WIP Wednesday: From the Stretch

I've been pretty monogamous with my WIPs this past week, especially since I flew down to Kansas City last Friday for a Royals baseball game. I know, I know....two baseball games in two different cities in one week? I must be insane. But my in-laws scored diamond club tickets for when Tyler was visiting to go to Boulevardia, and there was one for the taking if I could just hop a flight down...which is exactly what I did, and it was totally worth it!

It was insanely hot, but they trounced the Tigers and we still had way too much fun. Also, there were fireworks!

It would have been nice to stay the weekend, but since I'd been at the trade show the previous weekend, I thought it would be better to just do Friday/Saturday so that I could have some unwind time on Sunday. The upside of doing so much travel this year is that it stresses me out way less, and I'm feeling pretty at home at O'Hare. Anyway, I'm digressing, but the main point is that my primary trip project was, yet again, the Three Color Cashmere Cowl. I'm getting close to the finish line!

Also nearing the finish line is the handspun Grivola Shawl. Just before I went to KC, I passed the halfway point, and since returning to Chicago, it's been flying!

I did pull a sock project out of hibernation to see how things went with the arm. The pain pretty much disappears when I travel, i.e. I am not typing on my computer for 8+ hours. So I guess I need find a good voice dictation thing, or some way to get work done that doesn't cause me pain. Anyway, back to the sock - I successfully completed two repeats of the pattern on the instep, albeit slooooooowly. It's better than I've been able to do, so I'll take it!

Thanks for joining me this week!

Comments

Easy DIY: Beaded Vintage Snowflake Ornament Kits from Solid Oak Inc.

I was really excited to step outside of my comfort zone and try something new as part of my "Christmas in July" theme this month. The kind folks at Solid Oak Inc offered me a chance to review one of their Nostalgic Christmas beaded crystal ornament kits I couldn't resist. My tree is already full of ornaments I've inherited or been gifted from other family members and friends, so these pretty crystal beaded ornaments will fit right in I think! I was super impressed with this compact little kit , which includes everything needed to create three gorgeous vintage-style ornaments - just add a pair of round nose pliers (I found mine on Amazon for less than ten bucks). The instructions had some fabulous tips for newbies like me; for example, it recommended sorting the beads and laying them out in order on a towel or beading mat to prevent them from rolling away. That may seem obvious, but I was totally ready to start beading on my kitchen table without a

What If I Didn't Add Heels?

Last weekend, I finished the first sock with my Waterlilies yarn , and just for yuks, I tried it on even though it was basically just a tube sock. Much to my surprise, it fit really well, even without a heel. Who knew? So, that got me thinking: what if I just didn't add the heels? I never thought a tube sock would actually fit nicely, but I genuinely like the fit, so...why spend time to add the heels? As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.... Let's say I decide not to add heels once the second sock is done - there will still be placeholder yarn for the afterthought heels, as you can see above, so should I leave it in and just weave in the ends? Or should I remove it, put the live stitches back on needles and at least graft them together using more of the Waterlilies yarn? I plan on mulling all of this over as I knit the second sock, and I'd love to hear your opinions of what you think would look best (or if you think this whole "n

Overdyeing A Finished Knit

Even after just a few years of knitting or crocheting, you're bound to have some finished projects lying around that never get worn or used. After 10+ years of crafting, I have more than just "some" or "a few"....and with my ongoing quest to declutter my house this year, I've become obsessed with going through these forlorn projects and making some Big Decisions. Sometimes, they are perfectly fine and just need a new and loving home. Other projects may have not turned out quite right: there might have been some mistakes in the knitting that I thought I could live with, or the yarn was gorgeous but not well-matched to the pattern, or my taste has drastically changed since I finished making the project...in any case, why on earth did I keep knitting?! Who knows, but I don't feel good about gifting anything that falls into this category to someone else. These projects have been relegated to the "frog pile" (or should I say, frog pond?), to b

handmade by stefanie

Search This Blog