3 Years and Counting.

It's pretty hard to believe, looking back, that I have only been knitting for a little over 3 years. That sounds like a lot, but when you think about how fast those 3 years have gone, it's really not. In the past 3 years I have:

• Gotten together and broken up with my first (and so far only) boyfriend.
• Made the transition from high school to college dorms to living on my own.
• Made some amazing friends.
• Improved my artistic skills amazingly.
• Started this blog :)

That's a lot of things to do in just over 3 years. Now lets consider all the things I've done - fiber wise - in those 3 years.

• Picked up knitting (something I hadn't done since High School)when my ex wanted a scarf.
• Learned how to make socks on DPNS because sock yarn looked too pretty to not want to learn to use.
• Learned how to make mittens and gloves (basically socks with fingers!).
• Learned to knit in the round on circulars.
• Magic loop and using circular needles in place of straights (and I love it!)
• Cables!
• Full fledged garments (My tanktop!)
• Toys.
• How to spin with a spindle, something I really enjoy.
• How to dye yarn and bare roving, another thing I truly enjoy.

That's a lot considering I am a full time college student. Maybe it's a sign I should work on my art and school work more?

So that brings me to the real issue at hand: What do I want to do this year? Well my amazing friend Ivy (Pumpkin Spins) has given me some great ideas and pushed me to try things I never thought I would. This year we are both making lists and plan to encourage each other along the way. With that in mind, my knitting/fiber related resolutions are:

• Try (and hopefully succeed) in at least color work type project, weather it be fair isle, intarsia, etc.
• Finish my first full sweater successfully.
• Conquer something lace with minimal, barely noticeable mistakes. Like socks or a scarf or something smaller.
• Felting. I don't like how it looks, but I want to try it just one, to say I did.
• Thrumming. The new craze going around, where you knit roving into your work so the inside has pieces of roving to keep whatever is inside warm. (ie: thrummed items)
• Toe-Up 2 at a time socks. I just learned toe up this past week and love it! I also know how to 2 at a time, but am not the biggest fan because of having to keep things from tangling, but I'd still love to try the two together.
• Blocking and finishing. Every sweater makers best friend.
• Try different cast on and bind off techniques, because those always come in handy.
• Write more sock patterns!
• CONQUER MY STASH! I have collected so much this year that I'd love to knit it down a bit before investing in much more. (Unless it's for a special occasion project).
• Spin something besides wool. I have some bamboo in my stash that's calling my name.
• *Make a more even yarn when spinning. I am still having a lot of spots with thick and thin I'd like to get rid of
• Dye bare yarn. So far I've only dyed roving, but I'd love to try dying sock yarn or something white like that.
• Attempt different types of plys. I am not sure if you can do much more with a spindle, but even more 3 and 4 ply yarns would be nice.

You will not believe how long it took to come up with this list and I still feel like I am leaving something out. I know that I cannot succeed in everything, as this list is very long. But it's a nice guidebook on where to start when I need ideas.

To all my readers out there I wish you a save and happy New Years and may all your resolutions, wishes, promises, etc. come true.

~Lisa

Things to Finish Before New Years (Yea Right)

So, I've been crazy busy with studio stuff lately, spending literally every night until at least 11 (last night it was 12:30) there, trying to get stuff done. It's the only time I have to do it so I don't have much choice in the matter. None the less, I am still finding time to knit, both at Knit Nights at Wildflowers, and at home (wish more basic, non-Wildflower purchased yarns). I have come to the conclusion that there are a few things I'd love to get done before the first of the year, just so I can start fresh with new stuff in January. Here is my list:

Twilight Curls Scarf: This thing is actually knitting up really fast. It's my knit-night exclusive project, simply because it's with Wildflower purchased yarn, and I therefore want to use it at her shop. It should be done by the end of knit night tonight, and if not I'll probably finish it later this weekend so I can start...

Effortless Cardigan. Yes, I want to make a cardigan. I don't have the yarn for it yet, but I plan to purchase it this weekend. I don't know if I really have the time with school, but hopefully I can find time here and there to work on it and finish it for the new year!

Rick Socks As you've already seen on this blog, I have these socks going. I haven't picked them up in a while, so they aren't very far along, and they take awhile to get very far on. This will probably be the one project I DON'T finish before January. There's something about socks: I love making them, but can never finish a pair without stopping to do other things in between.

