I swatched.

I am really trying to stick to my list of things to knit this year. Seasons of Love  was an impulse cast on, but uses up stash yarn, so it's not too far off course.  It's also now about three quarters of the way complete and I am trying to finish it by the end of January.

I did pull out yarn for three other projects actually on said list; the Igor'th Thawl. the Hyde Sweater and the Rizzo sweater.  I swatched for all three.  Not huge swatches, but at least four inches (10 centimeters) wide(except the shawl as I just had to like the fabric), washed and blocked so I could even check row gauge.

As I was conscientiously knitting away on things already warming my needles, I couldn't stop thinking about the skein of Nevermore (special colorway for last years Poe kit) from Potion Yarns waiting to become a Corvida.   So I wound the yarn, thinking that maybe it would be enough to just play in the yarn for a bit...it was not.

While the colors are not my usual, the colorway is making me absurdly happy while I work on the shawl.  The finished item will also be perfect with a black dress or three that reside in my closet.

In my defense, the shawl pattern was on the list and kitted up with the yarn already.

The Hedgewitch pattern is another story though.  The pattern has been in my favorites for a year.  Every time I see a finished one, my brain wants to cast on the giant, woolly goodness immediately.  That would require buying yarn, which I've not done since October. 

We do have a craft room, though right now it's rather a catch-all space.  The inversion table, folding chairs, table linens, spare blankets and other random bits have found a home there for the moment.  It is also the lowest priority on the organization list...and it shows:

It's also the first time we've had a room just for the making supplies, (yes, we, it's not just my stuff in there), so I am going to have to find storage solutions.  Previously, if it lived in a bin, it likely was in the garage and if it was in a project bag, it got crammed into the linen closet or a random corner.  Now, there is finally dedicated space...and I am not quite sure what to do with it. ;-)

There has been a discussion...

Mostly on Instagram, in the knitting community there has been an active, seemingly productive, discussion about race.  My reach and audience is....limited.  It would not matter the platform used really, but you have to try.  There was also no way I was not going to say something, even in a minor way.

These lovely humans, aside from making wonderful things, have said it better than I can, as I do not have the personal perspective to do so; ggmadeit, jeanettesloan, su.krita, ocean_bythesea, and thecolormustard. 

Jeanette Sloan also has a lovely page of POC designers and crafters.  Expand your horizons, find more people that make beautiful things.  On Instagram?  Follow Meet Makers of Color.

This is the Swag page of Neighborhood Fiber Co.  there are bits with "Unity" on them.  We are a community.  All of us.  Read a post.  Like a picture.  Buy something gorgeous (or even just a coffee) from (or for) a new to you maker.  Please, do not just sit there.  Listen to what is being said.  Say something.  Do something.  Make our community better by including everyone. 

 

Making

There has been knitting, unsurprisingly.  I finished two Bloody Stupid Johnson hats

The kids picked the colors they wanted and absconded with them almost as soon as they were off the needles.
I went stash diving, (something I've been doing often this year already), as soon as the Seasons of Love wrap by Tif Neilan went live.  It's been a joyous knit, which might explain why I am over half way through the wrap in a rather short time frame.

I kept it simple with only two colors.  The gray is Deep Unrelenting Gray from Blue Moon Fiber Arts Targhee Worsted and the tweedy cream is Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool in Birch tweed

I made lotion and lip bars.

The recipe I found online wasn't bad, but not quite right for the personal preferences of the house, so they got melted down and re-worked to much better effect, though not as entertaining to look at.

I pulled out a bunch of yarny fingering weight odds and ends to start on a Granny Stripe blanket, which is crochet and there is no rhyme or reason to the colors I put in the bag, so we will see how it works out.

I've started some seedlings already since our warm weather season isn't overly long.  I also needed to replace the catnip plant as it was gotten rid of during the move.  I haven't been able to find a replacement locally.

It's very much been a mentality of use what you have, to make what you actually use.

The house is mostly put together, some refinement as well as extra shelves and the like are still needed, but there is no doubt we are making it our own: