Category: inspiration

Week End Wrap Up

Posted on Posted in books, hooping, sewing, yarnTagged , , , , 15 Comments

Hey y’all, antidepressant withdrawal symptoms are no joke. I napped every day this week. I craved bacon and potatoes. I’m still battling taste bud malfunction. I haven’t knit a stitch in days! Here’s what I did get up to.

I ordered a new hula hoop. This is a beginner hoop named Mystic Dragon. She’s being patient with me. I can keep her going for a few seconds. I’m following another over 50 hooper on Instagram. She’s slow and gentle with her movements. I am encouraged!

We went to the farmer’s market today and picked up the first apples of the season. Thank you Covid gods for leaving my apple taste buds intact.

Chestnut Hills Studio (that’s me) is having an end of summer sale! If these cotton and wool babies don’t go, I’ll be holding onto the three variegated and three of the tansy dyed to knit a summer Halvis next year.

I heard an interview with author Adrienne Dillard on Talking Tudors and decided I needed to order this book. Her next historical fiction about Jane Seymour and Margery Horsman is coming out in November. Having just finished watching Becoming Elizabeth, I was really in the mood for this. So far, so good! Other books have been swept aside in the wake of this one.

I sewed two new Tekura Tees. Ready for October! Who am I kidding. I will wear these year round.

Many people don’t like that corporations and probably the government are tracking all your online activity. I could care less. I’m not doing anything anyone could be interested in. Except when the Coastal Grandma alert goes off and a company I have never heard of mails a paper catalog to me of everything I want. This is how they get you. Look at this jacket! Unfortunately, everything in the catalog is over $150. Fortunately, I know how to sew.

I found a pattern on Etsy for $3! And I have fabric that will work. At first I was thinking the teal corduroy. Now I’m wondering if the wool plaid would be better. I purchased it for trousers but it has a soft hand. Either way, I’ll have to buy a lining fabric. Which one do you prefer? I’ll probably go with corduroy. I’m not sure about quilting this wool fabric from Heavens to Betsy via The Woolery. Although I could quilt along the tartan lines, so there’s that.

And I Would YOP 500 More

Posted on Posted in inspiration, knitting, Uncategorized, Year of ProjectsTagged , , 26 Comments

Knitting

I’ve reached the point on Freya’s Musselburgh Hat where it’s round and round in stockinette. This is going to make great relaxation knitting. I can see why this pattern becomes addicting for some. I also learned the pinhole cast on, which is pretty great.

I am making good progress on Arrowhead now that I make sure to knit one row per day. I thought I would treat you to a photo of where the steek will be cut when the time comes. I love knitting in Lettlopi and will definitely use it again.

Sewing

Nothing new to report since my pink velour sweatshirt.

Spinning

I’m going to spend more time practicing my spinning today. It’s been a couple of weeks. I’m going to use up my wool top that came with the wheel before trying a new fiber.

Burns Night Supper Prep

Last year, Liz sent me a link to a virtual Burns Night event. I had never heard of it, but I’m all in for a holiday that’s basically an excuse to party in January. I decided this year to do it our way — in front of the TV with food.

Bob will make vegan sausage with neeps and tatties for dinner. (Neither of us is interested in vegan haggis.) I’m going to bake gluten free oat cakes and as Bob doesn’t drink, and I don’t drink whiskey (or any hard alcohol) I’m going to try to make a raspberry ginger switchel with Bob’s homemade apple cider vinegar. We’re trying to find a way to watch the movie Red Rose, as neither of us really knows anything about Robert Burns. If we can’t find it, we will look for a documentary. Also, we will be wearing tartans (flannel shirts most likely).

Bob says he remembers being taken to a Burns Night Supper as a kid and being bored to tears with the poetry readings. I definitely dinna want a rrrepeat o’ tha.

This has been a Yearrr O’ Prrrojects update. You can find out more about the group here (Rav link) or here: Backstage Kath’s YOP bloggers list. You can read my updated list of projects here.

All the Knitalongs and Bloganuary

Posted on Posted in books, knitting, yarnTagged , , , , 7 Comments

In addition to the Vertices Unite Knitalong (KAL), I’ve joined another shawl KAL! This one is run by Malabrigo, and I’ve signed up through Mass Ave Knit Shop. I was visiting Indianapolis this week for work, and of course I stopped by the yarn store! The yarn on the left is for the KAL: Arroyo in Marte, Cian, and Frank Ochre. The pattern is La Mondiola Wrap. I guess 2022 is going to be The Year of the Shawl for me.

