Challenge #1: Update

I'm noticing two things about my no shopping challenge.

The first is that I'm quicker to spend money on experiences. In the last week I have gone to yoga twice, attended my first New Jersey Young Professionals happy hour, gone out to lunch with a coworker even though I had packed a lunch, and participated in a Wine and Design painting party.

This has made me realize that I wasn't clear on my goals for this challenge going into it. Did I want to save money or did I want to shift my focus from things to experiences? I'm still not sure, even now. I do know that I'm feeling happier overall. That'll do for me.

The second thing I've noticed is that my knitting has helped me be successful thus far. I am knitting a simple sweater for myself. By actively working towards a new piece of clothing that I know will fit me the way I want it to when it's all done (even if I have to unravel it multiple times - see photo above), I'm staving off that need for novelty in my outfits. When I get the urge to shop, I either pick up my needles or turn to Ravelry for future inspiration. I like the idea of making my own clothes. It's such a pain to find clothes that fit right, fill a need, and are the right price. By knitting them myself, I'm saving myself a lot of frustration.


How do you fight the urge to buy?

Simple Knits: Ribbed Headband

Warm headbands are one of my favorite accessories for cold days, because it's easy to throw them on over a ponytail or bun. This headband is a great gift because of its versatility and how quickly you can make it.

To make this headband you will need to know how to cast on, bind off, and knit in the round. This pattern works best with a long tail cast on and Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy bind off. I've included video tutorials at the end of the pattern, but you can use other techniques as well. If you're new to knitting in the round, check out this piece on avoiding and correcting mistakes when joining in the round.

Chunky yarn makes this project knit up quickly, and you can easily weave the ends in using just your fingers.


Ribbed Headband

Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick
Needles: Circular 16-Inch Knitting Needles, Size 11

Gauge
14 stitches and 15 rows in stockinette = 4"

Cast on 64 stitches.

Place marker and join in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches. 

Knit 2, purl 2 around for 10 rows

Bind off.

5 Useful Gifts for Knitters

Do you have a very special knitter in your life? Do you not know the difference between a knit and a purl, but you still want to get them something to feed their addiction? I can help.

Here are five resources and tools I've found to be incredibly useful over the years.

 

  

The Knitter's Handbook: 

Essential Skills & Helpful Hints from Knitter's Magazine

 

Cast On, Bind Off: 54 Step-by-Step Methods; 

Find the perfect start and finish for every knitting project

 

  Super Stitches Knitting: 

Knitting Essentials Plus a Dictionary of more than 300 Stitch Patterns

 

  Yarn Cutter Pendant

 

  Knitting Needle Gauge

Do you have any suggestions for gifts for knitters? What do you want in your stocking this year?

Isla Wrap

Remember when I mentioned this yarn shop in my knitting themed link list? I ended up using it to make the Isla Wrap. 

It knit up fairly quickly and was a good Netflix-knitting project - not too complicated, so I could watch Twin Peaks while I worked on it.

It is a snuggly, cuddly, cozy garment. I just enjoy the way it feels more than anything. It's a little on the awkward side, at times, though. When I lift my arms to do something it brings the whole wrap up to my neck, like a scarf. It works best when I wear it with a long sleeve shirt.

Link List: Socks and Mushrooms

It's too cold for kayaking, in my opinion. 

Here are some ideas for dealing with dropping temperatures.

• The socks in the picture are the first pair I ever made - "Hermoine's Everyday Socks." You can find the pattern here.
• Mushrooms are delicious. Ragout or pasta bake, anyone? Both look amazing.
• Tis the season for salted caramel. Do you prefer it in pumpkin cookies or mocha nutella brownies?
• I had never thought to make a cheese platter for a party before. The addition of honey comb is genius! So classy, yet unexpected.
• I'm obsessed with these colorized photos from history. It makes historical figures feel more like people when you see them in color.
• A Beautiful Mess is renovating a house as their current project and will be donating it to Habitat for Humanity. Woah!
• I just finished Tina Fey's "Bossypants" and am now eying "Yes Please" by Amy Poehler. Yes, please, indeed.
• I love book-inspired candles! This one is inspired by Harry Potter.

How do you deal with cold weather?

Link List: Knitting on the Brain

I visited the Garden State Sheep Breeders Sheep and Fiber Festival last month and have knitting on the brain.

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/xamonster/99571946

• I bought a beautiful skein of yarn from this shop at the festival
• Giant knitting!
• I'm looking forward to the NY State Sheep and Wool Festival next week. I didn't go last year because my yarn stash was getting out of control.
• I'm still trying to pick out a yarn for this sweater. 
• This sweater pattern is calling to me, as well.
• Amy Herzog's  Knit to Flatter will probably be my go-to resource as I tackle sweaters this fall and winter.
• I'll probably be watching Hocus Pocus while I knit this month. It's like pumpkin spice lattes for me - finally fall!
• At some point I should probably take a break from knitting and work on my cooking skills. I love eating seasonally. It's like the excitement of Mallomars, but with vegetables several times a year.

Twelve by 2012

Robyn shared this link earlier this weekend and now I've caught the bug, too. Below is a list of twelve things I would like to do by 2012. What do you want to do?

1. Ten items in my shop
2. Knit these socks for my little brother
3. Knit five more squares for charity
4. Fill up my current diary
5. Write fifteen more blog posts
6. Make TARDIS earrings
7. Get back to running three miles regularly
8. Write a short story
9. Hang my Crayon art in the dining nook
10. Straight A's this semester
11. Review three books or movies
12. Read three books

Handspun swatch

I spun the yarn and then knitted up this sample swatch

My first yarn

Today I went to the Dutchess County Sheep and Wool Festival. Trista bought me a spindle, something I've been wanting for a while. This is my first attempt at making yarn. Not awful!

Fingerless Mitts

I finished these on Friday and abused the crap out of them all weekend. They're holding up well, though they are not nearly as pretty. Fun fact: I wrote the pattern myself!

In 2011 I will...

• Visit San Francisco
• Go on a solo backpacking trip
• Run a half marathon
• Run the Warrior Dash with my family
• Sail
• Get into the Graduate School of Education
• Become a swim instructor
• Ruck hard and make my tackles
• Swim a lot
• Sew something, finally
• Cross more things off my bucket list
• Fly my kite
• Read 50 books
• Eat one plant a day
• Watch 50 movies
• Score a try
• Get straight As
• Write in my diary once a week
• Do some kind of physical activity every day
• Ask more questions
• Listen
• Make eye contact
• Take a lot of pictures
• Do a split
• Knit 25 things for charity

Thawing

Drinking chai, knitting, and watching Bones while the feeling returns to my feet. I'm enjoying the calm before the finals storm.

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