:Yarn Love :

Ready, Set, Go!!! Flax!!!

Nicky23 Comments

Since my list of crafty resolutions for the year is so ambitious, I figured while I was trapped indoors by the latest snowstorm in my area, I might as well make use of the time and get a head-start.   So I soaked my swatch, and it’s drying now.

In Soak
Drying

I’ll be checking it tomorrow to see if I made gauge for my first adult sweater.  Yes people, take it from me  — swatching is important!  Trust me, it’s not for the birds!  It can make the difference between a wack project and an awesome one.

Sidebar: Wack meaning:

Something that just plain sucks, or isn’t cool at all. Lame.

Don’t be fooled by the following:

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Got it?!!  Okay then!!

Obviously, being trapped indoors is making me loopy!  LOLOL!!! 😛

My goal this year is to make at least two sweaters for myself and I think Flax is a good place to start.  It’s part of TinCanKnits Simple Collection and another one of my goals is to work through the entire collection so this project will be a two-fer. 😛

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Last year (2013 — it feels so weird saying last year) I conquered my fear of knitting in public.  In December, I knitted on my subway rides to and from work and that’s how this sweater is going to be done.  Since it’s mostly stockinette stitch, something mindless that I can do on the train, I have no doubt that I could finish this project in good time.

I did the swatch just before the year closed but I need to see how much the yarn will grow when wet.  I also need to see if I’ll have to do down a needle size.  I want to get all that done before the end of the weekend.  Cause Monday, if you’re in NY, and taking the train, I’ll be that woman with a million bags, knitting needles, serenely working on her sweater in the chaos that’s her transit system.  I can’t think of a better way to pass my commuting time; can you? 😀

Crafty Doings: Old & New …

Nicky5 Comments

I guess I should do a round up like everyone else right?  LOLOL!  As I went through my stuff, I did more things than I remembered; that was pretty exciting for me since I feel like a crafting bum.  But I guess as they say … they proof is in the pudding so here it is … 😛

Clay Star
Mistletoe
Stitch Markers
Charity Blanket Square
Love Bombs
Love Bombs II
Hat Battle
Hat
First Sock
Fabric Painting
First Sweateer
Second Dye Job
Ombre Coasters
Ombre Coasters
Second Dye Job
Charity Blanket Squares
First Dye Job
First Dye Job
Tunisian Crochet
Peppermint Body Scrub
Crochet Cowl
Faux round swatch
First adult sweater swatch

This year, I:

  • Dyed yarn
  • Made body products
  • Crocheted a cowl that was gifted
  • Made a hat
  • Started my first sock
  • Made my first sweater
  • Experimented making clay ornaments
  • Messed around with fabric painting
  • Crocheted coasters
  • Blinged out some felt
  • Messed around with some tunisian crochet
  • Did my first test knit/crochet — made love bombs for this talented lady
  • Made stitch markers
  • Swatched my first adult sweater
  • I introduced my newest knitting mascot — Pablo Shenanigans while working on a basic cowl.  I need to add some single crochet to the edges to finish this baby.  I’ll do that while I’m home this week!
  • and I even cranked up my sewing machine to make a rice heat pack as a swap gift (which incidentally is the last installment in my craft book challenge this year).

Rice Heat PakNot too shabby but I know with some better time management I could have done more.  Now that I’ve cranked up the sewing machine, I want to do more stitching.  God help me.  I don’t need another rabbit hole to fall down.

For 2014, I want to:

  • Work through the entire Simple Collection from TincanKnits

  • Complete at least 20 projects / 14 new techniques via knitting and crochet.  These techniques include thrumming, colourwork (fair isle and intarsia), conquering knitting in the round with dpns and magic loop, cables (don’t find them hard just never completed a project with cables), lace, garment construction.
  • Include in the 20 projects at least 2 sweaters, 2 shawlettes, 2 pairs of socks and a blanket or two.
  • Try … I said try … 😛 .. to make at least 25 handmade decorations for my Christmas tree for use Christmas 2014 (g.w)
  • Reacquaint myself with Violet aka Vivi (my sewing machine named by my cousin Anita.  Yeah I know … all my toys and tools have names.  What?!!!!  Don’t yours? LOLOL!).  Stitch some potholders, a set of table mats and a swing coat (yes, I said a coat).  My sewist extraordinaire BFF gave me a pattern 3 years ago that she expects to be completed this year.  No exceptions.  Oye vey the pressure!!!!  😀
  • Spin at least 10 braids of roving in 2014.
  • Complete at least two cross-stitch pieces.
  • Leave #teamstartitis and join #teamFO
  • Practice some monogamous crafting instead of starting all the thingz!
  • Stop saving free patterns on Ravelry.  I’ll never be able to make all the thingz; I need to focus on the wonderful patterns I have already in my library.

  • Schedule crafting days and stick to said schedule. Poor time management stopped me from crafting as much as I could have in 2013.

It’s an ambitious list, especially given the fact that my commute takes up four hours of my day and work renders me useless once I leave the office most days.  But I have to intentionally do the things that benefit me and make me feel good and crafting does that.

Think I’m crazy?  That’s okay!  Just hold this list over my head when I start whining about.   how tired and frustrated I am!  Seriously … I’d love you forever if you don’t let me slack off.  😀  It’s high time for me to move from newbie status to intermediate — for crochet, knitting and general crafting.  And the only way I can do that is to craft, craft, craft!!!!

What are your crafty resolution for the upcoming year?