Thinking ahead to 2014

           There is a great book out there called Howards End Is on the Landing: A Year of Reading from Home by Susan Hill. In this book, the author Susan Hill was looking for an wanted book in her library when she ran across many others on her own shelves  that she had never read, or forgotten she owned, or wanted to read for a second time. This inspired her to start a year of reading her books and not buying new books until she had read her own stash.

As a knitter, I know stash. I recently had to move my stash (not a complete airing but a shuffling around) in order to get into some filing cabinets in the same closet. After a good look around,  I realized, "I have a ton of projects ready to go!"

Yep. Yarn purchased, in project bags, patterns printed and even needles set aside. At least 14 undone projects. That's a lot of yarn.

So, I've been planning my 2014 as a stash down year just as Susan Hill read down her own "stash" of books. And, I'm also planning to read off my own shelves - real and on my kindle - to get some of my own book "stash" used up as well.

Susan described a book as one "which is left on a shelf for a decade is a dead thing, but it is also a chrysalis, packed with the potential to burst into new life." 

I am hoping my "14 projects in 2014 Stash and Project Busting" (14in14S&PB) will be as inspiring. Right now, I'm planning on attacking my current WIPs:

1.  Advent Scarf

2.  Sock Yarn Mittens

3.  Caherciveen for james

4.  miss winkle

5.  Lady Londonberrry

6.  Acer Love

7.  OwlMittens

8.   It calls, “Finish me, finish me!” (My Benedetta)

as well as from my queue which now reflects my "Bag of Bags" holding all my planned-but-not-yet-knitted projects. 

9.  The Socialite

10. Easy Folded Poncho

11. To infinity and Beyond Cowl

12.  Basic Ribbed Socks

13.  Felted Woolly Owl

14.  Pine Forest Baby Blanket

I'll work through my queue as well but not in any particular order. And, of course, I'll be popping some charitable projects such as mittens or bears or cowls into the mix as needed. 

 Same with my books. I've had some half-read books for almost a year and it's time to get them gone! Then, I'll work through any unread books on my shelves and then, from my library reading list. 

Of course, I'll slip a few new books in there as well because of my book group, etc. BUT not until something is finished first!

Yarn - forward!

This past weekend was not only relaxing - it was rewarding.

I acquired two lots of unusual yarn and bought one lot for only $1! And I won a book!

I've used this Persia Color in another colorway before - it knits up beautifully next to a plain color wool. And - it was the $1 yarn!

I just love the sparkle and fluff.

This was two skeins of an old but free yarn called Laine Dor - it might even be Laine D'or but the label is done is a spiffy 1970s font and I can't read it. It's mohair and I'm using it on my trip to Pennsylvania to make a simple little shawl from the free patterns on the  Mary Maxim site. Plane knitting in all senses of the word!

I also got this skein of yarn in my goody bag.

It's a lovely blue color and it seems destined for mittens or a hat.

As a door prize, I also won this fun book.

One of my table mates offered me "a lot of yarn" for it but I think the patterns are well worth the keeping.  

Although I'd love to be working on my Turning Glass cardigan, I need to knit a baby sweater for a little baby girl at my church. And I need to knit it before she grows even more! So I'm pulling out some stash yarn

Jamieson's Soft Shetland in granny smith colorway

 to knit a Rosemary's Little Sweater. Simple and quick (or so I'm hoping.)

And I'll be traveling with all this knitting so - you probably won't getting another post until about Monday. Enjoy the snow!

Getting our "grit" - Minnesota style!

This was the first outside mite hockey tournament for our family. Three days of games - all outside. Oldest Daughter didn't play until she was 10 and she skipped the mite system so it's all new to us.

Wednesday night and we are all watching by standing on a big mound of snow just outside the boards. Good thing those little kids are so darn cute - otherwise we would have all gone back inside.

I asked Youngest Child if his coach gave him any special instructions and he said, "Yes. The coach said the other team were all little kids so don't knock them down." As Youngest Child is only 7, the other team must have been composed of four year olds! 

This may have lead to his Gold Team's amazing win! And they won again today, too. There may be something in this hockey thing . . . let's see if they can make it a three-peat tomorrow!

As for the whole knitting thing, you can't knit standing on a mound of snow outside in the 15 degree F. weather. So, I'm still creeping along on the Tangled Up In Blue socks. And I'm thinking of using some of this project's 

leftover yarn - Dream in Color Classy - to make some mittens. I have a new winter coat that needs some cute mittens!

Today's Saturday Seven was easy. 

I've been cataloging my books using the Shelfari.com site and it makes weeding out books very easy. I'm thinking of offering them up at my Monday Night Book Club next week. Then, the remainders go to a rummage sale.

A quick glimpse

Just a quick look at the neckline of my February Lady Sweater. I've been fitting it in every so often when I need a break from my Palindrome Scarf. I've been working on my project for my HSKS partner - lots of fun things! - and getting ready for last night's Minnesota Knitters' Guild meeting. Our speaker was Warren Hanson, author of Kiki's Hats.



He spoke about how he came to find this project and then read the book aloud. Afterwards, he sold and signed books. It was a lot of fun and - guess what? - the real Kiki was there too!

Beautiful weekends are no place for Saturday Sevens

So, we'll start with last week's photo. Seven books - some old book club choices, some gifts and some inappropriate and/or double copies that were donated to my church's library. Sometimes I have to weed out "bad" choices and I just can't do that in front of the donor. But I don't need the extra books littering up my house, either. These will go to the AAUW book sale.



This week's Saturday Seven - seven little boy shirts. He's moving from size 5 to 6 and the old shirts are just too short. Off to Baby Karl.



We had a trip to the library today and Youngest Child just couldn't keep his eyes off one of his books. I requested two books after hearing about them on Earthchicknits' blog. I'll be relaxing on the front porch this weekend while reading The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections by Amanda Blake Soule. This is full of crafts and activities and I am so looking forward to making a few.

The second book I picked up was Last-Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson. Youngest Child needs a new bedspread and I'm looking at some of her designs. Lots of pondering ahead!

I am almost finished with the Lydia's Lacy Blocks baby blanket - I took it out onto the porch today to work on but the books were more attractive . . . maybe photos for that project by Tuesday.

One last time . . .

I cleaned out my bookcase this weekend as part of my big Labor Day cleanout. It's funny but it always seems to be the best weekend for a good cleaning. I can remember cleaning and moving my living room furniture around the weekend that Princess Diana died. I actually didn't have much to remove but I did find a few items to weed out. Every one was a good read but it's time to pass them on. They'll be going off to the St. John the Evangelist big sale. It's lucky that they do this sale twice a year!

The rest of tonight I'll be watching "Breach" with DH and knitting on the Flower Basket Shawl. It's time to get that finished as well.