I have journeyed into the depths of the stash. For a long time, I have been thinking about what I want to use these days...and what I likely never will. With this in mind, I have sorted out yarn to go to new homes.
The yarn is going several places - to church groups and friends. Someone will have the joy of yarn for a new project. I have have the joy of the freed space.
While I was going through the stash, I found yarn for a project I am planning. Little Cotton Rabbits is a great place for inspiration. One of the little girls in my life is going to get a bunny with a wardrobe. I am excited about using yarn that I have to make up both the rabbit and her clothes. This, will be a joy. It may also lift me out of my knitting slump!
Friday, May 17, 2019
Monday, April 22, 2019
Pretty Quiet on the Knitting Front
This winter has been a bit rough. Spring seems as though it is finally here. I have renewed interest in doing.
Yesterday, I passed off two pairs of socks which will be used as gifts for two of my favorite young men. The boys aged out of the child category for Christmas and now are included in the name draw. They miss their yearly socks and their very kind grandmother had me make birthday presents.
An auction to benefit the American Cancer Society came out of nowhere. I went into the stash and
found some high end sock yarn to make a pattern I had admired.
The Morning Walk Hat knits up well and can be worn as a beanie or a slouch. As I am a loose knitter, I used 1's and 2's. The yarn was not as cooperative as I would have liked but the hat came out well, and even better, did well at the auction. Would I knit this again. Yes. Yes, I would.
While I am still working on a throw and on a pair of socks (or two or three...or four), I am getting ready to knit a lamb for a fairly new baby. It is time to figure out and queue up the holiday knitting.
I like to do the holiday knitting early as I had feeling rushed during the holidays...life is busy enough without adding knitting stress. Starting earlier also gives me time to look through the yarn I already have....which is a very good thing.
Yesterday, I passed off two pairs of socks which will be used as gifts for two of my favorite young men. The boys aged out of the child category for Christmas and now are included in the name draw. They miss their yearly socks and their very kind grandmother had me make birthday presents.
An auction to benefit the American Cancer Society came out of nowhere. I went into the stash and
The Morning Walk Hat knits up well and can be worn as a beanie or a slouch. As I am a loose knitter, I used 1's and 2's. The yarn was not as cooperative as I would have liked but the hat came out well, and even better, did well at the auction. Would I knit this again. Yes. Yes, I would.
While I am still working on a throw and on a pair of socks (or two or three...or four), I am getting ready to knit a lamb for a fairly new baby. It is time to figure out and queue up the holiday knitting.
I like to do the holiday knitting early as I had feeling rushed during the holidays...life is busy enough without adding knitting stress. Starting earlier also gives me time to look through the yarn I already have....which is a very good thing.
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
An Adventure Yarn
When I am in a knitting slump, one of the things I do is sort through the stash. Sometimes, I am
looking for that spark to get me going again; sometimes I look to see if any of the yarn has lost its luster enough to go to a new home.
Earlier this month, the stash spit out yarn with history. In the early 90's, my friend Bernie went on a backpacking trip through Alaska. As she walked, she picked quiviut fluff off bushes. When she got back home, she took the fluff to a spinner and had yarn spun from the quiviut. The spinner threw in another fiber to make the quiviut less warm.
Bernie sent the yarn to me so that I could make a vest...a one of a kind vest...for her husband. The vest was made and loved. The vest left with the husband. Every once in awhile, the leftover yarn would surface...and I would think about what I could do with it so that Bernie could have something from her Alaska trek.
A few weeks ago, the yarn surfaced again. I looked at it carefully, made a mental note of the likely yardage, and began a scarf adapted from a shawl pattern on Knitpicks. The ends have a funky curly
to them that makes the scarf a little more interesting than endless garter stitch. My decision about the length was based on having enough left over to finish the second end. I knit. I knit. And I knit.
Last week, I finished the scarf and gave it a nice bath in Soak Wash for Handknits. After an overnight rest on the sweater dryer, the scarf was ready to go.
