Goodbye Yarn Diet

Last year I decided that I just had too much yarn. The best way to not have too much yarn is of course to stop buying yarn. So I decided that I would stop buying yarn entirely, with the only exceptions being yarn for gifts.

I did buy yarn for some wedding blankets and baby things for my new nieces. I also got a sweater's worth from my Nan-in-law for my birthday so she could help me cheat my yarn diet, that lovely woman.

Those I didn't really count as slipping, but I did actually buy some yarn that was nothing but cheating on the yarn diet. I got two skeins of Lamb's Pride that I'd been lusting after for years that went into the discontinued section in the basement of Romni. I got an awesome ball of neon sock yarn from the basement, and I got four balls of stunning yarn for a sweater that I bought on my business trip in September.

But now my yarn diet is over! I went to both Ewe Knit and Romni this week, and got a little bit of yarn.


I wanted this yellow sock yarn ever since I first saw it at Romni. I got the thick n thin to match and have been working on these cowls with a great woven look. I did the first one as a tube but didn't quite like that it was so loose at the bottom compared to the top, so I'm trying one worked like a scarf sewn up. Either way, I think they're gorgeous.


The Koigu is from Ewe Knit and the Sea Cell from Romni. The Sea Cell is something I've been drooling over for years, but was always too pricey. It was my prize for what I consider a successful year of yarn dieting. I don't know what I'll make with it, but for now I'm content to pet it.


I also got some fabric from Ewe Knit. I saw some gorgeous pillow covers on vacation, but decided I'd have more fun making my own. I adore this fabric, especially the watercolour-looking floral print. I can't wait to have the pillows made.

I'm still going to keep my yarn buying to a minimum this year as I want to keep reducing my stash, but it's fun to give myself a little freedom again.

Happy New Year!

I'd like to lie to you and say that I don't know where the time has gone, and that I have no idea why I haven't posted in so long. I'd like that, but it's not true. I know exactly where it went.

It went to 60 and 70 hour work weeks, to coming home exhausted with often little energy for crocheting let alone blogging.

It went to three months with only one or two days free even including the weekends.

It went to a few lovely little escapes for the weekend.

It went to a business trip, a big promotion, a few months of very high stress while I tried to figure out a major role virtually on my own.

It went to saying goodbye to some wonderful friends moving away.

It went to awesome weddings of dear friends.

It went to training a new minion, who turned out to be great and make my new job reasonable.

It went to two sweet new nieces this December.

It went to a week and a half off for Christmas and New Year's and a delightful cruise with my family.

Now, finally, the new year is here and work has slowed down and I've mostly figured out my new, big, exciting and scary job. Now I'm looking at what I have left to crochet and nodding, because it all seems reasonable. Now I'm looking at this blog and remembering that I once enjoyed writing it, and that I'd like to do so again.

Happy New Year. I'm back!

Lazy Morning

Good morning! Is there anything nicer on a weekend morning than a nice tea latte and some quiet crochet time?

I'm almost finished this shawl for my cousin- on the last row. Then I have a wedding blanket to get to- the wedding is in two weeks, I need to start some serious hooking! Once those two projects are done... I'm down to 10 projects on the go! Holy cow.
It's amazing how much more productive I am now that I have a job- even though I spend so many hours at work, I come home focused and get stuff done.

Speaking of get stuff done- this weekend I got to two sewing projects! I finally made this bag for all my toiletries. I was using two small bags that never quite held enough. This one will hold everything from makeup to toothbrush to shampoo. And don't you love the fabric?
I also made another floofy frilly tulle skirt. I still need to add lining to the first one I made. It's a white skirt, and without a slip underneath it's rather revealing. This one is pink and fluffy and I love it. I still have one more to make- it will be a little less fluff and a lot more silky grey layered pretty.

Time for some Netflix and breakfast, and to finish the very last row of this shawl!

Confectionary

Happy Friday!

I had a lovely time after work meeting up with my best friend for dinner and a nice wander around downtown. She also brought the cardigan I made her and modeled it for a little photoshoot. Now I finally have some good pictures for my newest design, the Confectionary Cardigan

Isn't she a lovely model?

Little Things

Good morning!

I went to bed early last night and woke up with enough time to accomplish things, like emptying and loading the dishwasher. What an exciting life I live. I also realized I finally had a spare moment to update my blog. I've been off overtime for almost two weeks now and am finally starting to catch up on... everything outside of work. It was about time I came back here.

