Slow Fashion October

I am so excited that it's October, one of my favorite months of the year.  While I always love when the calendar turns to this month, I'm especially thrilled because I'm participating in #slowfashionoctober, the brainchild of Karen Templer who I've admired since she first had her pop-up shop many moons ago.  I don't think she even expected that small gesture to become the beautiful (and necessary) Fringe Supply Co. that it is today.  

So, what exactly is Slow Fashion October?  Well, Karen explained it best so you can read about it in detail here.  As for me, I'm hoping my participation will help get me back to writing my blog, push me to take my crafting skills to another level, and curate a mindful closet.  I know, these are really high expectations but hey, I'm always up for a challenge! Now, without further ado, here's my contribution to Week One:  YOU.

I'm Evelyn and have been knitting in earnest for the past 10 years although, like many, I learned to knit as a child.  My mother is a phenomenal knitter who, to this day, doesn't read patterns but rather reads knitting.  She reminds me of musicians who play by ear ~ the woman knits by sight, and I'd love to get to that level where I can look at a sweater and re-create it merely by touch.  I think of myself as a solid knitter but for the last few years, I've been wanting to step up my game and tackle some techniques that have eluded me.  My mother is also an amazing sewist, but sadly that skill didn't float down to me. This is something I would especially like to remedy during this month.  I am in awe of my knitting friends who also sew beautiful, hand-tailored clothes (yes, Gail, I'm talking about you!), and this is one of my goals.  

Slow Fashion October will give me a focused time frame to think about design, fiber, and making. My main goal for this event is to turn those skeins of yarn up above into a pullover for my teenage daughter (of my own design).  If I can also knit or sew a new top for me, that would be incredible.  Beyond that, the rest will be icing!

Follow my progress here and on my instagram feed.

(A) List

Thanks for all your sweet comments about my last post ~ every time a new photo pops up on my family's instagram or FB pages, we're all smiles again!  I think this feeling is going to last for months and months...

But now to this weekend ~ I'm a serious, die-hard, dedicated, and committed list maker, and I am chomping at the bit to tackle my Saturday to-do list.  Having worked the first two Saturdays in September followed by the wedding of the decade, this is the first weekend where I can devote an entire day to my crafting.

Now that I'm living split between two places, I don't have spontaneous access to my yarn stash any longer.  I know, I can feel your anxiety growing at the thought.  So, the first thing I plan to do tomorrow morning is sit with a big mug of coffee and get re-acquainted with my stash.  I already have two sweater quantities of yarn in one of my baskets assigned to two patterns: the Beaubourg pullover and the Reverb cardigan.  I'll see if I stay true to my original plan to knit the Beaubourg in Manos Maxima and the Reverb in Malabrigo Rios.  I'm really going to try and not get swayed by other patterns but you know how this works, right?  Some shiny new pattern pops up on my feed and I get fickle.

I think I have a few more sweater quantities of yarn in Rowan Calmer, Rowan Lima, and Rowan Kidsilk Haze,  but other than that, I'll be making lists of shawl, cowl, sock, and hat patterns for all the rest.  Can you tell that I'm trying to knit down my stash?  Share your favorite in any or all of these categories ~ I'm completely open to being inspired!

Happy weekend, everyone.

An Unexpected Detour

I took a detour from my regular routine this past weekend and treated myself to a little event called Vogue Knitting Live. I hadn't planned on attending VK Live this year even though I was tempted to take a few of their classes. There was already a lot being planned for the weekend (including Miranda's birthday!), and I just couldn't see where I could squeeze in yet another thing.  But I found myself near the Mariott Marquis Hotel (I kid you not) on Saturday morning with an hour to myself and figured that a quick spin around the marketplace couldn't hurt ...

There was a lot of eye candy in every booth but after two visits to every one, I decided that what needed to come home with me were these two skeins of Biscotte & Cie self-striping sock yarn.

There were so many beautiful colorways to choose from and while I simply wanted to say give me one of each, I settled on one in pinky stripes and one in bluey stripes.

I caked up these skeins instantly, and couldn't resist casting the pink stripes on.  Toe-up is my go-to sock method and there's something inexplicable about self-striping yarn ~ the socks practically knit themselves.  Have you noticed this, too?

