sock ramblings

I finished the socks I cast on Christmas Eve.  I finished knitting last night and wove in ends this morning!  So excited to finish these :)  I have been knitting on breaks at work and at night watching tv or podcasts.  I feel like, for me, these went pretty quickly.

One big thing I learned about myself while knitting these socks is this: I love double pointed needles!  I used US 1.5 sized hiya hiya sharps and I loved it.  Last year I had gotten a notion that I should try two at a time socks on one needle.  I did start two pairs that way.  One the cable wasn't really long enough maybe?  I don't know it just felt awkward.  That's why I cast on the second pair because I bought a longer cable and smaller size and those did go quicker.

But!  I found myself avoiding them.  Like an inward groan everytime I'd think I could work on my socks.  So, with my Christmas socks, it was totally different.  No groaning, no avoidance, I looked forward to knitting them.  The needles are so light and just go so quick!  So since the needles were freed up from the Christmas socks I transferred these languishing socks, and it's like a new project.

 I've been thinking that I might want to join the sock yarn blanket craze.  Maybe. I have bits left over from all the socks I've made so far.  There are a couple more in the bowl that you can't see.  Under the neon on the left.  So, really I have enough for 14 squares without breaking into unused skeins.  That's a good start and I think the point is that it's a long term project.  What's stopping me is that I don't like garter stitch.  Most of the patterns I've seen are garter stitch mitered squares, which I think makes for a little thicker square than maybe stockinette would be?  So I'm still just considering it.

I'll leave you with this silly sweet puppy here.  Rocky sometimes likes to snuggle his bear on the couch, and I got a good picture of it the other night.  He is so sweet and lovey.

visitation tangent

I had a dream with my husband Scott this morning.  It was so vivid, so entirely real.  We were somewhere and I had cut my hand and needed just a little band aid.  And he was holding my hand and when I looked down he had put this GIANT turquoise band aid on that completely covered my hand, and then dabbed the little one on top.  And we were cracking up, just giggling and being silly....then my alarm went off! And I was jarred back to reality.  So confusing.

I love having dreams with him in them.  But, because my dreams have always been so real, they are oftentimes confusing when I wake up.  I am simultaneously comforted by his apparent presence and then shaken up by reality.

There are some people that believe that these are visitations.  That Scott's spirit really does visit me in my dreams.  I can discern a difference between the ones that feel like he's really with me and the ones where I'm searching for him or he's just a representation of an issue.  But I don't know if I believe his spirit is here.  I mostly believe he's in heaven and has no contact with earthly issues.  I think watching loved ones suffer, the sadness, frustrations of life, pain - watching all that and being helpless to comfort or intervene might be a sort of hell.  Also, being around loved ones and not being able to laugh, love, interact with them would not be fun.

Anyway!  Tangent.  If spirits do roam around and their way to make contact is dream form then that was totally Scott.  He was a comforter.  He was the funniest person I've ever known.  He always knew how to ease my moods, make me laugh, calm me down.  I needed that today for sure.  Of course, then the rest of the day feels a bit off kilter - wishing I could stay in my dream next to him.  Reality of life, going to work, making real life decisions that are stressful and cause fear.

Oh man, fear.  Not my favorite thing.  I'm full of fear lately.  Well, I alternate between fear and hope, excitement and trepidation.  But!  It will all work out, God willing it always does.

morning glimpse

I have finished the heel on sock #1, so close to finishing! This is one of the things I like to do in the morning, coffee or tea, knitting and a podcast.  I hope you have a great day!

2016

2016.  Back in the day, when I was younger any year above 2000 seemed like too far off to imagine.  I thought for sure by 2025 people would be driving hovering cars.  And now, life just feels like normal still, no space age living, no hovering cars.  And that's just fine by me.

Of course I've been doing some reflecting, as I think most people do.  What happened in the previous year, what I'd wish was different, the good things, finished projects.  Then thinking about the new year, new possibilities, new projects, new opportunities.

I have a big thing in the works. As soon as things are for reals, I'll share it here.  I'm just cautious in case things don't work out.  But!  I do know that God is guiding this and I feel really calm (mostly) about it, and it's a blessing.

Project-wise I am feeling like I want to finish things I've started before starting anything new.  It's hard not to start something fresh and new for the new year!!!  But!  I have a lot of projects that are close to finishing that I need to buckle down on.  First up are the socks I cast on for Christmas eve for the Little Bobbins Knits Christmas eve cast on.  I am loving this yarn!  Every stripe is such fun and pretty!

 I am very close to the end of my Duchess of Devonshire shawl.  So close.  I'm on the last little bit of edging then it can be blocked.

 I started the last row of frames for the Storytime Sampler cross stitch.  I have 4 frames and the title and it will be finished.

 I took these pictures Thursday morning I believe?  It is SO COLD here.  Last night I heard it was in the negatives.  I am so thankful for my warm house and heater that works!!!  It's hard to see but the sun was not quite risen fully and the trees were all frosted white.  And there are huge icicles everywhere right now.

This is the temp in my car from that morning: 4 degrees.  4!  Needless to say I have been a homebody, staying in and keeping warm, stitching various things.  I am looking forward to good things for 2016, and I wish you all the best as well.

snow days

Yesterday it snowed allllll day long.  Best part is that I didn't have anywhere I needed to be so I got to have a real snow day!  Cozy and snug in the house while it snowed as much as it liked outdoors.

