The me before coffee

I've been having lots of fun with my weaving experiments lately.  It's been fun to challenge myself a little and see what cool things I can make on the loom that my previous prejudices about what makes a "good towel" or "good scarf" are going out the window.  It's been such a wonderful learning experience...and it's been fun.

I made this gorgeous set of towels with both my "jazz" method of creating the warp, but also with my desire to try something new.

The pattern is called an "undulating twill" and results in a really amazing chevron or zig zag that you don't normally get when weaving.  The undulations happen by skipping or repeating a number in the normal treadling sequence.

So for instance, I might normally treadle 1-8-1 to get a zig zag, but in an undulating twill I might treadle 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 666, 7777, 888....and so on.

I had convinced myself that this wouldn't make good towels because there would be too long of floats...that they wouldn't hold up, or that they'd be too loose.

But, boy was I wrong.  The finished fabric on these not only looks different and better than what it did on the loom, but it is SO SOFT.  I can't wait to hear reports on how it uses and how it lasts.

Alas...I was in such a frenzy this morning (and before my coffee) that I didn't get pictures of these gorgeous ladies before I shipped them off...Reminder to self: drink both cups of coffee before attempting to mail anything off.

Crafting ADHD: Crisis Point?

I think I may have hit a new crisis point in my crafting ADHD...I have zero stick-to-it-tive-ness and I just don't know what to do about it.  And really I don't think I should do anything about it but then there's a niggling little part of my brain that thinks I should.

Should I shut it up?  Or should I just proceed with the way things are going and deal?

Here's the issue:  I'm not finishing anything.  Anything at all.  I'm enjoying myself.  I'm having a crazy amount of fun with my granny squares (I think I made 5 yesterday)...I'm totally enjoying my needlepoint (I even started a new one this week, abandoning the old one because it's so large and bulky and uncomfortable to work on...and I have no idea why I bought it to begin with).  I'm actually starting to think about knitting again (I know it's only been about a month, but it's been a rough month and I was worried that the psychological stress of losing my dad might take knitting away from me like Katrina took quilting away from me).

However, I'm interested in working with my club yarn--one of which came in yesterday and is so pretty and I think it'll be perfect to use to knit one pair of the Cookie A socks from April (you know, the stuff I got before the world came crashing down and I had no focus).  So there's another project that wants to get started...and I'm not sure I have enough needles to start it!

I had the thought yesterday that I just need to knit socks all the time and crochet afghans and maybe that'll take some of the stash down to size...I'm not sure what I'd do with all these socks and afghans.  David said he imagines a cartoon with me sitting underneath a mountain of socks and a Pearl hiding in there.  I can see that too...

And on some level I know that's ok.  I know it's ok to just do what makes me happy and not worry about finishing things.  I'll go on a finishing spree eventually...I always do...but in the meantime I'm starting to feel a tad stressed about it and I need to let that go.

Because really:

• there are no deadlines
• I'm doing this for fun and a creative outlet
• no one is getting hurt
• I've had an awful lot going on my plate lately and I don't need to do ANYthing that adds to the stress
• THERE ARE NO DEADLINES.

There I feel better.

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This morning while I was drinking my coffee, Zora was sitting at my feet having a bath.  She's a very thorough bather.

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Daddy's story:  My daddy was a big player of solitaire.  He would lay in the floor each night watching tv and play game after game of solitaire.  I think shuffling the cards was almost as much fun for him as playing the game.  When I was little I watched him, learned the rules and started hanging out with him playing solitaire.  We would occasionally play double solitaire, but I'd always lose and that's not fun when you're a kid.  Anyway, one day I was playing solitaire with a friend (I was probably 9 or so) and pulled a card from one of the upside down stacks to help me along and she said, "what are you doing? that's cheating."  I said, "that's how my daddy plays and he never cheats."  Later I told my mom about it and she just laughed and laughed.

Yeah...Daddy cheated.  Big time.  He never ever lost a game of solitaire in his life, something that I was terrifically impressed with, even after I figure out why!

SO, what did you do over spring break?

