Something New

I've been on desk duty today with a long list of emails and paperwork.  It's been a slog, but I managed to check a few things off my list.

Earlier this afternoon I took a wee break to browse on Ravelry and to cast on something new.  Just enough to take the edge off.

I still have a few urgent emails to attend to, so I tucked this little project away.  Back to the grind.

Monday Optimism

It's hard to get back in the swing of things after a long, holiday weekend.  My recovery is going to take a couple days.  I purposely avoided my inbox, and now it's a slog to wade through all the junk.  The delete button is my friend.

If you placed an order over the weekend, many thanks. The free shipping offer is still running today.  Hop over to the website.  It's a good time to grab supplies for holiday gift knitting or to get a little something for yourself.

I did most of the cooking for the holiday, but after Thursday I stayed out of the kitchen as much as possible. That left me with some downtime.  I focused on several knitting projects and came one step closer to casting on something new.

I'm usually pretty good about swatching, but it's especially important with this project since I'm straying a bit from the recommended yarn weight.  I have some math to do, but I think I can make this work.  At this point, I'm still optimistic. 

Thankful

Holiday prep is a lot of work.  The last pie is out of the oven, and I'm settling in for the long weekend.

Small Business Saturday is this weekend, and once again we're offering free shipping.

We're making a long weekend of it and running the special from Friday through Monday.  No code needed.

I have ambitious knitting plans for the weekend.

Yes, they include more hot pink.  I haven't had enough yet.

Even though there are many ups and downs in life, I try to remain positive.  If you're celebrating tomorrow, take time to pause and reflect.  There's so much to be thankful for. Enjoy your time with family and friends!

Hot Pink Crosses the Finish Line

The story of the hot pink yarn continues today.  Estrella wanted a headband to wear for the Philadelphia Marathon on Sunday.

I cast on the headband before we hit the road.  I had a feeling the knitting would be my responsibility too, and sure enough, I knit all the way to Philadelphia.  It's not very often I get to sit in the passenger seat.  I had other plans for my travel knitting, but when duty called, I shifted gears.

The headband was ready for the race early Sunday morning.  Estrella made a good call with the headband. The weather was cold and blustery.  Perfect wool weather.

The hot pink headband was both colorful and practical.  It was a challenging run, but Estrella stuck with it.  Her determination and perseverance paid off.  Cheers to crossing the finish line!

A Yarn Emergency

Yesterday my daughter, Estrella, had the bright idea for a last-minute knitting project that required hot pink yarn. Since I didn't have any hot pink yarn ready and waiting, I scrambled to dye some.

Today the yarn is ready.  Estrella said she'll do the knitting, but time is tight.  Since she needs this early Sunday morning, I'll cast on and get her started.  I have a feeling I'll be doing most of the knitting.

The leaves are off the trees, but I'm savoring the fall foliage colors one more time for this week's color inspiration.

Rhinebeck cheer.

Project Update

I had plans to tackle a swatch and start a new project, but life has sent me in a different direction.  Instead of starting something new, there's been sitting and waiting and zooming.

So I've been working on this project.

This is Sophie Shawl (Ravelry link).  I had a false start and went back to the beginning with a different size needle.  I like it much better now.  

This project kept popping up all over my social media feeds, and now I understand why.  It doesn't require too much thought which is perfect for the moment.  I'm still itching for something new . . . maybe later in the week.

Research and Swatching

Yesterday I had some unexpected free time on my hands. It's usually dangerous for me to have several hours without a purpose.  I ended up on Ravelry for a while a long time, and afterward I pulled this little pile.

I like to compare colors when I'm making a choice. Research is important, so I also took an informal poll of my household.  

This is the result of the poll.

Dark Chocolate was my initial choice, and it's nice the "research" confirmed my instincts.  Next up, swatching. 

Ranunculus

I'm wrapping up the week with a quick sample spotlight.

Ranunculus (Ravelry link).

This sweater was on the road with me this fall.  The pattern includes several different options, and it's easy to customize.  Many people have made it.  Check the project pages on Ravelry for inspiration.  It's a fun, quick knit.

The yarn is Lillian held with Shimmer, both in From the Bog.

I'm starting to wrap my head around the fact that the holidays are right around the corner.  I haven't done any decorating, but I need to get going.  This week's color inspiration puts me in the mood for Thanksgiving.

Shades of orange.

Short Week Scramble

After a hectic weekend, I had visions of a relaxed work week.  My planning is off because I didn't account for the Friday holiday.  Yesterday I realized the Post Office will be closed on Friday, so now I'm scrambling to ship as many orders as possible before then.

I did get a new project up and running.

It's just a wee thing right now, but I'll post pictures soon. And of course there are several other new projects in the planning stages.

Also, if you're thinking of joining the Thrummed Mitten Zoom class next week, there's still time to get in on the fun.  Follow the link for all the details.

More Coffee

I had such a fun weekend at Fiber Festival of New England.  A huge thank you to everyone who stopped by the booth!  It was great to touch base with so many people.

Here's a quick glimpse of the booth.

I'm trying to organize my work week, but I'm moving slowly today.  More coffee is in order.

More Thrummed Mittens

This has turned into an extremely busy week, but I want to check in with a quick website update.  Back by popular demand is another Kit and Class offering for Thrummed Mittens.

These cozy mittens are made by knitting bits of fiber into the fabric.  The fiber then creates a layer of insulation.

We've teamed up with knitting instructor Hélène Driesen to offer a Zoom class to go along with the kit. The class is scheduled for November 16, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM Eastern.

The kits are available in several colors and include yarn, fiber, pattern and Zoom instruction.  They'll be available this weekend at Fiber Festival of New England, Booth 432/33 East.  You can also order kits on the website.

In knitting news, I'm on the second sleeve of my sweater. The race is on to finish by this weekend.