I received a much anticipated parcel yesterday in the mail!  I actually won something!!!  This is from Leigh, which she has the blog Louleigh.  Click on the link to her blog and she also has a podcast and etsy shop which are all linked on her blog.  But anyway, I found her from the Bakery Bears Ravelry forum.  Her comments were clever and funny so I checked out her profile, which had a link....and you know how that rabbit hole goes! ha!  On one of her recent podcasts she was talking about Shetland Wool Week and said she'd like to offer a giveaway of a tote and pattern booklet.  And I won!

Look at that cute sheepie tote!!!  It's pretty huge!  Also she put some little extra goodies which was very nice.  I just have to say how special it is to connect with others over this crazy internet.  To find people who share this fibery hobby, that are in so many ways kindred spirits.  When I started my blog I was totally copying my friend Jennifer, Rosey Little Things.  I saw her blog, sharing her crafts and thrifts and such and I felt a pull of "I could do that". Not so much in a competitive way but more like I wanted to be a part of it.  

I haven't ever sought followers, or tried to be hugely "out there" if you know what I mean.  Because my blog has also been very personal and a journal.  But!  The connections to others that get what I do is priceless to me.  All that to say I'm so glad to have "met" Leigh :)

This morning I was shoveling a little path from the back door out to the craft house and I heard a cracking sound.  But didn't see anything.  Back in the house I saw out the window that branch had fallen in the park across the street!  Yikes!  Good thing it wasn't on a car or house.

Rocky does appreciate the little path I made.  He could almost blend into the background!

So yesterday I finished the quilting on these pillows.  The top one is a gift for Jan and I had actually gotten it all finished last weekend.  The bottom one I am keeping because it came out pretty wonky in the center.  Sometimes quilting can sort of camouflage imperfections and I think it did help but still pretty noticeable.

 I do really love it still!

In knitting news I started a new project.  Because Christmas.  It's a bankhead hat.  I started it Tuesday and haven't really given it as much time as I should.  The yarn is Madelinetosh sport in the colorway Aura.

This morning I clipped Rocky's nails, which he HATES! and fights me horribly.  Well, repeatedly pulls his paws away just as I'm trying to line up the clippers.  Here he is trying to avoid looking at me.  But, we got it done and now I can tell his feet do feel, in fact, better!  He acts like I abuse him while I'm trying to clip!  Maybe he had a traumatic puppy experience before we had him? idk.

While I've been writing the sun has come out!  And there are strips of blue sky peeking out.  I do have to go out today, stock up on food for the week.  And I'm going to meet Jan to watch Mockingjay 2, which I've already seen but wanted to see again.  That will be a nice wrap up to the weekend!  I hope you're all keeping cozy and well.

festivity

I made this pillow cover yesterday.  About this time every year it dawns on me that it's almost Christmas and some people might expect gifts.  And I don't really want to be embarrassed by not having anything to give.  But anyway, I came across this tutorial for this fair isle pillow which is kind of based on a fair isle Christmas quilt.  I had seen the quilt before but thought it was just too many small pieces for me to enjoy doing an entire quilt.  But a pillow?  yes!  

I changed the middle spires to green instead of red, I thought it may look a little Christmasy with more green.  And!  I finally got to use the striped fabric I bought at Hobby Lobby for binding.  I love it.

So today, I thought I'd make a couple more.  One for myself and one possibly for (maybe!) a craft fair box.  They both turned out a bit wonky in the centers.  The one on the right is super wonky.  I realized too late that I wasn't using my 1/4 inch foot.  Which really is a bigger than 1/4 inch seam but at least my points match up when I use it.  So! lesson learned.  Maybe once I quilt them it won't be as noticeable?

I do like the pattern.  It's festive without being tied down to only Christmas.  I think these can be used longer than just December.  I'm almost ready to quilt up the two I sewed today, then buy a couple pillow forms and be good to go.

I don't know if I mentioned that I put up my Christmas decorations last weekend.  I decided to just do it right at the beginning of December so the time wouldn't get away from me.  I've been enjoying the multicolored lights.  And I have my light up village set up and my nutcracker collection too.  I didn't get pics of those.

It's been really cold so it feels nice and cozy inside.  Oh! I just remembered I have some hot chocolate :) that will be nice tonight after dinner.

build up let down

I'm not sure how or when it started, but I don't get excited about things.  I do and I don't.  Big things I don't until it's a concrete, for sure, actual thing.  I know it throws a lot of people off.  Things that other people get excited about I suppress until it is happening.

Recently I had something come up that I suppressed my excitement about in my usual manner.  But it wormed it's way into my mind.  I started planning for it.  Hoping for it.  Picturing things.  Then it didn't happen.

Which is why, precisely, that I don't get excited!  So then what do you do?  Can you dial it back down?  Sure, there are other things, opportunities....but then the comparison happens.  And nothing else quite satisfies.  Then I think why did I even ever think I could do/have that thing?  What if it wasn't meant to be anyway?

Constantly putting a damper on myself sometimes is tiresome.  But so is disappointment.  December is a hard month for me so I need to be gentle.  I am having more days that I don't want to get out of bed.  I have to drag myself.  I do it, I do what is necessary to survive, buy food and shelter.  Work is a good distraction, it is always busy - keeps my mind busy and the days go fast.  I am so thankful for my job and the people I work with.

I don't really have a point to this post.  I'm not ready to put it out there what has been going on.  It's nothing relationship related, there is no love life.  Just in case anyone may wonder in that direction.  Ha!  I can't even imagine....