Knitter in Progress

 Came back…looking through old posts.  There are many times when I really miss blogging. Life has been super busy.  Work, family…pretty stressful. I still have delusions of grandeur that I will find time to get back to the things I love to do unfortunately for the last few years it has been a lot of HAVE to do versus WANT to do.

2020 has been a challenge(I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks that).  One of the many things I have reflected on during this time is “what is important to me?” or “what is something I am missing because life keeps getting in the way?” I really miss my knitting, cross stitch, and reading.  I have had a hard time focusing on anything other than just getting through the day most of this year. With that in mind, I’m going to attempt to jumpstart my mojo and focus in July by challenging myself to knit for at least 30 minutes every day.  I have some specific WIPs that I want to make progress on.  Specifically my Find Your Fade shawl and a small rug for my daughter’s dorm room. I want to get some WIPs finished before I start anything else and I have a lot of WIPs. I’m also in the planning stages of getting my cross stitching time back.  I haven’t stitched in about 2 years and I am really starting to miss it but I need a plan and to organize first as my cro...

Craft goals: **finish baby gift—blanket and hat **finish bath mat for Diva’s dorm room **finish something on my current wip list  Fitness: **lose 10 pounds **finish a round of Chalene Extreme Find at least one day a week for myself.

Balancing work, family, and “me” time is very difficult to juggle.  Since going back to work 3.5 years ago I feel like I cannot balance any aspect of my life.  Anytime I feel like I may be getting the hang of things life seems to throw a curveball and I’m back to square one.  But things are more up than down as of late.  I’m hoping to find more time to post for me.

I feel like the last two years have added about 30 to my life.  Lots of “downs” with very few “ups”.  Things seems to be slowly righting themselves and I’m trying to get back to some solid ground. I have had almost no time to pursue things I enjoy(like knitting, stitching, reading, exercise) and I’m really starting to see the toll that has taken on me, physically and mentally.  I’m going to be forcing myself to schedule time for these things.  Yesterday was the first time in a long time I was able to spend an afternoon knitting and it felt great.

I cannot wait for 2016 to be over.  This has been one of the longest, most stressful years in my life.  I am hard pressed most days to find something to be positive about.  My kiddos continue to be my light. I'm hopeful that 2017 will bring a positive change in my immediate circle but judging by the results of our November election, I'm guessing that as far as the nation goes 2017 will be another very long year. Here's to happier new year for everyone. :)

It has been an interesting year so far at Casa KiP to say the least.  Lots of changes, lots of rolling with the punches.  The biggest change for me is that I am working part time(25-30 hours per week).  It's been quite a change for all of us but we are getting settled in to a routine. Because of the changes, crafting time has been hard to come by but I have managed to get some things done by working on some focus pieces. As far as knitting goes the current rotation includes: --A pair of simple skyp socks --A hexagon sock scrap blanket And. . .hold on to your hats. . .I have been cross stitching! I decided to focus on one piece this year.  My HAED Storykeeper by Selina Fenech.  As with most of my stitching projects it has been in the WIP pile for far too long.  I have loved this piece since it was first released and I have been inspired to pick it as my focus piece for the year. I have also been using it for the HAED SAL on Facebook so when ...

1.  Top Five Finished Objects **Links to the patterns on Ravelry -- Pittsburgh Penguins Crackerjack Cowl, a visual reminder of the 2014-2015 season --2015 Felted Clogs , I wore out my first pair and I love them they are ugly but comfortable --Socks That Rock Pebble Beach Jaywalker socks, I love the pattern and the colorway. --First pair of socks without a pattern which is crazy because I've been knitting socks forever and I've never tried to knit a pair without a pattern until this year. -- Mystic Spiral socks, I wanted to try a new technique. 2.  Favorite Yarn Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Lightweight This has been my favorite yarn forever it seems.  I try all kinds of sock yarn but these colorways and this yarn always seems to be my favorite go to :) 3.  Favorite Inspirations Book:   The Divergent series by Veronica Roth.  I didn't read a lot this year and I got inspired to read these after I saw the first movie...

