post-Mayhem Plans

This spring, I'm renewing my commitment to knitting from stash, and knitting patterns I already own. I strayed from this plan in late fall... and it became a slippery slope of purchasing, planning, but not necessarily knitting.  To get back on track, I'm revisiting my queue with this renewed goal in mind.

For inspiration, I'm turning to the MDK March Mayhem bracket.  The final winner is a yoke sweater by Isabell Kramer, Humulus.  Turns out 3 of the 4 'finalists' were patterns I voted for.  Only the mini-skein pattern was different (I chose Luminosity hat by Tanis of Tanis Fibre Arts).  Many of the patterns, however, are not in my library.  While I'd love to purchase many of them, I instead looked for patterns I own that fit these categories AND the yarn is already in stash.  I'm considering:


YOKES:
Indigo Frost by Isabell Kramer - same designer as the Mayhem winner, I own the pattern and have the yarn in stash , with gray as the main colour:

SWEATERS:
I have the yarn and pattern for Winterly  by Suvi Simola in the first issue of Laine Magazine.  My yarn is Classic Elite Alpaca Sox, and will be a bit more colourful than the original:

OR

I have the yarn to knit Wolf River by Melissa Schaschwary that I purchased quite a while ago.  It's bulky yarn with a lace pattern and should knit up quickly (or more quickly than a fingering weight sweater!)

MINI-SKEINS:
I bought a Sweet Georgia Party of Five Mini-Skein set to use for a gift project for a colleague.  I'm leaning toward Talinum by Tabitha Hedrick, a cowl designed for Sweet Georgia Yarn.

This one needs to be done by end of June (end of school year) so it'll be cast on as soon as I'm done my current cowl project. 

SHOULDERS:
I have lots of shawls and big cowls in my queue.  Most will mean a yarn purchase - while I own the patterns or book that they're in, I don't have the yarn ready to go for most.  I do have yarn for Sharman,  which is a shawl/shrug garment.  I own Bristol Ivy's book, and Harjo was included in the MDK Bracket this year.  This category is the one I will likely leave til later... I like to knit shawls but don't really want to cast another one on at this moment.  Maybe in the summer. 

These four categories are organized in my queue on Ravelry, so I'm hoping to knit one from each in the next few months to play along (sort of) with the MDK KAL while also using things I already own.  Lofty goals, perhaps?! 

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.

my own 'march madness'... on the needles

I have finished one of my short row projects:  Mrs. Watson. 

I'm very happy with the finished project, and the Ultra Alpaca Light is wonderful to knit up.  The shawl is on the small side, so I'll need a pin to keep it in place.  I wore it one day and had to fiddle all day to keep it wrapped. 

My other projects languish as I continue to be distracted by new ideas, new accessories, and the inability to focus on finishing anything bigger than a mitten.  My sweaters are also not portable, and I have been out more than home lately.  March Break (Spring Break - a week off school) means that I will have time at home.  I'm determined to finish or make significant headway with my projects that are still on the needles.  Many have appeared here before, some months or even years ago.  One, the long vest, has been on hold for so long I forget what needle I used for the parts that are done (note to self:  enter the needle size on Ravelry!).  To be done: 

All are in various stages, so I will knit away for the next 10 days, starting this weekend, and aim to finish the Sambuca and the Long Vest, and finish at least one of the Vanishing Point mitts.  I hope to start one of the Clio Sleeves, and perhaps knit a bit more of the Spring tee body.  Ambitious, perhaps, but I need to finish things (literally and figuratively) as I feel I'm starting lots and making little progress.  This is true for lots of areas of life right now, but I can control the knitting if nothing else!

I also have a mystery project on the go for my LYS' annual Yarn Challenge.  More to come on that once it's in the store window! 

2016: my favourite things

I knit a lot this year.  Many accessories, and a few sweaters.  My favourites:

Paloma - pattern Babycocktails, yarn LionBrand Wool-Spun

Love the fit, the colour, the warmth. Easy to style, cozy to wear.  Perfect.

Four Seasons - pattern Never Not Knitting, yarn Briggs and Little Regal

First Mystery KAL - Love the final product, which is interesting as I wouldn't have chosen this to knit had it not been a complete surprise! 