Bernie got it yesterday as a surprise. She said she had had a tough day and was really happy to receive it. Now, Bernie has a memento from the Alaska trip, and I am a bit closer to the center of the stash.
Earlier this month, the stash spit out yarn with history. In the early 90's, my friend Bernie went on a backpacking trip through Alaska. As she walked, she picked quiviut fluff off bushes. When she got back home, she took the fluff to a spinner and had yarn spun from the quiviut. The spinner threw in another fiber to make the quiviut less warm.
Bernie sent the yarn to me so that I could make a vest...a one of a kind vest...for her husband. The vest was made and loved. The vest left with the husband. Every once in awhile, the leftover yarn would surface...and I would think about what I could do with it so that Bernie could have something from her Alaska trek.
A few weeks ago, the yarn surfaced again. I looked at it carefully, made a mental note of the likely yardage, and began a scarf adapted from a shawl pattern on Knitpicks. The ends have a funky curly
Last week, I finished the scarf and gave it a nice bath in Soak Wash for Handknits. After an overnight rest on the sweater dryer, the scarf was ready to go.
Bernie got it yesterday as a surprise. She said she had had a tough day and was really happy to receive it. Now, Bernie has a memento from the Alaska trip, and I am a bit closer to the center of the stash.
Monday, January 28, 2019
The Hat that Would Not be Knit
A year or so I spotted The Runner's Hat in the Knitpicks catalog. This is a slip stitch pattern and makes a very interesting looking hat. I bought it, put it away, and forgot about it.
Three or four weeks ago, I went into the stash and found the yarn and the pattern. It was, I decided, time.
I cast on and got going. The pattern is a fairly easy knit and the slip stitch pattern is interesting. Why....why.....why.....did I have to rip it out three times. On the third frog, the hat became one of those things that had lost it's appeal and a burden to work. Should I throw it back in the stash for a better time? No.
The Textile Center in Minneapolis is having a garage sale this spring. Instead of keeping a project which has lost its luster for me, I will send it out into the world to find someone who will give the project the love it deserves.
Having thought about the size of the stash, the number of knitting bags, and various knitting tools around the apartment....other times will join the trek out the door to new and happier homes.
While it can be hard for me to let go of things......it is time. I think about the times I have been able to pick up something I wanted and needed at a good price, I smile and cheerfully send things down the road.
The best part of the Textile Center's garage sale is knowing that the proceeds go to a good cause.
Someone else will knit that hat and love it.
Will I try that pattern again? Possibly...possibly not. I still have an electronic copy of the pattern...and a little (cough, cough) more yarn.
Three or four weeks ago, I went into the stash and found the yarn and the pattern. It was, I decided, time.
I cast on and got going. The pattern is a fairly easy knit and the slip stitch pattern is interesting. Why....why.....why.....did I have to rip it out three times. On the third frog, the hat became one of those things that had lost it's appeal and a burden to work. Should I throw it back in the stash for a better time? No.
The Textile Center in Minneapolis is having a garage sale this spring. Instead of keeping a project which has lost its luster for me, I will send it out into the world to find someone who will give the project the love it deserves.
Having thought about the size of the stash, the number of knitting bags, and various knitting tools around the apartment....other times will join the trek out the door to new and happier homes.
While it can be hard for me to let go of things......it is time. I think about the times I have been able to pick up something I wanted and needed at a good price, I smile and cheerfully send things down the road.
The best part of the Textile Center's garage sale is knowing that the proceeds go to a good cause.
Someone else will knit that hat and love it.
Will I try that pattern again? Possibly...possibly not. I still have an electronic copy of the pattern...and a little (cough, cough) more yarn.
Friday, December 28, 2018
2018 is winding up......
This year, I have done a lot of knitting. Most of the projects have been gifts for others.
What do I give? Mostly socks as the people I give them to like them very much and use them. This year I also did a lot of toys.
One of the fun things I have done is to use leftover sock yarn to make small Christmas ornaments.
The mitten is one of two that I did - the other was a small sock - and put away to give away later.
The small things can be really fun to knit....and teach one a lot about patience. There were things about this project that were surprisingly difficult. I dropped more stitches on this one mitten than I have in some sweaters I have made.