If you had one?  I love having spring break.  I really truly needed it in more ways than one even if it wasn't perfect like I'd hoped.  I DID get lots of rest and some serious knitting time.  I got sick so couldn't go visit my dad--a stomach virus has no place NEAR a hospice room.  So, we stayed home, felt a little sorry for ourselves while we were feeling awful, and then got some much needed rest.

And while feeling sick and resting I knitted.  A lot.  Here's what I finished:

A pair of turkish bed socks for Elizabeth.

A hat for my friend Stacey.

A pair of Stepping Stones Socks (Knitter's Book of Socks, yarn Blue Moon Fiber Arts, Sock Club yarn September 2013 color Winter Jewel)

AND...a sock yarn blanket!

Tomorrow I'll show you what I started!

Sparkle Socks

Life is happy, especially when wearing sparkle socks.  See how happy those feet are!

Yarn:  Sparkle Gnome by Gnome Acres
Colorway: Under the Tree
Pattern:  Firefly in Knitter's Book of Socks

I really enjoyed working on this pattern and making these socks.  They were quick, fairly easy and super-rewarding.  The yarn is wonderfully soft and the sparkle...so pretty and just makes me happy thinking about it.

I was sad that I only had 40g left when I finished...I'd hoped since I made the socks a little shorter in the leg, I might have enough to make another pair, but alas...this yarn, too, will go to the scrap basket to be made in blankets (for which it will be ridiculously happy, trust me).

The pattern will show up better in a solid or semi-solid yarn, but it looks nice in a variegated yarn too, even one this variegated.  The color runs are usually around 1-2"...never more than 2", so there are only a few stitches in each color before shifting to the next.  Even so, beautiful pooling and swirls occur, making for a very lovely finished product.

The fit on this sock is a bit tight in the instep for me.  I lengthened the instep a little knowing that it was probably going to be too small, but it has to be eased over my heel...it's comfortable once on, so I'm not worried about it, but if I do this pattern again, I will make the heel flap a little longer to give me some extra stitches to pick up and that should make the gusset more comfortable for my high instep.  Otherwise, the pattern is perfect and looks and feels wonderful.

And because I can't get enough of these socks today...here is a close up so you can see how the little cables really do make one think of pretty packages under the Christmas tree.  (click on the photo for a better close-in view)

Oh, and yes, I started my Cookie A socks last night.  Photo to come when I'm far enough along to show off the pattern...it'll be worth the wait, trust me.  This yarn is gorgeous and the pattern...wow...

Thoughts on goals

Some people really like goals.  They write them down, figure out what steps are necessary to meet the goal and then work very hard, assessing themselves along the way for progress.

My husband is like that.

I'm not really.  I like to have a general direction in which to strive, but I typically don't set hard and fast goals for myself.  One reason is that I'm likely to not meet them in the time I've set for myself--therefore, it can be assumed that I set unrealistic goals.

I do this with knitting all the time.  For instance, last night I was going to finish my "under the tree" socks and cast on my "possibly maybe" sock.  I wanted to have it ready for wearing to work today (even though I'm wearing a dress and wouldn't wear the socks with this particular dress, though I do that sometimes.)

More than anything I wanted to cast on the new project...I wanted to start working with my Cookie A yarn.  It's so beautiful and perfect for this time of year (I think everyone needs some color!).  And no matter what, every single pair of socks is a little bit of magic, so knitting a pattern that looks like magic with yarn that looks like magic...oh, it will just be the perfect thing all around.

But I couldn't.  Yesterday I was hungry all day...and I was a bit stressed and grouchy all day...I don't think it's related to the hunger, but I could be wrong.  Even so, I was hungry and grouchy so when I got home I also had a back ache and was tired.  I was snippy at David.  It couldn't be tolerated.

So, I sat down with my knitting, and then when it was evening snack time, I had that AND some chocolate and wine.

Then I started feeling better and more realistic about my expectations...and the silly goal I'd set myself to finish my sock.

