Tag: Year of Projects

YOP-a-doodle-doo!

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I woke up waaaay too early this morning. 3AM! I did go back to bed at 5AM and slept until 7AM.

Fiber Art

Bad news. I over-processed my flax. I think it was over-retted. Or over-dried. It’s crispy fried.

You can see the bast fibers, but they are brittle and break when I try to break off the woody stem on the outside.

Flax harvesting season landed right in the middle of summer cold season and colonoscopy week. That’s my excuse. I might try again next year, or I might try growing nettle for fiber. I’m still processing the seed pods I was able to collect.

Knitting

I finished my Milkshake Cardigan this week, which I posted about on Friday. Other than that, I’ve been focusing on my Cemetery Drive cowl. I did cast on my Turning Leaves Point Edwards Mitts and am excited to knit them because they are DK and should fly!

Sewing

I finished my second pair of Halloween PJ pants. I’ve cut out my lavender linen dress and will sew it today.

My garden is a mess! It’s too hot out there. I’ll leave the rest for the critters and clean it up in the fall.

This has been a Year of Projects 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.

Sunday Year of Projects Update

Posted on Posted in finished objects, knitting, sewing, The Just Craft, Works in Progress (WIPs), Year of ProjectsTagged , , , , 17 Comments

I haven’t been keeping up on my YOP updates. Since it’s been a while, I thought I should do that today.

Sewing

I finished sewing my Ophelia Overalls, and I love them. I’m going to sew a pair for each season. These are my spring overalls. I’ll sew a linen pair in summer, a corduroy pair in fall, and a wool flannel pair in winter. Pattern is by Decades of Style. Fabric is organic cotton twill from Koshtex.

Next I’ll sew another Raglan Dress in blue cotton shirting.

Knitting

Water is coming along. I get frustrated with the lace sections, so it’s in time out a fair bit. It’s not that it’s difficult. I think I’ve got it, so I stop paying close attention and then make a mistake. It’s not great TV knitting.

I’ve knit a gauge swatch for an Anker’s Summer Shirt (Rav link). AJ is knitting one, and it was in my queue, so I thought, why not? Impromptu KAL. My gauge is spot on in this Blacker Lyonesse linen and wool, so time to cast on!

I also knit a gauge swatch for Kate Davies’ new long sleeved Treit in Foxglove. I’m having trouble getting gauge so I think I’ll sit on it a bit.

I’m going to let Bob pick out some yarn from my stash, and then cast on a new pair of socks for him. He really likes his Valentine’s Day socks and wears them a lot.

Felting

I have a new piece finished for March, and meant to lay out my April piece today. But I’m tired after all the sewing, so I guess I’ll do that next weekend. I checked my wool colors, and I should be good to go. No colors to dye for the next one.

Design

My cotton and linen slub tee is coming along.

Podcast

My new episode “Grow Your Clothes: Rust Belt Fibershed” is available! I had a great time on this interview and ended up having to cut quite a bit, but may have enough left over for another episode. If you would like to give it a listen, look for The Just Craft on Stitcher, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Google Podcasts, or you can listen at thejustcraft.com.

Baking

I made some banana bread today! I like walnuts in my banana bread, but can’t have them (tree nut allergy) so I added pumpkin seeds instead.

This has been a Year of Projects Update. You can read my updated list here. You can find out more about the group here.

Shout out to Kelley of Ramen Needles / Dye Mad for adjusting my yarn club subscription when I asked her not to send me superwash if possible. She sent me this gorgeous silk and linen this month. 💙

Year of Projects 20-21 Update #2

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Sewing

organic hemp and cotton coffee filters

I finished my coffee filters! They work great and are much easier to use and clean than muslin bags.

Fiddle

My pegs weren’t holding their tune, and I was worried I would have to toss my fiddle goals. But I purchased some peg drops and they are staying in place now.

I restrung my fiddle and signed up for lessons on Peghead Nation. I’ve been practicing my scales and the tune June Apple. (Link is to a Bluegrass band playing the song. Note my fiddle playing sounds nothing like this.)

Knitting

Arachne yoke

I finished the yoke on Arachne. I accidentally knit all 59 rounds of the colorwork chart instead of 51 as instructed. I’ll cut 8 rounds off the plain knitting to make up for it. I hope the web won’t be too long. The neck is looking a little wide, isn’t it? I hope the ribbing will fix that. I love knitting with this yarn. It is so soft!

Franca back neck

I cast on Franca. I finished the back neck piece. Once I get going on this I have a feeling it will be a quick knit.

Pride socks

I’m ready to start the heel flap on my second Pride sock. Uh oh. I’m in the middle of the rainbow stripes. I think I will use the blue on my second ball of yarn for the heel flap so that both socks have blue heels and toes.

emPower Bandana

I’ve almost finished the emPower Bandana. I’m not sure if I will be gifting it. Pretty and soft yarn though. And such a pretty color.

Fiber Art

No progress. I’m trying not to worry about it. I did sketch an idea, but it’s not a very original idea. In the words of Twyla Tharp, “Everything’s been done. Do it anyway!”

Design

I have been sketching in my journal every weekday. Some ideas are interesting, some banal, some ridiculous. I’m trying not to judge.

This has been a Year of Projects Update. You can read my original list here. You can find out more about the group here.

I can’t wait until fall when I can knit in front of a fire. Of course, this cat will have to get off my lap occasionally to make room for my knitting.

