Home Stretch

Well hello again. I promise I haven't been avoiding you on purpose. Life took a 180 a week ago Sunday. My dear Papa passed away. I was an agonizing 6 hours not knowing, then just waiting.

So because my grandma is still in the rehab center from breaking her ankle, some needs to be Papa substitute and sit with her during visitor hours. I've taken the dinner shift. I go over around 5ish when my husband gets off work and stay until hours are over at 8. Every week night.

You ask, so what does this have to do with knitting? Well I'll tell you. I actually knit now. Being free of my one year old is both sad and happy. But shes with her daddy whom she doesn't get to see during the day so its all good.

Speaking of knitting I have been a very good monogamous knitter only knitting on this one shawl

I've got it almost done. I actually am casting off for the edging now, otherwise I'd take a recent picture, This was Saturday. Oh its going to be so beautiful and grandma is so excited.

Next on the needles. Finishing the other mitt to these mitts. So exciting! and sewing the buttons on these mitts.

catch ya later. happy knitting

Procrastination and Satisfaction

Oh man. So its not Wednesday.. but it is this week so I count it as a win.

There are several things I want to knit.
This awesome tank top.
This lacy pullover
Another sweaterita.

But I have to finish my grandma's shawl before I do any of that.

Its knit out of beaded handspun.  No pattern per-say.

I've been avoiding knitting because I want to knit a sweater or other garment. This project isn't fun anymore because all I want to knit is the Elder Tree shawl. I actually was going to rip this whole thing out to knit the elder tree till I ran out of yarn... but then I thought about it. it's lace and I'd have to commit to a whole repeat at a time to not mess it up entirely. Which, with Terra, I don't have long stretches of uninterrupted time. So I thought better of it and started to knit it as is.

Its pretty simple. I increase with a yarn over on each edge, purl every 6 rows or so. after about 4 inches I marked the middle and started kfb to increase even more. Increase of right side. purl straight on wrong side.

Its really pretty and I'm sure it will get much use. I just have to stick with it.

Also Monday and Wednesday were awesome days in this neck of the woods. I took all my hand knits and started blocking in stages. It rained Tuesday and Thursday and today so I don't have any blocking now.
I actually blocked a hat for the first time. A lacy hat.
And dude.

Blocking lace is pretty much the coolest thing ever.

The hat grew about twice its size and I am so stoked. It's all floppy and beret like. Now I just need to sew some elastic or block the ribbing better because that stretched out too. :/

But yeah good times. Also just in case you all wondered. I am going to do this yarn dying thing. I am. I don't know when exactly but mark my words: Before the end of the year, I will be a yarn dyer.

See ya guys later

Balance

So I've thought a lot about it.

Really.

I am having two idea pull at me in opposite directions. On the one hand I am so super stoked about this whole yarn business. On the other hand I am scared and honestly I'm not sure I can do it.

I am a stay at home mom, with a one year old. Its hard to get dishes and laundry done much less anything else. We go for walks in the park and she has a hard time taking a nap when she's not being held.

I know people would argue that she needs to learn not to be held and to entertain herself. Well, I believe she will. Children only want you for so long. Soon they become too cool to snuggle on the couch or have a kiss goodbye. I want to cherish these moments before they're gone.

That was kinda ranty, wasn't it? Sorry. This is a blog not a soapbox. ::steps down::

Anyway the point is I don't think I'll have enough time to commit to a business. Especially in the beginning when a business needs lots of work to get it started. At least not without giving up Terra-time. I mean I could also give up dishes and laundry or making dinner but my husband might object. ;)

On the flip side, I have been dreaming up colorways like no other. Cataloging them in my head in different 'collections' You'll just have to wait and see. :)

In other random news a yarn shop near me closed on Saturday, which was terrible and awesome all at the same time. I got some yarn and tons of magazines on the cheap, but I can never go there again. It was in Plymouth which was 45 mins away so the likelihood of my going there again were slim to begin with.

Which brings me to the other goal I had for this year. Socks.

yeah, I lied.

Dude socks are awesome. Especially in the winter. And every winter I always want more wool socks. But getting sweater quantities of yearn made me reevaluate my knitting. I want to always have a pair of socks on the needles, so to speak. but I have other plan for my main knitting. I have about 5 or 6 sweater quantities of yarn. When I say 'sweater' I also include tees and short sleeves. I think instead of 12 sock like things I want to knit 12 things to wear. Be it socks or sweaters I want this year to really stash bust some room in my craft room

Pictures up tomorrow (maybe, more realistically Wednesday) of all my "I want to this this. in this yarn" projects.

bye bye

Goals

Before I got married and had a baby, I had goals. These goals have changed drastically. I know its kinda late for new years resolutions but better late than never! I am a mother. My primary goal is being able to stay home with my daughter and experience life together.