After all, isn't knitting supposed to be fun?  Relaxing?  The thing I do to make myself feel better?  What's all this anxiety to get something finished RIGHT NOW when I have tomorrow, next week, next month...this weekend?  What was the rush?  Why the hurry and what is the expected return I'm going to get from it?  I found myself laughing that I was getting all in a rush to finish THIS sock, when all I want to do is cast on another.  How is the new sock really that different from this one?  Different pattern, sure.  Different color, definitely.  But really, it's a sock, and it's knitting and the thing that it'll give me isn't really any different than the thing that this current sock is giving me and there was no reason to stay up past my body's determined bedtime (9pm last night), get some rest and work on the bad attitude I had yesterday.

So, that's what I did.  I didn't meet that goal last night, but I'll finish the sock tonight AND start the new one.  And I'll be very happy about it this evening when I'm sitting and knitting and relaxing.

It's all good.

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And you want to know what's even better?  I set a size goal for myself when I started losing weight last year (11 months ago...almost 1 full year, hard to believe).  I'd dreamed of being a size 10 for the longest time.  I graduated from high school in a size 14 and haven't been smaller than that since.  A size 10, to me, seemed like the "end all"...smaller than my body would probably get, but as in all goals I set for myself, I set one that I reasoned was too high, and was curious to see where I'd end up.

Well, here I am...comfortably in a size 10 dress.

I don't look like me, except I know that's me.  It's weird and wonderful and ridiculously exciting all at the same time.

I still haven't met my weight goal...in fact, I'm still about 40 pounds away from my weight goal.  I think I may have to abandon that one as I abandoned the goal of finishing the sock last night.  I continue (and WILL continue) to eat healthily, watch my portion, rein in my hunger.  If I continue to lose weight while doing so then that's great.  If I gain, I'll have to rethink how I'm eating and fix it...but I'm happy where I am and looking forward to seeing where I'll be this time next year.

Surpassing my goals, I guess!

3rd Finished Thing, and a few others from 2013

I know I'm probably cheating a little, AND I almost forgot to post about her, but Rosie, the knitted elephant, is my 3rd finished project of the year (technically 2nd, but I posted the slippers first and don't want to confuse).

I'm finishing off the leftover bits of yarn from the Noro blanket by making first my mitts,

 and then the Jackalope.

I'm making a "slug" next...too cute with eyes popping off the top of his head.  But these little critters require patience on my part...the kind of patience I have in very limited supply.  The kind that requires me to hold back from knitting on them non-stop for hours until they're finished.  And I'm doing that because I don't like pain.

After I make the slug, I don't know what will be next.  We'll see how much yarn I have left...I think I should get at least 2 more critters, but we shall see!

Second Finished Project of 2014

I'm really not trying to brag or anything, but I've finished 2 projects already and 2014 is only 1 week old!  Now, both of these were knit with chunky yarns on size 10 needles...but they WERE knit for David who has big hands and feet...

David was so thrilled when I finished these last night that he had me starting another pair to make for him just in case he wears these out quickly.  "It only took you a day to make them, right?"

Aaah, sweet David.

He's a challenge to knit for anything that should touch his skin because wool "feels hot."  And he doesn't mean that it makes him feel hot...no...it feels like it's burning his skin, and sure enough when he takes off whatever he's wearing he's red.  Even the softest loveliest wool is not an option.

These are knit using the Family Foot Warmer Slippers pattern in Berroco Comfy worsted--2 strands held together.  And they are very very soft, and not a hint of wool in them...oh...and they came from stash!  Big bonus.

p.s.  I did not start another pair of slippers for him.  Besides the fact that knitting on size 10 or bigger needles makes my hands hurt, I want to make a pillow from a pattern for a blanket...if I like knitting the pillow, then I'll save up my allowance and buy the yarn.  Yes, I'm using stash.  And yes, some more stash yarn fell out into my lap when I was selecting the first yarns and not I've got 2 pillows I want to start...

It's finished

...and I have to admit I feel a little bereft...at sea...at a loss of which project to focus on next.

2 finished, 3 started

When David came home from his work-trip on Sunday morning he asked the ridiculous question, "how many projects do you have going anyway?"

