2014: New Year, New Goals!

Happy New Year!  We're now more than a week into 2014, and I've had some time to think about what I'd like to see in the new year.  I have so many crafting goals!  First and foremost is to organize my crafting - the supplies, the projects, everything.  I want to get some OLD WIPs (works in progress) off the needles.  First up is to finish a couple of current projects, and then pick up an afghan from a couple (3?) years ago.

I need to organize the stash and crafting supplies.  It's so hard for me to find anything.  One of my major goals this year is to knit/crochet/spin/weave from stash, so it needs to be organized so that I can find what I need for new projects.  Last year I got a bookcase from Ikea and filled it with cubes.  It works great. 
Each cube is labelled by weight of yarn.  Some weights, such a fingering, have more than one cube.  The only problem is that I don't have enough cubes to store all the stash.  And it only contains the yarn stash, not the fiber stash.


  I still have some large bins with things such as yarn and fiber for dyeing.
  In addition to the bins, I also have some smaller cubes that contain fiber and some sweater quantities of yarn.  The bins and the cubes definitely need to get organized!

  So I have my work cut out for me!  And this is just the yarn and fiber stash, not including beads and fabric.  Those will get organized as well!

As far as what crafting projects I see myself working on in 2014, I'd like to continue with what I have been doing with one exception: I want to spin MORE!  I really enjoy spinning, and I love my Hansencrafts electric miniSpinner that I recently got.  I honestly just need to make it part of my daily routine, even if it means that I set aside the knitting for a little while each day.  As far as projects, I enjoy having a large one such as an afghan or a cardigan sweater on the needles, then also several smaller, more portable projects.  Right now I'm working on a brioche scarf for Tyler and a hat for Alex.  I also like having a pair of socks on the needles all the time, it makes a great on-the-go project for knit groups and waiting in places such doctor's offices or grocery store lines.

Hope everyone is excited for the new year and looking forward to seeing what it will bring!  Happy 2014, everyone!

Alex's New Digs, Part 2

It's been 10 months since I've blogged.  This year has flown by!  So much has happened, and it's been an exciting year.  Alex is moving into his 2nd year of college, and Tyler will be a sophomore in high school.  Tyler has grown so much this year, and not just in height, although he's getting very tall.  He's really seemed to blossom in high school, he has a great core group of friends, and is following up on his interests.  He does really well in all of his classes, but especially in his business classes, and he joined DECA, which is a business club at school.  He even got an award for math, which was a huge deal.  He also recently got his driver's permit and he's been doing very well at practicing driving, although driving a clutch is still a little much for him.

And then there's Alex.  Alex is doing great!  He applied for several co-ops and accepted an offer from one that he was very interested in.  A co-op is similar to an internship.  He will work one semester (this summer), then take classes for a semester (fall), then work for a semester (spring 2014), and then continue with his classes.  It gives him a great opportunity to explore what his interests are, which is computer programming, and see what it's like to work in his field as well as make contacts he can use after college as well.  He is still living on campus, and moved into a new dorm last weekend.  This dorm is an apartment-style dorm.  It has a kitchen, living room area, 4 bedrooms, and 2 bathrooms.  So each 2 bedrooms share a bathroom, and all 4 of them share the kitchen and living room.  For the summer, he only has 1 roommate, but in the fall he will have 3 other roommates.  He's already started cooking, and plans on making most of his meals.  He even has a great view of a courtyard area!

 

Dustin is also doing very well.  He finally found a job in the Atlanta area that he was interested in, so no more commuting to Spartanburg, SC every week!  His new job is about 15 minutes from home.

I'm keeping myself busy busy busy as usual, with all of my crafting.  Currently I'm working on some white summer socks and a lace weight cardigan.  Besides knitting, I've been crocheting, sewing, spinning, weaving, and beading.  I hope to be able to visit Florida this summer as well as North Carolina.  It will likely be just Tyler and myself  and we'll be visiting family, so I know it will be a lot of fun.

Alex's New Place

My oldest son, Alex, just moved out.  He moved to the dorms at Georgia Tech and is taking a couple of summer classes there.  It's a little hard for me, but I'm very excited for him.  He's already settled in and is having a great time.  The guys who live on his floor at the dorms have all formed a band and enjoy playing songs for the girls on the floor below.  The guys also get out of their rooms to go play soccer, basketball and frisbee after dinner.  Alex is meeting a lot of new people and is learning his way all around campus.  I think this is a great way for him to get started on his college life before the frenzy of freshmen start in the fall semester.  We're very glad that he's doing so well!

Tyler is enjoying a fun summer of hanging out and playing video games.  He got to move into his brother's old room in the basement so he's been keeping cool even in the 100+ degree temperatures.

I've been very busy, as usual, with my crafting.  I just finished a short-sleeved cardigan and am working on a pair of beaded socks right now.  And lots of spinning the past few days!  Over on Ravelry, there is an event called "The Tour de Fleece", and the dates coincide with the Tour de France.  You set goals for yourself and try to see if you can make or exceed those goals.  My goals are to spin some new fibers, spin at least 15-20 minutes a day, and spin at least one of my Loop bumps.  The Tour started on June 30th, so I finished up what was on my wheel and yesterday I started on my first Loop bump.