Since so much has changed, here's a little about me.
My name is Jen. I have a wonderful husband, James and a beautiful one year old daughter, Terra. I have three cats, Tenth, Taskie and Emma and a dog, Sunny.

You can find me on Ravelry as Blarg. Blarg was my hermit crab, rest in piece. I love to knit, spin, dye fiber. I'm really bad at finishing projects. Startitis is a curse.

 I have two Etsy shops. One, Henny Accessory and the other, Mary Jane Yarns.  The Henny Accessory one is for all the crafty things I make and the Mary Jane Yarns is for yarns only. Up until now I haven't done anything except claim the shop name for the Mary Jane Yarns.
 
This brings my to my goals for the year. Obviously a one year old to rein in is enough work so these goals are not set in stone and if I can meet any of them I will be ecstatic.

1. This is the 'year of the sock' for me. I plan on expanding the definition to include mitten or other things knit with sock yarn on sock size needles. I want 12 pairs done by the end of the year. I know that March is almost over so I am behind but I think it will be fun. I already have two done. I might cheat and knit Terra a matching pair like my Razzle Dazzle socks.

2. I want to set up my Mary Jane Yarns shop and run it. I found some suppliers of  yarn and its funny. When I tried to do this, oh 5 years ago, I had a heck of a time finding suppliers. This time they almost found me. I think it might have been God telling me wait, now is not the time.

But seriously I'm going to plan on investing in the bulk order and dream up colorways and dye them right in my own kitchen, you know that's how Madelintosh started out?

Anyway enough rambling. See you next time.

Sock Surgery

A long time ago I knit this sock. Razzle Dazzle in Red Heart Heart and Sole.

I remember thinking how much I love knee high socks and since I had two balls of yarn I was going to knit one sock out of each ball. To make it even more cute I added eyelets at the top of the ribbing to thread a thin ribbon through and tie in a bow. 

But, as things go... second sock syndrome. Not only that but this sock has been in my mismatch pile since it was finished. I found the rest of the ball while I was cleaning my craft room the other day, and I thought, you know, I really should finish that sock. Well. that's what I intended to do. 

I realized two days ago why I haven't worn the sock. Its not because it doesn't have a mate. my socks rarely match. No, no... I realized that the cuff barely fits my arm, let alone my calf. so therefore I can't wear it. That's fine, I don't even know where the other ball is but if I rip back the cuff I can knit a mate. 

Then I came to my senses. That's ripping back 8 inches. Dude. no way man. I don't know what kind of knitter I am, process or product. But I know I am the knitter that doesn't rip back anything. Even if I give up on the project I usually try to salvage the knitting, somehow. 

Then as I'm feeling pity for myself and my sock, it dawned on me. I don't HAVE to rip anything. I don't even have to KNIT the other sock. Let me explain. If I put in a true afterthought heel near the top of the cuff (red needles) and cut at the bottom right above the heel (blue needle), with a little ribbing and a toe I CAN HAVE TWO SOCKS. 

oh yeah.

So the surgery began. Oh man. You don't even know. (Actually if you're a knitter you probably do.) I planned all day. The sock sat on the kitchen table. Every time I walked by I thought about cutting it.  I changed my mind of where several times. Then my husband came home, we had dinner and I explained the sock to him. He tried to offer non-knitterly advice until I told him, "Look, I know what I'm doing I just need moral support for the cutting part." So he watched and I snipped a stitch. ("that's it?" he commented. Obviously he's not a knitter). So I ripped the heel out a bit but it was bedtime and the sock would have to wait till the next day (which was yesterday)

So yesterday. I tore apart my craft room for the yarn I supposedly found a couple days ago. Yep in a box, right on top but the last box.

So I ripped out the row to make way for the heel.

                                              

  I knit the heel.

And now I had to marvel at the creation I had. Looks pretty funky, like a Baby Surprise Jacket before its all sewn up. 

 Kinda weird looking. But soon It will be two socks, two WEARABLE socks. :)

So I picked up for the separation.

 And separated the two socks (with no one to hold me this time as I cut) and started the ribbing.

 Then today happened. Oh glorious Friday that is today. Today is the day I finish that sock, I mean socks, believe you me.

I finished the ribbing. 

 I knit the toe

and lo and behold, two socks.

I'm pretty darned proud.
No they don't match and you know what? I am perfectly ok with that.

What's your craziest knitting surgery/reclaim?

Well hello again

This is the third attempt at blogging regularly. I know have a one year old to contend with my time, therefore I am need a 4th or 5th attempt to really get in the swing of things.
Hopefully from now on I will be able to share my progress with you and my hopes and dreams. :)
 Thank you Carin, from Round the Twist and Mel, from singlehanded knits and Stephanie Pearl-Mcphee, the Yarn Harlot for inspiring me to keep blogging.
 (more tomorrow ish I have to go make dinner and wrangle something out of a child's mouth)