April 2015:  I received Neo Blythe doll, Jane Lefroy .  I LOVE her stock and she has a beautiful face and coloring.  She reminded me of Vinter Arden(who is one of my grail dolls).  I follow some Blythe happenings on Facebook and Flickr and when I started seeing pictures of Jane out of the box I was petrified.  This girl has crazy hair!  She has a TON of hair and for some reason Takara decided to try some sort of weird curliness in her hair.  It starts out smooth at the part and maybe 1/3 of the way down her head then it turns into an absolute rat's nest.  I was afraid to even take her out of the box.  August 2015: I finally come up with the courage to open Jane up.  She is beautiful but OMG that hair!  It's very soft in spots but I cannot even run my fingers through it.  I have been doing some research on Blythe hair and I have done a few spas on my other dolls but they seem like child's play when faced with Jane's disa...

Wow!  It doesn't seem that long since I have posted.  Life just keeps getting busier and busier. I have declared 2015 "The Year of Socks".  My goal is to finish at least one pair per month and if I could get 15 done in 2015 I would be thrilled!  I have joined the Socks from Stash group on Ravelry and it's been so fun.  Every month they have a theme so that keeps things interesting. So far I am on track: January: February: March: April(in progress):   I have also become addicted to Downton Abbey and have been binge watching that, of course, I start watching it now when there is only one season left! I'm still working my way through the Song of Ice and Fire books.  I'm on Dances with Dragons and that one is taking me forever. Happy crafting everyone!

So I just reviewed my summer to do list and I felt like I accomplished nothing but it looks like I got more done than I thought.  This summer was BORING.  It was a summer about nothing that went too fast. The kiddos are back in school and I am getting back into a routine. Here are a few summer knitting finishes: First up, my " Groovy " socks.  I had been wanting to knit this pattern for a while and I'm pleased with how they turned out.  The yarn is OnLine SuperSocke Neon Color.  It is bright and an odd grouping of colors but I love having wild colored socks. Next up, two pairs of   Felted Clogs .  One for me, one for DH.  Most of my friends have knit numerous pairs of these but these are the first pairs I have knit.  A friend knit pairs for each of my kiddos and I decided all of us needed a pair.  They aren't the prettiest things but they are warm and comfortable and that's what really matters for padding around the house. ...

Summer break is upon us again at Casa KiP.  Here is the ambitious tentative agenda: 1.  Reading--personal(Game of Thrones mostly) and with the kiddos(Kingdom Keepers)-- DONE! 2.  Sewing--practice sewing doll clothes.-- DONE! 3.  Quilting--finish at least one T-Shirt quilt.-- Nope! 4.  Knitting--finish a GoT knitalong, work on socks, work on doll clothes-- Nope, Done!, Done! 5.  Cleaning--work on the basement!-- Nope! 6.  Travel--hopefully get to visit the cousins and throw in some overnight trips too.-- Nope! 7.  Photography--work on getting some interesting doll pictures.-- Done! 8.  Stitching--finish my 12 Days pattern and work on some HAED stuff.-- Nope! 9.  Work on Smash books.-- Done! That is most of my list and on top of that I need to find some interesting things to do with the kiddos!

October 20, 1996-April 19, 2014 Bailey (aka. BB, B, Grand Buhzee, Grandpa Lemon, Lemon) Well traveled cat: Texas, Oklahoma, New York, Hawaii, Utah, and Colorado You and your sister were my first babies and you were my first male cat.  I love you so much and not one day will go by when you are not in my thoughts. Now go find your sister and learn the ropes or maybe you can come back haunt these two ding dongs you've had to put up with the last couple of years :) Miss you, my sweet, sweet boy.

Winter is Coming Shawl all blocked just in time for spring and the new season of Game of Thrones. I used Twisted Fiber Arts Arial yarn in the Le Cirque colorway. Socks of a Different Strips V. 3 I did these for the Ravellenic Games. They use Knit Picks yarn and the pattern is from Knit Picks too. The links are Ravelry links.

