Resolutions

I usually try to write a list in the last month of the year as resolutions for the coming year. None of them are hard fast have to be done, but they help remind me of my goals. They serve in times of "I have no knitting mojo," "This feakin' isn't working," and "I'm overwhelmed in yarn," a perspective on my time and the art I like to produce.

1. Knit one pattern from each of the books that I own.

2. Put out three designs throughout the year.

3. Walk at least twice a week

4. Pursue the first portion of a Knitting Master degree.

5. Keep in touch with long distance friends once a week.

6. Blog at least twice a week.

7. Start a podcast.

8. Read one book a month.

9. One pair of Knitted Knockers a month.

Just little reminders to keep my life from flying away in these crazy times.

I finished the book Overseas by Beatriz Williams and now have moved onto The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick. Its been interesting comparing the show to the book, so far things are very similar and vastly different. I'm joining Ginny and Frontier Dreams this week with their Alongs.

Changing Plans

My original plan for this yarn was the WestKnits Mystery KAL, this didn't actually happen. I planned to start after the first two clues had been released, but when I saw what was knitting up I decided it really wan't my style. With that in mind I searched for another Stephen West pattern that would use all the colors that I had purchased.

On my trip to New York I picked up WestKnits Shawls Book 1 so I took a gander through the book and decided on Garter Breeze. This is the striped version of Smooth Move and I am absolutely in LOVE! I knew the colors were going to look amazing together but this just makes me smile every time I go to put it on.

I worked with all Madelinetosh yarns (for the main colors), I picked these up on a yarn crawl/road trip with my knit group, two are madtosh sock and the other two are madtosh twist light. These colors worked perfectly with Stephen's signature short row construction with a finishing i-cord.

The colors for the madtosh are Jade, Torchere, Found Pottery and Plunge. I did run out of my main color (found pottery) and added in orange Sweet Georgia in Tough Love Sock, I'm so happy I had this on hand and it matched well with the other colors.

My i-cord was knit with leftover yarn from another WestKnits project; which again, this grey just fit perfectly as the finishing touch. I am enamored with how finished shawls look with an i-cord edging, just a step up with how clean the lines are. As always, there will be a new WestKnits shawl on the needles soon!

12 Socks of Christmas!

Well, not actually. There are three finished pairs and I am seriously happy about the amount of Christmas socks that I knit. This KAL was hosted by Sara from Love Sock Wool Podcast and this was the first year that I participated. So without further ado, here are the three pairs of Christmas socks I completed in 2016.

I organized a sock KAL at my yarn shop for the months of November and December, we all used Cascade Heritage Prints in the Holiday colorway but each person used whatever pattern they wanted too. I had so much fun seeing what all my knitting ladies came up with!

The only special portion to this sock was adding in a contrast heel so my stripes would stay in order. I <3 them!

The second pair I finished were purchased at my local fiber festival and are definitely a sport weight sock. I'm pleased as punch with the colors that are in the Blue Moon Fiber club colorway. I would love to dye some self-striping sock yarn to match the colors in these ones.

The last pair that I finished were a test dye for LunaPurl Yarns and I will be wearing them all year long. Although Andrea changed the colorway a bit, I definitely think this is going to be a great seller for her!

I did join a brand new book club! The first book that we've read, I just recently finished was The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I thoroughly enjoyed the book but I found it a bit slow to start in the beginning. Can't wait to start our next book! So I'm joining Ginny and Frontier Dreams in their "Alongs" for this week!

All the Socks Still

I've been working away on more socks, surprise! These ones were a quick knit that was sent to me from my #fibreshare partner Sophia .

I've been finding that I wear tall socks at work and out of the house but prefer shorties/shorter socks for hanging out in the house. This yarn fit perfectly because I had just over 50 grams which is short socks for me. The yarn is Manos del Uruguay Alegria, not sure which colorway but it's amazing!

I had no idea that this colorway was going to knit up the way these socks turned out. I have a couple more hanks of Alegria that I can't wait to knit up now and see how they turn out! I'm also so pleased with how the contrast cuff and heel look with this awesome rainbow.

Eye of partridge heel (from Hermione Everyday Socks) is so pretty, it doesn't matter if the yarn is variegated, solid, or stripes this heel looks amazing. I'll have a new post up soon with my Christmas sock progress!

5 Sock WIP's...Wednesday!

That's right folks, I currently have FIVE socks wips going! Four of them are cast-on's for my trip to Rhinebeck, and the other one was cast-on for LoveSockWool Twelve Socks of Christmas KAL! Yay! More KALS!

Obviously I'm really excited to participating in KALs still. All my socks are knit on US 1.5 needles with either 64 or 68 stitches, heel flap and gusset and traditional wedge toe!

I have my Stephen socks in special edition Hedgehog Fibers from my summer Yarn Along. This gorgeous speckled heaven was in a shawl but the yarn really needed to be socks so I frogged the shawl and cast on these amazing socks!

