update on projects

A,
Here is an update on my knitting projects. There are two of them, in fact, and both are quite enjoyable to work on. I have been concentrating most of my efforts on the secret project. This is the yarn I have left from my first ball of yarn:


I still have about two more skeins to go, so I am approximately a third of the way done.

Secondly, the mice are coming along well. I have been working on these sporadically, but they have promise of turning out adorably. Here is the mom mouse with her two little mouselings:

I'm going to do the rest assembly-line style, so I have just the bodies done for the friar, queen, and princess (below). I took this picture yesterday, and I have since finished all three bodies:


(Actually, last night, I was just going to knit a tad while starting the first episode of Downton Abbey. I really wasn't going to stay up that late, but it was so interesting that I had to keep watching, and therefore keep knitting, and that's when I finished the princess body. Thanks for the TV recommendation!)

So that is the progress I have been making. I'm aiming for seven mouselings (well, plus the two babies above). Toys are so much fun to make!

K

PS. What have you been up to?

let's do better

A,
Keeping up a knitting blog is hard! I don't feel like I knit quickly enough to warrant frequent posting. And then the blog either languishes, or I start posting about random topics that have nothing to do with knitting (like cheese or the neighbors that I like to spy on). Plus I'm working on a secret project now, which means it is not easily blogable (though I will share a picture of the pretty yarn with you).


I'm going to work on this. I'm going to do better!

The number of posts that we make keep trickling down each year. But I think it's plausible that we could reverse that trend. I think it's a manageable task, considering that we're both done with school (go us!). And also, we need only three more posts after this one to overtake our numbers from last year. We can totally do that! Three more! Let's do it!

You should come back more often. When I saw you earlier this month, you had so many beautiful projects with you. And you told me that you designed some of them! I think you need to share more knitting stories. I want to keep learning from you and I am sure our lovely readers would be inspired by your creativity.

So here's the plan. I'm going to post more frequently. The end.

K

PS. Sorry to say, but it doesn't look like ATF is going to pick any of us up. But then again, you have a brand new residency to look forward to. So I think it's okay.

nostalgic

A,
When I was back at the parents' house a couple of weeks ago, I had some time to dig through closets, reminisce about old times and haul back some objects. It was good to see all that stuff again.

I'm pretty good at throwing stuff out, decluttering and the like. But there are a few things that I like to hold onto. I've got a little file folder with play programs or orchestra bills, notes from friends, or drawings. My life mementos.

You know how people will say, the best time of your life is during high school? Or maybe instead they'll say that about college? I don't know if that's true, and I prefer to think that it's not (I like to think that life will just keep getting better), but I had a good time during those years. And most of my mementos come from that timespan also. I don't add to my little file folder as frequently as I used to.

Anyway, what I really wanted to talk about was yarn. My mom used to have this giant plastic bag filled with wool yarn when I was growing up. She had some wool sweaters she had knit as well. And I don't know, but I'm pretty sure that most if not all of these projects came from the same brand of yarn.

A while ago, I was visiting a yarn store, and I noticed some yarn. I recognized it immediately. I knew the smell, and I knew the feel of it. And when I looked at the tag, I saw that it was from Maine (where we used to live, and where my mom picked up knitting). I bought a skein, because I was feeling nostalgic, and because I had never seen that yarn before anywhere, except in my mom's knitting bag.

So, I guess I can be nostalgic about yarn as well. Maybe after I make something with it, I will slip the tag off, cut a length of yarn, and add these to my little file folder. It's nice to have a safe place to store mementos and reminisce about the past.

K