This week, I have spent a lot of time thinking…too much time, which means I haven’t been as productive as usual.
My Christmas gift socks are coming along but I am still on the 1st sock; I am sure if I’d chosen a vanilla pattern I would be half way through 2nd sock by now. My head is just too full to memorise the 10 row pattern repeat. For sure my next pair will be a vanilla pair of ankle socks for my small feet lol!
I have been thinking about starting a 2nd knitting project at the same time as the socks, but I have spent days searching Ravelry looking at patterns and now I can’t decide which patterns I like most, so nothing cast on yet.
I have 13 patterns for the North Ronaldsay wool I bought!!! I can’t even seem to get a shortlist of 3! How do you pick your patterns? Should I go for another seamless top down pattern? Decisions decisions! As it is Aran weight I thought I should do cables..but as I have additional skeins in different colours I thought maybe could try Fair Isle…totally undecided. By the time I have chosen I will have finished the socks lol
On the spinning front: on my spindle I am spinning some undyed Shetland fibre, I probably get about 15 foot spun when Ylva is sniffing the night air and doing her before bed wee! On my wheel is the absolutely gorgeous baby camel and silk blend, honestly it is sooooooooooooo soft. I bought it from Coastal Colours at the Highland Wool and Textile fair. When I bought it I thought it was expensive at £26, but it’s 200g of beautifully dyed combed top of 50% baby camel and 50% tussah silk. Not sure what I will make with it when its all spun, perhaps a fancy shawl…not that I ever go anywhere fancy. Anyway in the meantime I love spinning it.
I missed another open day at the Highland Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers, just need to find my big brave girl pants and go along. I am such an introvert it is hard joining new things.
I mentioned in a previous post about an idea for a lantern…well here’s my 5 minute effort. A bit of brown felt, some of the autumn sparkle blended fibre and a few stabs with the pale blue felting needle. Simple.
Not related to YOP, but for anyone who read my post on hoarding…
I have done a huge amount of ruthless chucking out, selling and donating things this week. Stuff that I was keeping for sentimental reasons that I realised didn’t have that happy a memory linked with them, so this is the most I have ever got rid of. Old letters from people I don’t even remember. I have kept letters I received from 3 friends and the rest have gone, old slides I’d already scanned in have gone, loads of photographs, cards, my ballet point shoes, just loads of random sentimental stuff. Also various random other crafting stuff, I had watercolour paints tubes that rattled…I bought them 27 years ago I realised!!!!
My criteria:
a) Does it invoke a really happy memory?
b) Am I 100% sure I will use?
If the answer was No…it has gone. Now everything is accessible in my crafting wardrobe!
HighlandHeffalump 
Your lantern is ingenious. Love it. I need to get back to decluttering and should probably start in my craftroom.
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Thanks Marsha, I am pleased with how it looks and it only took 5 mins, I did think a battery tea light and maybe some holes in the felt may be effective.
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Your lantern is very clever! Beautiful!
And good for you on doing a clear-out! That can definitely be difficult, but worth it in the end. How are you feeling about it?
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A few times I have thought about diving into the wheelie bin and pulling out some letters, or my ballet shoes. But overall still feeling good about it and when I open the wardrobe and can see everything and access everything then that makes it worth it…it was very much a push the stuff in and close the door quick before it tumbled out state. I am going to scan and keep electronic copies of some things and will do that today, like old school reports. But a lot of the stuff I wonder why I kept it.
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Sounds like it was a positive change, though a bit difficult – good for you!
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Good luck on choosing a project worthy of the North Ronaldsay wool. The fiber that you’re spinning sounds wonderful. I look forward to seeing what you make with that, too. Keep writing about getting rid of stuff. We’re in that mode now, though I feel like I’ve been frozen with indecision about what to work on for about a week now. I must make some sort of movement and then stuff will start going again. I’m pretty sure. ;^)
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Have a think about what bugs you…do you have to take things out of a cupboard to access the thing you want. This is how I have thought.
In Spring I boxed up loads of kitchen gadgets, sealed the boxes and shoved them in a wardrobe, if I don’t need them in a year then they will all be got rid of, so far not one box has been opened.
Once I have finished the study I will start on the garage again because I want to get my car in there when the snow comes. But to do that I have to do the greenhouse, as some stuff is put in there for the winter. That’s how I am staying motivated. Good luck with yours.
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Well done on your decluttering. I will get around to it at some point. I find that patterns find me, and I always have a number of projects that are just waiting to be cast on.
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Ooh, your fibre sounds delicious. I have never spun camel but anything with silk in it has always been glorious to spin 😊
I have only ever knit vanilla socks and I am happy with that as I take my wee sock knitting bag wherever I go. I like to keep things simple these days.
It’s so lovely to have found you 🌼💐🌸
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Yep I think vanilla socks are for me going forward. Great to have found you too. 😀
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I can totally relate to that Vanilla Sock thing! I decided that I want to only knit vanilla socks for the rest of the year. Maybe some some from scraps and leftovers, but mainly good old plain stockinette…
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