A Week Late

The calendar year turned without my posting a year in review for 2013 ~ I suppose right now, I'm more about looking forward than looking back, but this also means that I'm now a week late in sharing my goals for the not-so-new year.  Then again, 10 days isn't so bad, right?  I'm keeping my goals really simple this year. In fact, I only have three:

(1)  Color(work).  Not only could my wardrobe use some splashes of color, but my knitting skills could be stepped up by working with a variety of colors in one project.  High on my list of must.knit.now patterns are My Favorite Things Infinity Cowl and the Pine Bough Cowl. I've been wanting to knit both these projects ever since they were released (December 2012 and February 2013, respectively).  It's time ....

Photograph:  Jill McGee

Photograph:  Diana Walla

(2)  Stash.  I'm truly going to knit from my stash as often as possible and a project like My Favorite Things Infinity Cowl is a great stash buster. I have a lot of worsted weight so I'm pretty sure I'll be able to knit this cowl strictly from stash.  On the other hand, I'm a little tired of poorly substituting yarns and would love to knit patterns in the yarns they were designed with. For example, I've never knit with Hikoo's Kenzie yarn before, and I want my Bough cowl to look just like the original.

(3)  Design.  I'm planning to design small accessory projects throughout the year mainly to satisfy the creative side of my brain. The challenge here won't be so much the designing but everything that comes after.  Having written a couple of hat patterns in the past, I know how much patience it takes to knit (and test knit) a new pattern to then be able to actually write it out. Still, I have so many ideas floating around that my needles are ready!

I'm really optimistic that 2014 is going to be a growth year for me in so many ways, and I'm looking forward to this little blog going along for the ride.

    

Let It Snow

I'm sure I'm not the only one gifted with the pleasure of an unexpected snow day today.  If you were in the path of Hercules, I hope you managed to stay cozied up indoors last night and are safe and warm today.  As for me, the college where I work sensibly announced that the campus would be closed, and I've got my supply of milk, bread, coffee, and soup so I'm set.

New York City is super quiet today with beautiful drifts of snow all along the avenues and across window panes.  I'm a bundle of nerves when it comes to driving in the snow but on foot or subway, I'm up for anything. So with this free day, I don't plan to waste a second of it.

The view from my window.

I've had my first cup of coffee (yes, many more will be brewed), showered, dressed, and am now sitting at my little desk/dining table where I hope to spend a few hours being productive.

A view of my work space.

I'm working on a slipper design that might end up being my first pay-for pattern so I'm excited to sketch out all the details and get the pattern in shape.  I haven't posted about my goals for 2014 yet but one is to create a new design every month ~ that sounds more ambitious than it really is as what I'm thinking about are small accessories (not anything bigger than a bread box).

I've got a Motown in the 70's playlist on, my favorite designing notebook, a sharp pencil, my laptop, my journal, a scented candle, and my coffee mug all within easy reach.  For a good work day, what more do I need?

If you're having a snow day, what will you be doing?

New Year, New Notebooks

Happy New Year, friends! I hope you celebrated the last day of 2013 doing some of your favorite things.  The last day of the year usually makes me feel a little wistful, but as 2013 morphed into 2014, I felt excited and hopeful and energized.  I'm a big believer in how powerful our minds can be and as the days of last year ebbed away, I spent a lot of time thinking about how I want my new year to be.  Let's just say that I felt in need of an attitude adjustment.

So, the new year will be full of new beginnings and new challenges (the good kind, mind you) and the best way for me to keep my inspiration flowing is to jot all my thoughts and tasks down in new notebooks.

One of the highlights of 2013 was when we traveled to Barcelona on our family holiday, and I couldn't resist this beautiful daily planner at one of the local bookstores we frequented.  It's fully illustrated with the most charming drawings by Mar Cerda ~ just perusing this blog is an inspiration in itself.

In mid-December, I also placed an order over at Fringe Supply, a well-curated site by the ever talented Karen.  I can never resist adding new notebooks to my collection and these pocket-size graph/lined cuties are going to come in handy as I make notes on projects and new designs.

So, I'm all set for this brand new year and I'm looking forward to filling these books with tons of plans, projects, and doodles.  Are you a notebook hoarder, too?

