New Things

Knitting is my love and has been for decades, and it always will be.  There are just times, like when the knitting mojo takes a vacation, that I crave something else to do until it returns.

After making the Mock Cable Wave socks (and failing to alternate skeins) and a mild case of disappointment:

I made it three quarters of the way and then the 'oh so similar' second skein was darker, not that it matters, it'll be in a shoe, but still ...

Maybe I needed a wee break, to try something different.  So I pulled out my newly acquired Zoom Loom and made these:

What fun!  I'd rather crochet a bunch of these together than knit - for the moment.  I'd actually have to pull out my crochet hook to gather them, but it looks so easy!

And then I remembered my other 'distraction': cross stitch:

It's slow going and I'm learning as I go.  You'll have to stay tuned.

And so, what with it being Spring and all (even though it snowed last night and my tulips fell down and can't get up) I went a little further in the 'changing things up' department.  Tracey and I embarked on a little online adventure:

http://youtu.be/gChjaVIl-m0

Tracey (tbmccarthy on Ravelry) is working on: 

My Knitted Heart Socks

Little Oak Cardigan

Two Tiny Tea Leaves Cardigans

Lin Lin Shawl (as yet unpublished)

I finished:

Mock Wave Socks

Haberdashery Cowl

Spun BFL from Crown Mountain Farms

Is that enough newness for Spring?

It's a Beautiful Day

It might be spring according to the calendar, but according to the temperatures around here - well, all I'm saying is don't leave home without a scarf.  It looks so sunny outside, and from the window it looks warm and wonderful so I took a walk to my back yard dressed thusly:

My jacket and my Haberdashery Cowl:

My Cup of Tea socks:

While I was taking those photos I glanced over and saw these 'eggs' growing in the dirt.  I don't know what they are, other than pretty, but there's only two of them and from where I was standing I thought they really were eggs:

Feeling inspired, I took myself for a little ride to a couple of different points at Clasons Point (again), only this time I had a cohort, Mary Jo, who took me to someone's back yard for a better view and his back porch is so huge he has his own goldfish pond:

I didn't want to invade his privacy any more than necessary, so I aimed my camera towards the Point.  I had no idea there's a boat entry ramp that allows you to take your boat right into the Bronx River:

And there's public access to a jetty which, if you're daring enough to withstand the river spray, you can grab your lawn chair and soak up some sun.  Just don't stand up if your chair isn't weighted.

And I thought to myself how fortunate I am to be able to walk to a place that is so well kept, peaceful and quiet during the day.  Yes, it was windy and freezing cold, but it made me feel better about having to go home and do the stuff I don't want to do, like dinner and dishes.

I hope you were able to do something with your day today that made you feel invigorated and ready to face whatever comes next in your life.

Clearing the Wheel

I certainly am grateful.  I am grateful to own a spinning wheel and fiber, and to have the time to indulge in any of my crafty whims at will.  The good news is that I can take my time doing whatever I want (right after I do a little housework), the downside is this:

I joined a 12-month fiber club and I'm a little backed up.  I put what I could into my hobbit hole of a fiber cabinet, but these four boxes had no place to call home.  Two of those boxes aren't even open yet, and there's another one due in a day or so.  Oy!

So I decided that now the weather is a little warmer and sunset is a little bit later, that it's time I cleared my bobbins and started to work on the overflow of fiber piling up around here.  The first bobbin got cleared and got 423 yards (2-ply) of Punta that I purchased from She Spins LLC in the autumn colorway:

And I did a chain ply of a Loop batt that I purchased at Vogue Knitting Live in the Menkes colorway.  It's merino/silk/bamboo/angelina and I got 234 yards:

And the final bit of measuring I did today was of this 2-ply skein of polwarth from Into the Whirled in the Calico Blue colorway that I spun back in October 2013:

Next up to go on the wheel will be this braid I won this from Diane of the Knitabulls Podcast forum by participating in a spin-along about a year or so ago.  It's Into the Whirled  merino/superwash merino and tussah silk in The Woods colorway:

I still have two bobbins to ply and then I can start tackling the fiber that doesn't fit into the closet.

I'm still working on the Mock Wave Cable socks I started for my aunt almost a week ago, one is done, the other is started:

These knee socks are a giant time suck.  They are very textured and I would totally be in love with them if they had a 6" leg instead of a 12" leg.  Sheesh!  I took the 52/26 Pair Plunge on Ravelry and committed to make 26 pairs of socks in a year, and these socks represent the 20th pair I've made since June or July.  I'll know better next year because my obvious limit is 12 pair in a year because after that I'm fishing for patterns that don't love.

Anyway, I'm off to work on my socks before I lose my mojo.  I've already picked out my next pair of socks which are also knee socks for my uncle, who wears a size 12 shoe.  OMG!

Accentuate the Positive

This morning, at about 7:15, I was jolted awake by someone banging on my front door and frantically ringing the bell.  I must admit that I watch a lot of crime TV, so as the banging and ringing went on I expected someone to say, "Open up!  It's the police!".  Thank goodness it was only my son who worked the night shift last night and forgot his keys.

In less than 15 minutes, he was packed and out the door headed to Soho to get on line to purchase a pair of sneakers (what?!), "See you tomorrow"  he said, because the sneakers won't be available until tomorrow morning.  Young folks are cray-cray.

Yesterday, a neighbor stopped me in the street and asked me to come to her house to teach her to knit today.  So this morning I pulled myself together with a croissant and coffee, and headed over.  About 15 minutes into the lesson, she said she wasn't smart enough, couldn't learn and didn't want to waste my time.

That means this day already has two strikes against it.

I didn't feel to knit or spin, so I decided to take a walk about a 1,000 steps away from my house and sat on a bench at Clasons Point to watch the Bronx River float by:

Not exactly a sunny day, but it's warmer than it has been and folks around here are starting to wear shorts and chancletas (which is the Spanish word for scruffy shoes/sandals) with their Fall coats.

I thought I detected some sunshine near the Throgs Neck Bridge, but no, maybe it was just something shiny glinting off the rust-bucket barge parked there, and if there ever was a glimmer of sunshine it was fleeting.

So I sat down and marveled at how none of the rocks have graffiti on them, and how my newest socks look pretty good in this light:

And how the next pair of socks I'm working on are maybe not such a slog-fest:

And maybe I should just focus on the positive, like these crocuses growing in my front yard around the newly opened chicks and hens:

And then maybe I won't need to call on these guys:

I hope wherever you are, you're able to make the best of this day.