I love the Loop bump!  It drafts so easily and thinly, and the colors are wonderful.  I'm planning on Navajo plying it when I'm done spinning the singles.

I started with the center of the bump, which is a mossy green, and today I finished spinning that color and moved onto a light green and then a pale blue-purple color.  It's so much fun!

Happy crafting, everyone!

Graduation Time

Alex, my oldest son, graduated high school on Thursday evening, May 24th.  It was a really nice ceremony, and here are some pictures of the family with the graduate:

And me and Alex:

And here's one of Alex with his girlfriend Dottie:

Aren't they adorable together?  We are so proud of Alex!  He graduated with honors and a 4.2 GPA.  And I didn't even cry!  I think I'm saving that for when he moves out and starts college.

Tyler is doing great as well, he's happy to be done with middle school and anxious to start high school.  I'm sure he will make lots of new friends!

I've been busy crafting!  Spinning, beading, knitting, and crocheting.  I made my mother some coasters and a dishcloth, and I put them in a cute crocheted basket in the shape of a coffee mug.  She loved it!

I also made the jewelry that I wore to Alex's graduation.  I used Swarovski pearls in a coral color to make a necklace, earrings, and a bracelet.

I just can't believe the boys are out of school and it's summertime!  Happy crafting, everyone!

Graduation Time!

Mother's Day is tomorrow!  Happy Mother's Day to my mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother.  They have all inspired me in one way or another.  I hope to enjoy a quiet Mother's Day at home with my boys.

Speaking of my boys, it's hard to believe, but my oldest baby boy is graduating from high school this year.  He will be attending Georgia Tech, and we're very proud of him.  He wants to study computer science, and there are several areas within computer science that he will also study.  On top of that, my youngest baby boy will be starting high school in the fall.

It's been a busy crafting time as well!  I've been spinning quite a bit, and still feel like I'm learning a lot.  Mostly I've just been practicing getting fiber to the thickness that I would like.  I've also been knitting and crocheting, making everything from a cardigan sweater to a shawl to socks to dishcloths.  I'm currently working on a pair of socks, some coasters and a dishcloth for my mom, and another cardigan sweater.

Happy Crafting, everyone!

Birthday Season

My oldest son turned 18 yesterday.  What a milestone for any parent!  He has become a wonderful young man and we are so proud of him.  I can't believe he will be graduating high school soon!  We found out a few days ago that he got accepted into his first choice for college, Georgia Tech.  It's close by, although he will live on campus, and it is a very highly rated school.  I'm so happy for him!  Next month my other baby boy turns 14, so I feel like both my boys are really growing up!

 

It's birthday season in my household.  My birthday was in February, oldest son's is the middle of March, and also in March is mother-in-law's and father-in-law's birthdays along with my mom's birthday.  Youngest son's birthday is in April, so it's a busy few birthday months!

I have been spinning on my new spinning wheel.  Some time last week I watched yet another tutorial video and it just clicked.  I think I'm doing the short draw or inchworm method,  and I had been trying the long draw method.  The fiber was just fighting with me, and yes I was making yarn, but it seemed a little bit too hard to do.  Once I tried short draw, the fiber seemed to draft so much easier, and it worked so much better.  I still have plenty of thick and thin spots, but it's getting better.  I started using some of my pretty fibers since I may have an allergy to lanolin.  I've been getting a rash on my forearms, and the doctor thinks it could be from the fiber.  The inexpensive fiber that I was using was pretty greasy and still had bits of hay in it, so I may try to wash it and then use it after that.

I'm still working on my Harry Potter Ravelry group projects.  My Lexi Cardigan is coming along well, I'm working on both sleeves right now.  I'm doing them separately but at the same time-a few rows on one, and then a few rows on the other one.  My Lacy Cocoon Sweater is also moving along, the body is done on that and I'm now working on the ribbing band.  Still hoping to have both of these projects done by the end of  March!

Happy Birthday to Me!

It's my 43rd birthday today!  It's been an awesome birthday day/weekend.  My mom was here visiting over the long weekend, and she bought me something that I've been wanting for quite a while now...A SPINNING WHEEL!  I had decided on the Lendrum DT Complete, and mom very unexpectedly ordered it for me!  We ordered it on Friday afternoon, it shipped later on Friday, and it's due to arrive any time now.  This is so exciting!  I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to spinning wheels, so there will be a very steep learning curve.  The website that we ordered the wheel from, ParadiseFibers.net, is sending along a free DVD that shows how to put the Lendrum together, and I've also downloaded a basic how-to-spin video.  I don't know that I will show pictures of my first handspun, but hopefully I will quickly get better with some practice!

I'm still working on my Lexi cardigan, I just finished both of the front button bands and I'm about to start on the sleeves.  Also still on the needles is the Lacy Cocoon Sweater, which is my car knitting, so it's coming along slowly.

Happy crafting, everyone!