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The last few days have been very productive dyeing days. I think the dyeing goddess was looking out for me. I'm afraid to count the days until my next event, but I know it's coming at me like a runaway train. I'll take any help I can get.
Part of my dyeing time was spent on multicolored skeins.
These colorways, dyed in lots of two, are all one of a kind.
Since I don't intend to repeat these specific colorways, I kept very sketchy notes when dyeing them - something I never do. I've learned the hard way that if I want to reproduce a colorway, I need to keep detailed notes.
Instead this project was a good exercise to test new color combinations, and I'm sure that I'll do it again. It was fun to play around and not worry about the details. I felt like a kid with a new box of crayons.
I also spent time dyeing up new colors for Lucia. These will be unveiled as soon as I have pictures taken.
I've made progress on Milkweed Shawl although it's hard to see. I keep ticking off the rows, but somehow it doesn't seem to be much bigger. I'm in that black hole phase where no matter how much knitting I do, it doesn't seem to make much difference. But I have faith I'll get to the other side. I'm beginning to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.
I leave you this Monday morning with a story of community knitting in action. The town of Cardigan, Wales decided to knit a cardigan to celebrate the town's 900th anniversary. The finished product is truly amazing and definitely one of a kind. You can read all about it here.
Today is St. Distaff's Day, the first day following the twelve days of Christmas signaling a return to the normal work routine for women. The origins of this day date to pre-industrial Europe at a time when there wasn't factory-made cloth or commercially spun yarn. Everything had to be spun by hand, and women were always spinning to meet the needs of their households. Can you imagine? It sounds like more than a full time job.
The distaff is one of the tools used for spinning. In an attempt to soften the blow of returning to work the day was jokingly referred to as St. Distaff's Day. There wasn't a real saint named Distaff. It's interesting, but not surprising, that men did not have to return to work until several days later on Plough Monday. You can read more about it here. Some present day spinning groups and fiber guilds hold events to mark St. Distaff's Day.
I've had a change of heart with my most recent booth sample knitting. Make that a change of color. Last you saw I was cruising along with the blue - which, by the way, is Lillian Cerulean. I love this color but for some reason wasn't loving it in this pattern. I had an inkling of this at about row 20 but kept right on going, thinking that if I knit just a little bit more the color would be what I had envisioned for this pattern. It wasn't. Somewhere after row 50 I admitted that I had pictured this pattern in a darker color. I did what any self-respecting knitter would do and started over with a different color.
I'm now just past the point where I had stopped with the Cerulean. This yarn is Lillian Purple Potion. The pattern, even though you can't see much of it yet, is Milkweed Shawl. Having now worked well over 100 rows of this pattern I can say that I'm in sync with the rhythm of this design. It's mostly garter stitch with a little yarn over and decrease combination for texture. I'm on a roll.
My color inspiration for the week is part of a watercolor collage and reminds me of the Cerulean I was knitting with. I've come to appreciate watercolors more and more over the years.
Colors in motion, shifting and blending.
We live in a day and age where people often have crazy busy schedules. And we add more to our schedules - juggle this here, run a little faster there. But the hours of a day are finite. Some days it's not possible to add one more thing to the daily to-do list.
In the last 24 hours I've had two friends say no to longstanding commitments. One friend hosts a weekly gathering in her home and needs to take a break. Life has become overwhelming and something has to give. Another friend has given up writing her blog to pursue other forms of writing and to spend time with her grandchildren. There isn't enough time to do it all. While I will miss attending the weekly get-together and reading the blog, I admire these two women for saying no. I will remember them when the day comes and I have to say no to one more meeting, one more event, one more carpool.
On the needles . . . I've started one of several new booth samples.
Another shawlette. I'm enjoying the soothing rhythm of the mostly garter rows. I'm still at the point where the rows are zipping along, but that will shift with a few more increase rows. More pictures and details to follow.
For knitters on the road . . . If you're traveling and find yourself faced with a knitting emergency, turn to Where's My Yarn for help. You can search for yarn stores by state, keyword or address. Very handy.
It's Monday morning, and the holidays are officially over. After all the planning, preparation and anticipation it's always a bit of a let down. That's why it's a good thing to have lots of work lined up. There's nothing like a full schedule to get you back in the swing of things.
In preparation for the week ahead I did some work over the weekend. I will be dyeing later this week, so I spent time getting yarn ready for the pots. After a short break from dyeing over the holidays I'm back in the groove.
I also posted all of the Dirty Water DyeWorks yarn on Ravelry. If you're interested, you can find it here. Another thing off my to-do list.
