In His Steps

The title is ominous for a reason. Back in January of this year, I decided it was time to finally knit a sweater for myself. I've only ever knit one adult human-sized sweater before this and it was for Rosslyn. Time to make something for me! I was excited at first. I read the pattern three times before casting on. I was hopeful. Eager, even. I cast on January 3rd. It was two months of knitting forever and being well into my third skein before I finally bit the bullet and frogged it. It was too small, too tight. I wasn't getting anywhere close to gauge, even with the same needles and yarn weight. I was supposed to be getting 23 stitches per 4 inches and I was getting 32. I went up some needle sizes, remeasured myself, and on March 17th, I cast on again. By April 3rd I had frogged it once again. I was still not getting gauge. I was getting 27 stitches per 4 inches, not 23. I was still not even close. I was crying to myself, ripping back my sweater for the second time...

Every year, I take some time to clean out my life of junk. I have found that excess clutter, even stuff I used to love, can weigh me down immeasurably. There are so many ways I can benefit myself and others by removing it, that some of my favorite projects each year are the ones where I have sloughed off a bunch of items I have no need for. In talking with my little sister, I've found she often does the same thing, though she's a little more extreme with it than I am. This year, as I unpacked and organized my craft room from our move last October (it wasn't set up until after my emotional breakdowns and getting that personal space back has been essential in my recovery), I decided to go through it slowly. I trashed a lot of random junk first, but then I focused on my yarn and roving stash next.  I went through it all and a lot of it I decided to give away. The Random Act of Kindness group on Ravelry was my choice, so first I pulled out the yarn I didn't want an...

I made little crochet octopuses and originally I had intended them for Christmas gifts for Tara, but she has been going through a difficult time, so I gave them to her immediately upon their completion. I was making them because I had leftover yarn in Tara's colors and wanted to make her something new and clean out some space in my stash. It's a dumbo octopus! She was pretty pleased to have them and they guard her car now. She calls them her derpy little octopuses, heehee.

Some time ago, during my horrible depressive episode, I realized I wasn't getting much from my scripture studying. I was getting more distressed that I could read and remember nothing from what I read, and that I also would feel apathetic about it. Thus, I decided to try a new tactic to make the scriptures and their stories stick better in my head. Instead of just reading them, I would write--not type--them out. I selected a journal I haven't used yet and made it my scripture study journal. This one happened to have a beautiful leather cover, but any empty journal would do. As you can see, I originally had another intention for this journal, but nothing ever came of that, so I just crossed it out and put in my new intention. I chose the Book of Alma in the Book of Mormon as my starting point and got started. I'm still writing and only in Chapter Eight, but I will say that this has helped me pay attention to words. Sometimes I still do read ...

In my knitting projects of 2015 post, I did some work on a cowl for Camilla. Originally, it looked like this, and she wore it for the winter of 2015 before coming to me and asking me to tackle it again. It was never blocked and she asked me to lengthen and widen it, and then she asked if it was possible for me to add a hood to it. I was flattered she liked it so much she wanted more done to it, so I agreed to try my best. This is after I had ripped it back, added more length and width to it, and blocked it. It looks like a totally different cowl! Then the hard part. I was least sure of the hood, but I knew some basics in how to make one, so I measured around my head and such (my head is a little bigger than hers) and cast on flat. I did manage to finish it! I put the same pattern on the edge as is on the edge of the cowl piece, I did some shaping with short rows in the back and had a line of purl stitches down the center to help it come to a point, as req...

On the last day of July, Spousal Unit and I had had enough. Enough of work, outside obligations, all of that stuff. So we ran away for a day. We went to Lake Payson and stayed there doing... nothing. Wandering the lakeside, knitting, looking at birds and chipmunks, watching people paddle around and fish. It was so peaceful, so beautiful. Spousal Unit's stress melted away like a candle in the hot sun (though it was blessedly cool by the lakeside). We'll definitely be going back. I mean, come on. Look at that smile.

A bit ago, Douglas approached me about a tam I had knitted for him a few years ago, this one: He finally told me it was much too big so he'd never worn it! I asked him if he liked the yarn and he said yes, so I promptly began ripping back the tam and salvaging the yarn, which was still good. Then came the hard part--nailing Douglas down long enough for him to choose a new pattern, but finally he did and I set to knitting. The first re-try was still too big, so I ripped it out and decreased the size, then tried again. It looked much better this time so I had him try it on again. I think he likes it now!

Our yard has a family of quail with seven chicks and I just can't get enough of them, so I'm sharing some of the photos I got with all of you!

So, I have suddenly found myself employed! It's a simple job, not much money or even hours, but my coworker and boss are wonderful and I get to learn things about how a small business works! I am working at Greenwood Fiberworks sorting fiber, roving, and all sorts of other things. By the time this is posted I'll be on day four there! I am already really enjoying my time there with such lovely ladies as Carolyn and Kit.  Getting this job was sort of sudden--I saw their booth at the Great Basin Fiber Fair and asked Carolyn if she needed another helper, even if it was just temporarily. She asked me to email her that night and she'll see if she could use me, so I did and at least for a little while, she can! Kit is one of my regular friends at my weekly knit night, so I've known her for years (she's darling), and now I find myself hanging out with her every weekday morning for the next two weeks! How cool is that?! In other news: Rosslyn and I have officially ...