Welcome to 2020!

Friends of the show will remember that we have a New Years tradition here at chez woolly.  My two besties and I have been gathering on New Year's Eve to ring in the new year, and then share brunch on New Year's Day to make plans and set intentions for ... gosh... probably over 15 years.   It's a lovely part of my personal wheel of the year, and it's a tradition I cherish.

We had to get a little creative this year, because some dear friends of ours got married on New Years Day, and asked me to be their officiant.  It was an incredible honor, and a beautiful wedding. 

Darling, You Look Wonderful Tonight

My best Koren caught a snap of Carl and I dancing to some Eric Clapton.  I'm normally not a fan of pictures of me, but I just love how he's looking at me here.  My heart!

Beautiful or no, the wedding jacked our plans up a bit, but we're clever and flexible people and we made it work.  We switched our brunch to New Year's Eve, set intentions, did some tarot readings, and worked on finishing projects.  (As an aside, my tarot reading said I should write more.  Hello!)

A second piece of our New Years tradition is to finish a project, either New Years Eve or Day (Jess does one, I do the other) and then cast on something new on New Years Day.  May we finish as many things as we start, so say we all.

I finished up these cheerful holiday socks. 

They're Rock and String Creations "Merry and Bright" in her Sashay base. I used the Heel, Toe, Do-Si-Do pattern, with very slight modification (68 stitches instead of 64).  They're sparkly, and pretty darned cute, if I do say so myself. 

My New Year's cast ons (plural, because if one is good then two is better, right?) were the Odyssey Shawl by Joji Locatelli, and a pair of vanilla socks using Valkyrie Fibers Matte Sock in the "Tinuviel" colorway. 

And can we just talk about how well that contrast color in the socks works with the main yarn?  Not only did they not come together, they're not from the same dyer.  The contrast is Soft Sock from Teenybutton Studio.

I'm excited about this year.  I feel good, I've got plans that inspire me, and plenty of beautiful yarn to keep me busy. 

Adventures in Not Podcasting

I am extremely lucky in my friends for many reasons.  Not least of which is that many of my close friends are also makers of one sort or another.  Crochet, knitting, sewing, cooking, tatting, weaving, drawing, painting.... name a craft and I bet someone in my circle does it, has done it, or is already planning to learn how.

Jess, Koren and I have a regular hang-out scheduled for most Friday nights.  We have dinner together, talk about what we're making, watch some TV or a movie, or maybe have a YouTube Dance Party.  Some variation of a weekly gathering has been happening at my place for years.  

About a year, year-and-a-half ago, we discovered knitting podcasts (this is all leading somewhere, I swear).  I was a late adopter -- I sort of peripherally knew that knitting podcasts were a thing.  And now I actually can't remember what prompted me to check them out and start listening.  It might have been something on one of my blogs, or that I saw on Ravelry.  Who knows?   The point is, I started listening and then bullied badgered convinced Koren and Jess to listen too.

And we started thinking about the conversations we have most Friday nights.  What are you working on?  What are you reading? What have you finished? What do you think of this pattern?  Hey, that designer has her patterns on sale... that sort of thing.

And then somebody made a joke about podcasting and how we should do it.  And someone else pointed out that she sounds like a 12 year old girl who's been caught sucking helium again when she's on tape (she actually said "on tape" because she is old).   Then someone else pointed that the second someone was ridiculous.   The conversation sort of devolved at that point.

But the idea of the "Not-a-Podcast" was born.  We occasionally sit down to a bit of semi-structured talk about what we're making, what we're watching and reading, and what's got us excited.  It's a great way to keep excited about our crafting lives, and it's really fun.

This past Friday there was a plague in two of our houses, so we decided to cancel Friday night. But Koren very cleverly pointed out that there was no reason we couldn't still Not-a-Podcast if we got on Google Hangouts.

So we very seriously set up a Google doc for our show notes, and proceeded to have a delightful time.  There were a few initial technical hiccups, but all in all it was a great success.  I may or may not have started out by saying, "Welcome to Episode 1 of Yarny Tonkin'.  I'm Bekah, also known as ... Bekah."  A bit of an homage to the KnitGirllls there.