I mean really?  Why ask that question. I  have a basket full of project bags sitting beside my place on the couch.  There are 2 shelves of project bags in my studio and a work table full of grouped yarns just waiting to be cast on (most of the time they're waiting on needles, but I'm not going to go there because that might inspire me to buy more needles, and I am NOT buying more needles just so I can start more projects!)

So, today, in the spirit of bragging, I will show you the two projects that I finished.  The first is a buttoned cowl.  It was intended to be a scarf, but I really didn't enjoy working on it.  As I was looking at the project bag on the shelf, I thought, "I just need to see how long it is and see if I can finish it off into a cowl," and guess what!  It's perfect!  See (and please ignore the messy hair...It was Saturday morning, early...and I was home alone...

I like the buttons...I think they are perfect with all the bright color right there at the ends.

As I was looking at the skein and a half that I had left, I thought "what could I make with that besides another cowl or a monster?" and it dawned on me that a matching hat would be just the thing, so I pulled out my book "Weekend Hats" and looked through for a worsted weight pattern, found one that I think will look good with all the long-color stripes and cast on.  (I needed 5 sets of needles for this thing and I'm happy to report that I did NOT have to steal ANY of them from another project).  The hat is pretty far along, and I'll post a picture of it when I'm finished.

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Then I looked at Harold who has been sitting next to me on the couch for 2 weeks while I worked feverishly on the Noro blanket...with only one arm...and I told him I'd go ahead an finish that arm...and approximately 45 minutes later, Harold was finished.  Wow...2 finished projects and it wasn't even 10am!  woohoo!  Here is Harold sitting with Zora.  She isn't pleased.

In fact, she avoided sitting on that chair until Harold got taken away from it.  David has taken Harold to be his office monster.  I'll have a picture of him in his new home soon.

So, of course it was time to cast on for another monster.  I totally ignored the fact that I'm only supposed to work on monsters 30 minutes per day to preserve my thumb joint.  This was a different monster in different sized needles...and  I've been dying to knit a P monster to go with my Z monster (this one will be Pearl).  I'd bought 2 different yarns trying to decide which was best, and I went with the Blue Moon Fiber Arts' BFL Sport--mostly for the size of the yarn, but also because it had enough orange in it, and bright orange at that, to be more like Pearl.  As usual with these little critters, it's all I can do to limit my knitting on them.  She'll be absolutely adorable, but I don't have a picture yet because all she is so far is a tube.  Soon, though, personality will come through.

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And finally, on Saturday afternoon, I decided to pay attention to that little bit of my brain that has been thinking about the Color Affection Shawl and picked out the yarn for it.  I don't know how it all happened, but the Satakieli yarn that I attempted to make mittens from (remember this) told me that it would make a really pretty Color Affection, or two, and that I needed to go ahead and buy the pattern and get it started because it would be a great travel project and it would be gorgeous and all that other stuff that yarn does to convince you that it needs to be cast on right at this very moment.  So, I cast on the blue as my main color and picked out the two oranges to be the contrasting colors and cast on.  I made it through the first section and started the first striping last night.  It's going to be gorgeous and cozy and all kinds of wonderful.

I can't tell you how much I like this yarn better than when I was working on the mitts.  This yarn is so squishy and soft and I can tell that once it's washed it's going to bloom and become all kinds of gorgeous and even softer.  It knits up very easily and quickly and the color is very true and rich.

So, now that I have bitten the Color Affection bug, I have already decided that the other two skeins of this yarn are going to make another CA...and maybe I could get three or four of them depending on how much of the yarn I have left when I'm finished with this one.  I thought about combining it with others of the sock yarn that I have in my stash.  This has started to get a little out of control, but I understand that's what happens with a CA...I'll keep you posted on where things go with it.

What's a weekend for anyway?

The past two weekends have been glorious to me.  I've relaxed, slept (kind of) late, and knitted and knitted and knitted.  I still have so many things backlogged to show you (completed projects from last weekend) and then I started all these new and really fun projects this weekend...I'm going to have to break my "one photo a day" rule and just show off a little bit.

