More Time, Please

I may have overdone it when I went to the library…

The due date is February 10th, and I’ve finished one and am halfway through another.

In the meantime, I have a long list of projects planned out for the year, including sweaters for both my boys. I started first with my first top down sweater project, a cardigan for me. I love the way the pattern is written, so easy to follow. I can’t wait to finish my work week and really have some dedicated time to knit away!

But I need some dedicated reading time, too. Obviously I need some wizardry spell to give me more time in a day.

Linking with Ginny

Making

I’m loving my craft room space, and lots of making is going on up there…

I found some fabric that had to be made into project bags. I did one as a large sweater size bag, and one in a medium size.

I have a fiddly knitting project going on, a Celtic knot cowl in the Nennir pattern. I can concentrate on it when up in my craft lair.

After swearing off of bamboo needles, I had to sheepishly go and buy some for this project. The yarn was way to slippery on my metal needles and kept flying off when I was doing cables. On the bamboo, the stitches stay put until I want to move them. So, I must admit, bamboo is a practical choice for some yarn and projects. Crow eaten…

I also have more mindless projects for when I join the hubby in the tv room. These Lambing Mitts fit the bill perfectly.

They were such a fast knit and I love them in this warm wool. My favorite thing about them is how they can cover your fingers if you need them to. I’ve noticed them being knit up on a lot of other blogs. I highly recommend them!

Not much else is happening in my world. It is that dreary, grey, cold part of the year. Time to hunker down and do whatever you can to find some enjoyment to get you through the winter!

It’s Magic

Thought I’d try something new in 2017, put down my dpn’s and tried out the Magic Loop method of circular knitting.

Love it!

After I finish these Lambing Mitts, which are knitting up fabulously, I plan to try  Magic Looping a sock. I think it will be a new favorite go-to knitting method for me.

I am still in the Christmas season in my reading world. This is a very pleasant series, easy to read.

Linking up with Ginny

First F.O. of 2017

Coffee Shop Wrap by Two of Wands

I saw the pattern for this wrap and immediately cast it on using Lion Brand Wool Ease worsted that I already had in my yarn basket. I loved how the colors I had just worked together. And the tassels…. I just couldn’t wait to get to that part! I see-sawed between pink/white and grey/white and well, you see what won out. I did not, however, consider how appealing they would be not only to me but also to my little cat… I can see that I will have to be careful to keep them away from playful paws. I also hope they un-kink, not sure what caused that. Since it sort of reminds me of how my hair behaves,  I will be accepting of their waviness if it doesn’t smooth out over time.

I tried a new bind off on this project, as it called for a loose bind-off. I used “Grandma’s easy bind off” which you can find with a quick internet search.  I loved  the method and it looks great. I will definitely use it again.

I had Nic help me set up “Mom’s Craft Space” or,  “The Studio” as I have been calling it, before he returned to campus. Don’t feel too bad that it was set up in his bedroom; he still has a corner with a bed and a place to store some clothes. I am loving having my own space, and have been sitting at the desk daily, even if it is just to put on some nail polish and listen to the radio. I have lots of plans to improve the space, but honestly if it never progresses, I am still thrilled with it.

I suspect most of my knitting will still happen while sitting next to my hubby while he watches tv, but I have plans to get some girlfriends over to learn to sew or do any other crafty ideas they want to explore. So excited for my new space!

ps. I am not Canadian, but my son was born there and that is a quilt I made for him and I decided to leave it where it has been hanging.

 

Field Trip

I took some time off from work this week, and wouldn’t you know it, spent the first two days in bed with a horrible migraine. So painful and frustrating. But enough about that!

Wednesday we decided to travel to the land of our friends to the North, Canada. We took a ride out to St. John, New Brunswick. We white-knuckled through a very unexpected snow squall on Rt. 9 in Maine before emerging to blue skies on the border. We meandered through the market place, checked out some downtown stores, and hit the mall area.

There was a yarn store in the mall! That should be a requirement of all malls. There was even a lovely sitting area out in the mall area outside the store, no doubt designed for significant others who don’t knit but love their knitters who are in the shop squeezing numerous skeins trying to decide which one(s) will come home for a dream project.

I picked this one to become a Nennir cowl. It is a Canadian hand-dyed yarn from Halifax.

On the way home we stopped to eat at our favorite Canadian restaurant, Pizza Delight. I looove their Ceasar salad and garlic breadsticks and Donair sauce and yes, the pizza. We ate outselves silly.

It was a lovely road trip! It also got us thinking about a possible anniversary trip to one of our other favorite New Brunswick spots, St. Andrews by the Sea. Fun to think about a July 2017 vacation during a December 2016 snow storm, which is happening right now outside the window. But we are in for the night, so let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

 

Cozy

Cozy kitten.

