all FOs

Quiet on the blog, busy with the knitting.  Trying to carve out more knitting time and focusing on depleting the stash. 

Finished projects are almost all accessories:

Coastal walk by Joji Locatelli (Malabrigo Arroyo)

Sharman by Bristol Ivy - more like a shrug than an accessory but wears more like a shawl than a cardigan. 

Oldcastle Hat by Lisa Mutch (Malabrigo Mecha)

Tread Hat by Shannon Cook (Juniper Moon Stratus)

Lanes Cardigan by Joji Locatelli (Twilleys of Stamford Mist) - pattern is from Laine Magazine (No. 1), my favourite issue so far.  I've knit 2 items from it so far with a third ready to cast on.  All of the Laine patterns definitely match my aesthetic.  I find the muted colours, classic shapes, and natural fibres fit with what I want to knit right now.  More coming as I queue and cast on (next post?).

Trellis Mitts by Mari Muinonen (Briggs and Little Heritage)

Mittens are from Vogue Knitting, part of my "Then and Now" KAL - challenge was to pick a pattern from 2018 edition, and another from a decade prior (any issue with a year ending in '8').  These are my "then", coming from the Fall 2008 magazine. 

My "now" project is a four-colour shawl from the Fall 2018 issue.  It's knit in worsted weight and again I'm using yarn from stash (Cascade 220- black, Estelle Worsted - cranberry, Cornelia Hamilton worsted - gold, and Berroco Vintage - gray)

It's a lot of garter with a bit of lace and texture to break it up.  Easy knitting while watching tv!


Blogging seems a bit 'past' but I do like archiving the projects and my thoughts here.  May be to an audience of none, but I still have goals for the next few months.  December is here and as I think ahead I'd like to set more of a schedule so that I can get into a routine here. 

slow down, you think too fast

I'm constantly attempting to balance my need to "keep on schedule" and "get things done" with the very real anxiety that comes with that kind of drive.  These are self-imposed deadlines, most of the time.  Even when I knit a gift, I am aware that I have the means (time, money) to purchase an equally appropriate gift for the recipient.  These deadlines loom, on top of the very real deadlines at work and the equally demanding time limits imposed on my life as I get my children to school, sports, activities, and social opportunities.

I picked up a copy of Slow Knitting at Indigo Books last week.  I almost put it back as it was close to $40 with taxes.  But then I thought - I want to change my perspective and focus on enjoying what I make instead of starting things that become deadline-driven.

The book focuses on knowing where your wool comes from, how your materials turn into finished objects, and the connection between paying attention to these farm-to-sweater details helps you enjoy the process as much as the product.  The designs also focus on texture, stitch details, and shape - things that slow down the knitting.  Moves you away from choosing projects that will finish quickly and toward projects that give the knitter a sense of connection to the product.  By having to count rows, stitches, charts, patterns, the knitter becomes more aware of the process of making.

This makes sense.... but also means I may finish fewer things.  I don't knit just to have things, but I do like to plan, browse through patterns and books, shop for yarn, and cast on.  This part leaves me with many items in the queue that I want to knit but don't have time for.  This feeling of wanting to make more will be hard to let go.

With that in mind, I'm finishing some shawls:
Girl from the Grocery Store (just needs ends woven in):

Goldfinch:  about a third of the way done (more than in the photo):

When these are done, I hope to cast on a project from the book.  Not sure which one yet, but I'm leaning toward the cabled pullover by Norah Gaughan.  It's an unusual construction, of course, but in a worsted weight yarn that will give me a break from finer gauge shawls that seem to have taken over my knitting plans.