(p.s. I don't have photos of the two finished scarves from last weekend.  They still need to be soaked and "finished"...but I can show you the rest!).

SO, on Thursday night I sat down and finished the baby blanket.  I blocked it on Friday.  It's just gorgeous.

Then on Friday I started a new little monster.  I'm calling it the "calico" monster, though I'm thinking her name might be Gabrielle...not entirely sure yet.  I'm using the yarn from the first hat I ever made (that was too big). She's going to be an adorable monster.

Saturday found me wanting to start a new shawl.  I love Noro yarns, and I love the way the stripes form in the sample...it was fun getting it started, and I can't wait to wear it.

And if that weren't enough, yesterday I started some mitts...the pattern is called "Snow Queen" but the yarn is in a colorway called "Spring Garden"...which means that these mitts are definitely going to be called "Spring Garden Mitts."  It's part of my desire to use the striping sock yarn I get in my yarn of the month club as something different than socks ALL of the time.  These are going to be some fun and bright and cheery mitts!

And that's it...if it had been a longer weekend, I probably would have started another new project!  I made good progress on the cabin socks.  I have the first one completed and the second one is to the foot.    They will definitely be warm and cozy socks come winter!  I also pulled out my block-a-day blanket and started working on it again now that the baby blanket is finished.

THAT, in case you're wondering, is what a weekend is for...doing things you love and enjoying the company of those you love.  Heaven!

Calling it Quits

I had a totally different idea for a blog post today and gave it up upon starting to work on the very project that I was going to write about.  I'll hopefully be able to save this post for another time...but today I think it's important to let you know that I quit a project.

I don't do that very often when weaving because once the warp is wound it's pretty much used up...and that's money and yarn that I hate to throw away.  But, in light of the angst I would have expended trying to see the tiny threads that I thought I could warp made me realize that 1) this week is ALL about rest and relaxation and 2) $10 worth of silk yarn isn't worth all the stress I was already feeling...and I'd only "sleighed" about 2" worth of the warp.  I cut it up and threw it away.

I think it's very important to know when to call something quits.  Especially when it comes to crafting.  This is about fun, relaxation, spending time making something and learning about ones self in the process.  It isn't (for me anyway) about persevering to the end regardless of how much trouble the project turns out to be.  I find it interesting how easily I can quit a knitting project...but after all, the yarn is reusable and the only thing that's lost is the time I spent working on it.  And I know that no matter what I learned something during that process, even if it is that I don't like a particular stitch, pattern, etc. (for instance, I recently learned that I don't like the concept of a "free sole" sock even if it means that one can replace that sole 100 times.  I plan to wear my socks to death and make new ones.  Life is too short to do something that doesn't make a whole lot of sense in the end).

But weaving is a different story.  I don't like the idea of waste.  I hate throwing away yarn and not being able to use it for anything (trust me I've tried to figure out things I can do with a wasted warp).  I HAVE persevered through some projects, but I knew in the end they were worth the trouble.  This project, however, was way more stressful and annoying than I needed at the time, which, in the end, wasn't anything near what I wanted for this week.  Maybe later.

Below is pictured a project I didn't give up on, thank goodness.  The cones of yarn were picked out well over a year before I started working on the project.  It survived in my head through many different projects, patiently waiting for its turn.  And then, once I got started on it we had the tornado that required us to move...and yet, I finally finished it and hemmed it up and gave it to David as planned all that time ago.  And I think they're just about the loveliest towels I've made!

Like meeting up with old friends

You know that experience when you suddenly see or talk to someone you haven't in a long time?  Maybe even the last encounter was less than pleasant, so seeing them is a surprise, and not a bad one.  You realize that you've been silly for holding whatever grudge or avoidance and you think to yourself, "see, that wasn't so bad.  In fact, it was even fun!"  And the thrill of meeting them and the possibilities of seeing them again are rekindled.

And it feels good.

You know the experience I'm talking about?

Well, I've had that experience in more ways that one this week.  One was real...a friend from my past got in touch with me again and we're talking.  After 9 years of not talking.  This was one parting that didn't end well, and I have to admit I'm a little shy and awkward, but I'm trying.  But it does feel good, so I'm hoping that it continues to do so.