Pearl enjoying the woodstove heat

Cozy new wrap. Worn to Christmas Eve Mass, 2016.

Nurmilintu.  Likely last FO of 2016.

Happy New Year!

Glad Tidings to You

Although I am scheduled to work my hospital night shift on Christmas night, I am off up until then. Enjoying some time at home with Nicolas, who is the only one of the three kiddos to be home this year.

Emily sent this cute picture!

My big accomplishment before Christmas was to finally finish crocheting Nic’s blanket made in his school colors. I started it a year ago and am so glad to have it off the hook. I took this photo while he was at the gym, and plan to put it over him on Christmas Eve so he wakes up with it on the bed.

I also finished my Nurmilintu shawlette. It is blocking right now as I hope to wear it to Mass for Christmas. It is a bit smaller than I thought it would be, but will still make a nice neck wrap. Pictures in the future!

We have had some snow, not a huge amount. It looked quite pretty out the window this morning.

We had some unusually big visitors to the bird feeder earlier this month.

They are such goofy looking animals!

I have been having fun planning my knitting projects for next year. I finished 14 projects this year! And 6 project bags… I am excited to get started on new crafting next year, and am starting to twirl plans around in my head to make the kiddos upstairs room into a craft room. I would love to be able to host some friends and get them sewing or knitting or whatever with me! I’ve been giving the kids a heads up on  my plans so they won’t be too shocked when they are able to make it home and the room has been revamped.

Have a wonderful Christmas and I look forward to more connecting in the New Year!

 

 

 

Long Holiday Weekends

We had a lovely, peaceful Thanksgiving at home with Nic. He got in from school on Monday evening. We had the traditional turkey feast on Thursday, went to see the Anah Shriners Feztival of Trees on Friday, followed by a trip to the movies to see “Fantastic Beasts” which we all gave an enthusiastic thumbs up. There was no Black Friday shopping for us. That would get a big old thumbs down… We decorated the house as well. Why don’t strings of lights last more than one season? Two of our strings are half out, but we found creative ways to use the half strings while hiding the quitter bulbs.

On Saturday we took a trip down the coast to Boothbay Harbor where they were having a special holiday light show at their  botanical gardens. Some Mannheim Steamroller Christmas CDs got us in a festive mood as we cruised down the road.  The town itself had some beautiful light displays, and the downtown was very pretty. The cost to get in the gardens ended up being $14 per person. Yikes!! That would be $42 to look at lights for the 3 of us. Really?? We enjoyed the downtown decorations for a cost of *free*, had a very pleasant walk, and met some lovely small business owners.

Afterward, we had to drop Nic back at Colby. Although he will be home in about 3 weeks for his Christmas break.

I took tonight off from work as well and have enjoyed a day of football and relaxing with my hubby. First day of Advent as well, and looking forward to observing the season in a peaceful, meditative way.

Tamarack Mittens

The Peace Fleece knit itself into these mittens in no time at all.

I love the color and it reminds me of the tamarack trees which are the most incredible gold this time of year.

The yarn is awesome; it has that sheep-y smell and bits of hay here and there. They should keep my hands nice and cozy when the temps start to drop.

 

Belfast

I had cabin fever this weekend. I know, it’s rather early for that, but still…it was there. I also needed knitting needles because I was right–I hate knitting with the bamboo. It feels like I am fighting the yarn, stitches, and needle and it actually makes my hands hurt. Maybe it is a combo of the fiber and wood…but I hate it. I remembered there was a little yarn store in downtown Belfast that I had been to once a while ago. I thought a ride to the Penobscot Bay town would get us out of the house and get me a visit to a LYS that might have  what I needed.

Belfast has the kind of downtown Main Street that all small towns dream about. A wonderful assortment of small locally owned businesses on a charming street leading down to the working harbor. We visited a fantastic fabric/art supply store that I have to get back to when I can do some damage to my wallet…There were boutiques and shops with all kinds of unique items, mixed in with restaurants and pubs. The yarn store, Heavenly Sock Yarns, had more than sock yarns neatly packed into its cozy space. They were immediately able to hand me exactly what I wanted for needles. Then Mike gave me a bit of time to wander around and pick up a skein or two.

The sock yarn was 20% off…I love the neon stripes in the one I picked out. I got a skein of Peace Fleece in a wonderfully tweedy woolly mustardy gold to make some mittens.

As if all that weren’t good enough, we headed up the street and there was a tea shop selling wonderful blends that smelled heavenly. The owner was lovely as well, and eventually we chose two blends to take home.

Yarn and tea.

And a lovely view.

Main Street is up on the hill on the right side of the photo

We stopped on the way back home to say hello to Nick. Then Mike and I made our last stop at our favorite Chinese restaurant for dinner. Back at home we settled in to watch the World Series.

I think my cabin fever is cured.