The pink is Chunky in Hollyhock. I’ve been wanting to knit a Getting Warmer Cowl for myself, and this color stopped me in my tracks. I’ve knit one already for a silent auction item from merino I picked up in Kenya that I dyed vermillion red. I loved knitting it and trying it on, and wanted to make one for myself. I think this pink will look fantastic with my royal blue melton coat I’m going to sew!

The necklace in my photo is from Purlsmith. I love their sterling stitch marker jewelry. And right now I am really identifying with the rough freshwater pearl, feeling as though I’ve been through the wash a few times but still have some rough spots to smooth out. Although today I’m wearing a green agate stitch marker on my necklace, which I received in my Yuletide Mystery Box from November Woods Fiber Co. I can’t believe I never blogged about that. It was a lovely gift to myself in December, including indigo dyed green yarn and a handmade mug.

Did you know this month is Bloganuary? I’m getting a late start. Today’s prompt is to write about what year you would travel to — back in time — if you could. My answer is 1536: Tudor England. Henry VIII turns England upside down for Anne Boleyn, she is queen for three years, and then he has her beheaded. What the heck happened?! I have read and watched so many historic and fictional accounts, but none of them satisfy my curiosity. My latest acquisition is The Story of the Death of Anne Boleyn: A Poem by Lancelot de Carle. His poem is an eye witness account of the event in verse form written for the French king. The book is a translation with essays by Joann DellaNeva. The poem is not new, but a full version has been discovered that was suppressed in England because it’s pro-Anne. I guess Henry didn’t like that.

Ten for Tuesday: Project Peace

Posted on Posted in books, gardening, knittingTagged , 16 Comments

The Healthy Knitter posted on December 1 about Project Peace and her need to let go. The blog post touched me, and in the spirit of lighting my own candle from hers, I thought I would write about ten ways I can experience more peace.

  1. Start the day with knitting. Instead of spending most of my day thinking about how I can’t wait to knit at the end of the day, and then reaching the end of the day too tired to knit, I am going to try starting my day with a little knitting. I used to do this and I think it helps set the right tone for the day. And considering I spend a couple of hours in the morning staring at a screen while drinking my coffee, I think this is completely doable.
  2. Journal every day. This is another opportunity I have to make the most of my morning. It doesn’t have to be morning pages, it can be jotting a few lines in my journal, like this list!
  3. Go for a walk. I need to set the intention to go for a walk at least a few times per week. Walking down my country road is very peaceful. Once I start working it’s difficult for me to pull away from my desk, but I need to find a stopping point to do it when I can. It makes a big difference in my mental health.
  4. Real talk with friends. I am fortunate to have friends that I can be real with. I need to work on ways to incorporate this into my daily routine, even though we are far apart.
  5. Bake! Baking helps me slow down and savor the moment, so I’m going to try to make time for this on the weekends as a more regular thing, and not just a holiday thing.
  6. Listen to music. I made a couple of holiday playlists on YouTube and have been listening to them this month. I could certainly make other playlists and continue to add to them and edit them. I can also listen to other people’s playlists when I want to experience the surprise of new artists.
  7. Eat meals at the dinner table. I tend to eat breakfast and lunch at my desk while working. That really needs to stop.
  8. Hand write a letter or card. I’ve been enjoying writing the few holiday cards I usually send, and I could easily write letters to friends as well. Taking the moment to hand write something is really a luxury these days when a text or email will suffice.
  9. Take more photos. Photography was one of my first creative outlets, and I still enjoy taking the time to craft a good composition. It takes me out of myself. Even if the photos aren’t for posting and are just for me, I should take more time to create them.
  10. End the day with reading. I would like to have enough energy at bed time to read one chapter in a good book, maybe with a cup of tea. I am still reading Making a Life, which is perfect for this. I would like to cultivate this practice, instead of falling into bed and pulling the covers over my head and waiting for sleep because I’m too exhausted to read.

If you looked carefully at my first image, you’ll see I replaced number 7 to check the garden greenhouse with eating meals at the table. That’s because I went out to check the greens, and last night’s hard frost has ended them. I should have picked them this week, but I didn’t take the time to do that. Checking the garden is still a great way to find peace, but maybe not in the middle of winter.

What are your ways to find a little peace? I hope you will share them in the comments, or on your blog with the tag projectpeace.

Thursday Three: New for Me

Posted on Posted in art, books, spinning, The Just CraftTagged , , , 12 Comments

Reading

I have borrowed and purchased many books this year, but reading them has been a struggle. Recently, Liz recommended “Making a Life: Working by Hand and Discovering the Life You Are Meant to Live” by Melanie Falick.

