Lists - lifesaver or curse?

Things are so hectic around here. With full time work and full time parenting, with hockey and dictee, trying to fit in family time and friends, I barely get a moment to breathe. And at the same time I am consumed by this need to create. 

When things get crazy, I tend to retreat into my thoughts, to make lists so as to have the impression that I have things under control. Can you be addicted to making lists? I may be. I have lists for everything. And I am not talking just grocery lists and to do lists. Lists of books I want to read, and books I've read, places I'd like to visit and the things I'd like to do there, lists of new skills I'd like to learn and then the projects Id like to make using those skills, lists of yarns to try and patterns to make. 

You get the idea.

The list of favourite patterns recently revealed to me that there are some imbalances. I have for example never knit a pair of socks, or mitts....GASP! Also, apparently I like shawls, but have only ever knit one (see here). This was clearly a situation that needed to be rectified. If nothing else, it would give me the feeling of stability in at least one aspect of my life. A small accomplishment, but one finds sanity where one can, right?


My Ravelry explorations led me to a lovely group of ladies organizing a KAL to knit one of Melanie Berg's patterns. What serendipitous timing! The choices were either the Oceanbound or Spark of Grey pattern, both of which are stunning. The Spark of Grey pattern seemed perfect for these 2 skeins I;ve had in my stash for a while waiting for the right pattern that would showcase their beauty. I chose to use a skein of Fleece Artist Sea Wool mixed with a hand dyed skein by yours truly. This yarn was my first attempt at dying wool, and I love how it turned out. 

The goal was to finish this knit by April 3rd, but as you may not be surprised to learn, I did not make that deadline. I am only now nearing the finish line. So far I am very pleased with the result. The yarns and colours work beautifully together, and I just know that this will not be my only Melanie Berg knit. All of her designs are incredibly beautiful, and this may come as no surprise I now a list of Melanie Berg patterns I am planning on tackling one day!

Wool @ Home - The Nursery

I thought it would be a fun exercise to share on the blog just how present wool and my love of this fibre is in my life. In my home to be more precise. 

I am planning on taking you from room to room and share with you how I have "decorated" with wooly goodness. I am calling it "Wool @ Home".

As a knitter, and a compulsive one at that, wool and yarn are always on my mind. But not just on my mind, at my fingertips as well.

One's home should feel comfortable and safe, and personally, to feel comfortable and safe, I surround myself with some of my favourite things. A nice book, a cup of tea, a pretty notebook, chocolate, a glass of wine, and of course, knitting. That's me in a nutshell. Follow the trail of yarn bits and chocolate foil, and you will find me, no fail.

As any self-respecting knitter can attest, wool and yarn are an investment. I have a rather small stash, and I am working on changing that, I promise you, so I find it important to make every yard count. I also tend to overbuy when purchasing yarn for a project, so there are always leftovers. So I am often faced with the question of what to do with those. 

I realized that these leftover bits of yarn are perfect for pom-poms. A fun, colourful pom-pom garland for my daughters room. 

Bonus? It is a good project to do with bored 8 year olds in need of a break from playing video-games. My son thought it was hilarious that the pom-poms needed a haircut after being finished.

Honey Hat

I desperately wish for spring. My Instagram feed is showing me glimpses of blooming trees, budding branches, sunshine and warm days. Looking out my window all I see are branches encased in ice, and the weather forecast promises more of the same. 

How does one keep happy and motivated under such circumstances? There's always getting away, or planning summer vacation, complete with a countdown to said vacation. Or chasing  a patch of sun across the house, that is, IF the sun ever shows up. In absence of sunlight, you can always load up on vitamin D. Retreating to the couch with a giant mug of tea and a good book.

My cure? Not surprisingly... knitting. I decided to focus on a quick project, something that, at the same time, would use up some yarn in my stash. Instant gratification if you will. You can never have too many hats! So I chose to make the Honey Hat, a pattern which was especially written for this yarn.

As a side note, I rarely end up using the called-for yarn in a pattern, which is a risky endeavour, I know, and I usually obsess over the result, question if I have made the right choice, if there would have been a better choice… you get the idea. I guess this could be a good experiment. Knit up something in the yarn suggested in the pattern, and then experiment with other yarns. Oh, if I only had the time!

But back to my hat. It is a fantastically quick knit, an easy pattern to memorize, and turns out a lovely hat. I love this shade of plum, and the fact that it brings a little pop of colour to predominantly gray days.

Style-a-knit Svalbard

I bet by now you thought this project, my tiny step towards a more handmade wardrobe, had been scrapped. Well, I am here to tell you that it is finished. Just in time for sweater weather, which, yes, has been here for a while, but I am only now getting around to admitting it to myself. The only good thing about low temperatures is the need to wear knits. Preferably all layered, and topped off with a cardigan like Svalbard.

I am so proud of this project. It has been a huge learning experience, one that I am happy to say I have mastered without too much pain. I love a project that stretches your limits, that teaches and challenges. It has shown me that I can knit more complicated patterns then I thought. The yarn turned out to be a great choice for the project. It has wonderful drape and makes for this lovely cushiony fabric. It is difficult to describe, but I believe it turned out the way it was supposed to. I am looking forward to reaching for this cardigan over and over again in the winter.

Other things I am looking forward to this winter? Cuddles under blankets, sipping hot cocoa, reading books, and planning our summer vacation.

And on a completely unrelated note, I have some exciting blog news to share next time around! Stay tuned!

Welcome!

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You've made it! Welcome to my re-inveted blog. I am really excited about my new space, a fresh look for my wooly adventures! Have a look around or stay tuned for fun and interesting things to come!

Do not forget to bookmark the new blog on Bloglovin either through the link above or the Button to the right of the page.

Happy Feet

2015 ended in a family cold, that dragged on for weeks. We are just now recovered, and it feels like we completely missed out on the holidays. We huddled and cuddled under blankets, moving from couch to bed, and  looking for cozy spots. I stayed away from blogging because I could honestly not string a coherent sentence together.

Now I am back, recovered, and ready to talk. 

Winter days, which are certainly here now, can only be survived by wearing warm, cozy knits. I am one of those people that are perpetually cold, my feet are always frozen. What I realized I needed, is a pair of wool slippers, just like the ones my grandma used to make. And being confined to the house for a few weeks, I had plenty of time to research and find a pattern that greatly resembles the slippers I remember from childhood.

I used the simple house slippers pattern by Temple of knit. It’s such a simple, straight-forward pattern, just the way I like it. I cannot repeat it enough, simple lines and great construction are what I admire the most in a pattern. It’s an almost comforting knit. I made a pair for everyone. And bonus….this is the kind of knit you can model while sick. I did not even have to move from the couch to take the photos.

We are all better now, and sporting a new pair of slippers, clearly, things can only go up from here, right? Just think of what I can accomplish with warm feet!

Let the Holiday season begin

How did you spend this year's first advent? we started preparing the house for the holidays. Pulled out some favourite decorations, made the outside look pretty, planned Christmas activities all the while listening to the Vienna Boy's Choir create a festive mood. I also managed to put the finishing touches on this year's Advent Calendar, and just in time. This year's version features a mix of hockey cards and of course chocolate.

The Details? This IKEA fabric caught my eye last year, and I had to have it, as I knew it would be the perfect backdrop for an Advent Calendar. Add in some hockey cards, every 8-year old boy's favourite, and some chocolate, and voila, our 2015  calendar.