Summer 2014 Bucket List

Monday, April 18, 2011

I have some free time

Happy Monday!

I have some free time coming up this weekend as it's Easter and I am going to New Brunswick to see my family. I take the bus up and it's a 7 hour ride. It kind of sucks but I'm used to it since I've lived in Nova Scotia for almost 10 years. The plan is to go up on Thursday and come back on Monday. I am really looking forward to getting out of the city and seeing my family and friends back home.

A few years ago I knit a pair of socks over the long weekend. I cast on when my friend picked me up in her car and finished on the bus ride coming back on Easter Monday. I'm thinking about doing that again, but not sure I want to make another pair of socks. Don't get me wrong, I love knitting socks but have other things I'd like to knit. Plus my sock drawer is overflowing ;)

Here are my choices:

Aquaphobia Socks using Knit Picks Stroll Hand-Painted.
















A mini shawl that would be a combo of either La La's Simple Shawl or Gaia Shoulder Hug. I have some Lovit Bison and some handspun merino that I plan to combine to make something nice.







I also have 3 scarves and a pair of mittens hibernating, though the mittens don't really interest me much. So I could work on one of those scarves instead of the above projects.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Day #7: Your knitting and crochet time.


I mostly craft at home, sitting in the same spot on my couch. There is often a tv on as well as my Macbook on my lap :P Plus a kitty or two nearby (or sometimes directly on the yarn *cough* Louis *cough*). Sometimes I don't feel like knitting though, so my knitting might sit there for days. I can lose my mojo once in a while. I don't normally have snacks while I'm knitting, because then my fingers get dirty and that's a problem. Though I do often drink coffee while I knit, or some other beverage if I am thirsty.

Sock Snuggler
Louis

When I'm really tired or just not feeling well I tend not to knit much. I also can't knit while watching a movie with subtitles. I pay fairly close attention to my needles and it's too hard to knit and read the subtitles at the same time. Usually I am just watching whatever happens to be on the 3 channels I get. Occasionally I'll listen to an audio book while knitting.

Frasier cozy-ups to my mittens.
Frasier

I do try to always have a plain sock on the go so I can shove that in my purse and always have knitting with me when I am out. I find even if I do have some free time, like when on the bus, I still don't get out my sock though. Sometimes I'm just not in the mood to knit, or my hands aren't free because I'm carrying home my groceries on the bus. 

One thing I've found is that if I'm hanging out with some friends to knit, I never get much knitting done. This could be for different reasons. Sometimes I'm just so chatty that I can't talk and pay attention to my knitting at the same time. I also tend to talk with my hands. Other times I've just had a beer or two and realize I should probably quit while I'm ahead before I totally ruin my knitting.

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And with that, Knitting and Crochet Blog Week comes to a close. It's been fun! I still have a lot of blog posts from everyone else that I want to read. 

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Day #6: Something to aspire to.


In 2008 I went to Norway and saw a lot of really pretty stranded colourwork sweaters. I didn't buy one though because they were quite expensive, plus I figured I could try to knit my own some day. I haven't done any intricate colourwork yet and would love to knit a pretty sweater of my own some day, or maybe something else like a hat or a pair of socks.

My creation
Norwegian Knits
I also want to make a super cozy Aran sweater, which shouldn't be too hard since I really like knitting cables. And of course lace! I don't have any specific project in mind, but I want to knit myself a nice lace shawl someday. I might start with some of the more simple patterns and work my way up. That seems to be how I like to learn new skills.

I've had a super long weekend already from being in my continuing education course last night and all day today. I am tired! I might even go to bed before midnight.

If you haven't had a chance to check out my last post, please do. I ask readers about their experience taking knitting or crochet classes.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Day #5: And now for something completely different.


Nor'easter

Today is a rotten day weather wise. I have to go out in it tonight because I am taking a continuing education course which only takes place one weekend a month. So I've been busy today doing my readings and getting prepared for tonight's class. Not much time to do much else, plus it has been so cold in my apartment I've spent most of the day buried under blankets and kitties.

I've written about my course before. I am doing my final project on knitting because I didn't really have anything else to do it on. Not like I'm complaining. I'm not the only person in the course whose topic is on their extra-curricular activities. I'm self-taught knitter but I know some people have taken knitting or crochet courses at their local yarn store, community group, college or craft school. So I thought I might try a little discussion about one-on-one or group knitting and crochet instruction.

Question: If you've taken a knitting or crochet class in the past, what worked and what didn't work about the class?