ravelry

Exercise In Patience

Nicky4 Comments

I could give all the reasons why I’m back in this space, but I’m not going to bore you with them. The short version is that this blog has long provided me with the space to document and share my makes (even if no one else is reading) and primary of all the reasons is that social media platforms have gone the way of misinformation and just all out greed. The interest I had in sharing on those platforms is all but dead. Crafting is slow and I refuse to continue to feed an algorithm and AI training designed for the benefit of the 1%.

I’m not going to confine my self to pledges of a consistent posting schedule but I will be posting here more than I have for the past couple of years.

That said, I haven’t done much knitting so far this year. Well … handknitting that is. I’ve finally cranked up my Addi Circular Machine for charity hat knitting (post about that coming soon) but other than that, knitting has been on the downward turn for me. To get myself back in the groove, I decided to work on a shawl pattern. I’m not a shawl knitter per se, but I love them. The larger, the better! I also like quick projects so large shawls using fingering weight yarn was not an appealing combo. I find large shawls to be an exercise in patience, and sometimes, I don’t have that! LOL!

As I began to limit my social media intake and activity, I decided to push myself. Why not pursue this exercise in patience? Why not slow down, take my time and remind myself what it feels like to make for the sheer joy of it and not so I could have something to post on Instagram? I went through my patterns and found the Chateau Rouge shawl by Madame Tricote. The pattern was posted on Ravelry but the designer no longer designs or provides pattern support so you can’t purchase it there anymore. However, I have to thank my past “print all the patterns I like” self because I found a printed copy in a folder of “potential knits” patterns I made more than 6 years ago.

The pattern is not difficult but as the rows become longer (close to 200 stitches now) and I’m only 1/3 way, it’ll be interesting to see if I learn to exercise patience, embrace the slow and finish it.

Pattern Details

  • Name: Chateau Rouge
  • Designer: Madame Tricote
  • Colorways used:
    • Tough Titty — Stitch Together (Pink )
    • Dowager Countess Downton Abbey — Canon Hand Dyes (Purple)
    • Boysenberry — Blue Moon Fiber Arts (Magenta)

My progress so far:

I’ve been very much enjoying watching the sections move to completion but I want to start my holiday makes this week so I’ll be diverting a tad from this project. I aim to keep some level of consistency and not let it fall by the wayside.

Until we chat again, I hope you’re all well despite the dumpster fire that the world is right now. Be good to yourselves always.

Stash Dash: Summer Sizzle!!!!

Nicky8 Comments

My Rav group — Stash Knit Down — is having a summer stash dash.   You know, that thing where you’re given clues and a set time-frame then you work on projects from your stash / queue that “kinda sorta fit the bill but doesn’t have to be like everyone else’s kinda thing”.   Now say that fast three times!!!  LOLOL!

You know us yarnies are nuts!  LOLOL!  The weather’s turning to sweltering and we’re thinking about what projects we can do.   Nuts I tell ya!!!!  I’ve never participated in one — sometimes RealLife gets in my way — but I love the theme of this one and the project guidelines.   So from  July 5th (s’posed to be July 1st, but I’m still cleaning up post apt renovation) – August 31st, I’m going to be working on these stash dash projects.  The goal is to see how many projects you can complete, from your stash, but most importantly — to have FUN!!!

  • Ice pop: complete your oldest WIP or use your oldest yarn

My oldest WIP is Granny Stacks Et Al

All I need to do is join the squares and make a sc back.

  • Fresh strawberries: make something red: A phone cosy with some red cotton.
  • Fireworks: make something with beads or sparkles: Never did beading before, this would be a great time to try.
  • Weeding: give away or donate one item (does not need to be knitting related): DONE: Gave clothes, shoes, accessories and knick nacks to Goodwill today.
  • Beach: make a bag or something else you might carry to the beach: Water bottle cozy
  • Sunburn: make a hat: Tuva
  • Walking barefoot in the grass: make a pair of socks or slippers : First pair of socks in progress.
  • Summer vacation: make something for a baby or a child: Blackberry Salad Blanket
  • Swimming: make something blue or green: Summer vacation project is a variation of blues. 😛
  • Summer reading: read 1 book: The Scarlet Letter — Nathaniel Hawthorne
  • Lemonade: make something yellow: I have to think about this one.
  • Allergies: make something that ISN’T made of wool: if this project doesn’t have to be knit related, I’ll make some soap or bath bombs. If yarn related, I’ll have to think about this
  • Bonfires: make something out of the warmest yarn you have: I’ll have to think about a project for this yarn, it’s 100% Peruvian wool.   IMG_1612
  • Vacation: arrange a day or a weekend all to yourself: July 19 – 21 or August 16 – 18

I love the fact that this stash-down allows me to incorporate projects I’ve already started.  Wooohooo!  Now that I’m coming out of the renovation fog, I’m chomping at the bit to finish the clean-up and get cracking on these.

What crafty plans do you have for the summer?  😀