The other was metaphorical, of sort.  Remember the beautiful mystery knit-a-long cowl I started in November?  Well, I parted with it on less than amiable grounds.  The needles were too slippery for the yarn or too big for my hands or in general not feeling right.  So, I put it aside for other, more immediate and interesting things (plus I had Christmas to knit for and that took a bit of time).  I pulled it out this weekend as the work in progress I decided to work on in between knitting monsters.  And you know what?  It felt right...so right in fact, I'm not sure why I put it away.  Sure, the needles were still slippery and awkward, but the cowl is gorgeous and the results are wonderful...

...and I finished the knitting of it. I even bought some buttons when I was in London and they are perfect.  I have put the picture of its knitted progress here.  I'll have it modeled in a day or so.

Finishing Makes me Happy

This weekend my studio had a distinct "barn" smell going on...I had to wash the happy feet (pictured below) socks that I finished (yea!) and also wash my other 4 pairs of hand-knit socks.  I can no wear my socks every day of the week, and I find that to be very exciting indeed!

The new pair of socks, the ones I'm calling "happy feet" are indeed very happy.  They are so bright and cheerful that they inspire smiles.  I'll want to wear my pants slightly short so people will see and ask questions.  I really need to buy a pair of shoes that will better show off my hand-knit socks that will also be comfortable and stylish enough to wear to work...must think about this.

Now that I have all that out of the way I'd like to talk about how finishing makes me happy.  There's something extremely motivating about "finishing" something.  It's quite satisfying and makes me want to start something new.  I like showing off what I've completed.  The sense of accomplishment at finishing things is really quite nice.

I realized yesterday that I only have a couple of projects "in progress" right now.  I have my black and white scarf that I've brought up to work on during lunch.  It's one of those projects that I abandoned a while back because I was so bored with it... I realized on Friday that I really don't have that much left to do on it...finishing it will be a piece of cake...and then I don't know what I'm going to bring up to work on during lunch because the only other things I have in progress are a sweater and blanket and I don't really think either of those is appropriate lunch-time knitting.  I'll have to give that some thought.

Because, if you notice, since I brought something else up here to work on during lunch, that means that I finally finished the cowl that I've been working on for mom's birthday.  She has been quite patient in waiting on it, and I'll put it in the mail tomorrow.  It's quite pretty all bunched up around a neck.  I think she'll really enjoy it.  And while that thing was driving me senseless with boredom while working on it, finishing it left me with a "hole" in my day...it left me wondering what I could find that would be easy enough to work on during lunch and still capture my attention enough to want to work on it everyday.

Finishing the cowl also brought to mind a couple of other things...how one round per day adds up.  How when it's time to be finished with a project I'll just dig in and be done with it.  How when I'm finished with a project that has been around for a while (so long that I'm sick of it), the finishing of it leaves me wistful...wondering why I'm missing it even though I couldn't wait for it to be over with.  How completing things is so very satisfying that I immediately cast on a new project.  How using my creations (or seeing other people use them) is probably the most satisfying thing around.  How much I cherish my creation time and enjoy being able to make things.

Finishing is just plain wonderful...and as case in point, I want you to look at how happy my feet are in this picture!

The finishing details

I don't understand why, but I hate doing the finishing details on crafted projects.  When I'm finished with a quilt, I don't want to spend hours hand-hemming the binding on.  I'm done.  I want to be done.  When I'm finished cross stitching, I don't want to spend umpteen hours backstitching.  ugh!  I've learned how to weave in my ends as I go on knitting so that I don't have to deal with the finishing that way, but there's still the blocking to be done.  So far, what I've made I've avoided that too!

Weaving is a great craft for me because once your done you're pretty much done.  There's the wet-finishing but it is such an integral part of the cloth that it really is part of the process of making the cloth, not "finishing" it.  Most cloth is definitely an ugly duckling.