I've been working on a lot of little projects lately. Things that are perfect for working on while commuting, things I can pick up on my 10 minute breaks.

Like this series of headbands- simple, pretty things and also useful. They hold all my flyaway ends down and don't hurt my brain like a hard headband does.

I have finished some bigger projects too, like this cowl I made. It's just slightly too short, despite vigorous stretching while blocking- but I'll continue to stretch it and hope for the best. It's really soft and nice to wear, although thankfully it's finally too warm for it.

This spring hat is something I made to use the rainbow yarn I bought on my Lake Placid trip years ago- my coworker liked it so much I made her one. She knit me a cowl I've been wanting it return. Win-win!

This baby blanket was something I started awhile ago to use up scrap cotton. It was really a nice quick project, and I'm pleased with how it came out. I still need to block it, though.

I got into making widdle baby socks for a few days, and made these two pairs. The first was from a pattern that I converted to slip stitch, and I didn't really like that three row afterthought heel, so the second pair just got a simple heel worked in. I might write up a little pattern for them.
Also, I can't talk about dem wifout cawwing dem widdle baby socks...

This is a scrap shawl project I started to go through some of my fingering scraps, inspired by this Pin. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet, but I'm not very far.

And last but not least, the wedding blanket I'm making for an upcoming wedding.

The last several pictures were all quickly snapped with my new cell phone- I finally got a cool phone and I'm very excited about it. Hopefully it will keep me updating!

Finishing Objects

It's been a good year for me so far. I have a good satisfying job with long term potential, even if I did end up working yesterday (I'll get my Saturdays back some time!). I have a happy marriage. I'm finally beginning to tidy my cluttered little apartment a little bit. And I've stuck to all my hooky goals this year!

I've been finishing instead of starting to the extent that I've only started (and finished) two small projects since I made my finishing resolution. This hooker has also not purchased a single ball of yarn this year. I admit, I'll need to get a blanket quantity for a wedding present before the year is out, but that purchase was included in the goal. It means I haven't broken the yarn diet even a little bit. I'm proud!

I've been working on these socks this week, and it's been nice to have a project that goes by so quickly. I pulled out the heel on the first one because I realized that I was putting too many stitches from the foot and not adding enough chains at the back. It was causing the socks I make to pull across the top. Even with just that first row of heel, I can already tell it's going to be more comfy.

I should have these socks finished this week, and that knocks my current WIPs down from 17 to 16! That means I have only 9 left to go until I hit my goal of 7. Not too shabby for someone who started with 25 projects. This is the halfway point. Now, to be fair I have a lot of time consuming projects left. Not all of them are going to take that long, though. I think I can do it in the first half of the year.

This picture doesn't show all the WIPs or all the finished projects, but it's nice to see some of what I've finished already.

After the big long sweater project that I worked on very diligently, I needed something fast and simple to cleanse my crochet palette. I started this scarf a few years ago intending it to be a Christmas present for my brother. I then ran out of time and decided it was much too warm for someone who lives in a very warm climate. It sat half finished for a long time, so I pulled it from the WIP pile and  knocked it out. It was nice to work on something that went by so quickly!

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to make a cup of tea and get a bit of sock finished before I head out to my hockey game.

Good morning sunshine!

It has been an absolutely frigid winter. Two pairs of pants and four layers on top in the cold hallway where I work.

Thankfully I have lots of wooly things to keep me warm. How does everyone else do it?

These had been unfinished for ages, but I really needed something to keep my hands warm and couldn't find my other fingerless gloves that had partial fingers. It's also nice to finally have them done!

The big excitement for me was finishing this sweater over the weekend. I've been working on it since May on and off, and it's one of those projects that felt like it would never be done.
Above is before blocking.

This is after the first blocking- I decided it was too loose blocked like this, so I reblocked it and made it somewhere between the two. I might just lay it flat and let it sit like the unblocked sweater because I like the collar shape in the top photo, but for now it's a drapey collar and a snugger bodice.

I love this sweater! I had to pull the sleeves out so many times- I easily pulled out a whole sleeve and then some figuring the first one out. But now they're perfect- not too tight, not too loose. They fit with no sleeves underneath, or with a light layer. They also fit inside a heavier sweater.

It's almost time for me to leave for work, where I'm excited to show off the finished sweater to my knitting coworker, and to the people who watched me working on it over lunch the last few months. Now to add some layers on top.