My second sock WIP I brought on my trip is my Fairy socks out of Peepaloo Fields I am so in love with this colorway! The best part is I have two more hanks for a shawl!

The last sock WIP I brought to Rhinebeck with me is the Lorna's Laces sock yarn inspired by The Hobbit! This actually is a variegated yarn that spiraled into these amazing colors, I'm not usually a fan of pooling but this came out so well.

Once I got back from my trip I had to cast-on this fall inspired sock yarn that was given to me. I'm finding the yarn a little thin but so nice to knit with, it's a BFL, cashmere, silk blend and I can't wait to have them on my feet.

Last week I cast-on for the 12 socks of Christmas KAL. The first sock is Cascade Heritage Prints Holidays colorway. We are knitting these as a KAL in the yarn shop I work at, out Thursday night knit group ladies are all knitting socks out of this yarn. So the shop KAL plays nicely with the KAL for Sara @ LoveSockWool.

These definitely aren't my only WIPs but they are the ones that have my main focus. Joining Ginny and Frontier Dreams with their "Along's" I've just started reading a new book about the history of knitting during war time and I've paused my reading of Harry Potter until I can give the illustrations a little more time.

Indie Dyer in the House!

Just like the title says, a new indie dyer is in the house...not really! In the last two months my mom and I have been experimenting with dyeing our own yarn! (Not that I really needed more yarn to add to stash) It's been an extremely fun way to dive into another part of this wonderful yarn universe.

We've started off using icing dyes purchased from Michael's and blank yarn from Knit Picks (merino/nylon and merino/nylon/stellina) which have worked out perfectly for us!

I've only dyed yarn one other time before my mom and I had started. The first was with my friend Andrea, Luna Purl, who owns an etsy shop and is a dye master! So, my mom and I are essentially newbees to everything but the internet is a great resource!

This is our first time using the dye pots. We wanted Halloween yarn to make some socks! It was a success and a fail at the same time, we got some dye but not enough vinegar so it didn't set well. The colors ended up a bit light for us so I set about doing some more research.

This is try number 2! We dyed the yarn outside instead of the kitchen, added WAY more vinegar and had smashing success! We dyed sock blanks first and set the dye in the steamer, so much easier than letting it heat in the pot. While those were setting I attempted speckles but got more of a splashy effect so we tried a different speckling technique for my moms and the speckles were perfect!

The last time I used the dye pots was just me out in the backyard. This was the first time I dyed two hanks to look the same and the first time I was over-dyeing a previously dyed hank of yarn. I have to say, they turned out very close! This was also the first time I tried for variegated yarn (this is one I tried dip-dyeing with) which is the pink and yellow hank. So far the yarn dyeing adventure has been super fun! I need to purchase more blank yarn to experiment with...and maybe some new bases too!

#slowfashionoctober

So, this is my introduction post for slow fashion October. If you haven't heard anything about the movement here is the original post and idea maker Karen Templar (link).

I find slow fashion kind of a tricky topic to address, not because of the idea behind it but because of my own feelings toward my purchasing habits and making. I love the idea of a streamlined wardrobe that matches my personality, making, and creativity. My hang up is, I don't know my style. I know what I might like it to be, I know what I find I 'mood board' about but it's not one cohesive style. I fall into two 'categories' if you will, modern vintage and casual crafty.

Most days I'm dressed in high-wasted skirt and top or a knee length dress. Other days you'll find me in a cute top, jeans, Birkenstock's and hand knit socks. I guess I'm not really sure how to 'make' for this wardrobe.

Slow fashion for me is knowing who my yarn and fabric come from. Not so much as what plant they were produced in, but what shop/family/business am I supporting when I make a purchase. Is it some nameless big box or a small local shop on my travels or the area I live in?

Money, for me, is a significant factor on where, when, and who I can buy from. This month for #slowfashionoctober I will be focusing on cultivating my style so my purchasing and making head towards a capsule wardrobe that will last me for years. Instead of making impulse and fast fashion/fad purchasing. Even knitting has fads and popularity trends that may look great now but won't hold my interest for the future.

For myself, I'm coming to the realization that my wardrobe doesn't need to look like everyone else. My capsule wardrobe doesn't have to be black, tan, gray, and cream. It can be army green, cranberry, cream, and denim. I just need to find what works for me not what works and looks good on others.

I'm me and I'm proud of that, so I need to figure out where I fit in this industry not where I think I should fit. Other than finding my style over the month I'm searching for the answer to this question:

          What do you do with your hand knits where they've become too worn?

Slow fashion October is a shift in mindset, and shift in making, and a shift in purchasing. I need to remember this shift wont happen in a month. This is a lifetime commitment that will flow and change and take some getting used to.

I think I'm up for the challenge.