Knitting Zeal

Reflections of a year

It amazes me that it is the last day of 2004 already.  Where did the time go?  I'm still mentally stuck somewhere in August.  Time to wake up and be thankful for the experiences I have had this past year.  I wanted to write a prolific entry doing a month by month tally of the wildly fun things I did this year, but I didn't get further than April when I realized how boring of a list it was.  So instead, I will write a simple list of my reflections of my life in 2004, illustrated with pictures when possible.

1. I completed most of the knitting projects I wanted to complete this past year.  Among my favorites were of course the Blue Sweater, ChildHood for Isabel's first birthday,

the French ducky sweater for Nicholas,

and my last project of the year was for me:  blue mohair mittens (completed last night!)

2.  I went to France!  This was a trip I dreamed of doing since I first took a French language class in seventh grade (1982!)  I was given a wonderful opportunity to spend time in three different towns/cities in France and experience wonderful history.  My goal of going to the top of the Eiffel Tower was achieved!  I got to see the Mona Lisa in person!  It was a life changing trip for me and one that I will never forget!

3. I started blogging.  I had been using LiveJournal for a while, but was frustrated with it.  I made the plunge into html and started this blog in August as a means to participate in the knitters secret pal 2 exchange.  I really enjoy it and have met so many talented and creative souls out there in blog-land.  Who ever thought I could have "electronic" friends?  The encouragement and inspiration I receive from other knitting (and other) bloggers is so appreciated.  I actually think that I got that blue sweater accomplished because I really wanted to post pictures of it on my blog!  The kind notes that other knitters sent helped.  I am looking forward to continuing to blog over the next year and to learn more about html too!  I also appreciate the support of the women in my local stitch and bitch.  It is nice to have real people to knit with a few times per month!

4. My niece turned one and my nephew was born.  Isabel is cute as ever and learning to talk and baby Nicholas is starting to giggle and show his personality at four months of age.  I love being their auntie. 

5. Chris and I got to go away on vacation together.  Disney was fun, and exhausting. 

We even got to see a side of mother nature that we don't normally experience.  We lost a few days of vacation to the hurricane, but we made the best of it and were lucky to have been in a safe place during the storm.  Thinking back to the hurricane we saw, and the other three that hit Florida this year, makes me thankful that it was not a horrific as this week's tsunami that hit Asia.  It frightens me that nature can be so destructive while it amazes me at the same time as to the power nature has.  I hope that the effected areas in Asia are able to recover eventually and that everyone that can help, does so.  A friend of mine is visiting her homeland of India right now.  I pray that she is safe and returns soon.

6. I completed my first year as a clinical supervisor unscathed and successfully ran a summer therapy program for preteens.  No one was injured and all had fun--really!  I love my job most of the time and have been able to develop my skills professionally this past year.  My job is exhausting, but I trully feel like I am meant to work there and make a difference in the lives of the clients served and my supervisees.  I have also been able to teach a small group of women to knit at our lunch hours and am proud to see the joy they have when they complete a project. 

I think this post is long enough, filled with the major events of my year.  I wish everyone in the cyberworld a safe, healthy and of course, happy new year. 

Now to start thinking of some resolutions for 2005...

The week after Christmas...

Christmas day turned out to be a lot of fun for me and I was unusually relaxed.  I figured out why today--lots of French wine!  I rarely drink, but on Christmas day I broke out one of the bottles of wine I had brought back from France to share with my family.  Was it good!  Just a glass or two and I was feeling very calm. 

Isabel and Nicholas had fun visiting their auntie and uncle's house for dinner.  Isabel cleaned us out of pretzel rods and preferred dessert over dinner.          

Nick had fun with his Grandmom. 

Chris wore his new sweater, but prefers to hide from the camera.

I actually took a brief hiatus from knitting for the weekend, after rushing to finish the blue sweater.  I had the same feeling regarding knitting that I used to feel after finishing a semester of school and finals--I was burned out from reading/studying then, now I had knitting burn out!  I am now cured of that I have resumed knitting.  I started a mitered square scarf using a pale pink ribbon yarn and a pale pink angora/merino mix from Tess' yarns.  It is a good portable project for work.  I also need to get cracking on the reverse bloom washcloths and I have to finish the AbFab throw, which is near completion.  I am off from work for the remainder of the week, so I will have some time to knit.  (although my wrists and hands have been achey lately--not sure what that is about!)

Today I got together with Christine to have lunch at Cin Cin and shopped in Chestnut Hill.  We hit the Yankee Candle shop, which is having a massive blow out sale of most of their stock at 50% off.  I picked up a number of gifts for people.  We also went to the Tangled Web for yarn for the entrelac market bag class we are taking in February.  It requires five skeins of Cascade 220 in different colors.  I bought two shades of blue, two shades of purple, and a kermit green.  I also picked up a new US7 bamboo circular needle to knit the mitered square scarf on, in case it is the needle and not the yarn that is bothering my hands.

I got another order from Adagio teas today.  They have amazing customer service.  I ordered online yesterday and fedex delivered my order today!  I bought a custom blend of tea--apple, cinnamon, creme, and caramel teas.  It is a great blend and smells yummy.  I also picked up another small pot for brewing loose teas easily.  It is adorable.  I highly recommend the company if you like tea.

