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It's time to close out another year, and I've been busy trying to get everything in order. The other day I had to admit to myself that I can't get it all done before the clock strikes midnight tonight. There will be lingering paperwork, an unfilled order or two . . . plenty of work for starting the new year.
I did make some progress in creating order out of chaos. Take my work table. Between a couple late season shows and the holidays, this table became a dumping ground.
Before.
After. There's nothing like a clean work surface to greet the new year.
I'm more than happy to bid 2014 adieu. This has been a challenging year on so many levels. I don't want to tempt fate, but surely it can't get any worse. There have been some positive nuggets along the way, and I'll cling to those going into the new year.
I have a wide array of knitting projects in progress, but for today I'm working on one that has a little twinkle.
It's hard to see in the picture, but this yarn has a silvery shimmer - a festive yarn. Tonight as I toast the new year, I will say goodbye to a dark 2014 and will look ahead to 2015 and a year full of promise.
Happy New Year, Everyone! May the days ahead be bright.
The holiday schedule has turned my internal calendar upside down. For the past few days, I've been guessing and second-guessing the day of the week, and I've been wrong with almost every try.
This morning I lingered in bed past my usual wake up time only to startle myself back to reality. Yes, it truly is Monday, and that means it's time to get back to work. It's hard to make that shift because certainly the confusion will be back in full force later this week, but for now I'm embracing Monday because I have a lot of work to do.
If you take a peek at the right column, you'll see I've updated my 2015 events list. I've posted only the first couple events - there will be more to come. Knitting Weekend has the distinction of being the first event of the year, and it's coming at me in a few short weeks. No more lingering in bed, that's for sure.
All of this means I had no business doing this.
No matter which direction I turn, I have a project staring me in the face, and yet I had to wind yarn for another one. It's just a pair of socks, I reasoned with myself, and a simple pair of socks at that. I'm sure I'll find a way to squeeze in a few rounds here and there.
For now, it's time to get back to work. The first item for today is research, and it involves Ravelry. Not a bad way to start the work week.
Whew! We made it to the other side of the Christmas holiday. We exchanged presents, shared good food and drink. Best of all we had family time without distraction - no work, no running around, no schedule, no appointments. There was even time for trivia games and puzzles. I'm sure we would benefit from more days like this.
I have plenty of work lined up, but with the weekend right around the corner, I can ease into a regular routine. This is part of my transition.
I have a little bit of holiday knitting to finish up - the perfect excuse to camp out on the couch. This cabley scarf is really pretty quick. The only drawback is the black color my daughter requested. I've designated it for daytime knitting.
To wrap up the year on a positive note, I'm excited to announce that WEBS is now carrying my yarn. This project has been brewing for a while, so I'm happy to finally share the news. WEBS has custom colors of Bertha and Mavis in stock. Hop over and check it out.
December is drawing to a close, and it's time for the monthly giveaway. To enter, leave a comment. Now that the holidays are over, what are you knitting for yourself? Any knitting goals for the new year? Please include your Ravelry ID for easy contact. The winner, chosen at random, will receive a skein of yarn from Dirty Water DyeWorks - winner's choice. The contest closes on Friday, January 2, 2015.
This time of year I light candles to chase away the shadows, and they are this week's color inspiration.
The soft glow of the season.
It's almost party time, and there's still plenty to do - a bit of wrapping, plenty of cooking and baking, a quick dance with the vacuum cleaner. Yes, I still have a couple holiday projects on the needles, but I've embraced it as an element of my gift-giving tradition. And I can't forget the stollen. I use my great-aunt's recipe, and it's part of our holiday ritual.
One thing that's finished is the tree. It's decorated from top to bottom with a quirky, eclectic mix of ornaments . . . reminders of holiday celebrations past.
Some of my favorite ornaments are the handmade ones.
Little hands and big hands have all made a contribution to our ornament collection.
If you're looking for a break from your own holiday preparations, check out this video. 'The Warmest Tim Hortons in Canada' is about yarn bombing, community and warmth.
At the end, follow the link for the making of the video. It shows a behind-the-scenes time lapse.
With that, I'm off to pull together all my loose ends. If you observe the holiday, enjoy your festivities!
The running around never ends, and I'm working on holiday knitting in the midst of various appointments and meetings.
This scarf has been making the rounds with me. The color matches our winter sky, so I feel very in sync with Mother Nature. I am making progress - it's just not fast enough. I'm done with my holiday social obligations, and the only shopping left is another grocery store run. Later today I should be able to put my feet up and log some concentrated knitting time. It's always a mad dash to the holiday finish line.
Over the weekend I was a vendor at the gather here Holiday Market. It was a party complete with decorations, music and gourmet grilled cheese. I didn't take nearly enough pictures, but here's a smattering.
And now I'm off to get busy. I don't want to cross that holiday finish line empty-handed.
I wish I had finished holiday gifts for show and tell. A quick moving bug knocked me out of commission for a good 24 hours and took with it any energy I had for knitting. Today I'm back on my feet - which is a good thing since I'm vending tomorrow. If you're in the Boston area, you really don't want to miss the Holiday Market hosted by the lovely folks at gather here. This event features a collection of vendors with a wide array of goods. Get out and support your local makers.
I do have one finished project to share - something just for me.
First Snowfall.
Once again I don't have a model. It's hard to find help this time of year.
This was a quick hat - substantial ribbing followed with a little colorwork. The ribbing folds up to make this hat extra warm and cozy. Easy-peasy. If you're in the market for a quick holiday gift, this just might be the ticket.
The yarn is Petite Clara, colorways Acorn and Chartreuse. The blue is Edna Tide Pool and in real life is a bit darker than what you see in these pictures.
The colorwork requires very little yardage and is a great way to use up odds and ends. Yes, that's our Christmas tree. It's still outside leaning against the shed. I think it's time to call in reinforcements for holiday preparations.
Packages tied up with string ribbon . . . this week's color inspiration.
A little bit of everything.
Over the years I've become more and more selective with my holiday knitting. I've pared down the list to include only those who are knit-worthy . . . those who will really appreciate and use what I give them.
When it comes to my immediate family, I started taking requests. I don't want to knit someone a hat if what they really need and will use are mittens. Earlier this fall I suggested to my family that if anyone had a specific request, they should let me know. My strategy was to plan ahead and avoid crunch knitting at the very end. The response was meager, but I didn't take it personally. My schedule has been extra hectic the last few months. Maybe the universe was cutting me some slack.
Then this past weekend I got 3 or 4 requests. "You know, I could really use a new scarf. Something with fringe." "Remember that cowl I saw on display at the yarn shop?" "My hands are really cold these days since I lost one of the mitts you knit last year." Lost one of the mitts? You didn't retrace your steps and search high and low for it?!?
My strategy had clearly failed, but there's no use crying over lost knitting time. I went digging for yarn and got busy.
I know. This is a pathetic start, but it's a start. And I still haven't found yarn for all the requested projects. Never fear. I'm going back to the stash. Maybe if I dig a little deeper . . .