That said, I find it amazing how wonderful things look after being finished.  If I didn't take the time to hand hem my binding on a quilt, it wouldn't look nearly as professional and nice as it does.  If I don't backstitch my cross stitches, there isn't much definition to the design.  One MUST weave in the end when knitting because if not, it just looks tacky...and blocking is so important to the overall design (especially for lace) and to make the yarn behave that it also must be done.

And still somehow it feels like punishment for accomplishing something.  Crazy, I know.

Today's picture is of the first sock for my Mama!  I hope she loves it as much as I do.  From this perspective (and don't worry there will be others) you can see the slipped stitch ribbing in the heel--I love that detail, and the lacy cuff.  I love how the self patterning yarn works.  Very very fun to work with because it's a surprise every few rows.  Clearly I'm easily entertained!

One-Sock-Itis

I read somewhere one time that there is a big problem with people just knitting one sock.  They get that one finished, never cast on the second one and therefore have a lot of one-socks.  I'm sad for those lonely socks going through life without their mate.  Unless they have an owner like my daughter, Elizabeth, they will forever sit in a knitting bag or closet and not ever be worn.  I'm a strong believer that socks like to be worn out.  I agree with Stephanie Pearl McPhee that one of the exciting things about knitting socks is knowing that they'll be used up.  I have a very practical side of me that only wants to make things that will be useful.  Quilting was fun, but after a while impractical.  A well-made quilt will last for generations.  After everyone I know has two or three quilting simply becomes decoration (and there's nothing wrong with decoration, I just don't have that many spaces left on my walls!).  But a sock, even well-made, will wear out with sturdy wear.  And that means that I get to knit another one.

And I LOVE knitting socks.  I may love knitting socks more than anything else.  I do love knitting hats, but I don't have much practical use for them in my climate, so they go in the same category as quilts.  After everyone has 2 or 3 then I must find something else for them.

But sock knitting is eternally fascinating.  Knitting in a tube means that there is almost no finishing.  Weave in ends, wash and (maybe) block and then put on feet!  To be honest, though, putting on feet is blocking, so really not a necessary step in the process.  Because socks have so many different components, I don't get bored, and then voila! I'm finished!

And as I mentioned yesterday I love finishing things because it motivates me to get started on something else.  And here's the little trick I played on myself last night.

I'm about 10 rows from finishing the toe of the sock.  Then I get to learn a new way of closing the toe (Kitchener's stitch, which many people hate, so I guess I'll learn why).  I could have finished knitting those 10 rows in about 20 minutes had I decided to stay up a little past my bedtime...I could have learned that new toe-closure in about 5 minutes with the video that's available with my e-book...and I could have gone to bed knowing that today I'd get to start a new sock.

INSTEAD...

...I decided to wait and finish tonight so that I could immediately start the second sock.  I'm excited about starting that second sock, so I'm going to dig in and get that accomplished tonight! yea!!!

And, let me tell you, Mama, you're going to LOVE these socks.  I'd keep them if I hadn't already promised them to you.  I'm on the hunt for more yarn just like this so I can make myself some soon!

Today's picture is of the drawing for the Thornton Thimbler's Quilt Bee in 2011 when Alyssa won the quilt.  I think it's so cute that Auntie J is dressed like the quilt squares.  I wonder if she'll dress up for the drawing this year too?  While I'm sorry that you didn't win, Auntie J, I'm very pleased and proud that I had the opportunity to quilt with my daughter over this year.  Her first quilt is going to knock your socks off!

Finishing=Starting

For me, finishing is the greatest motivation to start something new.  While I don't HAVE to finish something to start something, finishing something always means that I start something new.  Never ever fails.

That's why I have about 20 unfinished projects of various crafts in my house and a work table full of yarns that want to be made (mostly woven) into something (and I'm not even talking to the yarns in my baskets right now because the yarns on my tables are so overwhelmingly needy right now!)

I have one more thing to finish in the great yellow weaving experience.  It has been very good, and I'm very proud of what I've made, and, to be honest, I can't wait to have my "yellow elephant" because I'm so excited about giving all this awesome stuff away...but I'm ready (read, really really ready) to weave with something that is decidedly not yellow.  I don't even want something that variegates to yellow.

