Finding Enough Time

I've just finished a big project and think I have a little breathing room. I can catch up on housework, play with new dye ideas, maybe even grab some concentrated knitting time.  Is that asking too much? Apparently so.


I've made a commitment to help my kids with a big project.  It's loads of fun, and I enjoy doing it.  While I thought I could squeeze in some other things first, I have to face the fact that there just isn't time. How often does that happen?  I'm very clever when it comes to juggling schedules, fitting in one more thing, multi-tasking to the limit. But sometimes the best laid plans don't work out.  Every once in a while I have to admit that I can't fit one more thing into the schedule.


So the dyeing will have to wait until next week.  It's not the end of the world.  I've consoled myself with the notion that sometimes it's best to let ideas marinate a little longer.


As for knitting I've had to pacify myself with these.

More wee people.  Still charming.


My color inspiration for this week comes from the sky.  I love the early morning light this time of year, so subtle and soft.

Gray trying to be blue. 

Launched

It's been crunch time the last couple of days as I've scrambled to meet a self-imposed deadline.  Writing, rewriting and rewriting yet again.  I am often a victim of the eternal edit.  And then somehow, miraculously it's time to let go.


The Dirty Water DyeWorks website is up and running.  Pop over and take a look.  To celebrate we are offering free shipping.  This is a work in progress.  More products will be added soon so be sure to check back.


Meeting a deadline like this reminds me of pregnancy and birth - fun and exciting at first but towards the end you just want it to be over. And it's always such a relief when it finally is.


While I feel I've earned some uninterrupted knitting time, now I must catch up on all the things that I let slide.  There's a mountain of dirty laundry, and I hear rumors that there isn't any food in the house.  It's enough work to make me wish I were still facing a deadline.  Almost.

Crafting

These days it's all about crafting - discussions about crafting, articles about crafting, ideas for crafting.  And then there is Pinterest.  I can't go there for fear of losing a day or two.  It must be the season.


We seem to have caught the crafting bug here.  One of my daughters has been hard at work on these.

Needle felted acorns.  Yes, those are real acorn tops.


I have several knitting projects in the works, but I managed to make time for these.

Wee people.


And so they wouldn't be lonely . . .

. . . more wee people.  I am enamored of these little gnome-like creations - they bring a smile to my face.  If I didn't have so many other pressing projects, I would sit and make them all day long. Maybe I can make a deal with myself and ration them out like candy. If I finish all my work for today, I can make three wee people.  


In the spirit of knitting small things I have to share this article with you.  Barbara Walker used to knit doll clothes for fun and relaxation. Schoolhouse Press has acquired her doll collection and has posted an online gallery of some of the dolls.  Be sure to take a look at the pictures.  The details and creativity are amazing.


I leave you with music on a Monday morning.





Way to go ladies!

Savoring Leftovers

It's the day after Thanksgiving, and the pace is more relaxed.  I do most of the cooking, and while I enjoy it, I also appreciate the leftovers and a couple of days off from kitchen duty.


Our Thanksgiving has a decidedly southwestern taste.  

The turkey is prepared with a chile pepper rub, and the stuffing is made with green chile and strips of corn tortillas.


We had many more traditional side dishes.

Butternut squash with cranberries and orange juice.

Wild rice with mushrooms.


And there was dessert.  Pies are one of my favorite things, and I go all out at Thanksgiving.

"A" is for apple.

With juice overflowing.

"B" is for blueberry.  No, I didn't work my way through the entire alphabet, but there were several more pies.


And now the long weekend stretches ahead with both work and knitting on my list.  This is when the leftovers come in handy.  


These days it's very stark and gray outside.  While we wait for snow to brighten the outdoor landscape, it's harder and harder to find much in the way of eye-catching color.  My neighbor's yard has the last glimmer of the fall hues - my color inspiration for the week.

Tiny orbs of golden yellow.

Take A Moment

Like many of you I've been on the run the last couple of days.  After various lists and several stops at the grocery store it's all done but the cooking.  I think the hardest part is collecting all the ingredients for this holiday.  The cooking and baking will be a breeze by comparison.

