New stuffs for a new year

I guess I should publish my knitting resolutions - because it's about that time of year.  And yes, we are 22 days in, but you need to stop judging me.

I have some goals for 2012 for my fiber life.

1. Knit 12 hats for Halos of Hope.  It's not a huge stretch for me, but one a month is a good clip :-D
2. Knit at least 3 patterns from the 2010 rockin sock club.  I need to work some of those amazing patterns, even if they aren't in the STR colorways
3. Take Basics Basics from TKGA, when it fits into the budget (after my Nancy Bush Class and After Knitpurlhunter comes to my LYS)
4. Take a spinning class at The Fold.  I'd like to go and try out some wheels.


About these goals.  They are about building knitting karma, using what I have and expanding on my knowledge base.  All things I really do believe in.  I did not talk about stash enhancement nor building a library.  I think I'm good in that respect.

Where am I in these goals.  I have a hat ready for Halos, just need to weave in ends and bring it in.  I have NO socks on the needles.  None, but I am obsessed with the blanket/shawl I'm making from leftovers.  M came over today and we knit and chatted (great time), she asked how much longer I was going to go.  I could not answer, just "longer than this."  It is lovely.

I've been reading the Rav group for the TKGA and their courses.  Based on some of the chatter I hear, instead of jumping into the Master Class level 1, I'm going to take the Basics^3 course.  Get a feel of what they expect and get some initial feed back on my knitting before getting into it.

Last one says it all.  I'm wanting to wheel to take pressure off my shoulder while spinning.  Spinning on a drop spindle is not ergonomic.  I would love to try wheels, The Fold does private lessons too :-D.  

Packer win?

The Packers lost on Sunday - in the first game they HAD TO WIN.  *eye roll*  My Packer Playoff Project was the French Press Felted Slippers - a really quick and simple knit.  I made in Malabrigo Worsted in Jaen - the Packer colorway.

I am ready to felt :-D  Here are my amazing slippers pre-felting.  I will felt Wednesday after knit-night tomorrow.

Not the holiday I had planned

Well, it's been a little bit of a roller coaster over here.  However, I did finish all the knitting I intended too.  I didn't get to get all the baking in I wanted, nor did I get in the cleaning or organizing or decorating.  We always travel to our families for the holidays, and so I feel like I have more time than I really do.  All of a sudden we'll be leaving for Wisconsin in the morning.  This year was no different.  Well, a little different.  I lost an aunt over the holidays, my mom's side of the family.  It was a bittersweet holiday, she hung on through Christmas (which she loved).

Our plans changed a lot, popping back home (300 miles) for the dentist and to complete everything we had intended to do while on vacation that week, then coming back for funeral activities (300 miles).  Then back home (300 miles).  And on to New Year's activities...  Far too much packed in to a small amount of time.  Going back to work was a vacation from this vacation.

When life was getting away from me I was knitting balls.  BALLS!!! (I also made candies ... all in BALL form ... sorry)  I made a few for a knitting friend who lost her Christmas decor in a flood this summer.  Our knitting group pooled together to start rebuilding her collection.  I also made a few more for me.

I also finished (but not blocked) a Spectra (by Stephen West).  It was made with Dream in Color Starry in Deep Sea Flower and Jawoll Magic, a one ply color changing fingering weight yarn by Lang.  So pretty, stunning really.

The Christmas gifts went over well - the flower headband for my boyfriend's sister got a delightful reaction.  My brother's Packer scarf was great, he even said "It'll match my hat!"  Yup, that was the intent :-D.  Grandma loved her slippers, one of my aunts said I should take orders.  Oh, no these are for Grandma only.

And over Christmas I was knitting with handspun... a RhombusCowl out of Beyounce the llama's fur.  I have loved her so much, my mom bought me a TON of her roving for Christmas - there will be a Beyounce sweater - but not yet.  I think I would like a class on plying first.

Oh I've missed you.

Dear Blog

I have missed you.  I'll be back soon.  The holidays have started eating me alive, or making me eat everything in site.  One of the two.  I hope I get a small cold next week and have to stay home with some knitting and you.

Small cold I said, small.

<3 Spitfire.

PS  there has been knitting - my god has there been knitting :-D

Quick Quick Super Quick

Quick update!

Holiday knitting is in full force except I wasn't going to do any .... yeah.  Not so hot at sticking to stuff.

I finished some cute socks - groovy socks - in some handpainted sock blank.  It turned out great - they are lace though and not thermally appropriate for the Chicagoland weather of December.  They will be hibernating in the drawer a bit.

I cast on another pair of socks out of left overs from my vacation shawl (seen below).  Rhythm Man Socks - they are a slip stitch pattern which should offer ample protection from the harsh Chicagoland winters.

I had a finishing flurry over Thanksgiving weekend.  Friend R came over for Dr Who time and she started a new sweater and I finished a ton of projects including modifications to a sweater I made this spring - a Juliet made in Brown Sheep Cotton yarn.  It is beige and a good combo with a long sleeve t-shirt.  I will go add some to my wardrobe. I also finished Grandma's slippers.  I made her socks - she won't put them in her shoes, so she said they are too slippery to wear around the house.  I got some leather soles and made these:

I keep thinking maybe I should knit another pair of socks to "line" the slippers with, but I don't think I will at this point.  I even swatched for this - a rarity - but it made me a convert.  It turned out so well - like every time it does when I swatch... jeez.  I might be a convert.

