It is Sunday, January 29 and we have just two more days until we head for home.  Need I say it has been a fabulous month?  We have purchased an amazing condo, started buying things to fill it, had lunch with Pam my friend from college who lives in Wilmington, walked many times in the dog park "and the beat goes on." An unanticipated benefit of a 3 bedroom condo is three closets.  I can easily begin filling the Stash Studio Annex.  Just think, another place to collect yarn.  It makes me smiley and warm just thinking about it.   I made 3 trips to Knit 'N Purl and bought a little bit (but I will tell you about that when we get home.)  After the condo purchase my intention was to buy nothing but you know how that goes.  The next time I add to Knitting: A Love Story, I will be home waiting for April to come so we can come back and start whipping the condo into shape.  

A knitting emoji sometimes says it all.  Like right now, I would say I feel exactly like "finished object."  Through out the month, I have had my share of "all tangled up" both literally and figuratively.  I have been doing somethings that defy knitting vocabulary and emoji. I decided there needed to be words for what I was experiencing so I began my search for the perfect words to describe what I have been working on. 

This is what I just finished.  It is beautiful.  It will be more beautiful when I get home and Madonna steams it.  Every great knitting treasure has a story behind it.  If it didn't, I wouldn't have much to write about.  Last fall I was in the Stash Studio and ran across three different skeins of Be Sweet yarn.  They were all in cream and shades of olive green and beige.  One was a lace weight mohair, one was a beaded shiney cord and the last was a magic ball of sorts made from all different kinds of yarns.  I bought the kit on sale somewhere.  I couldn't resist, but I've never much liked the pattern in the kit.  As I was picking up and caressing each skein of yarn, I suddenly knew.  Eureka!  I would use the same yummy pattern to make a scarf that I used to make my dear friend, Toni, a shawl.  It is so easy.  It is knit on a very large needles, I think I used a 13 circular needle.  You cast on with the heavier yarn (this time I held the beaded yarn and the magic ball together) then you attach the lace weight.  You knit 3 rows of lace weight, slip the stitches to the other end of the needle where the heavier yarn is, knit one row and continue.  Knit 3 rows of lace weight, slip to the other end of the needle, knit 1 row of heavier yarn and repeat until it is the length you want or you run out of yarn.  Bind off in the heavier yarn.  Wa La!  The heavier yarn looks like it is floating through the lace weight yarn.  

I started this right after I found the yarn.  I really thought it would end up being a Christmas treasure for somebody. All of a sudden, this showed up in the magic ball.

This is a very stiff ribbon.  I guess who ever put this in the skein thought it was a good idea.  WELL, IT WASN'T!  I started knitting with it, but it was so stiff.  I continued knitting thinking it had to get better.  After all, nobody would design a yarn which was doomed for failure.  I kept knitting, kept being dissatisfied, kept knitting, kept be dissatisfied.  All of a sudden I realized I hated the look the ribbon made and was going to have to frog it.  By this time I was about 4 inches past the ribbon so I put it in a bag and put it upstairs.  

When I began packing my vacation knitting, I stuck this in, never really intending on doing anything with it.  Here comes the necessity for additional knitting vocabulary words.  I spent a lot of time down here doing knitting type things with little or no plan for finishing a treasure.  I spent a lot of time trying to find the perfect pattern for some yarn I bought at Knit "N Purl.  I checked the gage, made many swatches using different needles, went on to another pattern, made many swatches using different needles.  I learned a lot about what Transitions by Trendsetter looked like knitted on different needle sizes.  I didn't accomplish much.  I didn't find a pattern but I didn't feel I'd wasted my time.  What had I done?  I couldn't find the word for it.  Then I moved on to taking the ribbon out of the Be Sweet scarf.  Remember there is mohair, there are beads, there are many kinds of yarn some very sticky.  I take pride in my ability to untangle (emoji) yarn.  I find it soothing.  I did a combination of TINKing and frogging.  Sometimes I had to unknit (TINK) and sometimes I could just rip it (frog.) 

