#27. Knitting Challenge 2019

This year my knitting group is trying a knitting challenge.  We have each made a plan for 2019; setting goals for how many and what type of projects we want to knit thus year.  Some have also included goals like not buying any new yarn this year or learning new knitting techniques.

Being a little OCD, I feel much more in control of my knitting by having my knitting projects planned for the year rather than just reacting to offered knitting classes and buying pretty yarn.  Also, I can lay out my projects so that I don’t overload some months and under plan others.  Also I’m preplanning some knitted birthday gifts.  I hope to track how long it takes me to knit various projects so that I can again better plan my projects.

The plan can of course be modified as new opportunities arise or projects take longer than planned.  But I’m hoping to have fewer projects on needles but instead focus on getting projects done!!  So far I have finished two pairs of socks that got carried over from ’18.

Unfortunately I still have too many projects on needles!!   I’m still working on a third carryover pair of socks (watermelon) and a sweater I started for Sara.  Plus I plan to frog a scarf and instead make a shrug.  So that’s 3 projects on needles from ’18.  I took a sock class in Jan so I have to finish the second sock to complete the project.  Then my knitting group is doing a fingerless glove KAL so those are on needles too.  I’m trying to do them as two at a time.  So that’s 5 projects on needles.  Ahhh!!!  Hopefully I’ll get a lot of knitting done while we are in Florida.  😉

#26. Yarn Cozys

Yarn cozys are a wonderful discovery.  They are terrific when making 2 at a time socks to hold the two 50g balls of yarn.  The yarn does have to be wound so that the working yarn is pulled from the middle.  I tried using elastic headbands but they don’t work that well.  And they definitely aren’t as cute.  If you are going to do something, you might as well have fun with the pieces.  That’s why at work I always had colorful gel pens and brightly colored post-it notes.

Teresa first put me on to them.  She bought them from the yarn store in Mason.  I couldn’t find them online and finally drove out to Mason last summer to get my first set.  Then I finally found a yarn shop that sold the cozys online.  Several did but only one, Markers Mercantile, was the only one that let you order the version you wanted.  Thus I can mix colors and patterns.  Now twice I’ve been able to put together an order with my fellow knitters to avoid shipping charges.

I guess in theory I’d only need one set but I seem to always have multiple projects going despite my intentions.  So I have white bears, green lattice, blue stripes, and have ordered red paw prints.  That’s actually 12 yarn cozys.  Guess I shouldn’t be supporting my tendency to start projects rather than finish them but it’s too late.  😁

#25. Knitting Retreat – Nov ’18

Been a long time since last post but doesn’t mean I haven’t been doing new things with knitting.  Went on my first knitting retreat/ girls weekend back at the end of November.  4 of my fellow knitters drove to Univ of Illinois to visit a fifth fellow knitter who spent the summer and fall on sabbatical with her husband.  She hosted us for the weekend while we visited 3 yarn shops in the area, a craft fair, and had fun lunches.  We of course spent the evenings knitting together.

It was indeed a lot of fun so we are planning to do a road trip again in 2019.  At a minimum, we will go to Yellowsprings for a yarn fair in September.  I feel so lucky to have made so many nice friends through taking knitting classes at Silk Road Textiles.  We share pattern ideas and of course encourage each other as we knit projects.  Knitting has turnit on oked out to be a wonderful new hobby in retirement.