Twin Leaf Loop - pattern Never Not Knitting, yarn Diamond Luxury Baby Alpaca

Love the yarn, easy pattern, cozy cowl.  I find alpaca a bit itchy but not unwearable.  Haven't knit with pure alpaca before.  I knit two of these this year, but the second is from different yarn and has a denser feel.

Sitka Cowl - pattern Tin Can Knits, yarn Cornelia Hamilton Yarns Heaven's Hand Classic Wool

I 'hacked' this hat to make a cowl.  Love the tree images, but the twisted stitches were very hard on my hand joints.  Would love to knit the hat and mitts as a set but may not be able to manage the pattern. 

#7 Fair Isle Hat - pattern Vogue Knitting Fall 2016, yarn various DK weights from stash, mostly Patons Superwash DK, Loyal DK

I knit mitts, hats, cowls, a pullover poncho for a friend, and finished several things I'd started well before 2016.  Still several WIPs on the go as I head into 2017, but I'm quite happy with all of the knitting I've done this year.  I tried new techniques from complex (mosaic knitting) to simple (making a tassel).  I've knit a mystery project and 'hacked' a pattern.  I've knit a lot from stash, but also purchased yarns with projects in mind.  I have lots planned for 2017 - some already shared in my post about Botanical Knits, others still in the works.  Looking forward to another productive and creative year!

Gifting - tis the season to knit faster!

I'm a week away from Christmas Eve, and have most of the knitting done.  My ongoing 'gift bin' that gets filled with accessories throughout the year helps.  We go searching for teacher gifts, or a small thing to go with a gift card, so that it's not as much 'on demand' knitting in December.  This year's gifts:

Antler Mitts - pattern TinCanKnits, yarn Briggs and Little Heritage

Blue Devil - pattern BabyCocktails, yarn Madelinetosh DK

Cambrian Cowl - pattern Never Not Knitting, yarn Borgo De'Pazzi Luna

A Twin Leaf Loop - pattern Never Not Knitting, yarn Borgo de'Pazzi Luna

Northward - pattern TinCanKnits, yarn Borgo de'Pazzi (blue), Misty Alpaca (orange)

Just have to finish up one last one - a 'hack' for TinCanKnits "hackathon2016".  I'm turning the Sitka Spruce Hat into a cowl.  Yarn is Heaven's Hand Wool Classic.  Love how it's turning out, but the twisted stitches are killing my hands. 

When it's done, I'm determined to knit my Sambuca that I started in the fall, and finish up my vest that has been  WIP for over a year.  Both will be great holiday projects for the upcoming Christmas vacation.  Then, my Botanical Knits that I have queued up will be started!

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!

not a standstill, still a snail's pace

It's August.  How did that happen?  June and July blurred by in some ways, while at the same time seeming to stall.  I respond to stress by working hard when and where I must, but becoming almost distracted, unfocused and unable to finish things outside of those arenas.  Knitting became the casualty of this, and I feel like I'm just coming out of that foggy state now.

Projects have been started... but not finished.  Underway and still not done:  long vest, short "Anna" vest, summer tee with one half almost done (first photo below), poncho with colourwork (just started, colours selected in second photo below), and a recently cast-on Mai Tai cowl that I took on a plane to Mexico (final photo).

The cowl is another BabyCocktails (Thea Colman) pattern - can't go wrong with her patterns as they are all well written.  Hoping to finish this one, then go back and finish all of the unfinished things.  August looks to be less stressful, a little pocket of breathing room before the work begins the week before Labour Day (Back To School).  

Plan to finish this while I watch the Olympics.  I love the Olympics...  always reminds me of how hopeful we can be.   We will watch as much as possible, with a focus on soccer/football.  The Canadian women's team is a force to be reckoned with!  

12 in 2016 - getting ahead of the holiday curve

Now is the time to think about goals for 2016.  I don't make resolutions (I overthink my life on a daily basis, I don't need January 1st for that!), but I do make some goals to strive for as I look ahead to what worked and what didn't this past year.  Every year I get to December and wish I had stockpiled gifts.... so I'm going to try to do that this year.  I've decided to focus on accessories and have joined a "12 in 2016" KAL with the designers at Tin Can Knits.