Somewhere along the way while I was picking up, dropping off and waiting I finished the stockinette section of Little Colonnade.

Next up is the lace section, and I'm ready for something a little less mindless.  I'm looking forward to working on this and another project or two over the long weekend.

Over the years I've come to appreciate the Thanksgiving holiday as an opportunity to pause and reflect on what's important in my life.  Take a moment.

Making A List

Over the weekend I decided to get a jump on my holiday knitting by making a list of possible ideas.  I guess if I were really getting a jump on it I would have done this in July, but for me anything done before Thanksgiving seems like a bonus.


I looked at patterns on Ravelry and consulted a short list I had compiled.  One idea led to another and another and another.  Before I knew it I was flooded with possibilities.  Then I hauled out my stash and began sifting and sorting. If nothing else it was good to take stock of my inventory.  It's nice to be reminded of what I do have.  No, I didn't take pictures and post it all on Ravelry.  That would have required all the time I have available for knitting holidays gifts - and then some.


In the end I was left with a list of real contenders for holiday gifts.  And the best part is I think I can make them all from stash.  Here are some of the ideas swirling around.


Hand coverings are at the top of my list.  The Fletcher Mittens caught my eye.  In addition to using variegated yarn they can also be made with two solid contrasting yarns.  Many options with impressive results.  Then there is Douglas - beautiful colorwork mittens with a liner.  The Bittersweet Vines pattern from Anne Hanson is another option.  This looks to be a quick knit with the added bonus of a neck warmer.  I'm also considering thrummed mittens using a pattern of my own creation.  They provide extra warmth with an inside layer of fiber.


I'm contemplating a couple of scarves.  There is the Carnival Scarf, a feminine little something with a simple pattern repeat.  I have a specific request for One Row Handspun Scarf so I know I can't go wrong with that one.


Then there are the tried and true felted slippers.  I've lost count of how many of these I've made over the years.  Very Warm Hat is also on my list.  And when I've run out of ideas, there is the pattern roundup list for further inspiration.


In addition to thinking about knitting I did some actual knitting over the weekend.  I'm on a roll with Man Mitts, another pattern that will probably make my list of holiday knitting.

I am further along than this picture shows.  I have the index finger done and am waiting for another try on to check the length.  Fingers are a bit of a nuisance but not too tedious.


I wanted to share an update shot of my Little Colonnade but that will have to wait.  I worked on it during a movie in the theater.  Knitting for more than two hours in the near dark was slow going, but I did make progress. Toward the end of the movie I could feel that something was off.  The light revealed an extra yarn over, and I had to rip out one row. I was pleased it wasn't any more than that.


And now I'm off to make another list - what I hope will be my final grocery list for the upcoming holiday.

Marking Time

Whew!  It's Friday already.  Where did the week go?  It's that time of year when the days are in a race with each other, a race to see which one can whiz by the fastest.  In the end they all go by so quickly they are but a blur in my memory.


While I can't make time slow down or stand still, I can mark time with my knitting.  If I have a meeting or an appointment, I always know I'll have time for knitting.  The time spent waiting for kids is more time for knitting.  I've started to look forward to those meetings, appointments and waits as designated time for knitting.  While I can't always control the pace of my days, I can sweeten them a bit with time for knitting.


Last weekend I cast on another round of projects.  Most of them have received attention off and on over the week.  The Man Mitts are coming along nicely.  I don't have a decent picture - maybe next time. They seem like they will be a good fit, but only time will tell.


My obsession with Pogona is still going strong.  I made a Gourd colored one but am reserving that one as a booth sample.  I had no choice but to cast on another one for myself.

This gray colorway, Pumice, is equally as striking as the Gourd.  I had a bit of a hiccup while doing set up rows during a meeting, but I'm back on track now.  I love the rhythm of this pattern - relaxing but not totally mindless.  I'm about to start the third section which will carry me to the end.


My color inspiration for the week comes from a park where the wooden fence posts are covered with this moss-like growth.

 Day-glo green.  A striking contrast to brown leaves and bare trees.