It's always exciting to finishing something BUT this is doubly or triply (is that really a word?  It doesn't look like one!) exciting since it fits into to several of my goals.  

Before we get into my first sign of spring, I thought I would reintroduce you to Caterpillargreen yarn.  I fell in love with this scrumptious merino and cashmere sometime before Christmas, about the same time I fell in love with Tess Designer Yarn.  My favorite Caterpillargreen yarn is definitely Cement and Tupils.  Cement and Tulips and Caterpillargreen, my new first signs of spring.

It is amazing and magical.  When you pick the right pattern and get the right gage, you just knit away and this is what it becomes.

The color stripes just happen!  I picked a Stephen West pattern because quite frankly, I love Stephen West.  He puts a little edginess (once again it doesn't look like a real word but I do believe it is!) into each design that kicks it over the cliff.  I think this looks great on Lydia.

This is the shawl yarn where each color gets bigger and bigger to accommodate the growth of the shawl.  You can also get sock yarn where all of the stripes are even.  I have never knit a pair of socks but I may just break my vow never to knit socks for Caterpillargreen.  I have the yarn.  

This was my travel knitting for Hawaii.  It was perfect!  I didn't take the pattern with me (not on purpose) and luckily I didn't need it.  It was so much fun to think a color change wouldn't work only to find out it was perfect.  HOW DO THEY DO THAT!?!?!?!?!?! Just like Twisted Fiber Art has their dying secrets, I guess Caterpillargreen does, too.  Isn't it fabulous to discover a totally unique product that no one else has that sets you apart from all others.  

It even looks great from the reverse stockinette side.  Now Caterpillargreen has come out with Cement Remix which has the same colors but in reverse order so the warm colors are more prominent.  This probably won't surprise you but my Cement Remix is on the way.  This fabulous shawl lets me add to my "Goal 4: Finish 2 things I have yarn and a pattern for."  I have officially completed Goal 4!  

​I am in the midst of an over-the-top project with an even more exciting one "in the queue."  This one will blow you away.

From now on the first sign of spring for me is Cement and Tulips and Caterpillargreen.  How about you?

You know how I've always told you I knit things I love all year then give them away at Christmas?  Well, I may have hit a snag. I have knit a lot of different things since Christmas.  I have had a ball.  I found yarns and patterns I love and have really been going to it.

Once I finished the Gradient Blanket made with Tess Designer Yarn, I can't imagine giving it away.  I love it. It just looks great on my sofa.  Usually, I finish something and think, "Ya, I love it now on to the next treasure."  I may even start to think, "That looks like something Evie would like." or "That's something Carmen might like."  But not the Gradient Blanket, not this time.  I finished and immediately said, "That's mine!"

Then there is the spectacular Beacon Shawl.  I knit this in Sunset Beach and realized as soon as I steamed it, it was mine.  I just love this.  I wore it to work at Ann's By Design and got mega compliments.  It is just so me so it is just mine.

Then there is Twisted Fiber Art's Bandito scarf made from Catnip in the Lumberjack colorway.  You really  can't tell from my picture but this gorgeous scarf has a copper hue.  I just love copper yarn.  Not rust but copper.  Copper plus Twisted Fiber Art plus Hazel's Grandma design equals MINE!  I must admit, I loved this scarf so much a bought many cakes of Catnip so I could make many more.  This little scarf is just the perfect flash of color at your throat.  And it's mine.

Then there is the Sev (en) Circles Necklace made from my favorite Madelintosh yarn.  The yarn actually glows.  Once again I wore it to Ann's by Design and everybody loved it.  It's mine.

The spectacular Rocks From The River Bed has been draped on Lydia for a long time. Christmas came and went and it didn't go to anybody even though it was the most spectacular of the choices.  Then I realized, it wanted to stay with me.  It is mine!

I want you to carefully take a look at each of these treasures.  What do they have in common?  They all have beautiful, traffic stopping color and for all except the Bandito scarf, they are ROY G BIV!  I think there is a pattern here.
​

In 2010, I planned for a "Year Of Selfish Knitting." I worked so hard knitting for others in 2009 that I declared 2010 "The Year Of Selfish Knitting."  I completed the All American Afghan for my sister for Christmas.  It was spectacular and I was drained.  2010 may also have been the year I instituted knitting things I love all year then deciding after the fact what friend it will go to.  The rule was no "have to" knitting, only "want to" knitting.  2010 was the year I started the Survival Shawls for breast cancer survivors.  It was a year that changed my life as far as knitting goes.  This has inadvertently become a "Year Of Selfish Knitting."  I didn't plan it, it just happened.  Maybe, just maybe another life altering knitting experience will enter my life this year.  In the mean time I will enjoy and love these one of a kind knitting treasures.   