And the crazy thing about it? I  don't even know what I'm going to weave next.  I have this lovely lovely royal blue alpaca lace that would make a beautiful shawl which I might tackle, but there's also the really cool black and white houndstooth scarf that I want to make for my friend.  And the pink merino that's so soft you could put it right next to your skin and sigh a happy sigh...but it's matched with something that variegates to a yellow-ish color so I'll probably wait on that.  I haven't quite worked out the design elements on my friend's baby blanket, and don't have the yarn yet, so that project (and the few cones I've set out for it right now, though to be honest a couple of them are yellow now that I think about it) really isn't quite ready to start...and in one of my baskets (which I've been ignoring) is this really fun cottony chenille that's all different bright colors.  It definitely wants to be a funky scarf, but hasn't decided yet if it wants to be woven or knitted.

Then I have this bag of pretty tencel in turquoise and (yellow) that I bought to make this jacket I saw in a magazine.  Problem is I didn't buy extra yarn and plan to make it bigger, so I may have to re-decide what to do with that yarn--buy more or make the size and see if someone can wear it.  I have some scarves ready to warp, some towels ready to warp...and a few other projects.  I can only do one at a time, and I'm ready to get working...but first I must finish...and I can't wait to finish!  There's nothing more motivating than seeing the end of a big project!

Today's picture is of a very adorable Zora.  Zora likes to climb, and one day I came into the studio to find her posing atop my dresser.  Behind her is a "gamp" that I made when I was first learning to weave.  I love the pattern, though the yarn isn't the best choice for a gamp--the next gamp I make will be from cotton to provide a nice, crisp fabric to hang on the wall.

Finishing

I foresee a few posts about finishing.  As I've been thinking about the concept I realized that there are so many facets to it, that trying to do it all in one blog post was giving me a little bit of writer's block.  So, here's my inspiration.

I got to thinking about finishing things on Tuesday during our college graduation.  I work at a community college in rural southern Mississippi.  Many people are here simply because of the graces of the government which gives them the opportunity to seek advanced education and training and make a step towards reaching their goals.  Many of them are first generation students.  Many of them are parents.  Many of them are as old as or older than me.  Some of them didn't finish high school.  Some of them have parents who didn't finish 8th grade. Some of them are veterans trying desperately to reenter society.  Some of them recently lost their jobs and are starting over whether they want to or not.

In today's economy where it's very difficult to get a job, much less get one with little education, these facts matter.

And for the 1000 graduates that we had this year, finishing community college and achieving either an Associate in Arts (academic) or Associate in Applied Science (technical) degree was a major deal.  Many mama's proudly exclaimed "that's my baby" as their son or daughter walked across the stage.  I was on the side of the stage where the graduates were exiting.  All did so with a very proud smile on their face.

Going to graduation as a staff member is an interesting experience.  I don't have any real "vested" interest in the graduation because my family, friends, or students aren't graduating (though I was very very proud of my student workers, 6 of whom graduated this semester!), so having to sit through an hour and a half of speechifying, pomp and circumstance (both the music and the actual activities that make up pomp and circumstance), and roll calling can be a challenge.  Doing so in a heavy rented gown in a rodeo arena (not well air conditioned and dusty) adds its own new challenges!

And still, I find myself getting that little nervous feeling as we line up to walk in and support the students who we've worked with over the past couple of years.  To see them achieve their dreams and walk proudly across the stage and be recognized (and embarrassed when their mama calls out to them!) is a very proud moment and makes all the discomfort worthwhile.

I'll have more thoughts on finishing this week.  But I wanted to get the inspiration for this "series" out there today.

Today's picture is of the sock I'm working on. It's for my mother's Mother's Day present.  I absolutely love the self-striping effect, the colors and the feel of this yarn.  I will have a hard time parting with it, but am comforted by the fact that I can just go make myself a pair later!  I really like that the yarn is so fun that I can just knit stockinette stitch and really pay attention to the construction of the sock.  Cables, lace, and patterns are fun, but sometimes it's nice just to make loops with yarn and have fabric grow as a result.  (and knitting socks may be the most fun thing ever!)