I was searching for the perfect word to describe how I spent much of the month of January.  I wasn't really knitting.  What was I doing?  I think I was "knabbling."  I was dabbling in knitting.  The is my definition of knabble:  playful knitting, trying things, a combination of dabble and knit.  I realized this described exactly what I was doing.  Then when I thought about the searching and swatching, I decided to call it "kniterest."  Kniterest means to search through books, magazines, Ravelry, Patterfish and Pinterest to find the perfect pattern.  I also love the word "Knitterati" but Cascade is currently using it for their KAL.

So the two words of KNABBLE and KNITEREST have been born.  Use them any time you are doing these two activities.  Enjoy!

Remember when I shared that I'd purchased the latest Knitter's Magazine at Knit 'N Purl? How could I not?  That scarf on the cover hooked me just like most of the garments on the covers do.  The cover of Knitter's is kind of like the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swim Suit Issue.  It is the very best of what is inside.  That might be overstating a bit but when haven't I resorted to an overstatement to make my point.  

Knitter's is by far my favorite magazine.  I have been a subscriber for well over 20 years.  When I see the Knitter's packet in my mail box, my eyes bug out a little, my breathing increases, my heart skips a beat and I swear sometimes I actually swoon.  My sister texted me this week saying she'd gotten a letter from Knitter's and this will be the last Knitter's ever.  I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!  We are not having our mail forwarded so I will have to wait until February 1 to have actual proof in my hand this is true.  Until then, I am holding on to the belief that this is all a big mistake.  If it is actually, positively, really true (I don't doubt my sister, I am just holding on to the slim chance this is a horrible mistake), I am going to write a shining tribute to the magazine that made me think about knitting and fashion together.  I emailed Molly from Knit 'N Purl to see what she knew about this disaster in the making.  Until I hear from Molly or get home and see my letter from Knitter's, I will be holding my breath, not stepping on any cracks, throwing salt over my shoulder, crossing both fingers, wishing upon a star.  Maybe this is just an early April Fool's joke.  I may have to dedicate this year to knitting only projects from Knitter's.  WOW! That would be exciting!    

Was it only 17 days ago that we were all packed and on our way to Sunset Beach? This beautiful zigzag afghan made out of the reclaimed Noro Silk Garden has been my "go to" car knitting for quite a while.  Maybe I'll finish it while we're here.  This hasn't been the normal Sunset Beach visit.  For the second year, Mom decided not to come.  I miss her but I know she's being looked after by many friends.  We also  spent two intense weeks looking for a condo.  We made an offer, it was accepted, now off we go.  I must admit that condo viewing, inspections, talking to lenders, etc. has taken considerable time away from what we usually do.  I haven't golfed yet and I've only been to Knit 'N Purl twice, once for a very short visit and the second visit is the subject of this story.

My first short visit was Friday January 6.  I walked in and heard this lilting voice say, "You're back."  There was Molly, one of my very favorite LYS people.  I guess that says a lot about how often I go in if Molly remembers me after a year of being away.  It made me feel very special, kind of like I live here and had just been on vacation and returned home.  I was looking for knitting graph paper.  I am going to be working on a project that will blow your mind, but I'll tell you about that when I have it under way.  I didn't buy much but saw this. . .

Knitter's Magazine will be waiting for me when I get home but I couldn't wait!  I took one look at the scarf on the cover and said, "WOWIE! ZOWIE! If that's what on the cover, what must be inside?!?!?!"  Knitter's seldom disappoints.  There is always at least one thing that makes me salivate, gets my juices flowing, takes my breath away.  This one happened to have three things.  This scarf came first.  It is made with Zauberball 100 and it will be mine.  I decided to wait for my second visit to get my yarn at Knit  'N Purl.  I have another pattern that needs Zauberball and here it is.

This is a pattern that the Ever-Creative Ellen from Earthfaire sent in one of  the emails that keeps me 12 steps behind the knitting queue.  Just when I think I'm on a roll and might get caught up, I get an Earthfaire email and see something I must have.  Dangerous!  You must admit this is a stunner.  This calls for Zauberball Crazy in Tropical Fish.  I decided to keep both purchases for my next visit to Knit "N Purl.  

​I have been craving social knitting.  I found out on my first visit there is social knitting happening at the big table every day at Knit 'N Purl.  I picked up my zigzag afghan and off I went.

I just wanted you to see how far I've gotten.  Can you see the middle of the cake isn't solid any more?  I took this because I can easily talk and knit at the same time.  The Parallax scarf requires more concentration than I wanted to give in a social knitting context.  

