Goodbye 2016!

I've clearly left this blog quite abandoned. I'm sorry about that. I have made it a goal of 2017 to post at least once a month here.

So much has happened since I left that I don't know if I can catch you up. So instead why don't I just round up 2016 as a whole?

Bare with me if you read this on facebook.

My grandmother used to make the most adorable things for us when we were children. My most vivid memories of her involve fiber dolls and Christmas ornaments. When she passed, being the first person I was personally close with to pass, I was deeply effected and continued to be for years. In 2015 I had come to grips with my emotions and decided to honor her memory by seeking to make the same yarny goodness she made. Knowing very little to absolutely nothing about the fiber world, I assumed she knit. Wasn't crochet some weird new world invention anyway? My father told stories of my grandmother sitting on knitting needles and such. It was knitting. Totally.

This Christmas after closer inspection of the things she made, she very clearly favored the crochet world. Whoops.

Anyway, so for Christmas in 2015 I asked for what was proudly marketed as a "Learn to Knit Kit! With everything you need!".

January of 2016, around the 25th to the 28th. I opened the kit. Inside were two plastic knitting needles, two balls of acrylic yarn, and a booklet of three patterns. It assumed I already knew how to cast on and what a purl was. Ha.

To youtube! I watched upward of 5 different tutorials. Hours later I had some very tight stitches on one plastic stick. Now what. In true Jack fashion, I tossed it in a box and ignored it. For a day or two. But there it sat glaring at me in all its red acrylic-ness. Whispering. "You want to make things! Yarn!"

So I picked it up and gave it a go. Listen, I don't remember how exactly I got it so wrong, and I don't have a picture of it anymore unfortunately. This finished project hours later was some kind of lumpy mesh disaster. I loved it. To the Internet! I posted it on a blogging platform. I figured it would probably get criticism the way the art community online or most communities are, or at best ignored. I forgot I posted it.

Then a day or two later, I was introduced to my first taste of the fiber community. There was an outpour of support for my little tangled mess. People said I did good for a first thing! They said it was cool! They urged me to keep going, that they couldn't wait to see where I ended up a year from now! I was moved beyond words.

Now, I'm not saying I was any good for like half a year. One time I got a skein of yarn and tugged on the end like a ball of yarn. It ended up a tangled mess.

But every time I got stuck or confused I went back to that unwavering support from the fiber community. They gently took my hand and told me about things like swifts, ball winders, fiber content, stitch markers.

And now we are coming up on a year in this weird fiber world.

I have knit: 35 things. Crocheted 1. Dyed 6 skeins of yarn. Spun my first hand spun yarn (note: not very well, but I did) Learned to loom knit. Learned to knit in the round on double pointed needles and circulars. I've made a shawl. I've learned to rip back and fix mistakes. I made a blanket. I made socks, I turned a freaking heel and did the kitchener!

And none, absolutely none of this is possible without a beautiful and completely loving and accepting fiber community. I've made friends I know without a doubt I will be friends with for all eternity (special mention: Logan, Tory, Sarah, Jessica. My fiber group is so special to me ). I've been a part of knit a longs. I've seen the community call to arms for charity, give away bits of happiness in times of great sadness. And I have felt this great tug at my heart so many times, that I never gave up thanks to this community.

This is a world where I know my grandmother fit in, in all her astounding silliness and kindness and love. And this is a world I am so happy I am a part of now.

So from the absolute bottom of my heart: thank you. Thank you to my friends, thank you to the random Internet fiber artists. Thank you to my family for never doubting me and for encouraging me and giving me the tools I needed. Thank you to the Fiber Friends group which started as something entirely different and morphed into people I will love and be friends with for the rest of my life. Thank you. This means so much to me. And it always will.

Next year: learn to make cables, knit my first sweater, and 12 hats over 12 months for warm up america.

In fact, I've named this year The Year of The Sweater, and a Flax Sweater by TinCanKnits is my last cast on for this year.

Pattern: Flax by TinCanKnits

I already have the ribbing done on the collar of it! 

I'll end this by rounding up my current wips. 

The flax sweater pictured above.

A Skellington Shawl using Madeline Tosh Tosh DK Cosmic Wonder Dust and Expression Fiber Arts Rainbow Love Dewy DK.

A Basic Throw from a encore chunky pattern book using Lion Brand Scarfie.

Fresh Off The Needles:

A Simple Yet Effective Cowl in some lovely Backyard Fiberworks yarn I got as a part of their advent giveaway on Instagram. This will be going to Logan! And will have matching mittens!