My heart needed this book. It answers my questions about why humans need to make things by hand, and it feeds my soul. It’s a beautiful, large, hardback, coffee table book. But it’s not sitting on my coffee table. It’s on my nightstand, waiting for me to read a chapter every night before bed. I feel like I’m opening a family bible or an old dictionary, the way I used to when I was a child — in wonder and awe and reverence.

Polymer Clay

I decided to try something new! This is my first attempt at polymer clay. I had an “idea” (pumpkin pie with a yarn ball of whipped cream) so I bought a book, some clay, and some tools. I would say that, as a first attempt, it’s okay, and I’m happy with that. It’s a lot harder than it looks, and I probably won’t be doing much of it. It makes my hands messy and I don’t like the way it feels on my skin.

Coopworth Fleece Roving – I wish you could smell it. It smells delicious!

Spinning

I purchased a spinning wheel! I had a spinning wheel way back in the day. It was one of the many things that I had to sell off during the migration of 2010 (aka The Great Upheaval). I was never a very good spinner, but I enjoyed it. I think with practice I could become a mediocre spinner, and I would feel good about that. I have a Coopworth fleece that is ready to spin into a sweater quantity of yarn, although I will probably practice on some Shetland first.

Letting Go

I’ve also decided to let go of some things. I’ve decided to let the podcast go. I realized it would take more time, money, and energy than I have to really make it work. I’m letting go of art shows. If I want to make art I will, but I don’t want anymore deadlines. Art shows also require an investment of money, time, and energy that I don’t have at the moment. I’m letting go of some subscriptions that are no longer bringing me joy.

What about you? Have you tried anything new lately? Or are you letting anything go?

DIY Fall Advent: #1

Posted on Posted in holidays, inspiration, socks, yarnTagged , , , , 20 Comments

Last year I realized I got so excited about fall and Halloween yarns and knitting patterns, I decided to make my own fall advent with yarns from my stash. The goal was to keep me from going overboard buying yarn this fall. I paired the skeins with patterns (some I had, some I purchased, most were free) and stitch markers from my collection. Then I sewed fabric bags and tagged them with the date I should open them.

This is the contents of the first bag. I love it! I don’t have any socks on the needles, so I may cast these on. This colorway is Fall Sangria from Cornbread and Honey. I have two weeks until the next advent bag!

Knitting Journal FTW

Posted on Posted in inspiration, knittingTagged , 10 Comments

This morning, Marilee posted about analog Knitting Journals. I used to have an analog knitting journal (a decade ago) but I only used it for one or two projects before I discarded it. I also don’t update my Ravelry projects regularly.

Recently, my therapist recommended a digital planner. I already had an iPad, so I purchased and downloaded the planner PDFs on Etsy. It was pretty affordable. Of course now I see they have planner templates as part of Good Notes, which is the app I use. Then I found out I needed an Apple pencil, so I ordered that as well. After all of that, I tried using my digital planner, but found I missed the tactile quality of analog planning for personal and work use. So, I went back to a paper planner.

But Marilee’s post got me thinking about how I would like to organize and document my knitting, or at least try. I was all set up for a digital method, so I downloaded a knitting project planner PDF on Etsy for a couple of bucks. I tried it out for my next cast on, shown above. I think this might work for me! We’ll see if I keep it up, but it’s nice to have the details. As you can see, I haven’t swatched for this yet.

If you aren’t already set up for digital planning, it’s a bit of an investment to get all the tools. But if you are, this is an easy transition.

What about you? Do you document your knitting projects? Do you use a paper journal? Digital planner? Spreadsheets? Ravelry? Let us know in the comments!

Happy New Year!

Posted on Posted in holidays, inspiration, life, lofty thoughts11 Comments

My word for 2021 is content, both adjective and noun.

Noun: state of mind which results from satisfaction with present circumstances

Adjective: having the desire limited to present enjoyments

It’s even a verb: to rest or be satisfied; to give satisfaction to

Content is related intent, from the root word tenere, to hold or stretch. Intent is focusing on stretching outward, while content is focusing on holding. So my intention for 2021 is to focus on what I have and be content. I feel I don’t do this enough, and it prevents me from really enjoying my life as it is. I want to slow down a little, settle in, and focus on the content of my life and find the joy there. I’m in a good place right now, and I am grateful for that.

Today we’re eating black eyed peas and greens, and I hope to Skype with kids. I will call my Mom and sister. And I will knit! I hope you have a wonderful day, and wish you a happy and healthy new year!