Finally, if you are into historic costuming and haven’t seen this video on the clothing of two different women in the late Middle Ages, you may enjoy it. I did. 🙃

Year of Projects 2020-2021

Posted on Posted in art, design, finished objects, knitting, sewing, Year of ProjectsTagged 41 Comments
I made my own header image for YOP because I’m extra that way.

I decided to jump in and join Year of Projects. I have been inspired by Liz’s updates, and I thought it might be good motivation for me to blog along with my ever expanding, massive list. I read the group rules, and it seems pretty easy going, so if I fail (indubitably) it will be no big deal.

Without further ado, here’s my list!

Fiber Art

“Sunbleach” 2019
  1. I have a group show in November 2020, and I need to create a piece or small group of pieces for this. I have some ideas.
  2. I have a solo show in September 2021, and I need to make a body of work for this show. If I start on this now, it feels doable. I have some ideas. Once I have a firm concept for the show, I’ll make a sub-list of pieces.

Knitting

Deschain Tee in Quince and Co Kestral

Oh dear. Hold on to your butts. If it is on this list, it means I have the yarn.

  1. Pride Socks. Just one sock to go!
  2. Purple emPower Bandaner. Almost done! This is a gift, so I probably won’t post an update until it’s been gifted.
  3. Shetland Tweed Throw. This is coming along. It’s enjoyable TV knitting.
  4. Arachne. Deadline Halloween, of course.
  5. Franca. For my Mom. I caked all the yarn today! This is unusual for me. I usually only cake up one or two hanks. But winding the yarn has become a real chore for me in my new house. I don’t have a permanent setup for it. So I decided to wind them all.
  6. Peerie Flooers. I have the J&S Shetland yarn for the original version of this that you can see in the show Shetland.
  7. Four Square Cowl. I could knock this out if I focused on it for a week. I would love to wear it this fall.
  8. Farmhouse Cardigan. This is the sweater I was so excited to get the Black Welsh Mountain yarn for. What an investment! But I cast on, made a mistake in my knitting, frogged it, and now it’s all sitting in a bag waiting to be cast on again.
  9. Midnight Merino Raglan. When I found out the pattern has you knit the pieces separately and sew them together, I lost interest. But hey. It’s my knitting and I can do it however I want! I need to remember that. Frogged
  10. Celtic Myths Shawl. I am so close to finishing this.
  11. Celtic Tree Handwarmers. I haven’t swatched or cast on yet, but would love to have them done by fall.
  12. Gryffindor Winter Ferns Hat. I haven’t swatched or cast on.
  13. Mistletoe Kisses Socks. These were supposed to be for the Christmas in July KAL, but since socks are my least favorite thing to knit, if I get them done by Christmas in December, I’ll consider it a win.
  14. The Oa. Cast on but languishing. I still want to knit it. In other words, I won’t be frogging it.
  15. Teal Niamh. I purchased some Nomad Noos High Mountain Yak yarn for this in a moment of weakness. At least I got the Fruity Knitting discount.
  16. Pink Rhodes. My goal for this is to cast on in January or February so it will be wafting-ready by April or May.
  17. Con Alma. Next spring? New plan for this yarn.
  18. Seavaiger. Oh yes I did.
  19. Shoalwater Shawl. (Starting to sweat.
  20. Hot Waffles Hat and Mitts. I have some beautiful blue yarn for this.
  21. Sunset Slouch.
  22. Cabin Kitchen Towel Set.
  23. A Scarf for Hans.
  24. Pumpkin Spice Latte socks.
  25. Broom Riding Cowl.
  26. Halloween Socks.
  27. Trans Pride Socks.
  28. Accidental Autumn Barley Light.
  29. Arrowhead Cardigan (Ravelry Link).
  30. Strom Cardigan
  31. Aurora Borealis Cowl
  32. Rikke Hat
  33. Less Is More Cowl
  34. Water Shawl

HAHAHA there is no way I will finish all of these projects in 2020-2021. But at least they are on a list now. And yes, I still have more yarn!

Knitting Design

My goal for design is to sketch a design 5 days each week, and knit one of my own designs in this 2020-2021 year. It can be anything. It might be a headband. It is not allowed to be a blue beanie.

Sewing

Enchanted Kimono Robe
  1. Yates Coat in navy wool.
  2. Cotton Twill Ottobre Pants. I have navy stretch twill and gray twill fabric for these.
  3. Poudre linen curtains. The linen is a very soft pink. We are just waiting on the curtain rods and I will get started. Yay, more rectangles and straight lines to sew!
  4. Coffee filters. I use a pour over and I have been using muslin bags to filter the coffee and it is such a mess! I have some organic hemp and cotton on the way. This should be a quick and gratifying make.
  5. Sew something amazing with this plaid flannel!
  6. Vintage Halloween Rachel shirt.
  7. Knitting Sheep flannel PJ pants.
  8. Knitting alpacas PJ set.
  9. Winter Solstice project bag

Fiddle

My Music Journal and New Strings
  1. String my violin.
  2. Sign up for online lessons.
  3. Daily practice.
  4. Weekly lesson.
  5. By June 30, 2021 I want to be able to video myself playing a song for you. Don’t get too excited. It will probably be a very basic song. But once I surprised my friends (and myself) by launching into an improv version of Three Blind Mice. So who knows?

Tapestry Weaving

Remember way back in November 2019 when I purchased a tapestry loom? I also dyed some Cotswald SE2SE yarn with turmeric and it came out so beautiful. Well, I want to weave some placemats with it. The gold will look hideous with our pink tile, so maybe they will be gifted.

I think I may be on the 10 year plan for Year of Projects.