Like the people who design toys, the people who design these ornaments are genius at shaping. This year I hope to make more of these. Either I will use them when I wrap a gift or give them to someone who is just starting to collect ornaments for their own tree as I don't put up a tree anymore.
Mallorie loved her horse hat this year and really liked the new version of the hat she received a couple years ago. I did not like the new version as I was not happy with the crown shaping. I am not a shaping genius and have decided to take the time to learn more so that the 2019 version for Mallorie makes me happy too.
While I have gifts for others in queue, I am going to take some time to do some selfish knitting. Things just for me!
What do I give? Mostly socks as the people I give them to like them very much and use them. This year I also did a lot of toys.
One of the fun things I have done is to use leftover sock yarn to make small Christmas ornaments.
The mitten is one of two that I did - the other was a small sock - and put away to give away later.
Like the people who design toys, the people who design these ornaments are genius at shaping. This year I hope to make more of these. Either I will use them when I wrap a gift or give them to someone who is just starting to collect ornaments for their own tree as I don't put up a tree anymore.
Mallorie loved her horse hat this year and really liked the new version of the hat she received a couple years ago. I did not like the new version as I was not happy with the crown shaping. I am not a shaping genius and have decided to take the time to learn more so that the 2019 version for Mallorie makes me happy too.
While I have gifts for others in queue, I am going to take some time to do some selfish knitting. Things just for me!
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
From Little Red Window....
Every Friday, I get the post from Cassie at Little Red Window. Cassie shows a lot of crafty patterns, but I pay attention to the knit patterns more than anything else.
Last Friday, she put out the Skull Hat Pattern. This, I thought, was perfect for Owen. It did not take
long to do and was a fun knit. I liked it so much, I am sizing it up for my brother-in-law. He and Owen can have matching hats.
The best part? All of the yarn came from the edges of the stash...I did not even have to go beyond the first layer.
This was not a project I had planned to do but I really perked up with the unscheduled fun project.
With a little bit of work, the second hat can be completed today and both can leave in the mail tomorrow!
Last Friday, she put out the Skull Hat Pattern. This, I thought, was perfect for Owen. It did not take
The best part? All of the yarn came from the edges of the stash...I did not even have to go beyond the first layer.
This was not a project I had planned to do but I really perked up with the unscheduled fun project.
With a little bit of work, the second hat can be completed today and both can leave in the mail tomorrow!
Friday, October 5, 2018
OH NO! My home yarn store is closing....
September 17 as I was knitting in the recliner at home, I got an email. Depth of Field, my favorite yarn store is closing December 1.
This has been a year of many changes. This is not one I expected. It took me a few minutes to get back to my calm center.
Depth, as I call it, has been a happy place for me for over 20 years. I started going there when I could really afford "nice" yarn. I did have a stash from working for yarn and not money in a store in the early 80's. That place never had the same feeling as Depth.
Like many yarn stores, Depth of Field has a great community of knitters. Many of us mourn the loss of a wonderful place to knit communally.
The going out of business sale has been visited by me...a lot. Fortunately, I know what I need for projects that are coming up and could plan accordingly. I bought only three matching skeins because they were too pretty to leave behind.
Between now and December 1, I am going to spend as many lunch hours as I can knitting there...and soaking up the goodness while I still can.
This has been a year of many changes. This is not one I expected. It took me a few minutes to get back to my calm center.
Depth, as I call it, has been a happy place for me for over 20 years. I started going there when I could really afford "nice" yarn. I did have a stash from working for yarn and not money in a store in the early 80's. That place never had the same feeling as Depth.
Like many yarn stores, Depth of Field has a great community of knitters. Many of us mourn the loss of a wonderful place to knit communally.
The going out of business sale has been visited by me...a lot. Fortunately, I know what I need for projects that are coming up and could plan accordingly. I bought only three matching skeins because they were too pretty to leave behind.
Between now and December 1, I am going to spend as many lunch hours as I can knitting there...and soaking up the goodness while I still can.
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