Is there anything more welcoming than a table full of knitters?  There is no such thing as a stranger at a table of knitters.  Some of the knitters were Knit 'N Purl workers, some were people like me and one was a Knit 'N Purl worker on her day off.  One woman's grand babies live in the Detroit area.  The whole time I was there, women were coming in to look at yarn.  They all had a smile on their face as soon as they opened the door.  For some, it was their first time at Knit 'N Purl while for others it was a return trip.  Remember the old potato chip slogan, "I bet you can't eat just one?"  I think the Knit 'N Purl slogan should be, "I bet you can't come in just once."  Because once you walk in the door you are hooked for life.  You only have at your finger tips yarns from around the world.  It is like having a geography lesson to read the labels of the skeins.  

I sat down and was immediately enveloped in the warmth of the knitter's hug.  You enter the circle and you become a part.  This severed head (as Melissa at Ann's By Design would call it) kept catching my eye and giving me a start.  Doesn't she look real?  The conversation flowed from one topic to another, from one person to another.  Then there were those luscious periods of contented silence.  I felt like a person in the dessert who was given a bottle of ice cold water.  This was exactly what I was looking for.  I knew I missed the camaraderie of social knitting, I just didn't realize how much.  
 

Look what I found hidden away!  A woman working on needlepoint in the peace and quiet of her own little space.  To her right was a woman sitting on a love seat reading a knitting book.  

Look what else I found!  A whole big rack of mini skeins.  Beautiful colors in small packages.  I learned that today wasn't about buying.  It was about fellowship, companionship, a shared passion and a kindred spirit.  I went away very happy but will come back to buy. Today I discovered that Knit 'N Purl is my knitting home away from home.  

I am defintely the old dog.  Do you want to see my new trick?  There is no better time of the year to tackle something new than January.  Your slate is clean, you just feel energized about your New Year's Resolutions and anything  is possible.  You might as well jump right in and learn something new, try something hard.  Since this is My Year Of Selfish Knitting, this fits in perfect.  I love to double knit, so decided to up the ante by doing a double knit using increases, decrease and an ever changing chart.  This is it.

This is the fabulous Parallax v2.0 by Alasdair Post-Quinn.  I am absolutely mesmerized by this intricate piece of knitting.  I started with Parallax v0.1 for the seat of my Brilliant Shades of Pink Breast Cancer Survivor Chair.  It was beautiful and simple.

It was perfect for the chair and got me back into the swing of things for double knitting.  Then I started a scarf based on the same pattern as the chair seat.  I practiced making the selvage edge then decided to move on to something more complex as I was getting a little bored.  Parallax v2.0 was it.

This was the picture that made me hyperventilate when I first discovered Parallax on Pinterest.  I saw it and knew I had to make it.  There is something so hypnotic, so tranquil, so '60's, so perfect about it.  Once again, it was love at first site.  If I fell in love with men like I fall in love with Knitting, I would be a lonely old broad.  

I was already acquainted with the body of the pattern.  I just needed to get acquainted with the start and the edge.  You start with 3 stitches and increase on uneven rows.  It just didn't look right.  So, I made up my own way to get this little corner to behave.  Then as I started to increase, I had to make the increase work with a selvage edge.  It didn't look right so I took it out and did it my way.  I would knit it, frog it, knit it, frog it, knit it, frog it until I had somethings I was proud of.  

This is where I am right now.  I love it.  I am finished with chart 1. . . 

and am moving on to chart 2.

Chart 2 introduces working decreases into the pattern.  But let's go back to where I am.

This is a teachable moment.  How do you make a complex pattern a little easier?  See the little blue marker?  That reminds me which side I make my increases on.  See the little orange markers on the needle?  They keep the complex pattern on track. If I just do it right between the little markers, pretty soon I have a whole row right.  Then I'll have a whole chart right.  Then I'll have 3 charts right.  Before you know it, I will have the complete scarf absolutely, positively perfect.  

What are the learning from this scarf?  One is similar to "You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you meet your princes."  Or, you have to make a lot of mistakes and correct them before you can be perfect.  It is so important to be patient when tackling a new technique.  Be willing to frog it until you feel confident with the technique and love the treasure.  

