I’m rather looking forward to this upcoming weekend. Saturday is game day, and I get to forget the world for a little while. I’ve played Dungeons and Dragons for more than 30 years now (Himself got me into it when we were dating – a few years before we wed. So in all honesty, probably closer to 35 now), and this campaign is a fun one.
Sunday, oh Sunday cannot come fast enough. Sunday I get to meet up with Duchess Helene (her SCA name) at a Fibre Fest a couple of towns over, and finally learn to spin. I’ve been looking forward to this for a while now, and I am almost to the point of not being able to sleep, I’m so excited.
My sweater is coming along again, I cast it on a couple of days ago, but have only done the repeat for the yoke twice now. I think tomorrow I will setting in for knitting after the game session ends.
The trip my mum and I are going on is looming closer and closer. She’s totally excited, whereas I will get there when I start to pack. I have some summer clothes coming I’ve purchased, which are still on the way. OK …. I think I lied. I’m starting to really look forward to this!
Welp … as much as I have tried to keep up with my blogging, and I do remind myself a lot about doing this, I’ve let a long time pass. So, here is a post to let you all know what I’ve been up to:
February was an interesting month. Started new things, and finished a few too. The biggest thing was the start of my new craft area. Since my strokes, I’ve let a few things fall by the wayside, and unfortunately, this means my dedicated space ended up being a “storage” area. Yes, 99% of it actually IS craft stuff, but I want to be able to sit and sew when the urge strikes, and not clean up everything so I can actually sew.
As you can see, I have two dolls for which I’m going to crochet and knit an outfit each for the upcoming Chilliwack Fair in August. I want to get a third so I can sew an outfit as well. This year, it’s just going to be doll clothes. My brain is still healing and I don’t want to over-exert myself to the point where I can’t do anything due to exhaustion.
I got a subscription box for knitting, and finished one of the projects in the box. I’m totally in love with the cup cozy I made, and it now lives in my EDC bag so I don’t have to use the cardboard cup cozies from the shops. One of these days I will make a cup cozy that fits around my usual metal to go cup with a handle.
I think I’ll find a crochet cup cozy meant to fit around the cup … or maybe a knit one. I’ve come to love knitting as much as I love crocheting. I love yarning!
Speaking of crochet … I found a gorgeous pattern for a crochet duster cardigan from the Make & Do Crew website. I’m not going to crochet the sleeves, as I want a long vest for myself for my upcoming trip. The stars seemed to have been in alignment when I found this pattern, as the yarn I got for it was on sale. The best thing? The gauge swatches are pockets!! What’s better than a long pretty handmade vest with pockets?!
My great-niece decided to make her debut early, so not only is she going to be getting a wee cardigan for later, but I’ve frogged the blanket I was already making to make a smaller sweater that she can wear now.
Since the one I already made just need buttons, I’m going to make the smaller one in a different pattern so her mum can choose which one she wants her wee babe to wear. I’ve not met my nephew and his wife, nor have I met my half-sister and her other children yet, but they are already such an important part of my life. One day, I will be able to make the trip across Canada to meet them. Until then, emails and Facebook will be how I get to know them.
Well, that’s about it for today. I’ll try to write more later …
This year is a year of giving for us. 2024 was a brutal year with severe health issues, and causing money issues. Food security, as we learned, is a tough thing to live with, and there are so many in our community that deal with it every single day.
To that end, all my acrylic yarn will be knitted/crocheted into hats, scarves and ear warmers for the homeless in our city. I have a lot of baby yarn too, so we’ve decided to use that for hats, blankets and wee sweaters for the NICU and Maternity ward in our hospital. I do have some that I’m saving to make a full layette set for my nephew’s first born child this spring.
It’s hard, as we are still dealing with health issues, and food security, but it’s better enough that we are giving back.
Today, I’ve also launched my Etsy store, as I have vintage pattern books I’ve scanned to pdf, and want to sell for a little extra cash. I want to make dish cloths and toys to sell as well. This year is going to be busy.
My mum is onboard, which is awesome, as she knits and sews as well. I may even have a few friends who want to do the same thing. I love how our little crafty community is gathering together to help those in need.
Now to figure out where to start … baby stuff or winter stuff? Decisions decisions!
It’s been a heck of a year, and I’m quite glad 2024 is over. This new year will herald a LOT more fibre arts … this year, I *will* learn to spin.
I have two projects on the go currently, using up my current over-stash of yarn, to make little daily projects, and over all, hats and ear warmers for the homeless. I want to thrift actual real wool from the second hand stores, and give the wool new life.
The cast of characters in my life are me … Pickle … my partner … Himself (a name he chose for himself more than 20 years ago) … Kaylee, the furkid. I suppose if others come into the blog, I’ll introduce them then.
This year will also herald two years since my bilateral ischemic stroke, and I’m still in recovery. The doc says it will take a long time to get back to where I was, if I can even get there. We shall see, yes?
I hope this New Years finds you safe, warm and loved.
The Pickled Knit 