No.  We aren't really going to do a podcast.   But if we did, we'd totally call it "Yarny Tonkin'".

A quick update on what's on my needles this week -- I'm 14% done with Lilli Pilli (why yes, I do have a spreadsheet, why do you ask?)  That's about 32 garter stripes into the first section.

I have a bit more to do, and then it's on to the first lace section.  I can't wait to add in the orange.

And then I started a hat for 25000 Toques -- a group that is organizing hand knit hats to give to Syrian refugees in Canada.  I think it's a lovely thing. Check it out, if you've a mind to.

I'm making Barley out of the yarn leftover from Rowan's Bankhead hat (good news on that front -- it fit and he likes it.  Much better than last year's hat attempt).  For some reason I cannot for the life of me get a color-accurate picture of this yarn.  It's actually a very pretty olive green.

Setting Intentions, 2016 Edition

Every New Year I think about what I want from and for the coming year.  Health, productivity, a clean house, specific projects I'd like to accomplish, that sort of thing.  I've got a lot of ambition for 2016, and I'm ready to start making it happen.  

On New Year's Day as I sat with three of the best people I know, I closed the books on one or two things.

Where Dwell the Brave at Heart

I knit Wee Weasley sweaters for the family for Christmas this year.  And predictably enough I finished all of them but the one intended for me (I figured I could always make mine later, right?  It's not like I was surprising myself.)   Koren and Rhiannon both very wisely pointed out that if I didn't cast the thing on and finish it though, and if I didn't do it right now while I still have the pattern memorized, well... I never would.  

Dang, That's a Lot of Ravenclaws

I also finished the toe on my Halloween sock (yeah, I know.  But I'd already finished my Christmas pair, and Halloween comes every year.)

I finished projects that were lingering, and projects that were intended for no purpose but my happiness.   

In 2016, may I finish what I start, even when it isn't new and exciting anymore, and may I remember to pursue my own joy.

So, a few projects cast off and completed, I moved on to beginning new things.

I cast on the second Halloween sock, because while I could wear one Halloween sock and one Christmas sock and call it good... I'm not going to.

I still love that orange stripe.

I also cast on an entirely brand new project.  An ambitious project, one that calls for around twelve hundred yards of fingering weight yarn in some of my very favorite colors.   I'll be knitting the Lilli Pilli shawl by Ambah O'Brien as my Potions OWL in the Harry Potter Knitting and Crochet House Cup.

I'm only just begun, and I'm looking forward to working on it over the next few months.  Since I'm doing it as part of an online game with other knitters, I have an externally imposed deadline that will help me keep this from languishing.

In 2016, may I continue to work towards completing what's already begun, while still looking forward to the next wonderful opportunity.  May I know myself well enough to find solutions, games, and motivations that will help me succeed in everything I attempt.

So Say We All.

Crafting Goals for 2016

I don't do resolutions.  While there is certainly societal pressure to be resolute in January, there is surely just as much pressure to categorically fail in February.  I'd just as soon skip all that.  So while I don't have any resolutions to share with you, I do have some goals.

In 2016, I would like to complete greater than 10,000 yards of knitting and crochet.  For context, in 2014 I hit 10,751.  2015's total hit a nice 10,415 (if you have a Ravelry account, you can see my 2015 finished projects here).  So essentially my goal is to carry on grooving.

In 2016, I intend to complete 16 pairs of socks.  (This idea was totally ripped off of inspired by Mediapuruana. I'm not actually playing along other than in spirit.)  Socks that were on the needles in 2015 count, so long as they are finished in 2016.  So my current standing is 1/16.  Woot!

In 2016, I will limit my yarn purchases to festivals, shows, and the two yarn clubs I'm currently enrolled in (Yarnbox.com's sock box, and the Erin Lane Indie Yarn Carnival, in case you were wondering.)   Jess, Koren, and I are making plans to go Yarny Tonkin' in Nashville at some point this year.  For my purposes that counts as a festival (I bet there will be sushi involved), but I only get to do this once.   I've done a great deal of yarn acquisition in the past year and a half.  And I ain't even sorry.  But I'd like to slow down and enjoy some of the really excellent yarns I currently own. Also, I'm about out of room.

