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Out with the old, in with the new. I've been busy tying up loose ends for a fresh start in the new year. As I get ready to ring in another year, it's a good opportunity to pause and reflect on the outgoing year.
It was a busy, inspiring, eventful year for Dirty Water DyeWorks. From Sock Summit to Rhinebeck and everything in between . . . it was fun to meet so many of you in person at events in New England and beyond. The 2012 calendar is filling up, and it promises to be another year with plenty of travel and adventure.
New yarn lines will be offered in the coming year along with fresh colorways and kits. Some items will be retired to make way for the new. It's all part of the process.
In business and in life it's often good to cast your net wide. There's a certain thrill because you never know what will come back. Sometimes there are disappointments, often times there are surprises. And there's always the challenge to make the best of the situation and move forward.
I'm reminded on a daily basis that inspiration can be found almost anywhere - even amidst the junk mail.
Paper snowflake magic.
Best wishes for the new year and the challenges ahead.
This week between Christmas and New Year's Day isn't a vacation week for me. I have plenty to do, but I am working at a relaxed pace. In addition to a little dyeing and a lot of paperwork I'm concentrating on knitting the last of the holiday gifts.
The other day I spent time plotting and planning a cozy, colorwork hat. This was going to be a fun, entertaining project. Then I hit a snag. I did the numbers and realized that I didn't have enough yarn. It turns out the recipient would rather have Pop Up Paws instead, and I have the yarn ready and waiting. That was an easy fix.
And I've been knitting away on these almost mindless fingerless mitts.
I finished one in no time at all.
Without giving it a thought I cast on the second one.
This was going to be a snap. I was going to hand over these mitts and cross another gift off my list.
Then I hit another snag.
Yes, I ran out of yarn. I'm so close - all I need is enough yarn for 10 rounds on the hand and a bit of a thumb. I convinced myself that one ball was going to be enough, but I should have known better. These mitts are for my son, and he has huge hands - hands the size of my forearm.
I have another ball of this yarn. I think I have another ball of this yarn. Later today I'll be stash diving to find the other ball. Or a close substitute.
In the blink of an eye the Christmas holiday has come and gone. All that planning and preparation requires a certain amount of fortitude, perseverance and focus. Hours and hours of work - and then it's over.
It was an enjoyable holiday.
A good time was had by all.
I woke this morning with a huge feeling of relief. Now that the I don't have holiday planning on my plate, I have a flood of ideas for new knitting projects. All those patterns and yarns that I had to tuck away have suddenly surfaced. Dye pot experiments with new yarns and colors are calling.
Fun times ahead.
'Tis the season to be jolly. It's also the season to be frantically busy and crabby. In an attempt to reduce the stress of the holidays I've let go of unrealistic expectations. Instead I'm focusing on the simple things that matter.
The tree is up and decorated with lights.
We'll hang the ornaments either today or tomorrow.
My basket of holiday knitting is still overflowing. I've already warned recipients that they'll get their gifts when they are finished.
Note that I haven't done any wrapping. The gifts under the tree came in the mail.
The kids and I have done a lot of baking.
Now that we've gifted all of these, we need to bake more for ourselves.
This was a group project.
A gingerbread train.
Complete with colorful topper.
The house is decorated.
Paper chains.
A smiling snowman.
Today I'll enlist the help of elves for the wrapping, baking and decorating that still needs to be done. And I'll give myself time with that basket of knitting.
The sights and sounds of the holidays have plenty to offer in the way of color inspiration.
Lively lights.
'Tis the season. For those who observe the holiday, may you have a meaningful celebration.
Winter solstice is upon us. Darkness. The long night. I celebrate these dark days by lighting many candles - warm, cozy light to chase away the shadows.
Marking the winter solstice is a ritual of hope - hope that the sun will return and the daylight will grow longer.
I am usually full of hope. While I no longer have hope that these socks destined for men's size 12 feet will be done in time for holiday gifting, I do have hope that some day they will be finished.
And I have hope that the light will return and the cycle of seasons will continue. Embrace the dark for out of the dark comes light.
If you're in the process of knitting holiday gifts, you may be at the point where it's time to abandon more elaborate items in favor of a quick project. Set aside the complex Fair Isle sweater and the intricate lace. What you need is something that you can finish before the holidays.
A hat is often a good solution in situations like this.
I opted for the basic 2 x 2 ribbed hat. The pattern is mind-numbingly simple - knit 2, purl 2. I must admit that the other night I found this easy stitch combination a bit challenging. I blame it on my sleep deprived state, the hockey game I was watching or both. In any event I got back on track and finished without any problems. I can cross off another gift from my list. You can find patterns for similar hats here and here.
Carry on with your holiday knitting and don't give up hope. It's still early in the week.
It's that time of year when I have a crazy number of knitting projects in the works. I should spend each and every waking moment with needles in hand. If there were knitting police, they would hand me a ticket for knitting to the point of no return. Every project I complete is an accomplishment. Plus it frees up another pair of needles.
Scrunchie Hat.
This design is the work of Lucy Neatby.
Her well-written, thorough patterns never disappoint.
Scrunchie includes instructions for a variety of sizes and different weights of yarn. There's even a headband version.
And there are options for endless color combinations. Or a solid colored hat if that's what you prefer. I'm already thinking of color combinations for my own hat.
The yarn is Dirty Water DyeWorks Edna.
Royal, Mauve and Lupine.
Edna is a Polwarth / Silk blend that produces rich, subtle color variations.
It's a treat to work with.
The pattern includes several finishing options for the top.
I couldn't resist the colorful pom-pom.
The weekend is upon us. If you're holiday shopping in the Cambridge / Boston area, check out the Handmade Holiday Show tomorrow (Saturday) at Gather Here. It's a great opportunity to buy local and handmade.
Often the color that stands out is the one that grabs your attention. My color inspiration for the week looks even more vibrant in contrast with the surrounding earth tones.
Eye-catching moss green.
