WIP Wednesday: Present & Future

I finally have an exciting update on my Emmanuelle Sweater: I've started the Chevrons on the front piece! Woo hoo!

So far, so good; I'm hoping the other colors I have planned will play well with everything else. With any luck, I can get this final piece knitted by the end of next week, which means I am on track for finishing this by the end of the month (I hope I didn't just jinx myself there). This would mean that it'll be one of the fastest adult-sized sweaters I've knit to date.

I've also made some major progress on the Mountain Moss lace edging and it should be finished by the end of this coming weekend, too - which means I can start something new! I still have plenty of gift projects to knock out between now and December, so I'll be less stressed once I can finish this 'selfish' project and get back to gift knitting/crocheting.

Of course, life has a way of throwing monkey wrenches into the best-laid plans, doesn't it? First, I'll be participating in the Yarn Nation 30-Day Sweater Challenge during the month of October (more on that next week). It's not an ideal month to knit another sweater for myself from start to finish, but I just couldn't pass it up!

Secondly, I'll be leading a Sock Knit-A-Long with the Baah Yarn Knitters group, also during the month of October. You can click here to join in the fun - I'll be knitting my newly-updated Scallop Rib Sock pattern with Baah La Jolla in California Poppy; all are welcome to join, whether you use Baah yarn or not (but it really will look prettier in Baah)!

Thirdly, I received the news yesterday that my grandfather in Kansas City has pancreatic cancer. When he was given the news, his response to the doctor was this: "Well, it's been a good run." That's actually not a surprising reaction for those who know him (and it's kind of funny, too). However, I know it was a huge blow to my mother (his daughter), as it was to his other children, us grandchildren - and, most importantly, it will be a huge shock to my grandmother (his wife). Since I am the closest of the relatives who haven't remained in Kansas City, I have a feeling I'll be spending a lot more time there in the months to come.

Sorry for ending on a sad note! On the positive side, it's times like these that I am extra thankful I have crafty things to keep my hands busy.

Thanks for joining me this week! For more WIP Wednesday inspiration, visit the Tami's Amis Blog!

Overdyeing A Finished Knit

Even after just a few years of knitting or crocheting, you're bound to have some finished projects lying around that never get worn or used. After 10+ years of crafting, I have more than just "some" or "a few"....and with my ongoing quest to declutter my house this year, I've become obsessed with going through these forlorn projects and making some Big Decisions. Sometimes, they are perfectly fine and just need a new and loving home. Other projects may have not turned out quite right: there might have been some mistakes in the knitting that I thought I could live with, or the yarn was gorgeous but not well-matched to the pattern, or my taste has drastically changed since I finished making the project...in any case, why on earth did I keep knitting?! Who knows, but I don't feel good about gifting anything that falls into this category to someone else. These projects have been relegated to the "frog pile" (or should I say, frog pond?), to b...

Easy DIY: Beaded Vintage Snowflake Ornament Kits from Solid Oak Inc.

I was really excited to step outside of my comfort zone and try something new as part of my "Christmas in July" theme this month. The kind folks at Solid Oak Inc offered me a chance to review one of their Nostalgic Christmas beaded crystal ornament kits I couldn't resist. My tree is already full of ornaments I've inherited or been gifted from other family members and friends, so these pretty crystal beaded ornaments will fit right in I think! I was super impressed with this compact little kit , which includes everything needed to create three gorgeous vintage-style ornaments - just add a pair of round nose pliers (I found mine on Amazon for less than ten bucks). The instructions had some fabulous tips for newbies like me; for example, it recommended sorting the beads and laying them out in order on a towel or beading mat to prevent them from rolling away. That may seem obvious, but I was totally ready to start beading on my kitchen table without a...

What If I Didn't Add Heels?

Last weekend, I finished the first sock with my Waterlilies yarn , and just for yuks, I tried it on even though it was basically just a tube sock. Much to my surprise, it fit really well, even without a heel. Who knew? So, that got me thinking: what if I just didn't add the heels? I never thought a tube sock would actually fit nicely, but I genuinely like the fit, so...why spend time to add the heels? As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.... Let's say I decide not to add heels once the second sock is done - there will still be placeholder yarn for the afterthought heels, as you can see above, so should I leave it in and just weave in the ends? Or should I remove it, put the live stitches back on needles and at least graft them together using more of the Waterlilies yarn? I plan on mulling all of this over as I knit the second sock, and I'd love to hear your opinions of what you think would look best (or if you think this whole "n...

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