​This has been a challenge.  Even though it is a challenge, I can't put it down.  Is that addiction?

Before I get into sharing my goals for 2017, I must share what treasure went home with my buddy Thea for Christmas.  When I wrote about who my treasures went home with, I forgot I hadn't taken a picture of the treasure that chose Thea.  Thea sent me a picture, now I can share.

My "go to" travel scarf Issey by Olga Jazzy in Madelintosh was the perfect gift for Thea.  Just like Linda, teal is her favorite color.  I started this for our trip to Hawaii and worked on it whenever I needed car knitting or when I just wanted to touch Madelintosh.  This scarf has been on many travels and is filled with wonderful memories.  I knew as soon as I bound it off who it would be going home with.  I have one more treasure I hadn't taken a picture of to share.  I'm just waiting for the picture.  This picture is more perfect (I almost said "more better" but the fingernail on the blackboard sound stopped me) because Thea is in it.  

2016 was The Year Of The Finisher and 2017 will be MY YEAR OF SELFISH KNITTING.  I have but one rule for this year, I am only going to knit "want to" not "have to" knitting.  I realized when I really didn't have much in my Christmas treasure box, I hadn't done enough "want to" knitting in 2016.  I am so excited about this year.  As I think about this year, there are a few things I really want to do.

1.  I have some beautiful Noro Kureyon in Green and Black that I bought when we were in Sunset Beach at least four years ago.  I saw it in a Noro magazine and started my search.  Finally, I found it. I love it.  This year I am going to find the perfect pattern and make something beautiful.

2.  I bought a Madelinetosh called Electric at The Yarn Shop in Glenn Arbor.  It is wild and beautiful.  It is just the thing I want to knit with this year. It will be tricky to find the perfect pattern that showcases this amazing fiber but isn't overwhelmed by it.  I don't know what it will be but like porn, I'll know it when I see it.

One of the guidelines for My Year Of Selfish Knitting is to only knit with yarns and colors I love.

3.  I have five skeins of alpaca from Why Knot Knit I bought at the Fall Fiber Expo.  I didn't know what I wanted to do with it but I knew I loved it.  This year I will find the perfect pattern and knit something too beautiful for words. Since it was probably my last Fall Fiber Expo with Linda, maybe it will be something exquisite for her.  I don't know though.  If it is too beautiful, I just may have to keep it (for al least a year.)  

​A second guideline is I will only knit with patterns that have the WOW! factor.

4.  I have found this amazing shawl on Pinterest call Snood Forest.  I love it and it has a new technique and it is made out of Madelinetosh.  OMG!  I am getting so excited about 2017 that I am practically salivating on the keyboard.  

The more I write down, the more excited I get.  I think this will be the best year ever.

5.  I found another shawl on Pinterest called Shockwave.  It is black and color and made out of Unicorn Tails.  Does it get any better than this?

6.  I have a beautiful lace weight black with subtle colors that I am dieing to use.  THIS IS THE YEAR!  

It won't be long until I am hyperventilating!  I hope we don't have to call 911.  How do I explain that excitement over yarn caused my attack?  Any real yarn lover will get it but how many EMT's are yarn lovers?  

7.  I want to make a Stephen West like maybe the Doodler.  He is so out there I can't wait.  EEEEEKKKKK!

I know new things will come up throughout the year.  I don't want to over committ so that "want to" knitting becomes "have to" knitting.  At the end of every day I will ask myself, "Does knitting this make me happy?"  If the answer if "NO!" then I will drop that project like a hot potato, like a rabid  dog, like a snake with it's fangs out, like a, a, a, well you get the idea.  I want every stitch this year to make me happy.  If you like this concept, you are welcome to join me.

Here we are in the Coastal Cottage in Sunset Beach, NC.  We are unpacked and settled.  I was surprised to unpack 6 bags of yarn.  Do you think it's enough?  When I tell you my goals for 2017, you'll understand why I brought so much. I just couldn't make up my mind.  "I want to take this and this and this and this," I said to myself.  Everything looked so beautiful and immediately knitable that I was in a complete state of confusion.  I finally had to step back, take a deep breath and get a little more reasonable.  I guess reasonable is 6 bags of yarn.  I must admit, they are small bags.  

