Not really much of an anniversary

Okay, I know some writers get all excited about 'Blog-aversaries" but yeah, I totally forgot. 

Nine years ago, Ladies and Gents, I got this wild idea to write about knitting.

It was much more of a "thing" then and I was much more regular about postings. Now, I am still the "over scheduled knitter" described in my very first blog post. Let's take a look, shall we?

- "Lazy knitters don't move fast." 

Whoo, boy, is that the truth. Whether it's my knitting life or my sporting life, my times just never get faster. But - they aren't really getting longer, either, so there!

 - "Probably that there aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish all that I want - and still get a nap." 

Add in a huge amount of reading and Korean/Japanese/Taiwanese drama watching and I think I am down to no sleep/just naps.

- "Minnesota might just be heaven for knitters. Ample yarn stores, great local knitters and (mostly) beautiful weather make for relaxing knitting." 

Still absolutely true. Sure, some stores have come and gone but I am hurting in no way for yarn. And all this fresh snow makes for great skiing!

In that first blog post, I was racing against time to knit a Babies & Bears Sweater baby sweater. 

This month, I just finished (and raced to mail) a Seamless Yoked Baby Sweater.  No one I know is having babies any more so this was a sentimental kind of project. And darling!

- "I am not a slow knitter, just an overscheduled one. I keep finding the next project - and starting it."

Still absolutely true. I have seven projects in the works right now - from an almost finished cape, three sweaters, a pair of socks, a pair of mittens and my year-long hexi puff project. BUT I also have 33 projects queued up and ready to go. Over, over, over scheduled. 

- "Thanks for stopping by." 

Still true as well. While I may be blogging more sparsely, I have no intention of quitting this knitting blog home. A good portion of every day is about fibers arts for me and I'd still rather knit, spin, weave or blog instead of sleeping. Here's to the next nine years!

In the words of Tablo:

"It’s gonna be a late night.

But baby I’m comin’ home."

Another road

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I —I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

- The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost

Can you sense me slowing down? Coming to a critical juncture?  Deciding what step to take next? 

For me, November is a month that represents just those feelings. Where do I go next? So many activities to chose from . . .

It's NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month, so I'm writing as much as I can. When I can. And let me tell you, I'm not on the downward slope yet.

It's the pre-Christmas rush. Like most knitters, I have some holiday knitting to finish up. Actually, I'd need to start it first.

It's the start of hockey season for Youngest Child - lots of hoiking gear from house to car to rink, etc. This isn't as much fun as you might expect.

I'm doing a Knit-a-long - the 2 Knit Lit Chicks gradient shawl Knit-a-long. Goodness knows why but I'm inching my way to the bind off. I'm thinking this shawl might make a two-fer as a holiday knitting project.

And there is that *&%$#@ blue sweater hanging over everything. I can only knit on it when Oldest Daughter is around to try it on. Those sleeves are killing me!

But there is the bright side of November as well:

Yarn! 

I bought some Roubaix Wool sock yarn from Winterwind Farm in a lovely heather cream color - which I have now dyed purple for Youngest Child's second pair of requested socks. The boy's on a purple kick, what can I say?

Soap!

I've been experimenting with using herbs from my garden in home made glycerin-based soap. So far, I've produced a lovely fresh Lemon Basil soap.

Marmelade!

 I am a big fan of using things up and when I discovered the bag of oranges I'd bought was none too sweet, I used them to make marmalade. Yum! (And please, please set up!)

Quilts!

 I've been hacking along on my Craftsy.com Quilt Block of the Month project and I'm practically done. The last two in fact, are on my cutting table right now. 

Special Dates! 

Yes, November is my Blog-a-versery and my birthday month. Yes, this blog started way back on November 14, 2005. Some things never change - the first problem project profiled?

The first blue sweater for Oldest Daughter!

Happy November!

The Full Elvis

So, I'm working away at home. Mr. Daisy comes home for lunch (yes, if his office was any closer, it would be in my living room) and starts making some bacon. He looks at my sad little peanut butter and banana sandwich and says, "That looks like it needs some bacon."  And, surprisingly, it did!

We called it, "The Full Elvis."

It was delicious!

I will just tell myself it was in honor of my blogaversary. Yes, I started writing about knitting six years ago just prior to Thanksgiving. Bit by bit, I've added in spinning, weaving, cooking, sewing, etc., etc. 

Thanks for hanging in there!

I'm not knitting baby sweaters very much anymore but I'll tell you one embarrassing fact: I still have the blue sweater that I was knitting for my daughter. I knit it. Ripped it out. Swatched for another sweater. Tried another pattern. Ripped it out. I'm hoping to finally finish this project before she graduates from college. Keep your fingers crossed.

As for knitting, I'm currently ripping apart an unfortunate-looking hat (it was supposed to be Elizabeth Zimmerman's Snail Hat) to turn it into a Star Tam from Homespun, Handknit.

Long ago, the ripped apart hat was originally some of my own hand-spun yarn.

I think I bought the fiber at a Weavers' Guild Holiday sale but I know I didn't start spinning it until summer 2009. After about two skeins, I got bored. Well, I finally unearthed the rest of the fiber and it turns out, I need a winter hat. It's currently 20 degrees F. outside.

This is why the shoemaker's children have no shoes!

Add this to the fact that I'm doing NaNoWrimo this year and Thanksgiving is next week and I'm really suffering from a lack of sleep!

Back to those sandwiches . . .