My plan was to write about my beautiful Stash Studio yesterday.  Unfortunately, an unexpected disaster intervened.  I don't know if you are basketball fans, but my beloved Spartans lost in the first round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament.  I was stunned, saddened, depressed.  I was so distraught I didn't even Knit The Sky yesterday.  I think when I Knit The Sky today for yesterday, I will knit it black. Coach Izzo brought tears to my eyes with his post game interview.  He loves this group of kids so much.  I've recovered a little today.  Sooooooo, let's go visit my extraordinary Stash Studio.  

There it is in all of its glory.  Ten new tubs, a new bookcase, more notebooks, it is organized.  I have taken care of the big chunks but there still is some fine work, polishing to do.  I learned so much (as I always do) with this organization.  One of the things I learned is my tips of the day.  Do you ever buy yarn and pattern only for them to get separated and you don't have a clue why you bought the yarn.  I have many, many examples of this, but I solved the problem.

I have this beautiful yarn, but no pattern.  I also couldn't find the two skeins of the purple (eggplant) but that is another issue.  I sat and stared at the yarn.  I felt it.  Then a flash came into my brain.

I remembered this Vogue Knitting Magazine that was waiting for me when I got home from Maggie Valley last spring.

Then I remembered this shawl (my sister always says Wrap because she thinks shawls are for old people) which is a double knit.  I immediately tried my new technique.  I purchased two gallon storage bags, made a copy of the pattern and put it in a plastic sleeve then put the yarn and the pattern in the two gallon zip lock bag.  Now I will never (maybe not never but seldom) buy yarn for something specific and forget what it was intended to be.  It's all together.  It's that a great idea.  I love it.

There they are!  I think I have sixteen but that was just what was on the floor.  When I was done with the big chunks, I briefly considered going through ALL of the tubs and matching yarn to pattern in two gallon tubs.  Then I came to my senses and realized if I opened every tub, I would be right back to where I was in August.  Maybe some day I will go that extra step.  

What did I learn from this year long project?

1.  I learned I have more knitting books than all the public libraries in Lenawee County combined.  I also discovered several duplicates.  I think they may be potential birthday and Christmas gifts.  

2.  I learned to kit my yarn and patterns in two gallon zip lock bags.  They may also be birthday and Christmas gifts.  

3.  I learned to organize my loose patterns with a book on shawls, one on scarfs, one on sweaters, one on short sleeve sweaters and vests, one on cowls, one on techniques, one on accessories AND the brilliant In The Queue.

4.  I learned if I was a quilter and approached quilting like I do knitting, I would have tens of millions of pieces of fabric.

5.  I found techniques I would like to organize into a class for Ann's By Design.

6.  I am ready to have my social knitting party.  

​7.  I learned you are never really done with a project like this.  

It was two years ago today I blindly stumbled into the world of telling stories about my adventures in knitting and began blogging. My very first blog still describes my love of everything knitting and fiber better than anything. "My heart races with excitement at the thought of it. I catch myself thinking about it throughout the day. When I think about it I smile. Even when it's boring, even when it's hard, I can't imagine not having knitting in my life. If that's not love, I don't know what is." After setting on my journey to reflect on my life of knitting, things happened I never would have dreamed. Knitting: A Love Story was written about by Jocelynn Brown in the Detroit News and Free Press. I have become friends with LYS all over the country. My favorite post is still from June 1, 2014 "Knitting Transports Me To Another Time Another Place." It's about a shawl I knit while my Mom was recuperating from a stroke. It still brings a rear to my eye.

I'm going to keep this short in honor of the day, but I do want to share this. . .

The last time we were together, the Stash Studio looked like this. . . 

It still looks pretty much like this, but I spent the whole day Tuesday organizing my loose patterns.  I took my cup of coffee upstairs, sat in a chair and just waited to see what spoke to me.  As I looked on the floor, this is what I saw. . . 

And that was only the start.  I have hundreds if not thousands of loose patterns.  I have patterns from Ravelry and Patternfish; from friends and magazines.  Every time I knit something, I make a copy of the pattern and put it in a plastic sleeve.  So, I saw many, many, many loose patterns.  In addition, I saw this.

A shelf of notebooks filled with disorganized loose patterns.  Remember the kitchen junk drawer?  That is exactly what the loose patterns became. I made a trip to Staples and bought notebooks, plastic sleeves and labels. Then I spent the day going through every notebook and looking at every pattern.  I sorted them by scarfs, shawls, cowls, sweaters, etc.  In a stack of loose patterns on my table, I found all of the information from my Stitch Together event at the Detroit News.  All of the patterns, the newspaper clipping, the sign in sheet.  It was all there.  Well, I spent a little time reminiscing about the fabulous Jocelyn Brown and my memorable day.  

As I was looking through the notebooks, I kept seeing patterns I meant to knit; patterns I loved but I forgot about; patterns I made and had intended to make again. I spent the whole day reviewing, organizing, remembering, reminiscing.  It was great.  I went up and down the stairs about 50 times.  It was great.  I was in the OZ (organizing zone) and I loved it.   

This and 

this became this.

