Month: January 2018
Woolly Enthusiasms and a little Mindfulness too
Working towards the end of the first month of the year I am happy to report that I am still enthusiastic about my Enthusiasms for 2018 (aka Resolutions to some people).

Last week I rediscovered parts of a summer cotton top in my craft room. Thinking why I may have put it aside I am guessing reasons – got bored with it/was keen to start something new/change of season. I discounted ‘gone wrong’ as I still could work out where I was in the pattern, notes and needles were all there. I had the two fronts, two thirds of the back – so near, yet so far from completion! So it’s take a few knitting sessions and two turns at picking up stitches on the neck (167sts!). I love working with this cotton too, King Cole Cotton Soft DK. Still kicking myself for being a serial starter over the last few years!!!
Updating of 2018 Enthusiams: diet on track, wip counted as ‘sorting out craft stuff, slow progress on job/career/bucketlist, a little better on household finance decisions. Roll on February and more progress.
Further to some Mindfulness reading this week, I have been taking the time to appreciate the things and people around me. A little ‘therapy’ like this could do many people a lot of good. Have visited two friends this week, one not seen in several years. Both times we had quality time, put some of the world to rights, had a giggle and promised not to leave it so long until the next time. I had been missing a trip to the see the sea and one trip visited windy and raining Hastings – seeing the waves crashing and bashing onto the beach was pretty amazing, watching only briefly before diving into the pub for lunch! Photos just did not come out well – so nothing to share, so sorry! Pub – amazing food – oh my – The Crown, All Saints Street! http://www.thecrownhastings.co.uk/
I also made a point of telling someone very special how much I love them. Now that’s something we are often not so good at. Currently feeling warm and glowing, I’d recommend it.
Two craft projects finished
I have been working on finishing WIPs, particularly yarny ones. This one in Drops Andes 65% wool, 35% alpaca, purchased when visiting a lovely little local yarn store Little Woollie in Beckenham, Kent, UK. I love an independent wool shop. I always find the customer service so fantastic and you can’t beat a good natter about woolly things! https://www.littlewoollie.co.uk/


I had time for a little sewing project too. Fabric selected from my stash a few days ago turned into a the most useful storage system for circular knitting needles. The pocket at the bottom is perfect for spare needle needle tips and cables. It has made me think about what circulars I prefer – possibly KnitPro Symphonie with fixed tips for their smoothness and attractiveness = I always say the rainbows make even black knitting pretty! I like the interchangeable ones but have had a bit of bad luck with rough fixings and occasionally the screw has unwound despite all my efforts with regularly fixing the tips on.
So two projects down, still numerous ones to be tackled, but this is progress, yay!
Keeping up Enthusiasm, a yarn story
Another week into 2018. Am I keeping up my Enthusiams?
Reiteration from last week –
- Keep on track with the diet started in October
- Sort out craft stuff all over the house
- Think seriously about the next step jobwise/careerwise and make good choices
- Make a bucket list of things to do compelled by a particular date
- Become more involved in day to day household accounting/finance
Yes, the dieting has been going well, despite eating out twice, according to my own bathroom scales I am still more or less on track. My view is, enjoy food, enjoy company, be extra sensible when eating at home. the two counterbalance each other and life doesn’t get boring!
Craft sorting is slow but still sorting.
Another yarn project ripped back and well into the reknit. Another Drops Andes project, it was a short sleeved jacket, a DROPs pattern which just was a disaster, now it’s 3/4 of a cushion using a Sirdar pattern when gauge this time is not so important.
A little fabric project has also been decided upon – will blog pics when finished – technically this will become a fabric/yarn combi project. Any guesses?
Job/Career – a few prospects thought about, one visited, no conclusions yet. Who would have thought of a coffee shop run from a horse box parked in a restaurant car park? That was just one opportunity. Yes, really!
Bucket list – the bucket is empty at the moment!
Household accounting – can I count last week’s decision to menu plan rather than random buy the main weekly shop? It means I will use up everything I buy, not throw out a thing, not waste any money! This isn’t big inroads to my ‘Enthusiasm’ but it’s a start. You should have seen my husband’s surprise when I served up ‘cauliflower rice’ for dinner yesterday (Enthusisam 1. Diet planning, Enthusiasm 5. Using what we had, Conclusion – we both thought it delicious, it was a win/win!)
Happy crafting and creating. Another week, another zillion projects in the making!
A ripping afternoon
Keeping up ‘Enthusiasms’ for the new year (see yesterday’s post) I’ve had a ripping afternoon.
I remember starting this when a lovely new wool shop, Little Woollie in Beckenham, Kent opened. DROPS Muscat, a beautiful mercerised cotton, three different shades. I found the pattern and the knitted piece ‘hidden’ in my craft room. I was trying to adjust a child’s pattern and as it grew realised it wasn’t going to work out how I imagined. I struggle with the gauge of DROPS yarns sometimes. Does anyone else?
This is what I have now. I am happily satisfied rather than guilt ridden with yet again another WIP or a UFO.

The North Country
Just enjoyed reading this blog post so much that I had to share it.
It was quiet here in my little corner of the internet last week, but I had good reason — we were on vacation! Now lots of people here in the North Country go South in winter, but those who know us are probably not surprised to hear that we went about an hour North of our home for our winter vacation. And we didn’t head north just any week, we went North during one of the worst cold snaps in recent memory. That last part wasn’t by design, but when Mr Knitting Sarah takes time off, he can’t really reschedule because the weather isn’t perfect. Many people were concerned we might not survive and were convinced that we were (maybe still are?) crazy fools, but I assure you, we have survived and we had a blast.
True to form for most of our vacations, this one did not start…
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New Year Enthusiasms, a Woolly Beginning
I am renaming ‘New Year Resolutions’ to New Year Enthusiasms. That way, if I decide not to carry on with something then I haven’t failed to keep a ‘Resolution’. Not that I have beaten myself up in the past for doing just that, but I know I’ve felt slightly guilty when things didn’t quite go to plan and by the end of each January good habits have fallen by the wayside. So entering 2018 …
Enthusiams:
- Keep on track with the diet started in October
- Sort out craft stuff all over the house
- Think seriously about the next step jobwise/careerwise and make good choices
- Make a bucket list of things to do compelled by a particular date
- Become more involved in day to day household accounting/finance
First woolly UFO, must be about four years since I started to knit this and about two since I peeped in the bag where I’d stashed it. Love the wool. Loved that it knit up so quickly. Hated the stepped shoulder joins and the poor sewing up. Put on weight since so know finished item won’t fit….
Satisfyingly ripped back to balls (remind anyone of Christmas brussels sprouts?). Enthusiasm 2, one tick. Many more to go, craftwise, but it’s a start!
For others with new year plans, hope they are going well and you have not given up on any yet!