Unravelled

What is it about the close of one year and the beginning of a new one that inspires so many of us to turn to housekeeping?  I spent a couple of hours yesterday organizing my clothes closet ~ one pile to donate, one pile to discard, and one pile to recycle ~ and for us knitters, recycling takes on a very specific meaning.  That's right, I'm planning to unravel these sweaters to re-use the yarn.

While some of you may cringe at the thought of my unravelling these sweaters, I'm feeling pretty stoked and inspired to knit with these yarns again.  In order, from top to bottom, these sweaters are my Sea Pines pullover, Gray Day pullover, Caramel cardigan, and Beacon Hill cardigan.

Yes, I've decided to unravel four sweaters which translate into many hours of knitting time and many yards of yarn, but these pullovers and cardigans have been languishing in my closet over the last few years because they're either too large or too small.  

So, as I say goodbye to 2013, I'm welcoming the new year with a renewed energy toward my knitting and blogging.  As one of my goals for 2014 is to be more economically creative, being able to recycle these sweaters' worth of Cascade Cloud, Cascade 220, Berroco Vintage, and Patons Classic Wool is getting me off to a great start.  I wonder how many of you plan to do something similar?  I'd love to hear about your recycling projects.

A Knitter's Christmas: Part III (Patterns)

A couple of months ago, I asked Gail to recommend some well-designed and challenging sweater patterns as I'm trying to push myself with each new project.  I knew she wouldn't disappoint -- Gail suggested, without any hesitation, any pattern by Kim Hargreaves.  I'm a good listener and promptly looked through Hargreaves' various patterns on her Web site and on Ravelry.  Yeah, you can call my reaction love at first sight.

I promptly put Hargreaves on my Christmas wish list and also wrote "any book by this designer." I knew that I would be thrilled to get which ever book came my way.  Sure enough, my mother-in-law gifted me Precious, and I'm itching to cast on any one of these gorgeous patterns.

I'll be stash diving in the new year hoping that I have just the right yarn (and amount) to cast on one of the simpler sweaters first.  I have a strong suspicion that Precious will be just the first of my soon-to-expand Hargreaves' collection.  

Holiday Sparkle KAL

Something really strange happened to me over the weekend.  I'm usually bursting with inspiration, anxious to cast on the next project, but on Sunday, I found myself without a new project to work on.  I can't tell you how disoriented I felt, scrolling page after page of patterns and projects only to wonder why I wasn't feeling the love. 

I went through my stash, I went through my library of knitting books, I went through Ravelry again.  And then I remembered a lovely message I got from Tracey asking if I had plans to host a new knitalong for December.  That did it ... I was cured!

Smitten (a Holiday Garland), Knit Picks

Tracey and I are co-hosting the Holiday Sparkle KAL over on the project: stash KAL group on Ravelry, and we hope you'll join us.  I did a quick search on Ravelry for decorative patterns, and the list was mind-boggling.  These two photos show just the tip of the iceberg ... as I warned others, be careful not to go too far down the rabbit hole!



Julekuler from 55 Christmas Balls to Knit

The Holiday Sparkle KAL begins today and will end on January 1, 2013.  We hope to offer a bunch of prizes for all types of categories (e.g. colorwork, most FOs, etc.) so please join our group and stay tuned.  These lovely projects will make great gifts, festive decorations for your own holiday celebrations, and/or a nice touch for charity.  I'm thinking that my local community center might like some colorful (s)mittens like the garland above to bring color and cheer. Come sparkle with us!

A Day to Remember

For many of us, summer is marked by the end of the school year,and my two are just beginning their summer break.  Perhaps break isn't really the right word as both my kids are going to have a couple of really productive and creative months ahead.  Xavier will be involved in writing and music workshops and Miranda has just begun a dance intensive that will expose her to a lot of great technique. To kick off her summer of dance, we had one of those special mother/daughter days that we both will always treasure. It began with brunch at one of our favorite cafes in NYC called Le Pain de Quotidien which serves the best coffee and is a friendly, bustling eatery.

An eye-catching way to present a menu!

While I enjoyed my pot of cafe, Miranda had a refreshing iced chamomile and mint tea.

The cafe is known for their tartines which is basically petite open-faced sandwiches.

Grilled Chicken, Brie, and Pesto

Fresh Ricotta and Fig

We topped off brunch with a gorgeous raspberry tart that we both agreed we want to try to re-create at home.

