Poor little neglected blog......

It's not as if I don't think about it. It's right there on my "Favorites" bar after all. So I see it every day that I am on the computer. Fortunately, I am spending less time at my home computer. And more time actually doing other things....like spinning and knitting and cooking and playing with the dogs and sometimes (though not as often as I probably should) cleaning house. Not really a determined act to simplify things, just sort of a choice to do the things that are more important right this minute.

More to come....eventually.

Progress? (ahem)

In looking back to New Year's 2011, I am taking stock as to how it went with the resolutions for 2010.



I did learn to spin. The singles are getting more consistent and looking less like the middle from a golf ball. I hope to continue to improve and find the best method for me. In October, I added two new spindles of differing weights to see what that would be like. And although I am lusting after a particular wheel, I have not actually taken the plunge and made the investment in it yet. Spinning has also widened my circle of friends. It's easy to talk to someone for the first time with a common interest. Crafters aren't shy about asking questions about that pattern or this fiber or whatever project. I continue to be amazed by the talent in abundance around me.



Pictures are improving. They don't get posted any quicker, but at least they exist somewhere.



My stash is not currently growing....much. I don't tend to cruise the interwebs as much as I once did, probably because I am fed up in general with my computer. I work with one all day, so I tend not to spend time there when I could be doing something else. Like knitting or spinning.

I did feel better about my finishing this year. There are still a few UFOs floating about, but at least I am being honest with myself about them. It's not a race. To make sure that the FO is its best, I find I have to be in the right frame of mind to put on the final touches. Those just don't come around as much as they probably should.

The queue....well that's probably the weakest progress. I find that my queue is where I put the dream projects. Some of those patterns have no business being there because of the skill level required, the yarn I don't have, the impracticality of the garment, etc. But on another level, I put things in there that may not end up as a final object. Some are in there just for inspiration.

I don't think I will make any new resolutions for 2011. After all, it took until now in January to get this posted. For now, I think I will continue to work on these and try to enjoy the process more.

With an explosion, the yarniverse begins.....

Speaking of, there has been a bit of an explosion in my project queue over the last month or so. I made the mistake of visiting a new city. Well, not really new as in brand new in existence -- rather a city that has been around a while that I don't happen to live in full-time. While I was there, I visited a few yarn shops and ended up with some practical souvenirs for my stash. (I guess I fell off the yarn diet.) The new projects popped up as a justification for the purchases in large part. A few of these are on the needles and in process. Progress pictures of these will show up shortly.

Spring break!

The weather is finally lightening up a little here. Actual sunshine and temperatures above freezing. Unfortunately, this is not helping further my progress on the KIP. Add to that a new project with a deadline in two weeks and you can see how not a lot of knitting has gotten done. For now, this is just a placemarker post. More knitting to come.

Noodling along...

Winter seemed to loosen its icy grip a bit today in our corner of the universe. Although the cold weather has helped my knitting production, I was happy to see the sun for a little while today. We are also supposed to have a better-than-average weekend as well.

I just looked over the resolutions. One month out and I have already fallen off the yarn diet somewhat. Last weekend, I visited a LYS and came out with some new stash fodder. Almost all of it was for gifts to be. I have managed to finish a gift in plenty of time to take pictures (although I haven't yet -- that would be too easy!) and start a new project. But the year is still young and I have time for improvement.

On a separate note, I do feel like I have improved in using Ravelry. It is very useful for keeping track of the patterns I like and intend to knit. Keeping the yarn and the pattern together is also helpful. And it is encouraging to see that I do finish some things (even if it is not as much as I would like.)

A clean slate

A new year, new projects, new yarn and a new purpose. All good aspirations and all seem attainable at the start of January with the whole of a new year laying before us. For me, I think I will stick to a few new craft resolutions:

1. Learn to spin. I have a good start on this because I bought a beautiful ceramic drop spindle at SAFF. A friend was kind enough to give me a lesson in the mechanics, so now it is a matter of practice. The initial foray from the practice bump of roving is still in progress, so we will see what happens.
2. Finish some projects. This one has been in process for a little while now. There has been a good bit of progress in reducing both the "frog pond" and the WIPs, but there is still improvement that can be made.
3. Reduce the stash. Yes, this one will probably prove to be the most challenging. I have a stash that threatens to grow whenever the new e-mails or catalogs from my fiber friends come knocking. It will be an effort to restrict new projects to using the stash supplies on hand instead of hitting up the LYS on a whim.
4. Take pictures. I am often running on the last few stitches just before a project needs to be delivered. So, I think I need a little more time built in for finishing and pictures. I've enjoyed being able to have a visual record of the things I have worked on. I just need to be more diligent about it.
5. Limit the queue. Probably the least likely resolution to succeed, just because the queue is sort of like the "what if?" or the "wishlist" if you will. The queue helps you to remember why you knit in the first place. But a list of five resolutions is a little more rounded than four, don't you think? Ok. It stays.

That's it for now, faithful readers. I will also try to post on a more regular basis. Happy New Year and happy knitting to all!

All the leaves are brown....

OK not really, but I did just notice that it is the first of October, so it really can't be too far away. Fits of knitting have continued over the summer and I am just now able to have something to show for it. But not just now. The chill in the air is inspiring me to work a bit more and there are a few things that are thisclose to being completed. And (sigh) I need to take some pictures.

One problem that I have during the fall is stash management. I enjoy shopping for yarn, both on line and in my LYS. I try to curb the urge to buy yarn that I don't have a current project for or just because it's on sale. This is pretty easy in the summer down south because it's really too hot to knit much of anything larger than socks or more substantial than lace. But when fall comes around, it tests my reserve. There is the influx of catalogs that suddenly find themselves in my house. Boxes start showing up with yarn that I don't remember ordering. Knitting patterns that were not part of the queue of projects to be wiggle out of their hiding places and find strategic places around the house. Before I know it, I am standing outside the yarn shop with a bag full of yarn, a rogue pattern and a credit card receipt wondering what the hell just happened.

The up side is that the cool weather makes me want to knit more. Like every-second-I-am-awake more. It is good for my finishing, but I also start a few more projects. I look forward to this time of year for both those reasons.