Resolutions
December 31, 2017
I used to make resolutions in the new year: lose weight, exercise more, get a grip on my life, etc. You know what they say, better be careful what you wish for? Does the story of The Monkey's Paw come to mind? After I had my stroke, I had all the time in the world to knit; my life is much, much, to the point of being horrifying, simpler; I lost 60 pounds; and I walked about 10.000 steps a day (until I didn't; I should get back to it). Now I live a lot closer to the moment, so my resolutions are not as far ranging. They will involve knitting, because that is one thing I can count on.
My Resolutions for 2018
1. For everything that I knit for myself (to give away or keep), I resolve to knit one or more items for charity. The homeless veterans that my friend Marie helps every December deserve so much; the least I can do is give them a warm hat or socks or mittens. As the wife of a veteran, I am appalled that our veterans don't get what they need, but that has always been the case. I am still appalled. Also, as I knit for the wonderful children in my life, I also know that other kids are without the warmth of a hand knitted hat or mittens to keep them warm when they play outside in the winter, and that is something I want to lend a hand in. There is a local school to which it will be very good to give little hats and mittens. My sister Rachel taught for years, and she always loved to get mittens and hats for kids who needed them. She knit for classrooms after she retired, so I will carry on the tradition.
2. Be happy. It's always a struggle. But, a happy knitter is a better knitter!
It's a pretty short list, but short lists are easier to achieve!
My brown Norderny is about 60% done:
I bound off the body last night, and I will start knitting the sleeves today. I love this sweater!
I knit one hat for a veteran, and I am about 80% done a second one. They both look like this:
The pattern is Barley from TinCanKnits and the yarn is Paintbox by Knit One, Crochet Too, now discontinued. TinCanKnits has so many wonderful free patterns!
Nancy Howard, a valued Unique One employee, dropped off a bunch of yarn at my house. It was mostly on cones, and a couple gigantic cones were sport weight acrylic, black and turquoise. I was thrilled at the black and turquoise, but not so thrilled that it was acrylic. But, I twirled them together with a ply of sport weight wool in natural, et voilà! Visions of turquoise zebras danced in my head!
Behold my Turquoise Zebra blanket! It's soft and cushy, and while it would be warmer if it were all wool, still, it is some good against the cold. I think I have enough yarn for two or three 4' x 6' blankets. The pattern I am using is Make A Long Story Short by Wanda Sowizdral. It is a free pattern and is written for fingering weight yarn, but my turquoise zebra yarn is on a US10.5/6.5mm needle, so it is bulky. I'll just knit it until it is about four feet up one side, and then I'll make it straight til it's about six feet, and then I will finish it off. Simple geometry. Bulky weight makes things go so much faster!
Finally, here is the picture of Sidney wearing her purple Aran coat. The grin is priceless!