Friday, March 6, 2015

Handspun solutions




  Cleaning out storage has brought me face to face with my stash…..my handspun stash. Years ago I took up spinning my own yarn.  Yes….from a dirty sheep fleece to dyeing the spun yarn into skeins. Since I am a process knitter, it was the process that interested me, not necessarily the product. It was a skill I learned until other interests took hold….or rather drew me back into knitting purchased wool.  So my handspun stash hibernated in plastic bags in my storage crying out every once in awhile to “Knit me, knit me”.

    So now, I have these many plastic bins of handspun yarn. I didn’t think I had  enough of the same type of yarn to make anything big.  Since knitting the Rainbow mitered blanket again, I wondered how it would look to knit one in handspun. Small amounts of different colors and breeds did not matter. So I started one. I am thinking that I can make small throw blanket or lap robes to give to charity. Even if someone mistakenly felts them, they would make some fair rugs or dog/cat blankets.  So now I have a new charity project.   Yet, knitting it gives me some satisfaction and purpose in this world. 

    I’m still struggling with finding my role in this world without a partner, but as long as I have my home to love, my son to keep me company, and a job to keep the bills paid, I am somewhat content.  Finding “Peace” in decorating my home and my knitting brings me joy.  Someone said that “Joy doesn’t just happen. You have to choose Joy and keep choosing it every day.”  There are days this is easier said than done but for now I am at peace. 

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Happy March!



Happy March!
   February has just slipped away. It always seems like a short month  because it ends on day 28 and is filled with several holidays and events (i.e. Lincoln’s birthday, Valentine’s, President’s Day, etc.). It was Heart Health and Dental Health month.
  So here we are in March, aka “Green Month” and also National Nutrition Month.   This month has inspired me to decorate my house.  Since I am spending very little time elsewhere other than my home and my job, I wanted to make something beautiful to keep me happy. I found a few Green and gold things at Michaels Crafts that made me happy.  Yes, they really are green and gold, not black and blue…..it seems color has been in the news lately.  I still don’t understand why people see color differently unless they are color blind.
   
  I also just finished my Beige socks, which came out so soft and nice. I still have some yarn left from the $2.00 skein of super fine Woolike Yarn from Loops and Threads. Perhaps I may be able to make some baby socks or save the leftovers for a rainy day when I can make some striped socks.I need to wash and block my finished socks. The ribbing seems a little loose but it fits my foot. Whether they stay up is something I will need to find out. I casted on 80 stitches with these socks. The next pair I make, I will try 72 stitches.
     I started a Knit Picks Rainbow Miteredblanket a time ago. It is made with Rainbow colors of Knit Picks Brava SportYarn on Size 5 Bamboo needles.  Four panels of 5 x 5 squares are knit, picking up stitches with each square to reduce the sewing together. I am working on my third panel of blues and greens.
     I am in love with color. Perhaps I’ll start to knit something green this month…..