All of this will, I hope, lead to more joy in the process.  I do love to knit, to see the fabric grow beneath the stitches on the needle.  Fall and Winter seem perfect seasons for slowing down as the demands of life continue to pick up.

more techniques

I'm moving along with the Year of Techniques hosted by Arnall-Culliford.  So far, we've covered Helical Stripes, Intarsia, and Pinhole cast-on.  I finished my Amstel Hat that started top-down with a pinhole cast-on, using Berroco Ultra Alpaca:

June's technique is knitted-on edging.  In keeping with my plan to use stash yarn and patterns I own, I'm knitting the Hydrangea Neckwarmer from the book Brave New Knits.  I'm done the main body, and have started the edging.  This is a new skill, but not a difficult one.  The pattern calls for a provisional cast-on for the edging, but I will seam at the end.   The yarn is variegated and pattern is lacy, so a small seam in the edging won't be noticeable.  It was less awkward than the provisional one in the original pattern.

I'm enjoying the challenge of learning (or practicing) new things, but am happy that I've stuck with using pattern and yarn I own.  It's so tempting to buy new patterns and yarns.  This allows me to search through my books and patterns for things I may have overlooked before, and match with yarns to knit things I may not have considered before.  Can't wait to see what July brings!

stash plans once the gifting is done

I'm knitting gifts until mid-December.  Then, I'm knitting up my stash using my Botanical Knits book.  I have plans for almost all of the patterns in the book, and have already knit one, my Twin Leaf Loop:

Up next I have yarn for 2 sweaters and the rest of the accessories (minus the socks - I can't knit tightly enough to get gauge for socks in sock weight yarn):

Think I'll start with the accessories while I finish my Sambuca sweater since it will be cozy and warm for winter and I'm (just) on the body now, having finished the raglan shaping.  I'm determined to knit them within the year.  I love the patterns, love the yarn I have, and need to take action!  All of the patterns have unique elements, so I'm excited to get going.  Think Oak Trail will be first as the construction interests me, and I love the yarn I have for it.  Now, off to knit another hat for Christmas!

Windward Hat - FO, a WIP, and the Stash-Down

A finished hat!  It's Windward Island from Babycocktails' Tiki Collection.  I plan to knit the whole collection.  Perhaps by Christmas but deadlines are not my friend in the world of knitting, so we'll see.  The hat is lovely, the yarn was fantastic to work with.  I'll definitely be using it again.  When I'm done using my stash.

Speaking of stash, I bought this yarn to make Sous Sous, which I realized wouldn't really be fore me as I saw other FOs on Ravelry.  It's now going to be Dansez from Amy Herzog's first book Fit to Flatter.  I have it from the library so will knit like the wind to get it done in August before I have to return the book.

I've just cast on the back.  I have a bit more done that you see here (a very, very small bit - like 2 or 4 more rows), but am confident I can get it done.  I've joined the Very Shannon Summer Sweater Knit Along to motivate myself.  The idea is to knit a sweater in time for the start of fall.  Which, here in Canada, comes sooner than I'd like to think.  The sponsor is Brooklyn Tweed.  I love their patterns and yarns, but cannot afford the yarn (sigh) and am determined to only knit from my stash for a very long time (or until it's almost gone).  I've said this before but am determined this time for a variety of reasons:

- need to declutter, and am committed to having what I need on hand, and not spending on yarn that I love in theory but don't have time to knit or the impulse of the pattern passes (or both)

- need to spend less and use what I have (in all areas of life, not just knitting - read from my bookshelf, cook from my pantry...)

- commit to the purchases I've made and follow through 

So off I go to knit a sweater by the end of August.  And yes, this is the same blog I joined the KAL for the Lorelai shawl that is almost but not quite done.  It will be finished by the end of September.  I hope.

Uncooperative

My Lorelai Shawl is lovely... and uncooperative.  Much like Lorelai herself at times.  I can follow lace patterns fairly well, charts and written directions.  I have ripped out the lace (starts with the navy) twice after four rows.  Stitch count is off, pattern is not appearing (the arrowhead lace).  My shawl is an uncooperative toddler who won't follow the rules.  Let's hope I can get it to cooperate!

On a less frustrating level, my Mai Tai yarn has arrived!  It's bright and spring-like and "grapefruity"!  Thank you again to the Berroco blog for the prize, and to Thea Coleman for the pattern.