When I was writing about my happy places, I was remiss not to mention Global Gifts stores. That’s where I work, but I work from my home office now. However, I was a store manager for four years, and the store was my happy place. It smells like incense and coffee when you walk in, there is global music playing, everything is handmade, everyone is happy, and there’s chocolate. Lots of fair trade chocolate. It’s a little different now because of the pandemic. There are masks of course, and no coffee samples. We’re at limited capacity to ensure social distancing. And now when I visit I realize I’m another potential germ carrier. So I make my visits quick, and shop online and pick up. I miss being in store. I can’t wait for COVID to end.
And to make good on my resolution-ish to listen to more music, here’s one that reminds me of Global Gifts.
Year of Projects Update
I may also lay out the wool for a new fiber art piece and dye some brown.
I do have another resolution-ish for 2021, and that’s to knit as much yarn as I purchase, at a minimum. So outgoing has to equal incoming, although ideally outgoing will exceed incoming. Since I’m signed up for two yarn clubs, that means I have to knit 24 skeins minimum. I also may have just stress bought a sweater quantity of Peace Fleece. I’ve wanted to knit a Peace Fleece sweater for several years, so I bit the bullet and did it.
Therefore, I’ve added a couple of things to my list:
Peace Fleece Ronan in Siberian Midnight (Ravelry link)
I wear my Christmas Village Rikke Hat all the time, so I’m going to need a new color, and this matches my coat. I love this stretchy German Twist cast on. It’s my new thing. I also learned a new stretchy bind off for Franca.
This has been a Year of Projects Update. You can read my updated list here. You can find out more about the group here.
Today is our Blogville Knitters Virtual Knit at 1PM Eastern. If you are new and would like to join us by Skype, please DM your Skype ID to me on Instagram or Ravelry. So far, it’s been me, Sarah, Marilee, Liz, Kath, Bonny, and Laura. Our group is growing!
Snakes & Cranes 
I’m looking forward to our on-line visit.
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I was trying to decide which of your projects I love the most. I can’t decide. They each are so pretty. I love the colors you have chosen for each item. Your snowflake stitch marker is precious. SO I will pick the stitch marker as my favorite thing. LOL
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Sleeve island, what a lovely place to be! I hear they have the nicest beaches in all sweater land (not speaking from experience, though, I’m still on body hill. LOL.). _All of your projects look lovely.
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Heehee! 😆
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Love your snowflake stitch marker!! What a great goal to knit as much as you buy so you at least maintain stash level instead of growing it. I’m going to have to control buying sweater quantities but instead figure out colorwork patterns, or at least stripes, to use up some of the skeins I have. This year my goal will need to be to buy only sock yarns. I certainly have lots of folks that would accept socks. I too am on sleeve island but hope to be off by next week!
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Love all your projects! Keeping outgoing at least even with incoming yarn is a great goal – you will definitely be able to do that – you always make such lovely projects!
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You have the greatest projects and yarns! I love the father son pullover from peace and I printed off the cowl pattern….yours is so pretty. Did you magic ball your yarns?
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No I’m just knitting about 10 grams I think, and then tossing the rest into a basket for another project.
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That store looks so cool. I browsed a bit but I’ll have to go back and poke around more. We have a similar store in the Metro area and I always enjoy the unusual things I find. I bet it feels good supporting a good cause too!
Your knitting is all lovely, especially the Litmus cowl. I’ve got a similar cowl hibernating, a worsted weight tube that I was knitting with scraps, but a fingering weight version would be so nice to wear!
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I have to nap.. Im really exhausted otherwise I’d join in the fun with the group. I love your sweater!! That blue is so nice. Your stitches are so even
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I love how your litmus cowl is going, I think as soon as I’ve finished this wrap I’m doing then I will cast it on…I just need to remind myself how to do provisional cast ons and it will be perfect for our Sunday calls, whereas lace is proving trickier.
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Ah I hit post when I meant to click return for a new paragraph. Your store looks fab from what I’ve seen of your Instagram lives and the posts and website. I think that blue on your turtle dove is gorgeous and will really suit you.
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Love your projects! Stretchy cast-ons and bind-offs are awesome to work on – and the hand movements look so impressive to onlookers. 🙂
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All you projects look great and I love the colours you choose. Yes, indeed, Mamba is fun to say and fun to dance to as well.
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You have some lovely, lovely projects – I love them all but the litmus cowl is particularly pretty.
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