Unwrapping and Wrapping Up

Christmas 2016 was a nice, quiet holiday.  Jim and I visited Holidazzle in Loring Park.  Holidazzle used to be a Christmas parade and has since been revamped into a Christmas market featuring local Ben came on Christmas eve to wrap gifts.  Crazy weather made it a good day to hunker down and enjoy family time.  We waited until Christmas morning to open gifts and enjoyed reminiscing about Christmases past and how our family traditions began.  Jim was very happy with the mittens and the pajama pants I made for him.  I cannot believe I was able to finish those projects!  Ben's sweater is coming along, I started the fronts together.  It's been some time since I made an intarsia sweater.  The process is like a mullet hairdo - business in the front, and party (or mayhem with the yarn tails) in the back.  Good thing I have plenty of bobbins to wrangle the yarn.

I'm pleased with the color choices for this project.

Jim and I went to the mall after Holidazzle and stopped in the bookstore to check out the magazines.  Imagine that!  

Some of the brown sugar cut out cookies.  Ben chose the cookie cutters this year.  Ampelmann, forest critters, puppy dog, and pine trees.  The toffee bits were a tasty addition to the hedgehogs and moose this year.

The Holidazzle lights were beautiful!

Our little tree decorated with memories.  (Humm, it's dropped a few needles.)

One of Jim's mittens before fulling...

...and the happy recipient.

Ben making butter with the churn Jim got for us.  It was delicious!

We took time on Christmas Eve to drive around and look at the lights.

"Droid to the World"

Looking ahead to 2017...time, it can be a friend or a foe.  There are 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day, 365 days a year (with the exception of leap year) and yet the minutes, hours, and days go by so quickly!  In spite of my time passing too quickly, I managed to produce not only fiber works, teaching classes, and painting with limited vision until March 2016 when Dr. Conrad restored my sight with a new lens implant in my left eye.  The next few months were spent planning and training for the 12-day Philmont trek in August.  Naturally, a month before we were to leave I bashed my foot on the corner of the cedar chest (that has been in the same spot for 17 years).  I ended up buying new boots because of the swelling and pain.  My third and fourth toes became buddies taped together for a few months.  We hiked 75 miles in the New Mexico mountains.  It was beautiful.  I missed my other hiking boots and it was a happy day in October when I tried them on and they were once again comfortable!  I wish I could say the same for my hands.  It's a good thing I switch out my hand work often.  Between knitting, spinning, weaving, painting, sewing, and baking my grip is not quite as strong and there is a bit of pain in the joints (sad face).  Limiting my keyboard time on the computer also helps, although it is necessary whether I like it or not.  

Now that I'm exclusively at Anoka Fiber Works, my time is my own, meaning I'm in control of what I make, classes I schedule, and the number of students I have in class.  Just over a year ago on December 5, our little group started a weave-along that turned into finished vests, a weekly weaving group, floor looms for Mary and myself, a published article, and me becoming a vendor at AFW.  I'll be moving to a space along the wall before the year is over.  Collectively we continue to build community through our common love of all things fiber.

The deep freeze is back

The January thaw is over and the cold and a fresh coating of snow is back.  I was getting a bit tired of the melting slop. 

I'm actively knitting on  four projects at present.  The #11 cardigan is progressing quickly.  I do like the thought of a steek, although I'll know more when I secure and cut it!  I began the Stone Walls vest with the two hanks of gorgeous green yarn from Ireland.  I wanted to do the XO vest, but I want to be sure to have enough.  I'm almost finished with the 2 1/2-inches of ribbing and then will start the texture and cabling.  That's the best part.  I have two sock yarn scarves going, which are great for tucking into my bag when I'm out and about.  Since Mom and I can't go out today, I'll probably take along the two big projects so she can see them. 

In February, I'll be finishing up my first Wood Badge ticket.  That will be nice!  Four more to go after that.  I have 15 months to finish all five.  One thing I'm determined to finish this year is my Level II Master Handknitting.  It's a great program that makes one really dig in and focus on technique, history, writing, and projects.  Level I helped me become a better knitter and teacher.

I made the cookies from the mix Mom made at one of her activities.  They are really good, too.  The jar was so charming, I hated to empty it, but we needed some home-baked goodies over the weekend.  With Ben gone I don't bake as much.  Jim's working hard for cycling and Philmont and I'm just trying to keep my "girlish" figure.  I'd really rather just crop, cut, and paste with Photo Editor, but alas, it's not possible! 

Tied up with a bow

I finally can post a photo of the finished sweater. Mom was very excited to see it because she remembers this sweater from the late 1920s. The original was designed by Elsa Schiaparelli in 1927. I'll be teaching a class for the Armenian knitting technique used. I enjoyed knitting the sweater and would love to make another garment using the technique. Both yarns are carried over the whole garment, which makes a double thickness. Using sport weight yarn worked beautifully and it is lightweight. The color not in use is caught every third stitch. The color peeking through gives a tweed appearance and some texture to the otherwise flat color.
The cookies were fun to make as usual. Ben and the guys are in the basement playing Foosball. I've missed the noise down there!
I have to finish my straps to the mystery bag so I can get it felted before the end of the week. I'll take my knitting out on the porch and let the boys have the family room to play video games.
If you look closely on the right in the cookie photo, the sock cookies are Ben's. He has always worn the knee highs and is well-known throughout the district for wearing them. When the cubs came to camp last week (Ben was here) and the staff introduced themselves, Scott held up Ben's socks in Ben's absence. The new uniforms haven't included knee highs, although there is a rumor that they will return. Ben hit all the Scout shops in the area buying up the old ones.

Iced tea time!

Well, it's officially summer. It's a little humid and will be warm (80s) this week. I certainly can't complain--it could be so much worse!

I'm making progress on the second sleeve of the Bowknot. I've been eyeing Owls lately, although I have other projects lined up. Like that's a big surprise.
24.06.09 The Bowknot is blocking! Finally! I was gettin' real tired of the sleeves.
There's been a bit of stash enhancement lately. I got good deals at the shop on Some Manos and Rowan yarns. The Owl sweater will be a bonus because I'm knitting it with yarn the shop will carry, so that will be a real treat! Fun things ahead on the knitting front.
I made cookies last night--chocolate chip, Heath Bar toffee, and oatmeal. I sent some to Ben. I think they'll arrive all right. Even if they get broken, they're still edible! Jim's happy there are some left for him, too!
Next week the shop is hosting an author for a book signing. I'm going to use my cookie molds. I think I'd like to try the gingerbread recipe in the booklet that came with the molds.

Felting fun

Here's a look at what we did on Wednesday at the Textile Center. My felt is now dry, and I need to decide what to do with it. Carol's turned out a bit larger and she's making a little purse. I'll probably line mine and make a small DPN holder.

The exquisite little springerle cookies were on the refreshment table. The sister of one of the teachers made them. I was so in love with the images that I found the molds online this morning and ordered some molds. Besides, I love to make cookies! Not only were they lovely, they were very good! When not in use, they can hang in my fiber/art themed office.
Tonight Jim's taking us to the Saints game. Ben's never been to one and it's always a fun evening. I'm on the bottom ribbing of the tweed cardigan and will have to get the sleeves going tonight at the game. I'll take a sock along also...
Good news on the spinning front! I was at the steak fry for Roundtable (BSA) and one of the leaders and I got in a conversation about knitting. Turns out his wife and daughter knit and his wife spins and weaves! This will hopefully lead to a connection. Also, Shepherd's Choice is having spinners meet tomorrow at the shop and I will be there with Louie Louet and some fiber! Baaaa!