Beached – My Non-Knitting Vacay

We just returned from a week at the beach. In keeping with tradition's past, I over-packed the knitting projects. I took two sock WIPs, and three, yes you read that correctly, three skeins of sock yarn, with the expectation that I would knit an additional three pairs of socks, despite knowing my monthly sock output is two and half pairs. Oh, and did I mention that I tucked in my Claire Randall shawl – the one I have yet to cast on? Nope? Well, I did. Honestly, my knitting could have taken up its very own suitcase, and well, it kinda, sorta did. And the best way to describe my knitting last week is simply - beached. I accomplished very little.

But I was successful on other fronts, namely just being a mom. My days were spent with the kids, who at 4 and 7, are not likely to sit in their age-appropriate beach chairs and watch the waves roll in. Our days started early and ended late. We swam in the ocean, built sandcastle kingdoms, searched for seashells, and mini-golfed until I could putt no more. After the boys tumbled into bed, I would drag out my limp, stockinette tube. I’ve developed a bad case of second sock syndrome.

However, I did manage to read three books – one mystery, one biography, and one collection of essays. And by trip’s end, I was close to completing my August KAL socks, but only because the nightmare that is Interstate 95 turned a 6.5 hour drive into an 8.5 hour one. As the husband navigated the roads, I knit on. All that’s left is to shape the toe and add the heel. Hopefully I’ll be able to post my FO next week, but in the meantime, I’ll leave you with a picture of the most dreamy yarn that I bullied my husband into helping me unskein. I’m hoping to cast on this weekend, because by then my vacation glow with be gone, and I’ll need some yarn to fill the void. Bon tricot!

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Spring Cleaning – Whipping Out Shawl WIPs

I decided it was time for a little spring cleaning. I had two shawls in different states of finishing: my Drops of Honey Shawl not started and Claire Randall Fraser one-quarter knit. The Drops of Honey shawl is the first installment of Indie Untangled’s Where We Knit Club, and since I knew the next installment was shipping May 1, I was motivated to cast on-cast off. This is my first time using merino-silk yarn. It was quite the treat! The golden-honey hue is not one I would pick for my blue-grey-turquoise loving self, but I couldn’t be happier with the finished product. It’s a great neutral and can be paired with anything. My son, who was fascinated with this project, compared the shawl to honeycomb. Sounds like something an aspiring knitter would say. Besides the merino-silk fiber, this is also my first time knitting a Janina Kallio pattern. But it won’t be my last. In the meantime, I’m woefully behind on my Among Friend’s Outlander Club knitt

Star Wars Day: May the 4th Be With You

Happy Star Wars Day! There’s been an abundance of Star Wars themed yarn this year, and I have fallen for many of them. After completing my Brandy Milk Punch socks , I cast on a new pair using Two SistersYarn Company’s These Are Not The Droids You're Looking For. I stumbled across this skein in February on Etsy. It was the only one left, and it's dyed on their Canyon Creek MCN Base, which is 80% superwash merino wool, 10% cashmere, and 10% nylon. The striping sequence is five rows R2-D2 blue followed by Storm Troopers white, Millennium Falcon grey, Chewbacca brown, BB-8 orange, and the First Order black. I have completed two repeats, and I'm loving the color combinations. And speaking of droids, Must Stash Yarns is having a Star Wars KAL. To determine my allegiance – Empire or Rebels – I took a quiz . And it looks like I’m going to knit for the Dark Side. My skein of Rey arrived in the mail this week, but I’m going to cast on using R2D2.

2018 Knitting Goals

I’m a creature of habit. I eat the same thing for breakfast, the same thing for lunch. I drive the same way to work. I exercise the same time every day. Trying new things does not come easily to me. So I created a bucket list in 2017 with the hopes of pushing me outside my comfort zone – to innovate. My list was ambitious, and while I didn’t accomplish everything I had hoped to in 2017, I’m pleased with my progress…and the finished handknits. I knit fewer socks and more shawls. I learned several cast ons and cast offs. I knit my kits, including my first toy. And while I failed to pare down my stash, I did focus on creating versatile, wearable wardrobe staples. 1. Complete shawl that requires garter tab cast on 2. Knit a toy 3. Complete a sweater (kind of, if you count the sweater on the Velveteen Rabbit kit) 4. Knit something for the house – blanket 5. Knit something lace weight 6. Knit holiday o

Bon Tricot

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