I have a notebook for scarfs, shawls, cowls, sweaters, short sleeves sweaters and vest, accessories, knitting information, 2015 Stitch Together AND In The Queue. The In The Queue notebook is for all of those patterns that I really want to knit and I don't want to forget.  All of the those patterns I saw in the notebooks that made me say, "I love that! I really wanted to make it but forgot."  So I wouldn't forget again, I made the "In The Queue" notebook.  I may have to replace the white notebooks with the colorful ones as I love them and think they look great.  

In the "Knitting Information" notebook, I reviewed my notes from the knitting classes I've been to.  I found my notes from my favorite class of all time with Sally Melville.  It made me realize I need to tell you all about the wonderful things I learned from her.  

Next post will be about major project number 2 that I discovered "in the junk drawer in the kitchen."   It really was just as exciting as this one.

Have you ever had every intention of deep cleaning the kitchen (or bedroom or family room or office) only to get stuck in a drawer full of magical wonders? An hour or so later you look up and you are still enjoying the fascination of every treasure in the drawer. That is my overwhelming experience in the Stash Studio. Remember July 12 when I posted this picture? What a mess!

That was eight months ago and I'm still not finished. I have tried to finish many days. After all, all I need to do is put a few things away; throw them in a box; hide them. No big deal, right? WRONG!!!!!!! I have found so many wonderful, magical, happy things. You've heard the terms passive/aggressive and manic/depressive? Well, I am organized/slovenly. I love to organize things. I love to put things in order. I also repeatedly say, "Oh, I'll do that later." When later is several months, things can and will be chaotic and disorganized. I must admit that in a pinch when I am cleaning, I throw everything I don't know where to put into a box and put the box in the Stash Studio.

It does look better than it did eight months ago but why you may wonder has it taken me eight months and I'm still not finished? I decided I needed to not just tuck away, but ORGANIZE! I have to say I love it but it does take time to do it right. Like eight months! I must admit that my plan was to do it when I was recovering from hernia surgery in August. OMG! There is no way I could even climb the stairs let alone crawl around on the floor. Just when I wasn't hurting from that, Dick and I were out for the count with the flu for the two weeks after Thanksgiving. Then came Christmas. Then came our month in Sunset Beach. Soooooo, I haven't really been able to work all of the eight months. If I had, it would be done (or not).

This is an example of a project I got side tracked on and let me tell you there were many, many more.

This is where I want to be and I'm going to get there real soon. I went up today with every intention of finishing but I found not one but two projects that slowed me down. Then I realized I need some notebooks and some plastic sleeves before I can go any farther. While working, I have discover some great organizational tips. My next couple of posted will be sharing those tips with you. 😊

Well, we are home (for about 2 hours.) Hawaii was fabulous from a double rainbow, to huge waves on the North Shore to a Luau to Pearl Harbor. It was all wonderful. But I must admit visiting LYS was one of my favorites. I tried to post this on the plane from Honolulu to Seattle but the gogoinflight wasn't allowing me into Weebly. Then when it did, I was rolling along when everything shut down AND I lost everything. Now let's visit Aloha Yarns from beautiful Adrian, Michigan.

Above a Chinese Restaurant on Kamehameha Drive in Kaneohe, you will find Aloha Yarns. I walked in and saw two women visiting, knitting and laughing. It was love at first sight. Aloha Yarns is a tiny shop filled with colorful, beautiful yarn. After one of the knitting partners left, I got to meet Nanea. What a delightful, upbeat, friendly knitter. I am guessing Nanea is the shop owner though I didn't ask. I felt like I was being welcomed into the home of an old friend

After a couple of minutes I asked the burning question, "Do you sell wool yarn?" Nanea laughed her beautiful musical laughter. "It's just something I've been wondering," I said. "After all, you really can't wear wool here. Too hot, too prickly." Nanea told me, yes indeed, she carried wool. After all many of her friends and customers had children in college on the mainland. "That sweater I am knitting is wool and it's for my daughter." She also has customers who knit socks.

She also said she carries wool for tourists from the mainland, like me. So intermingled with yummy linens and crisp cottons are beautiful wools and alpacas. Just take a peak

This is my treasure from Aloha Yarns. A soft, vivid alpaca. This is totally UDY (undesignated yarn). I don't know what I'm going to do with it, but I couldn't leave for home without it. I can't wait to knit this and see what the colors are, how they stack and blend. Some day I'll post something that is absolutely exquisite made from this.

One word I would use to describe Aloha Yarn is cozy. I could just see myself curling up with a knitting project in that chair and spending the afternoon with Nanea.

Don't you just love it! Some stores you go to just to buy yarn while others you go to to have your soul renewed. That's what Aloha Yarns feels like.

This is also something I bought at Aloha Yarns. Remember when I set one of my knitting goals for the year as designing a new class for Ann's By Design? Well, I think I will try an Amigurumi class. Teaching people to knit little critters. What do you think? I think it sounds fun and whimsical.

I absolutely loved Aloha Yarns and Nanea and would be overjoyed to spend an afternoon knitting, visiting and laughing with Nanea and filling up my happiness tank.