But brunch wasn't the focus of our day together.  No, it was going to see Romeo and Juliet as performed by the American Ballet Theatre at Lincoln Center.

A great day to remember!

You Are My Sunshine

When I began Project: Stash a little over a year ago, I had no idea what to expect.  I knew that I wanted to participate in this energizing and inspiring community of knitters, but I wondered if my voice would be lost amongst the many more creative, brighter bloggers who I followed and loved.

Blogging has been one of those leaps of faith.  You jump in and hope that you get a reader or two. You might even use your blogs to journal your passions.  For me, it's been about those things and more. I really had no idea that my world would become larger, that my circle of friendships would multiply exponentially, and that my hobby would become such a terrific creative outlet. 


Two blogger friends put a huge smile on my face this week by nominating Project: Stash for a Sunshine Award and I couldn't be more thrilled. Alexandra of Wool and Cotton and Vicki of Knittingv write blogs that I follow with delight.  
 

On to the Sunshine Award Rules
1. Thank the blogger who nominated you.
2. Answer the 10 questions on your favourite things.
3. Nominate 10 blogs to receive the Sunshine Award and let them know they've been nominated.

1. Favourite animal: Monkeys -- Jane Goodall is a goddess!
2. Favourite number: 3 (my birthday)
3. Favourite non-alcoholic drink: Coffee (hands down)
4. Facebook or Twitter: FB but not particularly a fan
5. My passion:  my family ... and then knitting
6. Getting or giving: Giving
7. Favourite Pattern: Impossible question to answer
8. Favourite day of the week: Friday
9. Favourite flower: Peonies
10. Favourite country: England (I can't explain it)

There are so many bloggers who bring sunshine to my life, and I've mentioned many in other posts so for this nomination, I'll mix it up with 10 friends, old and new:

Ashley of Geoknitology
Erin of Knitting in Beantown
Cecilia of Don't Drool on the Wool
Gail of Today's Agenda
Ivy of Pumpkinspins
Karen of Hodgepodge Arty
Kirstein of Indigocraft
Sarah of Sezza Knits
Persimmontea of Field Wonderful
Wei Siew of Kiwiyarns

Have a wonderful, sunshiny weekend, everyone!

My Other Love

Not only did Mark and I celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary earlier this week, but we also marked 20 years of living in our little village. I never imagined that we'd live here this long and, as a die-hard city girl, there's been some push and pull in adjusting to living the non-urban life.  But 20 years it is and with that, I have had the chance to nurture my other love (my first love being knitting, of course):  gardening.  


When we first started talking about how to celebrate our anniversary, we felt compelled to think big -- complete flights of fancy.  Ultimately, we realized that all we really wanted was to spend the day together, doing something we love.  So ... we took a long hike along the Hudson River from our village to two villages south.

Ogled the beautiful views from the path that reminded us of the majesty of this river.

Ended up at our destination which was a lovely french bistro we had been wanting to try.

Walked back the three miles to our village and spent a a couple of hours gardening.

Pretties

Basil

Lemon Balm

Heirloom Tomatoes

If I can split my spare time between knitting and gardening all summer long, I will be a very happy woman! That is, if I don't also start spinning this summer. Shhh.... don't tell Mark or the kids -- they'll think I've lost my mind.

Just A Little Lovin'

Just a quick blog post today about a great Kickstarter project that I'm pretty excited about. I'm always so impressed when folks take a germ of an idea and nurture it into reality.  One of my life goals is to do something similar ... you know, put enough love into a dream and make it happen.

Hannah Theissen of Life on the Double Point is starting a new magazine called The Genet Quarterly, an inspirational for those of us who create with our hands.  I love the concept behind this project -- where does our inspiration come from -- and wish Hannah lots of luck in getting this magazine off the ground.

Woven

From a very young age, I've loved hand-crafted things. I'll admit that I always dreamed of being an artist myself and dabbled in all sorts of forms (you name, I tried it). The thing is, I'm a bit too structured in my approach to art -- it's not that I think one has to be messy or purely spontaneous to create art, but I do think one needs to allow abandon to be part of the process. I guess that's where fiber arts comes in for me. While we can play around with textures and colors and size, we still need to follow a particular path that will help lead us to the finished object, whether it's one that we wear or one that we play with. After all, toys as much as cardigans require proper construction, right? So, my knitting is satisfying a deep need to use my hands and to make art. 