Merry Christmas!!

Ok, I still haven't gone to sleep yet, so for me it is still Christmas Eve, but I know I won't have time to post during Chrismas day.  My big news...I finally finished the blue sweater!  I sewed on the second sleeve and seem today.  It looks a bit big to me, but Chris will wear it regardless!  Overall I like it and the texture of the yarn, which was Encore worsted.  It is the only acrylic blend I find that isn't scratchy. 

I will post a shot of him wearing it eventually.  I am so relieved to have finished it on time and to now feel like I can move on to something new (or finish a few other saved projects!)

I have to finish making tomorrow's dessert and then go to sleep.  It was a long week.  I am hosting twelve for dinner tomorrow/today.

I wish everyone in the knitting community a wonderful holiday!

December is flying by...

I cannot believe how fast this month is flying by.  It is actually a week before Christmas!  Where did this year go???  I have had no time to blog lately.  Work has been extremely busy and all of my free time has gone to preparations for the holidays, sleeping, or knitting the Blue Sweater.  I have finished all of it but 2/3 of the last sleeve.  I am sooo close to finishing.  I know I can do it!!

I will continue to work on it this weekend and into next week.  Plus Tuesday night is the bi-monthly stitch and bitch at B&N, so I'll get more of it done then.  This week I met up with Denise at the B&N to knit, since she missed last week.  She gave me an enormous cone of cotton chennile yarn in a warm french vanilla color.  I am going to be able to knit many reverse bloom washcloths with it!  Thanks Denise!!  That will be one of my January projects.  I already started rolling some of it into balls, since schlepping a cone of yarn around isn't always easy.

I also want to thank Anna of the RAOK list for the sweet holiday ecard.  It cheered my day!  And finally I want to thank Deb for the sourdough starter and instructions.  She was so nice to send me a sample of her dry starter so I can brew up some of my own.  The instructions read like a chemistry experiment, which was a subject I loved in High School, so I am looking forward to using it to make some good bread.  It will have to wait until after Christmas, though. 

I stayed home from work last Monday, using what I thought was my last vacation day to use for the year (we lose them if we don't use them) and decorated the tree.  I actually started decorating Sunday night during the Eagles game, but finished up Monday.  The tree looks good, I think, and has helped get me in a more festive mood. 

Life is busy

I have had no time to blog lately.  The rush of December is annoying and interferes with my ability to enjoy the season.  Why can't I slow time down??  I have spent the past week knitting furiously on the dang Blue Sweater and have one and one third of the sleeves left to knit.  Hopefully tonight, while I watch Desperate Housewives, I can finish the one sleeve and start the next.  When I'm not knitting I am either shopping for gifts or wrapping gifts.  Ugh.  I used to like wrapping, now it is a chore.  I am determined to be done all this holiday prep way before the week of Christmas so that I can focus on cooking dinner and enjoying the holiday instead of cramming everything into two days.  Needless to say, I have pics I want to post, but not enough time now to do it.  I will later tonight or tomorrow--which I took as a vacation day so that I can decorate the house!  I am supposed to be getting ready for brunch with the in laws right now.  Today is my husband's birthday.  He is not excited, as he feels older than his 34 years. 

Happy Birthday honey!!

Book shopping and other stuff

Last Saturday night I got home early from Thanksgiving, version 2, because my husband's allergies were so bad from my parents' cats.  So, with dinner done, being home at 6:30, and a very sneezy and congested husband passed out in bed, I decided to go to Barnes and Noble to do some shopping.  I was determined to buy Melanie Falick's Weekend Knitting book because I really want to knit that cute blossom washcloth.  Yes, I bought a book just for a washcloth pattern.  Now I need to find some cotton chenille to knit it--Elann doesn't have any, so I will have to put it on my list of things to pick up the next time I'm at the yarn shop.  I just love how that pattern turns out, despite how simple it is.  I figure I can knit a bunch up and save them to give as gifts for birthdays next year, along with some nice soap or shower gel. 

The other patterns in the book are great too, and I know it will be of good use once I am looking for some new projects.

I have been knitting the blue sweater daily, although I have made little progress.  I get about five or so rows done on the sleeve at lunch breaks at work.  At night I am working on the front of the sweater, which is more than two-thirds complete, although I tend to fall asleep knitting!  This weekend will be crazy-busy, but in a good way, so there won't be much time for knitting. 

This week has been much less stressful than last week.  I have been stopping on my way home from work at stores to get some more holiday shopping in and have ordered some gifts from catalogs.  I tend to overspend every year because I love buying things for people.  I am trying to downsize my shopping, and spending, this year and so far I have been successful.  I have also decided to have Christmas dinner at my house again this year.  I just hate to see my husband suffer at our relatives homes with his animal allergies.  This means that we will have to decorate and babyproof the house so that it looks festive and is safe for Isabel, who is quite the curious toddler.

A coworker of mine is a girl scout leader and asked me to teach her troop of girls to knit.  They want to knit blankets and such for charity as part of their service projects.  I arranged two nights in January to teach the girls, ten of them ages 10 to 13.  I may be getting in over my head.  At least I have some time to plan and figure out a lesson plan.  I have instructions from the Yarn Council that may help.  Anyone have any suggestions for teaching pre-teen girls??