In 2016, I will finish my three oldest, biggest, or oldest AND biggest works in progress:

My Circles to Squares Afghan, which is about 50% complete.

My Cosy Stripe Afghan, also at 50%.

And my Knitting in Red Shawl.  I estimate I'm around 65 - 70% on this one.

This one has a lot of Intention in it, and I've left it to linger for far too long.  I've already begun working on it again, and it feels good to put some new and fresh energy into it.

What are your Intentions and Goals for 2016?

Clown Barf Hat (Needs A Better Name)

I've finished another project (or two? I'm having trouble keeping track since I can't actually talk about all of them here) since last we spoke.    A wise friends suggested that if I needed to knit a hat from stash, and all my stash is fingering or lace weight, that there are not actually any ordinances prohibiting holding the yarn double.

Duh.

So, the Clown Barf hat was conceived and born.   Made of a pattern of my own reckoning:  simple-simple...rolled brim on size 6 needles, stockinette on 8s.  CO. 80 stitches, increase to 88 when changing needles.   Knit until you are bored or about 6 inches.  Spread the decreases out evenly across the 88 stitches--first round was knit 9, k2tog around--I decreased in a manner that made sense and ended up without being too flat or too pointy, et voila:

I swear I just took this picture...it is not, in fact, Spring in TN.

Made from two ancient balls (heh heh) of Knitpicks Memories Sock Yarn.  It will make some clown 11 year old happy.

In other news, Halloween is nearly upon us.  I have had neither time, nor energy, nor spoons to devote to kids' Halloween.    Morgan is planning to be a Hogwarts student (a costume that anyone in this house could put together with their eyes closed, and one hand tied behind their back...although that would make putting the robe on awkward).    Rowan wants to be a cone-head zombie from Plants vs. Zombies.   It'll be adorable, assuming I can come up with a reasonable facsimile of an orange traffic cone to place upon his pate.

Wish me luck.

Weekend of Knitting, Net Gain 2" of Hat

I decided yesterday to find a pattern for the blue wool that Jess brought me from London-town.

Pretty Wool From London-town

It's a pretty blue-dark blue aran weight twist.  So I used Ravelry's brilliant search system and found Vegamot.  It's designed for DK weight yarn and relies heavily on texture (Down-side: it involves purls.  Up-side: it is super-cute.)

I cast on, and made it about 2" in when I realized I wasn't loving it.  Something wasn't quite right.  (Two somethings...my cast-on looked terrible).  I decided to take it off the needles and try it on to see if that changed anything.   It did and it didn't...once it stretched out the cast-on was fine, and the yarn was taking the pattern pretty well, but my forehead started itching like you wouldn't believe.

Poor thing ended up in the frog pond - I decided that it didn't matter how cute the hat was if no one would wear it.   I am going to set the yarn aside for now.  I think it might be a bag when it grows up.

So, today I decided to try again.  I found a new pattern, and chose a different yarn.   Except for the part where I missed two yarn overs two rows down (which, through my extreme lack of attention led to the loss of six total stitches...long story, it was dumb.  Okay, that's actually a pretty short story), yeah so, except for that this next hat is turning out MUCH better.   I tinked back three rows, fixed my boo-boos and am back on track.

Seems like October and I are not getting along as well as September and I did.

Knit Party

Tonight is Knit Party Night.

My friend the No-Longer-Blogless Cindy has begun hosting monthly Knitting Parties. (Please note that I have totally decided that two months running makes a tradition. So there.)

Anyway, so theoretically, one would assume that Knitting Parties are meant for knitting, and hey... that's valid. Look, we even brought knitting baskets.

See? Total knitting opportunities here. My basket is the one on the bottom right -- the observant among you will recognize the pink stripey sock and the Harlot Scarf.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I should probably mention that I have knit two entire rows of the scarf.... and that's pretty much it.

There's wine, and cookies, and Broadway musicals, and NaNoWriMo and NaNoBloMo (I mean NaBloPoMo) and...

What kind of party was this again?