longer post next time…
Life over the past 15 months has left me with little free time, especially time to do simple things such as knit, read, learn to use my sewing machine… you know, all those little things I may have taken for granted before. That said, I wouldn’t change a thing as Caitlin means more to me than just about anything in the world, the exception being my husband. Yet burnout is inevitable when you work full time and are a full time mommy outside of that. Thankfully my husband recognized this and I wasn’t afraid to vocalize my imminent burn out.
So what does this have to do with knitting and why am I writing about it here vs. my baby blog? Well, Jack gave me a directive of sorts for Mother’s Day. My gifts started with some very cool t-shirts that fit my excessively large bosom, but are not overly large at the waist (common problem for me). This was followed by a gift certificate good for a day at the spa. Hello, awesome! Essentially 4 hours of services and lunch on a Saturday of my choice. Doesn’t suck. Then the last gift was a book and a directive. That directive being that I MUST start a local knitting group, it should be in a bar type environment (aka, place that serves alcohol) and it needs to be twice a month on a night of my choice, but he pushing for Saturdays. You read that right, my husband gave me a twice a month hall pass to go out on a Saturday night, knit and gossip with the girls and drink. Who am I to say no? The catch, he told me I HAD TO FOLLOW THROUGH. Ok
The book he gave me is Pints & Purls. Pretty awesome book, made even cooler since it was coauthored by someone local to Columbus. He wants me to use it as my inspiration to get a group started. Sure, why not? Even better, she owns a newish LYS that I’ve yet to check out. You bet it’s on my to-do list now.
Starting tomorrow I’ll be scoping venues for my knit night and then selecting an appropriate night. My concern is that Saturdays are likely too crowded most places unless I can find a cool, off the beaten path, type place. Suggestions are welcome I already have a line-up of people to invite (5 – 6) and once I get this going will likely start on online group and post a bit on Ravelry to draw in a few more people.
More updates later, this is the new exciting project I have going now and I was dying to find time to post. I hope to get it off the ground by the end of the month or early June.
xo,
~L
NP: Doves- Kingdom of Rust
Yes, I actually finished projects! They’re all small, but it’s something!
First up, a cute little clutch. I do still need to line it and add magnetic closures, but I’m happy with the current results.
And then there is the little scarflette I was working on in March. I finished knitting it early on in the month, but never wove in the ends or added the button. I finally finished it off today.
And last (currently) is a little hand towel from one of the Mason Dixon books. I was trying to use up some of my stash and thought this might be a fun quick project. I also wanted to try a miter pattern, so why not?
Working on seaming up the tattoo heart next, maybe I’ll have 4 projects done in April. Now that would be unheard of!
NP: Portishead- Numb
Back from Hawaii, the trip was so-so. I know, who comes back from a trip to Hawaii feeling that way, but given the medical complications that reared their ugly head it couldn’t be helped. The trip was bittersweet to say the least.
Finding knitting inspiration in Hawaii is a funny thought given the constant temperature over 60 degrees, but I had a few ideas, one of which I am working on now. If it turns out as planned I will work on a few variations and likely post them for sale in my etsy shop (which is ever so empty and lonesome). More on that in the next blog.
I really want to dye yarn, I think that may be my project for April. On the Big Island there were so many varying landscapes to find inspiration. Between the volcano, rain forest, desert terrain and ocean there were so many differing color palettes. I think a yarn purchase and Kool-Aid will be in order soon. My assumption is that Kool-Aid and food coloring are likely the easiest places to start. I’ll use this week to organize what other supplies I need and see if I can get this under way!
I also started up again on Twitter. I’m using it specifically related to Reckless Knitting, but the name was too long for a username so Voxless it is. It will be mostly knitting and yarn related with the occasional random off topic comment. Check out the link in the side bar
Dinner time!
~L
NP: Nothing actually, but I have the Hot Dog dance song from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse stuck in my head!
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