I then decided to use November's Dream in Color Club color for not the scarf designed for it.  (a little short for a scarf if you ask me).  I made a crochet shawllette from the Chicago Yarn Crawl.  It's amazing.  I need to block it.  I will do that tomorrow.  Typing it makes it true right?

A winner in every way!

I won a couple of the KAL prizes and it made up for all the little things that went wrong this week.

The headlight that went out is forgiven, as is the keyboard that shorted.

I got a call on Thursday from Skacel about the Progressive Needles KAL and I won the 5th prize!  Should be a grab-bag of goodies.  I'm thrilled!

I went to Saturday knitting at Fuzzy Wuzzy and found out I won the Fall KAL prize too!

That was a gift certificate - not really sure what I want to do with it either.  So many choices...  Maybe some Lindsey to knit out of the Norah Gaughn vol 8.  Lots of cute summery stuff.  Ogunqui?  Ogunyes.

I'm almost through a potholding pattern.  2 Oven mitts, 5 potholders and 2 skeins of wool.  I've started working two at a time, I'm excited to see how that effects the felted product.  It's looking good :)

I've also picked up the hook - we'll see how this goes...

You Can't Tell Me What to Knit

Last month was Sock-tober, a month long celebration of sock knitting.  As a celebration I didn't knit a stitch on my sock-in-progress until almost the last day of the month.

It is now National Sweater Knitting Month (a play on National Novel Writing Month) and I finished my Fuzzy Sweater, but can't find myself to start another.  It's like a toddler like instinct in me that says - NO!  I will not celebrate what you want to.  I will do what I want.

What have I been working on?  Everything but sweaters... scarf for my brother in packer colored Malabrigo Worsted, Spectra by Stephen West (so pretty), hats for Halos of Hope (car knitting - I've hit too many trains this week - long ones too - the type where you turn your car OFF because you wait so long).  I've worked on my shawl design, and I'm one skein in - about 1/2 way done!

I started 2 more projects.  A set of potholders for my Mom - who is finally tossing her 15 yr old quilted set (she quilted them herself).  She asked me to pick up a set at IKEA, but that seemed like a poor replacement for such great potholders.  I am making some felted ones, a design from Knitpicks, out of I Love This Wool from Hobby Lobby - yeah.  I do not love that wool, but I love that it's cheap, and I can get 7 potholders out of one skein.  A set of flat potholders and some mitts.  I think she'll love them - and they will last.

I also have started and finished a pair of slippers for my grandmother - I use "finished" but I just finished the knitting portion.  A pattern off of knitandcrochetnow.com with leather soles, I think she will love them.

Aren't they fun?

Couch Time

I spent almost all day yesterday in the car.  I did a Pampered Chef show in central WI and visited my cousin and her adorable new baby.  8 weeks old & 14lbs!  He's a chubby little guy who's hair naturally lies in a mohawk.  I think he is a keeper.

Today I'm sitting on the couch recovering from cat hair.  I'll be doing some laundry and maths.  Maths?  Why am I blogging about maths?  (As a mathematician I can call it maths)  I am thinking of ripping out the bleeding hearts design and starting again.  Maybe I should just cast on another and play with that?  Maybe, maybe.

Yarnie Goodness comes in the mail

It has been a good week for mail so far.  Lots of yarnie goodness, and a purple strainer

The strainer was filled with yarn & other treats.

I love swaps with the Dizzy Sheep Groupies :)  I went shopping for my swap buddy in my stash of yarn and Pampered Chef products & recipe books.  I am not a pretty wrapper - I did not send my home-made jam though, jalapeno jam is not everyone's taste :)

I also got a package from my grade-school friend Mary.  The package was COVERED in stickers and I loved it.  In it was sock yarn from Brown Sheep Co, which I haven't seen anywhere - odd.  It's called Wildefoot.  It's so soft, I'm surprised it doesn't have a silk content (no really).  It's in boyfriend's colors, so he'll get socks out of them.  A lovely grey with a ply of black. It's called Master Grey.

Vacation Day!

I took the day off today - so a bonus post this week!

My big plans included a conference call at 8:30, but I slept through that.  It's ok, I will catch up tomorrow at work.

Other plans include a chiropractic appointment, go to the chiropractor, giving candy to people that knock on my door and finishing a sweater.  My Fuzzy Wuzzy KAL is almost done.  3.3" of stockinette and I have the knitting done.  I figure 2 hours of knitting and about 3 hours of seaming to the finish line.  I even pinned the sweater together last night to try on.  It fits very comfortably and I am now very motivated.

I also have a few projects that need some TLC.
1.  A sweater that needs a button rearrangement.  I made Moonstruck with a coupon code from Blue Moon Fiber Arts, and I love it.  It would be perfect as a knit coat/outdoor sweater right now.  However the diagonal button placement is insane.  I had a problem with placement, and now when I button it the hem looks great but the collar is not laying right.  I will need an assistant to do that I think.

2. I have a Juliet sweater (very similar to the February Lady Sweater) that I don't like the collar. I want to add a little extra.  I've found people that put a ribbed boarder around the whole thing - I have a lack of yarn problem, so that's not an option.  But I did see someone that picked up and put a collar with the lace pattern on it.  I will try that and pray I have enough yarn left.

3. Lastly, I have a sweater who had sleeve problems.  Oh yes, after two months of wearing it, I realized the sleeves were WAY too long.  I ripped them out - seriously, just ripped those babies right out.  Now I have to re-knit them though.  Maybe I didn't think that all the way through.  It has been languishing for about 3 months. I would like that sweater now....

Here we go!