10 Shawls in 2010

This is the first shawl I've started for the 2010 challenge. It's the Traveling Woman shawl in Handmaiden Camelspin. The yarn is beautiful and I'm enjoying the pattern.

My friend Debi twisted my arm to join this and knit shawls with her - actually she didn't have to twist very hard. I think this challenge should be less stressful than the sweater challenge of last year since 8 of the shawls can be the smaller size. I'm also planning on knitting most of these from the stash which DESPERATELY needs to get under control. Going through the skeins and donating what I don't need is part of the plan for the new year.

Last night we got to see a new little baby girl who had been born on December 26th. So sweet and full of hope for a new beginning at this time when we look back at the year behind us and think about the new year ahead. This is the quilt I made for her. It was fun to get back into sewing and I can definitely see quilting taking up a good amount of my time in 2010.

Wishing all my friends and family a happy new year!

Could I be sick of knitting sweaters?

A funny thing happened on my way to finishing 12 sweaters for 2009. I finished #11 and then just lost the momentum. I hate to say this, but I was actually sick of knitting sweaters. I didn't even want to look at #12 which was actually over 50% finished. The holiday craziness hit, presents had to be worked on, cookies baked, well, you all know how that goes.

And then another funny thing happened. I started sewing. I brought that sewing machine out, started looking at all of the fabulous quilting cottons out there and jumped in with both feet. I finished a baby quilt for a friend's baby that was just born yesterday. And I made an apron for my sister from some beautiful Amy Butler cottons. I really wanted to keep that one for myself but I resisted. So now I have all of these quilting projects lined up for the new year. One of my favorite online fabric shops is the Fat Quarter Shop.

And as if that wasn't enough, my friend told me about the 10 Shawls in 2010 Ravelry group. As it turns out, I have been thinking about knitting shawls in 2010 so this fits right in with my plans. I'm also thinking about knitting as many of these from stash as possible because we are way out of control in that area. And now the fabric stash is increasing. Someone had better yell STOP!!!

Happy Holidays!

I Can Be Thankful on Saturday Too!

Somehow Thursday came and went and all of a sudden it's Saturday. But we can (and should) be thankful any and everyday.

This week I decided to focus on little (and perhaps silly) things for which I am thankful. It all started with a trip to Bed Bath and Beyond where I found new hangers. I always had issues with hanging my sweaters in the closet. They would always slip off of the hangers and my solution was to squish them as close together as I could so that they would kind of hold each other up. Then I brought home these new hangers with some sort of anti slip coating and the problem has been solved. Silly this may be, but it makes me so happy when I look into my closet and I can see my sweaters hanging so nicely.

I saw buds on my "Christmas" cactus this past week. It has been a fickle holiday plant with buds showing up anytime from Thanksgiving to Valentines Day. Looks like this year they decided to come early.

I am always thankful for my morning coffee, especially when I have it in one of my favorite mugs.

I am VERY thankful that I finally finished my daughter's quilt! She loves it and I love seeing it wrapped around her.

Monkeys on the front and wolves on the back.

So remember, it's not always the big things but the little things in each day that make us smile and remember how lucky we are.

Things that keep me sane

I thought that this week I would think about things that I am thankful for that also help to keep me sane. Here goes:

1. My friends definitely help to keep me sane. I feel so lucky to have friends that I love - friends from my childhood, friends I know from work, friends I have met through knitting and other crafts. Friends are so important to have in my life - they know when to give advice and when to listen, they provide a shoulder to lean on when it's necessary, they put me in my place when I need it and provide laughter and comfort. I would be lost without my friends.




2. Another thing that helps me stay sane is my knitting. I can pull it out when I am waiting in line or when I need a distraction. I feel so proud when I learn a new skill or conquer that lace graph and I love successfully finishing a project whether it is for me or for a gift. It brings me comfort when I need it and lends a distraction when necessary.





3. Memories of my mom - she was always there for me, always such a quiet but strong person. She had very strong opinions about what she felt was right and she passed those strong emotions down to me. As I raise my daughter, I think about what my mom would have done and I wish she was still around for me to ask her questions. I hope that I make her proud.

A Little at a Time

Well, the general consensus seems to be to just keep plugging away at getting rid of stuff - a little at a time. What's that saying - you can't organize clutter, you have to get rid of it. How true!! So that is what I am trying to do - and I will keep at it.




This has nothing to do with clutter, but it certainly makes me smile! Have a great weekend!