And a loom knit hat and scarf in Lion Brand Woolease for The Husbando.

Well, that's all for now friends. Have a safe new year! 

P.S. guess what? It turns out I've been purling wrong all year. But I can purl now! 

Finished Projects, Family Outings, and Seven or More WIPs.

Since I've decided to take a break from knitting the second mitt, I'm going to show you my finished Honey Cowl and the one matching mitt!!

I'm really proud of the cowl, the mitt is a bit tight on the top but I like it too! 

I also finished the Waffle Dishcloth as one of my mom's set for Christmas. 

I added 3 rows of garter to the top and bottom and three knit stitches to the side to make a garter border! It turned out pretty, I don't see the waffle. Dunno why. Really gotta figure that out. 

Life has been SO SO BUSY lately. It's hard to keep up with everything. I feel like I'm juggling fine china and just about to drop it all! It's a wee bit stressful. 

My parents surprised us all and took us too an apple orchard and Starbucks this weekend though! It was a LOT of fun! I love hanging out with my family and doing fall themed things! 

We got Honey Crisp apples, cheese that has tomato and basil in it, candy sticks, honey sticks for tea, and apple cider slushies. At Starbucks I got a pumpkin spice Frappuccino and cake pop! 

And when I got home I had a package from Tory from ThePaupersCloset/ShireFolkYarn!! 

So many goodies!!! Coffee syrup (the Rhode Island thing haha!), handmade soap, a Caron Cake, the section of her traveling scarf, and A BEAUTIFULLY DYED JUST FOR ME YARN!!!!! 

It's so soft and lovely and is named Experiment 626 Has Escaped! It's based of Stitch from Lilo and Stitch in his Prison suit with his alien blaster. 

It's SO GORGEOUS. I AM IN LOVE WITH IT. SO MUCH. TORY IS AMAZING AND HAS A GIFT. A TRUE ARTIST. I am blessed to have her as a pen pal and friend. 

I also have a WIP problem right now haha.

I have....seven current Works In Progress. 

Seven. 

I have the Snow Day Slippers for my mom for Christmas, which has one slipper done and the cuff of the second one. 

The Fingerless Friends CAL mitts that match my honey cowl, which has one done but has 0 done on the second one. I'm still on the fence about the second one which is why I'm taking a break. 

Nell's Sea Silk Scarf which I love but I need to sit down and focus on to knit so it ends up on the back burner a lot.

Dishcloths for my mom (assorted) one at a time.

The section of the traveling scarf for Tory (I have such a good idea for this, but I can't start it until October 1st I think!) 

My sister's Mistake Rib Scarf for Christmas, which I started on the drive to the orchard. 

And of course, because I can't resist casting things on. I need to start a new project right away with the Caron Cake. I'm starting a shawl with it, Herald! 

And this morning I learned how to cook scrambled eggs! So I made the husband a big breakfast since he starts his first day of his new job tomorrow! 

Hash browns with honey crisp apples onions and bell peppers, toast, scrambled eggs with cheese that has tomato and basil in it! 

Phew. I think that's all I had to update. Today I'm just taking it easy and playing video games. 

Fashionably late Thursday Work-in-Progress Wednesdays (WIPW)

Last night I started my Dishcloth Weekly Knit Along Rank and File Cloth while The Husbando and I were reading in bed before sleep. I managed to get a good start on it!

The first five seed stitch rows are done! 

I'm making this one for my sister who requested one after my last dishclotb, I think she will really like the pink.

I also just joined a new Rav group called The Blog Hub and one of the things they do is a WIPW or Work In Progress Wednesdays where you share what your working on at the moment. I figured this would be a fun thing to do on my blog so expect it every Wednesday now! Here are my WIPs:

This is going to be a teddy bear sweater, I have the front done and am working on the back now. The yarn is alpaca from the local farmers market and hand dyed by me, myself, and I. 

And of course the mood blanket. Which I know has gauge and sizing issues and looks wonky. Whatever. It's my first blanket. Learning curve, right? Sentimental value blah blah blah. 

This is my double moss stitch gryffindor scarf I am making as a birthday present for The Husbando. It was supposed to be a valentine's day present but.... 

The rank and file dishcloth, looks better in the daylight. 

Pile o WIPs and my cat giving me a very judgemental look. 

There you have it! All my current WIPs. Maybe I will even have some of them done soon. Maybe.