Spring Cleaning the yarn stash

Now that it’s looking like maybe it might possibly be spring after a few fake outs here in Seattle- and yes it was sort of snowing this morning on top of our flowering trees-  I’m doing my best to think about spring cleaning.  We’ve only been in this house a few months but there are things we can at least move around to make better use of them or the space.  So I’ve started my yarn spring cleaning- and doing mini-yarn swaps with friends of mine.  There’s nothing like new yarn to also get me inspired to knit new and wonderful things, and also to go ahead and face that some of those UFOs in my bag aren’t going to be finished.   At least I’m clearing up my head a bit from guilt for not finishing all those good intentioned garments, but there will be others.

Stash busting

I’m now working at Hilltop Yarn in Queen Anne in Seattle.  It’s a great place to work and to covet yarn… of course, I’m surrounded by yarn, and my yarn cupboard at home (no small thing) is ready to burst.  So… Mom if you’re reading this… you’re getting fingerless gloves for Christmas, you and everyone else I know.  I’m using up all those one skeins I’ve bought because I fell in love with the yarn- but never used because I never had enough.  So all those Noro skeins… mittens, fingerless gloves and hats,  and that lovely wool/silk, already on the needles…

I finally finished the Shetland Triangle, and right away gave it to Carol since she was leaving the next day.  I hardly had time to block it, let alone photograph it properly which is a shame.  It came out very nice though smaller than I intended.  I used Handpainted Misti Alpaca Lace yarn, and have about 1/2 a skein left of it.   I loved knitting with it, and after blocking I could feel it getting soft and fluffy- and warm.  Maybe I’ll do a small lace scarf for my little one- it would look adorable on her.

December is the time to think about 2009 project- and get rid of the old projects.  I seem to be in a finishing mood.  I’m picking up all those projects still on the needles and finishing them or frogging them… sort of project spring clean.  Though I think I’m more motivated by all that gorgeous yarn in Hilltop that I see and pet everytime I go in- and all those patterns everywhere.  I think I have my projects picked out for 2009 and 2010.

The update and the news

In the end I decided that I was going to Southern Texas where it was still 75 F  in the shade, I wouldn’t need that much clothes, so the yarn took up prime space on my bag.  I also braved the feared “traveling thorugh airport security with knitting”- a small lace project on circular Addi Natura needles.  No problems at all with security- with my daughter thought….  Here’s a thought- if you’re traveling to the other side of the country with a toddler, try to start the travel in the morning.  She was an angel from Seattle to Houston- where I wished I had my knitting, and a devil from Houston to Seattle- where I did have my knitting and didn’t have time to even think about it because I was busy with the little BabyBee.

Now I’m back in real Autumn weather wishing I had finished Keld- but with my in-laws visiting from Spain, knitting time is almost nill.  I am considering frogging the sleeves… oh dear… I hate sleeves, they always take me a long time to finish, but I’ve increased the sleeve width too quickly…  I’ll have to think about it — very hard.

On to other news news.  Tonight  I spent a lovely night tonight not thinking about anything but knitting in my soon to be place of employment- Hilltop Yarn in Queen Anne!  I met future work collegues and got to eat buiscuits and drink tea- and knit knit knit-  almost heaven…  then I stepped out into the freezing cold…

Moving again… and again… updates

Moving is like childbirth- you forget the pain after a while. So far I’ve moved 3 times in a month, followed by another move 2 months later (where I am now) and there is yet another move at the end of the month. I hope, for my sanity, that this will be the last move for a long time to come.

We have bought a house! Or at least we’re in the process. Before you shout out your congratulations, bear in mind we’ve just signed the next 30 years of our life away. I think our realtor thought we should have been happier than we were, elated even, but no, we were shock. Later we were deep in buyers’ remorse. Still, I don’t think we’ve made a bad purchase. We’ve seen more than 100 houses and none really met with everything we wanted… well, one did, the one we could not buy (thanks to the snail pace that banks have decided is appropiate when it comes to dealing with short-sales). This house is quite nice and big, so the other short comings might not be too noticeable. I hope we didn’t pick this house out of desperation. After 3 months of living out of suitcases, and 3 years of not seeing our furniture and things from England, we just want to get settled.

What does any of this have to do with knitting? Have you ever chosen a house because you could see a knitting nook in the corner or a sunny room?

In the meantime, my dearest darling of a husband broke my camera on a business trip. So there have been no pictures of recent projects. I have finished a shrug for my daughter, made out of Manos del Uruguay yarn in Wildflowers and a cute little dress in Dream in Color yarn. They are both very cute!

I am trying to finish off some projects and face the reality that I am not meant for lace, at least not at this moment. I tried lace to be able to carry projects around while moving all over Seattle, but with a two year old it’s been impossible to keep track of stiches and yarn-overs, lines knitted… patterns… I need something easy to remember and pick up. I have realised that I love lace and I do have the skill for it- now it’s just a matter of quiet time. After a few months, once we’ve settled into our new house and lives, then I’ll be picking up the lace again for another go.