One fiber art that I've dreamed of trying but haven't had the chance to (yet) is hand weaving. It's a process that I know I would absolutely love, but I also know that it's a practice which requires ample space, time, and great patience. 


I've been an admirer of AnnieKnits' handwoven scarves/shawls for quite some time, and the other day, I had the chance to purchase one of her gorgeous handwoven items on sale. 

This scarf was woven from a blend of silk and cotton. The weight and drape is perfect as it holds up when looped around my neck or pulled across my shoulders. It was a huge splurge, and I feel a bit decadent for having treated myself but it's worth every single penny. After all, being a hand-knitter, I know what it takes to create something, and I am quite in awe at the beauty of Anne-Marie's incredible work. I'll be wearing my scarf with deep pleasure for years to come.

Knitting (Super) Hero - 3KCBWDAY3

It's an understatement for me to say that I think about knitting all.the.time.  Wow, that's serious, right? But I do. I wake up thinking about knitting, and I go to sleep thinking about knitting. During the day, I think about yarn and patterns I want to knit with and about the projects that are already on my needles just waiting for me to get back to them. Yes, I do this while at work (shhhh).

In thinking about my obsession passion, I have to acknowledge that the person who started it all was my mother, Leslie.  She taught me when I was young, probably as early as grade school.  Yes, I was taught on those awful plastic needles (mine were yellow, I believe) with equally awful acrylic yarns, but it didn't much matter (back then, anyway). I found it magical, using two sticks and a strand of yarn, and turning those simple motions into a scarf. My first attempts were terrible -- uneven, dropped stitches, too short -- and there was a point when I just stopped trying. My mother kept on knitting. It wasn't that important to have her daughters knit, and our lack of interest didn't take away from her own passion.


Fast-forward to today: I rediscovered my love of knitting about 10 years ago but it was a gentle re-entry. In the last five years or so, I've turned that rekindled interest into a full-force passion. I knit, I blog, and I'm just dipping my toe into designing.  So, who's my knitting hero? It has to be my mom whose ability I've written about most recently here.

Yes, that's me and my mother

There are so many knitters and designers out there who constantly inspire me ... too many to name, really ... and Ravelry has definitely been an incredible community that I rely on, day after day. It's been fun reading who other knitters consider their heroes so if you want to get some inspiration yourself, google 3kcbwday3 and enjoy!

The Birthday Project

Today is my birthday, and no matter what age I am, it is always one of my favorite days of the year. It's not because I love attention (remember, I'm an introvert), and it's not because I expect a lot of gifts (although I do love any gift that I get). I love my birthday because it's a day that I get to think about the year that has just passed and the year ahead. I guess it's my own personal New Year's Day.

I'm on the cusp of a major birthday, but I've always been more fond of the 9th year. We put a lot of focus on those big decades and often let the 9th year roll over without a second thought. Not me ... somehow I find the 9th year more significant, more meaningful. So, in honor of my 49th birthday, I'm joining in The Birthday Project. I don't think I can truly perform this many random acts of kindness in one day, but for anyone who knows me, I tend to celebrate my birthday for the whole month of April (try it -- it's fabulous!).


Here's my first random act:  a giveaway!  Post a comment, and I'll use the random number generator to giveaway a skein of Manos de Uruguay Maxima in Peach Melba, enough to knit one pair of leg warmers or a lovely cowl.

Hope you win!

Express Yourself!

I'm not someone who spends much time on youtube (well, any time really) but every now and then there's a youtube video that makes me laugh, and I can't resist sharing this one with you.  In my most recent yarn along post, I wrote about my fascination with scientific breakthroughs such as face transplants, and then along came this post.  Brilliant!



... and to answer your question, Nicole, I think I'll stick to knitting accessories and sweaters! ; )

Inspire Me...

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing comments yesterday about my trial and error cardigan (that's what I've taken to calling it).  Writing that blog post was completely cathartic and then reading your responses helped buoy my spirits even more.  Sandy made an interesting suggestion about not frogging the body portion and finishing the arm openings to turn the pattern into a vest.  I might consider it, but I'm not really a vest wearer so I worry that the yarn will remain wasted.  Many of you who are obviously yarn fanatics like me saw an opportunity for something new and fresh for my many cakes of Berocco Ultra Alpaca Light, and I welcome any pattern recommendations. 