Murphy is all settled, too.  When I set my goals last January, I had no idea that 4 months of my life would be consumed with Dick's open heart surgery and recovery.  But no excuses!  I want to review my goals and be proud of what I accomplished.  

First of all I declared 2016 as The Year Of The Finisher.  My year was going to be about completing treasures.  

Goal #1 was to organize and keep organized the Stash Studio.  Well, I did half of that.  I organized but did not keep it organized.  I think I may consciously love to "work on" the Stash Studio so I may subconsciously let it get out of hand so I can feel good about organizing again.  

This is what it looked like in the spring.  Take my word for it, it doesn't look this way now.  It has knee deep pink yarn from the Brilliant Shades of Pink collection (the chair and the Christmas tree) and the Survivor Shawl class.  The good news is my pink yarn stash went from 10 tubs to 8 tubs, and that wasn't even a goal.  

Needless to say, I didn't achieve Goal #2, bringing my knitting buddies to the Stash Studio to knit.  Because I'm such a slacker, Linda won't be able to come when I do get around to be the knitting hostess.  It won't be the same without her.  

Goal #3 was to finish 2 things that I've started.  I can check that off many times over.  Last January at the Coastal Cottage I  finished this. . . 

Remember?  My beautiful gradient, rainbow, Roy G Biv throw from Tess Designer Yarns.  I kept right on finishing through out the year.

​Goal #4 was to finish 2 things I have yarn and a pattern for.  I get a great big check for this. . . 

My hospital knitting from Dick's surgery.  I had the yarn, I had the pattern then I had the reason to put the 2 together.  I love this.  Every time I look at it, I get all mushy inside.  

I have many cakes of Twisted Fiber Art Catnip just waiting to become Bandito scarfs.  I matched that dynamic duo several times this year.  It kind of is my "go to" quick gift.  It always creates the WOW! I want from any treasure.

​Goal #5 was to complete 2 projects from my UDY (undesignated yarn) stash.  If the Tribute to Breast Cancer Survivors Chairity Auction chair and Lenawee County Historical Museum Christmas Tree don't kick that goal over the moon, I don't know what does.

I probably spent more time on these 2 projects than all of my other knitting put together.  I am proud of both.

Goal # 6 was to plan 2 new classes for Ann's By Design and I did three.

The Anemone Hat by Cat Bordhi

The Bandito Scarf by Ravelry's and Twisted Fiber Art's Knitterly Anne

And last but certainly not least the Survivor Shawl by ME!  There is a great story that goes with this class.  We gave the shawls to the Hickman Cancer Center at Adrian's Bixby Hospital.  They were given to women  who are in chemo therapy.  A man came into Ann's By Design with a thank you note because one had been given to his daughter.  With a tear in his eye, he told Ann how much it meant to his daughter.  Ann is teaching a crochet class using the Survivor Shawl pattern with the shawls once again being donated to the Hickman Cancer Center.  Some times knitting and what it accomplishes just makes you feel good.

​Goal #7 was to not give up on Knit The Sky.

Yea!  Complete!

Goal #8 was to find a new LYS.  I discovered the adorable The Yarn Shop in Glenn Arbor, MI.  But I lost Yarn Quest in Traverse City which was destroyed by a car driving through it.  Thinking about it still makes me cry.  I also found Noble Knits a great online yarn shop.  They send me daily email about sale yarn.  I really try to resist but some days I just can't.  I can check this goal off as complete.

Goal #9 was I wanted to connect with my dear friend Evie's granddaughter Taylor to mentor her in knitting, but I didn't do this.  Maybe next year.

Goal #10 was to learn Brioche.  I did it! I took a glass at my new favorite, LYS Spun in Ann Arbor.  It was great.  I could have learned it from a book or YouTube video but it wouldn't have been nearly as much fun.  

This has been a great year.  I have a healthy husband, reached most of my goals while being part of a Fiber Family at Ann's By Design.  I did kind of exhaust myself reviewing all of this.  

It feels so good to write goals down and review them.  It's like making your list and checking it twice.  I encourage you to set goals, write them down then bask in the glory of accomplishment next year.  

I have set some amazing goals this year which I will share with you next time.  My best wishes to you for a Fabulous Year of Fiber and Fun.