Friday, February 14, 2014

How Do You Eat an Elephant?

How do you eat and elephant? One bite at a time.

I really feel that by setting goals and trying really hard to stick to them I am making progress on eating my elephants.

This month I have been able to get 2 more barn raising squares knit. Both of the blocks this month were knit with self striping yarn. It really adds interest.


I showed you this one as I was knitting in the car last weekend.


Since today is Valentine's day I felt like knitting with some pink yarn. It makes me happy! I started this block as I was talking to my Mom on the phone. We tend to have really long conversations and its nice to have something for my hand to do that isn't distracting or that I have to pay much attention to.


So what elephant are you trying to eat? Have you set reasonable goals? I truly find I get lost or get side tracked when I don't hold myself accountable to get something done. I will get back to knitting on my sweater tonight as I watch the Olympic coverage but for now I am going to enjoy mindless knitting with some gorgeous pink yarn.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Sweater Update

Did I ever mention that I am a really really slow knitter? I am super slow, I am not sure why but I just am. It seems to take me forever to get anything knit. Some people can knit a sweater in 2 weeks start to finish. Me, not so much.

The Olympics are starting the second week of competition and I have not gotten very far on my sweater.  Here is where I started out last week...

This photo is the closest to the actual color of the thread.
And here is where I am this afternoon...



I have gotten through the decreases for the waist shaping.


I am onto adding in the increases for my hips, because I have hips!



Still need to add more length and I haven't even began on the sleeves. As my daughter would say "oh buddy". It is not looking good for me to have this finished by the end of the Olympics. My new goal...by St. Patrick's Day.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Take Along Projects

I really like to have a project to work on when I am out and about. Today's project was a Barn Raising block while we were driving home from a visit with my Son.

Its hard to take a picture of your knitting on a good day but a moving car is not easy. You can just barely see that I have a quilt on my lap. When we are in the car I like to kick off my shoes and cover up with a lap size quilt. I hate cool breezes and even in a warm car I cover up. I am such an old lady.


It was a snowy drive home.


I was able to get the block complete and just need to bind it off and another one is done! Having little project with me helps me to get a little knitting time in almost anywhere.

Saturday, February 8, 2014

New Knitting Book

I bought myself a new knitting book. I have been looking at purchasing this book for sometime. It is just so adorable!

The Big Book of Knitted Monsters by Rebecca Danger


Look at Bea, isn't she adorable?!?


Toothy Joe is just too cute!


And Hugo looks like he could be a best friend.


So why did I buy a book of knitted monsters? I have this crazy idea that I can knit up a bunch of these little guy and have them on hand for gifts for little kids. You know, in my spare time I can knit these. Actually someday I hope to be a grandmother (except I will be called Bunny but that is another story) and I would love to give my grand kids toys that I make them instead of store bought gifts. Because I know how dang slow I am I thought starting sooner than later would be a good idea.

Friday, February 7, 2014

The Never Ending Quilt

I feel like my Mystery Quilt is just never ending. I was able to get a little sewing in today. I need to sew together all the pieces I have sewn together.


I got 10 of these blocks sewn together...I need 60.


I got 5 of these sewn and need 61. Oy Vey.


Here is my design wall with the 15 blocks sewn. Remember once I get all 121 blocks sewn together then they need to be sewn to each other.


I like the look of this quilt but I will say making a King Size Quilt is a ton of work and I am sure that I would only make this for myself. I do enjoy giving away my quilts but not this one.

Now I need to get settled to watch the opening of the Olympics and get to knitting on my sweater. I would be wonderful if I got to wear it for St. Patrick's Day!  Oh, and don't be shocked but I have my next sweater picked out already. It too will be a many year project I am sure. That really doesn't bother me because the things I chose to make are not inexpensive, it would be cheaper to purchase these items but I get way more hours of pleasure than I would just buying something.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Green Apple Vodka Sweater and Goldilocks

Tonight begins coverage of the Olympics and my goal is to finish a sweater over the next 2 weeks. I started this sweater in September 2013 and I stopped working on it for some reason I can't remember but I am sure it was something shinny.  The pattern is Vodka Lemonade by Thea Colman.

Here are a couple screen shots so you know what it is supposed to look like.


I like the seed stitch collar.


My plan is to knit this a little longer, not end it at the waist like the pattern shows.



I am calling my sweater Green Apple Vodka. The yarn is 100% Baby Alpaca and it feels amazing!


Now comes my Goldilocks moment. The first needle I was using to knit this were Signature Needles which are my go to favorites but these one were to short for some reason and they feel old in my hands. So these are TOO SMALL.


The next pair of needles I switched to were Addi Turbo's but I find these to be to sticky with this yarn. SO these are TOO SKICKY.


My last set are Knit Picks wood needles and they are feeling just right. This makes me a very happy girl.



Monday, February 3, 2014

What Feeds Your Soul?





Do you have something that you do that you do not for fun but because you need to do it. Do you have something that feeds your soul?

I am an artist because I HAVE to create. I don't think of my quilting and knitting as "hobbies" or "crafts", I think of them as art and that I am an artist. Does a name mean that much? Who cares what you call yourself?  Well I care. A hobby if something one does for fun, when I am quilting or knitting its not always "fun" its just something that I have to do. Its like its really not a choice. It what makes me ME.

What about you? What makes you YOU?

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Coffee Cuff

You know how when you go to your favorite coffee place and you get a little cardboard cuff to place around the cup to keep from burning your hand with the molten lava in the cup? My sister G was saying that her favorite place never gives her a cuff and that it really is a pain in the hand so I said I would knit her up a cuff.

I got this pattern off of Raverly.


I chose a yarn that was in the colors of her favorite beverage place. I didn't want her cuff to clash to much with her cup. LOL. Actually I found this yarn on clearance and I thought it was perfect.

I really like that pattern at it had a little interest in it with the cable. Simple but pretty element.


It only took me a few nights of tv watching to knit this baby up for my sister. I am going to be seeing her today so she will be able to try it out on Monday. I hope she likes it.




Saturday, February 1, 2014

January Recap

I thought it would be good to see just how I did with my 2014 goal one month in.

Here were my goals for January-

Barn Raising: Goal was to knit 2 blocks.
Beekeeper Quilt: Goal was 34 hexipuffs.
Dish Cloth Challenge: Goal was 1 each week, 4 for January.
Mystery Quilt
Finish UFO quilt projects.

Now how did I do?

Barn Raising- FAILED

I almost got 2 knit but missed it by this much.

 
I do have 24 others complete so that is a big step towards my 60 that I need for the quilt.


Beekeeper- FAILED

I only got 20 of the 34 knit.


Dish Cloth Challenge- COMPLETED and then some

I got these 8 knitted.


Plus these 2 that I sent home with my Son. So that is 10 done when I only needed to knit 4 for my goal. YAY!


Mystery Quilt- FAILED

I didn't get much done on it this month. It is so much sewing that I need to get moving on this. Maybe I can get it done by the end of February.


UFO Quilts- DONE

I got 2 quilts finished in January, Nice Patch and Flower Market



So all in all January wasn't the best of months for getting this completed. However these are just goals, things I hope to get done not hard deadlines. I am really happy with all I did get done.

Now to get busy on February's Goals.... this is all the above plus I want to get a sweater knit during the Olympics. Something will have t give but since I am ahead on my dish cloths that can be one thing to set aside for the month.

What are your goals and how are they going??