Happy New Year! This is what I managed to get finished in 2013.  I didn't list specifics on projects as all of them are on my Ravelry page. Knitting: Numerous Blythe clothes(dresses and hats) Socks A shawl Sewing: Numerous Blythe dresses(a few A-line, Empire, and Party) Reading: A Storm of Swords(Martin) All Wound Up(McPhee) Captain Underpants #10 Dad is Fat(Gaffigan) Diary of a Wimpy Kid 1(Kinney) Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2(Kinney) Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3(Kinney) Diary of a Wimpy Kid 4(Kinney) Kingdom Keepers Disney After Dark(Pearson) Last Breath(Caine) Black Dawn(Caine) Bitter Blood(Caine) Lover at Last (Ward) Penalty Box(Martin) Kingdom Keepers Disney at Dawn(Pearson) Fitness/Health: Finish 1 round Cathe's Cross Train (12 week schedule)

  It's been a long time since I have done one of these weekends.  I actually have a new start this weekend-- Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery's 12 Days of Christmas.   I am going to be working on the border and I want to get it done before the main subscription starts on November 29.  I'm hoping to use this piece to gear up for a big stitching project that I want to start in January, I think the fact that this project comes out in scheduled intervals will help me get back into working on a deadline.  I haven't had any stitching mojo in well over a year so I need to start with something small like this to build up my speed again :)   12 Days of Christmas (Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery) Fabric:  Picture This Plus Crystal Ale, 32 count Lugana Floss:  DMC and Weeks Dye Works I was able to fit in some stitching time during football yesterday.  Only 2.5 more sides to go on the border.

It seems that the older I get and the older my children get the faster time goes by.  Summer vacation is over and the kiddos are back in school.  Over the summer we went to visit family and spent time together at home.  I was able to squeeze in a little crafting time. I finished Chosen Path with my Twisted Fiber Art(TFA) Ariel double in EVO in Grace: I finished Diva's Fingerless Gloves in TFA Tasty Long Repeat Stripe in Spring: I have yet to cast on for Ene from my last post and I am still working my way through Cambridge.  I have been very busy knitting doll clothes lately so that has been taking up a lot of my crafty time.  I would really like to find some time this fall to get back to stitching.  I have an urge to get closer to a finish on one of my BAPs. Also, sometime around the end of July, Diva and I were introduced to the world of Blythe.  I had seen the dolls before in various places but never really looked into anything about them...

Finished: DH's Simple Skyp socks, Cakewalk Yarns in Weenie DD iPhone Hoodie , in Noro In Progress: Cambridge ,  Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine in Oceanic Mix Coming Soon: Chosen Path , in Twisted Fiber Arts Grace (Spring Club yarn) Happily Ever After Mitts for DD, in Twisted Fiber Arts Spring (Spring Club Yarn) Ene , in Twisted Fiber Art Passion (Fall 2012 Club yarn) Summer time, lots going on, fitting in knitting when I can, starting to feel the urge to stitch again.

It's been awhile since I have blogged. As my kiddos are getting older, I find that they are monopolizing more of the computer time(as well as my limited free time), so it's harder for me to find time to sit and write a post.  My kids are in martial arts/crossfit class three nights per week and I've found that lends itself to some knitting time without the guilt--since I am a captive audience there for an hour and a half. I have been loving the Simple Skyp sock pattern and decided to knit a pair of socks for everyone in my family.  So far I have finished Diva's, Rage's, and mine.  I'm working on DH's pair during class time now. Mine(knitted with Twisted Fiber Art Tasty in the Maple colorway): Diva's(knitted with  Three Irish Girls Adorn sock in the Rhiannon colorway): Rage's(knitted with  Socks That Rock Lightweight in the Dragon Dance colorway): I have finished a couple of other things but I'll save that for a later post--just ...

Knitting: 1.  Mitered Square baby blanket 2.  Baktus Scarf 3.  Simple Skyp socks--me 4.  Simple Skyp socks--Rage 5.  Simple Skyp socks--Diva 6.  Color Affection 7.  4 Squares for Bertie's Blankets Reading: 1. The Proper Care and Feeding of Marriage(Schlessinger) 2. Immortal Rider(Ione) 3. Push(Johnson) 4. Taking a Shot(Burton) 5. Lover Reborn(Ward) 6.  A Clash of Kings(Martin) 7.  Lothaire (Cole) 8.  Wicked Nights (Showalter) 9.  The Lightning Thief (Riorden) 10.  All the Captain Underpants books(with Rage) 11.  Diary of a Wimpy Kid 12.  Last Breath (Caine) 13.  The Skinny Rules (Harper) Stitching: 1. QS Lovers(HAED)--Page 1 2. Twelve Houses Sampler(Drawn Thread) Fitness: **Worked out consistently 5-6 days per week for the entire year :) Project Me: 1. Chalene's 30 Day Challenge--January, February, April, September