Lost in Transit Lustra Scarf As of the middle of December, it will have been a good year since I picked up this scarf to work on. That's a sign it needs to get finished. I want it done, but it's not high priority right now. It would have been done last year, but I had to stop to make IOU Christmas gifts.

I also have a couple of gifts on my needles right now,but I'm not going to talk about them until they are and given.

Happy November everyone! I hope life doesn't get more stressful as the weather turns colder.

~Lisa

Almost the new year, time for reflections

It's been over 2 months since I updated this blog....and I've knitted ALOT since then. Before we get to that though, I figured I would update the world on my life (Like you all care...).
I survived my 1st semester of sophomore year, and I even managed to get a couple A's. I wish they had been in the classes that matter AKA my art classes, but I guess the professors just don't know how to grade...hahaha. Actually, I understand why I got B's in those so it's not a big deal. It's just a B, not a problem.

I've also been super busy with my life. This year has been such an adventure! I started the year as an immature freshman, still unsure on the rest of the world, very sure I'd be with my boyfriend forever. My the end of May I had decided to take responsibility and live in a house the coming school year AND me and my Bf were no longer an 'item' (his idea...). Looking back, I am very glad it happened. I have since become alot more mature, taking on the issues involved in living off campus. That's been a challenge, but I wouldn't move back to the dorms EVER. Learning to live off my pay checks, cook my own meals, and do my own chores has been a learning experience that's for sure, but I don't regret my decisions at all.

I also met the best friends I could ever meet this year, and I honestly beleive if I was still with the boy, I wouldn't be as close to my friends and I'd be a 'social hermit', if you know what I mean. All of us have done so much in the short time we've known each other (literally only about 5 months!). The memories we've made have been priceless, from Dance Party and Sonic adventure at the beginning of the year to Konza and girls day in October, out skating kids on my birthday, and who can forget the late night Walmart scavenger hunt in Halloween costumes, to the random bowling and dinner nights, to simply watching movies, we've had the best year and I can't wait to spend 2011 with Lynnsey, Kaela, Rachel, David, Alley, Kenni and well EVERYONE!

Which brings me to my next adventure, Relay for Life. Relay for life is such a big event, and I can't beleive I get to be a part of it! This is my first year on commitee and being a team captain, and I'm completely engrossed in it all. I absolutely cannot wait to celebrate, remember, and fight back with all my friends in April!

So now on to why you're probably here, my art :) I've done so much knitting and art since October when I last posted that I need to catch up and reflect.

I guess I'll start with my paintings, which is what I found myself doing alot when I wasn't in class or at work. Afterall, it was 'homework' and I had to get them done sometime! I'm only posting the decent ones.Abstract from a still life, zoomed in on a plastic toy bread, pickles, and animal cracker with a plastic chicken leg in the top left and a skull and blanket in the top right.

Interior set up. I am very proud of this painting, I feel like it's my first 'finished' painting and actually shows depth pretty well.

Final project, self portrait. I took a chance and decided to do myself in my messy room looking into a mirror on the floor. I like how it turned out, but my teacher thinks I need to make my feet more natural colored and show my face more.

And now onto my knitting. When I wasn't painting, in class, or working, I was probably knitting!

I learned how to make mittens after realizing they were pretty much socks with thumbs. This is my first attempt, I love how they turned out but I don't wear them very often :( I guess I need to more, but I'm worried they'll get messed up.

And then I made a matching stocking cap, which I actually used, and loved, until I lost it :( But it still taught me alot about circular knitting and how to do things besides scarves and socks.

I made a scarf with really pretty cascading blue yarn and I absolutely love it :) It's a little short, but I can't afford more yarn!

I made my sister a scarf with yarn I hate (but she liked) and it's a simple knitted scarf. I honestly did not enjoy making this, but she loves it!

To conclue the year I learned 2 new things at the same time. I got knitpicks interchangeable circular needles for Christmas, and with that I learned how to magic loop! From there I then knitting my brother a pair of gloves, my first ever. They turned out amazing and he loves them! What a great way to end the year!

So it's been one hellofa year, and I owe it all to everyone and everything that's happened! I hope you all have a great 2011, and I hope to keep you posted on my life and how much I am enjoying it!