Somehow I didn't get as much knitting done as I had anticipated - probably because I was working on all of the above. I do have something ready and waiting for me.
This will be a new project, a new booth sample. By the way the mug is the work of Jennie the Potter. Check out her Etsy shop - she also makes knitting related pottery.
Have you ever seriously considered becoming a shepherd? Do you have the space for a flock? Susan from Juniper Moon Farm is having a Flock Giveaway. Actually she's giving away two flocks. Be sure to pop over and take a look. Even if you're not interested in entering, it's fascinating to follow the process and see who wins the flocks.
We had a bit of a celebration on New Year's Eve complete with hats, horns and confetti. I woke up on New Year's Day to find this - remnants from the night before.
Party glitter.
It's that time of year. We're getting ready to close the books on one year and start fresh with a clean slate. I've been busy organizing my desk and work space - creating order out of chaos and gearing up for another busy, productive year. At least I know I'll be off to a good start in the new year.
I'm not one to make resolutions for the new year. I prefer to take it as it comes, to roll with the punches. I try to value each and every day because today is all I have and tomorrow may never come. This past year was loaded with many challenges and obstacles. There were decisions that had to be made, and I had to make some difficult choices. Life is full of choices - some easier than others. While I have no regrets and won't dwell on the negative aspects of 2010, I'm more than happy to bid this year adieu. I have vowed that I will leave 2010 reflecting on the positive.
Thankfully my most pressing choice this week has been deciding which color to use for my new booth sample.
The downside to being a dyer - if there is one - is that I have so many color options. I'm surrounded by different yarn blends in an array of colors. At times there are too many choices. I've narrowed it down to these four and will see if I can settle on one by the end of the day. These are the fun choices in life.
Mother Nature did not disappoint with the storm earlier this week.
The winds piled up a snow drift in front of a second floor window and created many beautiful snow sculptures.
The storm provided my color inspiration for the week, a gray and white combination that is seen only in winter.
Icy lace.
Wishing you all the best in the new year. May your choices be easy.
With the holidays behind us there's a sense of relief. And freedom. While I have a couple of gifts I need to finish knitting, I feel I can start a new knitting project without any pangs of guilt. I suddenly feel I have more time on my hands. If I stop to think about it, I realize I don't have more time - but I can dream.
Yesterday I started contemplating new projects. I want to start a new sweater in the worst way, and I have yarn for several sweaters ready and waiting. The reality is I need a new hat, and a pair of mittens would be nice too. The reality is I have a couple of new booth samples in the works and loads of yarn to dye. So I've scaled back my ambitions - for the moment anyway.
I have to share this knitting related discovery from the world of Lego. My daughter was examining a Lego set in the Harry Potter series.
This is Mrs. Weasley. In the Harry Potter books Mrs. Weasley is a knitter. If you look closely, you'll see knitting needles and yarn in her apron pocket. Kudos to Lego for attention to detail.
The winter storm that started yesterday continues to snow and blow today. This was the scene from my front steps earlier this morning.
A winter wonderland. It's a good day to start that new hat.
'Tis the season for baking. Baking and eating. We have a long list of cookies that we bake every holiday season. One of the cookies I enjoy baking is springerle, a German cookie made with molds or a rolling pin.
I use a rolling pin.
There are hand cut impressions all around the pin.
Animals.
Designs.
The owl is one of my favorites.
First I roll out the dough with a smooth rolling pin. Then I use the springerle rolling pin.
Little cookies ready to be separated. The cookies sit for several hours before baking. I grew up with anise flavored springerle. The cookies are placed on a baking sheet that's been sprinkled with anise seed. The anise seed bakes into the bottom of the cookies. Not everyone in my house appreciates anise seed the way I do, so I'll probably make another batch with either almond or lemon flavoring.
When I haven't been baking, I've been knitting. The Cabled Keyhole Scarf has been my friend. Earlier this week I started one at knit night. By the end of the evening it was done except for a couple of rows. We won't discuss the fact that I discovered - after it had been blocked - that I had knit it with two different size needles. I can't tell the difference and I'm sure the recipient, a non-knitter, won't be able to either.
Two of three. The third one is still on the needles. And I've been blocking, but I still have a couple of things left. I can't decide if secret knitting or secret blocking is more challenging.
I have elves (kids) lined up to wrap presents. There's the matter of bringing in the tree and decorating it. And I should do some cooking unless all we want to eat is cookies.
This season is magical, but it requires a lot of work. And so I remind myself . . . amidst the flurry of activity be sure to take time to savor the moment.
