The Mitten Situation

I have really been liking cables. I have really been liking mittens. It was only a matter of time that I cast on for a pair of Evangeline's. The original pattern is for fingerless gloves and they are great, but I really wanted another pair of mittens. I DO live in Minnesota ya know. While these won't be terribly warm, they WILL be terribly cute and that counts just as much.

Because of the wide spectrum of temperatures that range from 'it's kinda chilly' to 'my nostrils just froze closed', there's a need for a spectrum of mittens to cover all your hand warming needs. Seriously. Just ask around. I have something mid-range for now so there's a need to fill on the 'cooler' end of the spectrum. I will also need a pair of 'nice and toasty' mittens too, but seeing as though I'm writing that pattern myself, it'll take a bit longer seeing as though I'm a newbie and all and seeing as though I only have so many hours in a day. You know?

My yarn of choice is Spud & Chloe Sweater and is so very wonderful and so very soft and so very versatile and so very WASHABLE. Yes, washable! I do believe I have found a new favorite all-purpose yarn. Even the colors are practically edible. This color is Watermelon. Um, YuM.

So far, I have finished the first one, complete with a true thumb gusset (love) and I will be casting on the second after I finish a top secret test pattern for BSA. Work before pleasure and all that, although, working for BSA is quite pleasurable I must say!

What's your mitten situation? Do you even need them where you live? Share a fave pattern?
~traci :D

I've Decided

Ok, so I have been thinking long and hard and have talked with my husband and have decided to keep this my knitting/sewing blog and I will start a whole new blog that is 'everything else'. I really like 'theblondeknitter' but feel the scope is more narrow, BUT I also think now that I have a better perspective on things I can continue posting here AND at I'll Take Tea, my new blog. I am in the process of creating, rearranging and updating both of them.  I will start to have more content very, very soon and a post on THIS blog later today!

Thanks for your patience!
~traci  :D

Coming Up...

I have been knitting, a LOT actually. I have also been on holiday and we all know what that means. The After-Holiday clean-up and getting back into 'normal mode' has begun. I have actually remembered today is Monday...the whole day. It's making me think I may actually have a handle on things!

So, I will be getting organized, editing photos, thinking up amusing and insightful things to say and eventually that will culminate to an actual blog post. In between doing that I'll be cooking, cleaning, baking, parenting, homeschooling, working, writing, researching, FREEZING, make that trying NOT to freeze, knitting, working on getting my other blog up and running, reading, designing, eating, sleeping...you get the idea.

So til then, what's on your needles? What's your new fave project or recent FO? Do share!

~traci

My 'Raison D'Etre'

The French have this great way of expressing things in concise phrases. One of those phrases is 'raison d'etre' which literally translated means 'reason of to be'. I like that. It causes me to be pensive and searching, probing my heart to dissect my motives. As a human I'm inclined to 'encourage myself' into believing I'm A-OK. I've never killed anybody and I always try to be a nice person. RIGHT. As a Christian I have looked into the 'mirror of truth' only to find the dark reality of my 'wonderful efforts'. If I'm honest with myself, I have to admit there are holes, gaping at that, in my humanity. As much as I'd like to think I'm all that, I'm not. That's exactly why I ran to Jesus when He opened my eyes to see how awful my sins really were. My favorite part is the follow up. He then showed me His mercy by not allowing me to stay there, shackled to my guilty sentence of death. He stretched out His hand of forgiveness and offered His nail scarred, blood stained hands, and I accepted. Thus began my journey of reconciliation with my past, my present, the people in my life and most importantly, my God. And what a journey it has been! (I'M GRINNING EAR TO EAR NOW :D)
More on that later...

(down shift, fast forward)
As for now and this blog, I'm in major overhaul mode. I am still working out the visual changes as well as the content. I felt too creatively confined only posting about knitting. My life is SO MUCH MORE than that. As you can see, I'm not frequent in my posting and I think that was one of the major reasons. (Trust me, you'll come to see it is a truly rare occasion when I have nothing to say!) One of the other reasons is I was worried about sharing things from my faith and having that cause people to shy away and not visit. Honestly, I have no idea why that was even an issue as I'm not normally like that. I believe the discouragement came when I realized there are a LOT of knitters, nay, a TON of knitters out there who are liberal in their beliefs (or run from having any meaningful beliefs at all) who blog. I wasn't finding a whole lot of like-minded people. At first.

I'm now to the point where none of that matters. Even if only one person, or even NO ONE EVER reads this, I am content with that. Why? Because I am not blogging for anyone else. This is MY creative outlet and if anyone visits me and maybe even responds to something I've posted, well, that'll just put a big ol' grin on my face and a little squeal of excitement in my voice and it'll be great.

My prayer is for the reader who stumbles across my blog. That they would find something that touches their heart that encourages them to walk a better walk, try a different recipe, hug their husband, snuggle with their blessings, read their Bible, knit a hat, take a great photo, move them toward something more than themselves or even have a quiet moment with the Lord. A scripture that comes to mind is Colossians 3:23-24, "And whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for you serve the Lord Christ."
Sounds good to me. Real good.

So what's your "Raison D'Etre"? Why do YOU blog?

Mission In Progress: Bust This Stash!

Scarf Pattern: Scrunchable Scarf by Susan McConne (on Ravelry)

Earwarmer Pattern: Super Duper Ribbed Earwarmer by theblondeknitter (coming soon!)

Fiber: Blue Sky Alpacas Bulky in Orange(a D/C'd color) 

Needles: sz15 Boye circulars

I'm on a stash bustin' mission and these are my first FO's. It felt so good to use up this yarn that has been patiently waiting to be crafted into something fun and usable. The end result is what I'm calling them the Super Duper Xtra Long Scarf and the Super Duper Ribbed Earwarmer. Because the scarf is so long--a whopping 91 inches with the fringe--it did take a few nights to complete. The earwarmer is a pattern I designed on the fly and there will be a *FREE* PDF up for anyone to download ASAP. (I need to knit up another one and actually write down what I did!)

Well, there's plenty more stash to get through so I best skidaddle and CO another project...or several...