For now, I'm going to let the cardigan sit in my knitting bag, and when I have some time over the weekend, I'll begin the frogging process.  After my many frustrating hours trying to work those sleeves, I knew that I needed some inspiration so watched a wonderful documentary about Bill Cunningham, the New York Times On The Street photographer. I grew up with his photographs. His love of fashion and his keen eye could not have been better described than in this loving and poignant film. I think of us crafty folks as people who appreciate color, structure, pattern, and the joy of wearing  hand-made clothes.  Cunningham hand-crafts in a different way -- with his camera -- and through his love of images, he shows his appreciation for all the things that we care about. If you haven't seen this gem, I strongly recommend it.

  

Question of the Day

What do I want my blog to be when it grows up?

I'm nearing my one-year anniversary on Project: Stash, and I've been thinking a lot about what my blog means to me and how I've grown so much over the past year because you all have become such wonderful friends.  


I stumbled upon this post the other day and as it spoke to what I've been thinking about, I'm joining in to share what I want my blog to be when it grows up. One thing I know for certain is that this blog will probably never really grow up; blogging is such an evolutionary practice and as I've watched your blogs morph and grow, I know that this is what blogging is all about.  When I started, I mainly wanted to be part of the ever-growing conversation that you knitters were already having.  I was so inspired by what I was reading and seeing on your blogs, and I simply wanted to play, too.

Now that I've found my voice, so to speak, I'm ready to try this exercise which is to name the top five things I want for my blog so here I go:

1. I want to grow my community:  Each time I get introduced to a new blog, I get excited and look forward to reading more from this person.  Each time I get a comment from an old or new reader, I feel happy to have made a connection.  I would really love to build my online community further which, in just a few short months, has led to some meaningful friendships already.
2. I want to knit challenging projects:  While my first proper cardigan has taken me much longer than I had hoped (I'm almost finished, folks!), I'm excited to commit to knitting out of my comfort zone, both in color and in pattern.
3. I want to improve my photography:  I've been happy with my photography so far but I really need to read my camera manual!  I know that my terrific little camera has so much more to offer if I would only read that damn manual.
4. I want to do more charity knitting:  I have always done charity knitting in amongst my gift- and self-knitting, but I want do do more.  
5. I want to design more:  I'd really like to push myself to design original patterns as I know this would help make me a better knitter.  

So there you have it:  my hopes and aspirations for Project: Stash.  Thanks to Thistlewood Farm for this great idea.  What do you want your blog to grow up to be?

Sitting on My Hands

Since I made a promise to myself that I would not cast on anything new until I finished my three WIPs, there was only one other thing to do.  I went yarn shopping!  I am truly my own worse enabler (Andi knows of what I speak).


My LYS has been having a winter blahs sale for the last week and yesterday, they added an extra 10% discount to celebrate Leap Day.  I absolutely do not need more yarn, but I love a good sale like the next gal and 30% off is nothing to sneeze at. My friend Polly also needed an extra hank of Misti Alpaca Chunky to finish a beautiful scarf that she's knitting so, you know, I was also doing her a favor by stopping in to pick that up for her.  So what did I get for myself?  Feast your eyes on these:

Madelinetosh DK

I adore Madelinetosh and with the discount, I couldn't resist adding these three skeins to my stash. I was hoping to pick out something lighter (like Calligraphy which is an off-white gray), but there were only two skeins left.  I have so many two skein colors so opted for Duchess instead.  It's gorgeous -- plummy and dark.

Duchess

Lovely Bridget showed me the new Manos del Uruguay line called Maxima because she knows that I'm a huge fan of Malabrigo worsted.  Maxima is squishy, just like Malabrigo worsted, and comes in the most incredible variegated colors.

Since I always tend to choose dark tones and hues, I pushed myself to pick out something bright and so went with Peach Melba which consists of pinks and oranges.  Once I got these home though I started to have a lot of self-doubt.  Is this too bright?  Too pink?  Too out of my comfort zone?

Peach Melba

I've been thinking about exchanging these for something darker, but I'm going to try and resist that urge.  After all, spring is coming, and I might be pleasantly surprised by how this color works out. Who knows, maybe I'll be converted to brighter hues and embrace a new me!