They posted several patterns as 'gifts' this month in a "12 Days of Christmas" fashion, giving away a pattern a day for 12 days.  I queued almost all (I don't knit socks), and will knit them throughout the year.  In no particular order:

Main Street - coffee cup sleeves (one for me, one to gift)
Sweetness - a 2-colour cowl I'll knit with black and white yarn from my stash
Antler Mitts - bulky mittens that are adorable (I knit the Antler hat this year, may do another)
Paved - boot cuffs that are adorable and may be mine instead of a gift
Lowlands - a simple hat that will be a good 'teacher gift' perhaps
Sitka Spruce - a hat and mitts set
Honeycomb - super cute fingerless mitts
Gather - hat and cowl set that I'll knit with Arroyo yarn from my stash
Clayoquot Toque - a colour-work hat that I'll knit with yarn from my stash
Gothic Lace Cowl - a lace cowl in worsted/aran weight yarn, with buttons
Loch - a sport-weight hat and mitts set - I'll likely just knit the hat with some Rastita in my stash
Hipster - a basic hat with some slouch
Northward - a bulky cabled hat
2x2 - bulky cabled cowl (I knit one this year, it's fast and easy, with buttons!)
Bon Bon Toque - cabled hat

My other goal is to deplete the stash this year.  This is a goal I've set before but I'm determined to do it this year.  A few yarns I'll use for the projects above:

Malabrigo Arroyo

Malabrigo Rastita

Madelinetosh tosh dk

Lett-Lopi

I have lots planned, but hope for a year with lots of knitting time ahead!

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.

My plans for knitting in 2015

As I finish up Amanda (finally!) I am looking ahead to 2015 and my plans.  I have a lot of yarn stashed away, so I'm committed to knitting from my stash as much as possible.  I don't have any specific goals in mind.  Every time I set a deadline or make a list of 'must knit', I feel like I'm letting myself down when I don't meet the deadline or the goals.  Knitting is my hobby, my personal creative outlet, and I don't want it to become something I feel I "HAVE" to do.  So, here are some general ideas for the next few months...

First up, I've joined a KAL to knit a Baby Cocktails pattern.  I've knit Thea Coleman's patterns before (Cape Cod, Vodka Lemonade) and have Bastille in progress.  I'm knitting Irish Coffee using Briggs and Little Regal, a Canadian wool that's rustic but softens when blocked.  The colour is Turquoise, and is different than it looks below.  Poor iPhone photos don't do it justice!

I also have yarn on hand ready to knit Adelaide by Kate Gagnon Osborne.  I'm going to change the pullover into a cardigan.  Not steeking, like a few have done, but will follow the designers mods and knit back and forth instead.  She blogs about it here:  http://kelbournewoolens.com/blog/2011/05/finished-project-adelaide-cardiganized/

I will be using mainly Briggs and Little Regal in an off-white colour, with some stashed Cascade 220 and Ultra Alpaca for the colourwork:

I will get more wear out of a cardigan, I think. I also find them more flattering than a yoked pullover.  I am looking for a pullover with set-in sleeves to do after... maybe.  These should take me a while!  In the meantime, I'm at the neckband of my Amanda, and am done the back of my preppy vest.  Will finish the Amanda tonight!!!

Taking stock... checking in...

I like posts on other people's blogs (like at Knit Happens) that list where the writer is at in the moment.  Checking in, or taking stock, in a quick list has an appeal to me.  I'd like to go back and reread these to see how I've grown, where I was and where I am now.  Or where I've stayed still.  So here's my attempt to 'take stock' today:
Making:  scarves as year-end gifts for teachers with a very concrete deadline
Cooking:  it's BBQ season!
Drinking:  discovered Black Fly Tequila Margaritas (pre-mixed coolers) at the LCBO... yummy mix of sweet and sour with just a touch of salty
Wishing: I had more down time and could slow down my busy mind to enjoy the time I do have
Enjoying:  grandparents who will do overnight babysitting
Watching:  action movies (it's Father's Day!), and World Cup soccer
Feeling: the bittersweet end of school, where I say goodbye to routine and welcome more freedom
Wearing:  flip-flops.  All the time.
Buying:  new Erin Condren life planner - brilliant, brilliant, brilliant must-have
Reading:  what alice forgot
Feeling:  fatigue... where does that come from?!
Hoping:  for more joy in the process and less worry about the product - knitting, and in general
Starting:  an online course for work, plus teaching at the same time, in July
Being:  happy to be home with my family
Hearing:  television shows, the dryer spinning, boys saying "I'm bored".... a typical Sunday!

There's where we are today.