Picking up the latest Rowan Magazine- their 30th Anniversary edition- I read an article about the British sheep industry’s push to have some yarns made in the UK from raising the sheep to spinning the yarn. The result was the British Sheep Breeds Collection. The pattern book is excellent and the yarn is gorgeous. It is bulky and light- so knits quick and looks fab. I went to Hilltop Yarn in Queen Anne, and bought some yarn and the pattern book. I got started almost right away on Thwaite- a cardi/jacket in a blackish brown- the black welsh breed.

1 week- 2 yarn stores

I’ve been to the Hilltop and found So Much Yarn - and I just here…

Seattle- a place to sleep in late

I was on Ravelry a few minutes ago joining every group that was in Seattle… because I’m here- finally here!!!  After a rush of packing and more packing, and a lot of very sad goodbyes, we were on the road.  The trip lasted three days- so I got really put some miles in my Blanket Cardigan by Sarah Dally in her Knitting book (my designated easy to knit in the car, in the dark, or anywhere).  Still it was hard to find the energy to do anything because all three of us had caught a very nasty cold.  After the stress of moving our guard went down - and we arrived in Seattle happy to be able to sleep in the next day.   Still, I made some desicions- first that the flame pattern would not look good in the KPPM as beautiful as both pattern and yarn are- together, you can’t see the pattern.   I decided the KPPPM would look very nice as a smaller Clapotis- I frogged the lace and began the Clapotis… and it’s turning out gorgeous!!!

Now that I’m moved and have a decent internet connection, I’ll be able to update this blog’s gallery properly- so far I’ve only been updating Ravelry since it’s what keep me organised.  Of course this will all happen in between finding a place to live, unpacking, and getting lost in this city.   There is so much to do!!! But all I can think of right now is where is the Sudafed?

Knitting on a hot day

Today was so hot that just trying to knit some of Natasha’s Accordion Jacket almost made me run to the fridge for a cold glass of …something…. anything! Instead I picked up the not so exciting, but ever so elegant, yet unending Veil by Norah Gaughan which I’m knitting with Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool (from my stash!!). It is light and well, not terribly cool, but light- so I worked an inch or two. I also worked a bit on Kim’s Clapotis which is made using lovely and delicate Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca Silk in Kim’s favorite colour (from my stash too!), but way too hot to even look at the Spring Clapotis- in worsted weight wool. No I ended up sticking with the Veil. It is straight easy knitting, great for watching TV they say… I don’t have a TV. This week hubby is in Mexico and I’m in San Diego, so hopefully I’ll have my nights free to watch movies gallore in front of my computer (or the 7 inch portable DVD player that’s become my new best friend this past year)- and knit knit knit this Veil until it’s done. Then I can wear it in the very slightly cool evenings we’ve had (24C at night! This is April, right?)

Kim’s Clapotis looking a bit mangled because the poor yarn has been frogged a few times in search for the perfect pattern for the yarn and Kim… yarn whispering I call it.

Letting go…

A soon to be grandmother in Mexico asked me where I got my yarn, and perked up when I mentioned I wanted to rid myself of some of my stash (sob… gulp…hankys flying).  She came over to my flat the next day and proceeded to pick out some great yarn for her future family member.  I ended up selling some yarn I hadn’t meant to see- 7 skeins of Rowan Denim- and a few other bits.  But in all I was more satisfied by her excitement than a slightly smaller stash.  I realised that letting go is not too hard to do.

Good Intentions

I was just browsing through Ravelry and found yet more patterns to add to my queue- and in looking at the queue and all … is it 27 patterns so far (not including those which I just browsed in the new Vogue and Interweave Knits!) I think i have enough projects to knit for the next year or so…

My problem is not the good intentions of creativity and fashion, it’s my stash- the immensity and limits of my stash. I made a promise to myself… all I would knit would be from my stash as it is- no buying new yarn, and if the yarn has no project then it will be gone… this is because it’s moving time again. We’re due in Seattle in a few months… maybe not even a few months but a couple of months. Knowing that I have a house full of furniture in storage in Houston, TX, a suitcase full of yarn in Mexico, and about 2 bags full of yarn in San Diego (apart from books, clothes, and all those other important things) the last think I need is to be moving lots of yarn I’ll never use. Anyway, that’s the idea… the intention. With at least 27 projects in mind though… I might find a project for all of my stash! I better get knitting.

Why I knit

Two years ago today my knitting inspiration was born.  Around the time I am writing this blog (very late) I was in recovery after giving birth through emergency surgery at 34 weeks (it was very unexpected).  My daughter was so tiny that even the preemie clothes seemed to float on her.  For a month I sat by her incubator in the hospital with nothing to do but knit, and I braved my inexperience in knitting to knit tiny hats and minuscule mittens that were the size of my thumb.  I started knitting in earnest then, and I’m still knitting things for her (and me!!) today.  She’s growing and thriving and getting smarter by the day.  Happy Birthday, Natasha!