Resolutions

Today’s the day for resolutions, and after seeing my stash I’m going to focus on my knitting/crafting resolutions. I’ve come to realize I don’t like having a large stash. Seeing all that yarn is a little overwhelming, and I need to make a serious dent in it.

So here are my crafting goals for 2015:

• knit only from stash
• no more than four projects on the go at any given time:
  1. hexipuffs
  2. knitting
  3. spinning, or a second knitting project
  4. one other craft project (sewing, cross stitch, etc.)
• spend time with Mabel every month
• only three yarn purchases in 2015, and only if it’s from local yarn stores – I’d like to say I’ll avoid purchasing any yarn, but I know that’s going to be hard to stick to, plus there’s a great yarn store near work and I like to support local businesses

So there you have it, I’m hoping that putting it out there for all to see will help me stick to it. I think the hardest one to stick to will be limiting the number of projects I have going at any single time, and the definition of that one is a bit vague. Just so long as I don’t end up with another eight half-finished projects.

Just in Time

I said I’d finish it this year, and I did.

The finished afghan

This is the last project on my WIP list, aside from the Beekeeper’s Quilt (which is going to take several years anyway, that’s just the nature of scrap projects). Now I can start 2015 with a clean slate. It’s odd, I don’t really know what to do now. I have plans for so many projects, and I want to start something new, but no single yarn or pattern is calling out to me. I think I’m just going to work on some hexipuffs until I decide what to do next.

The Stash

Every year my favourite online yarn store, Knit Picks, holds a massive Cyber Monday sale. Every year I stock up for future projects. And that is how a stash grows. This year I was strong and didn’t buy anything (of course, the fact that I was at work when the sale started, thereby missing out on some of the best items, helped in that regard). When I though about it I realized that a significant portion of my stash is yarn I bought during past sales, yarn that’s been in my stash for two or more years. I decided it was time I haul it out and remind myself what’s actually there. Are you ready?

Making Progress

I’m making progress on that blanket, it’s almost three feet already and almost half of that is recent progress. It’s a stretch, but I’m going to try and finish it before the new year so I can start 2015 with a clean slate. Wish me luck!

Blanket progress

Comfort Knitting

The next thing on my WIP list is my ripple afghan. It’s just as big as the shawl (perhaps bigger?), but it’s worsted yarn and almost all garter stitch so it’s just breezing along. After the challenge of shawl it’s nice to have mindless knitting while I re-watch some favourite Corner Gas episodes.

Comfort Knitting

Annndd DONE!

My Fall Seasons Shawl is washed and blocked and officially DONE!

I love the design of this, Nina Isaacson and the Knit Picks team really outdid themselves with this one. It starts off with a ‘Falling Leaves’ section where the colour of the leaves slowly changes from green to orange and red, just like in autumn.

Falling Leaves

The End of an Era

My Fall Seasons Shawl – before blocking

After more than two years I’ve finally done it – I’ve finished my Fall Seasons Shawl. I know it doesn’t look like much right now, but that’s because it still needs blocking. After a good soaking and stretching it’ll look much better. Stay tuned!

It was a dark and stormy night…

Making progress on the Fall Seasons Shawl

Not really. I woke up this morning to the most brilliant sunshine I’ve seen in a long time. Upon opening the curtains I realized why it was so bright – there was a thin layer of snow on everything, reflecting the light like thousands of diamonds. It seems fitting that I’ve finally reached the ‘icicle’ section of my Seasons Shawl. I just have 13 rows left, and that’s including the bind-off row. The end is in sight!

Slow and Steady

I’ve gotten back to work on my Fall Seasons Shawl. Looking at my notes I realized there were less than 5o rows to go. No problem, I thought, I can finish this up in a few days.

Was I ever wrong!

My Fall Seasons Shawl

Seasons Shawl

This is project #6 on my WIP list. It’s the Fall Seasons Shawl from Knitpicks. It’s a big complicated project that’s been languishing for almost two(!) whole years now. I’m sure once I get back into it it’ll be okay, but right now I need to figure out what exactly I was doing. Lucky for me I made notes, placed lifelines, and used plenty of stitch markers.

I got this, right?

Now where was I again?