Happy New Year

Just checking in to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Hope we all experience positive changes in our lives in 2019.

Finally, I'm working on a knitted sweater.  And also a pair of socks that will be donated, among other handmade items, to Sequoia Humane's fundraiser in February.

The socks in the photo below, the most recent pair I finished for myself, has an interesting story...

This is a 2-ply hand dyed, hand spun silk yarn, from 10 or 12 years ago. I had to dye the black like three times to get the silk noil really, really black. And I hand carded in the bits of color.

I originally thought I'd have enough yarn for a pair of socks, but because the gauge was so small, meaning I was using more yarn than anticipated, I realized I'd need more. Then remembered I had a woven piece from back then, 40x16 inches, with this same yarn as the weft. So I UNwove the piece, because it wasn't even in my top 10 faves anyway. Unweaving meant meticulously picking the fabric apart, about 5/8 inch at a time. Took me several hours over a couple days.

Now, of course, I've got enough yarn to knit another pair for myself out of this yarn. Which I just might do because it was so much fun to knit these.

Happy New Year, everyone! xx

Quiet Time

Been enjoying a multitude of quiet days at home, and never been happier. Currently watching rain move in and the trees shudder in the strong breeze.

Still knitting socks, likely a couple more pair this year before I start on a sweater, the first of several. But this sock-knitting thing is addictive.

I've been making collages more slowly than previously...but every time I think maybe I'll take a break (it's been 2 years since I started collaging in its current form), I begin again. So, no break, just pace myself.

I spent the entire 5-day Thanksgiving weekend, including the Wednesday before, at home, alone, doing my own thing, and never left the house in all that time. And since then, I've also had blocks of time where I've done likewise. In fact, that's kind of how I'm organizing my life from here on out. Be away from home as little as possible. Spend every day only doing things that I enjoy (plus some housework now and then).

I guess it's nearly Christmas, but I'm so far removed from all of that, that I'm not really impacted in any way. I treated myself to a bunch of stuff earlier this fall, yarn mostly, so I'm going frugal this month. As much as I enjoy buying things on the few occasions in the year when I do, I also enjoy NOT spending money. I really have more than enough stuff already.

Hope you're all having a blessed month and that you have lovely holidays. xx