This way, that way, forwards and backwards

Happy New Year!

I can't believe it's the sixth of January already, and that my last post was in September. I'm loving my course, but it's a huge effort for me and everything else has sort of fallen by the wayside.

This is pretty much how I've spent my time when I haven't been in classes:

I'd like to say that is going to change this semester but it's probably not.

However, I managed to take a couple of weeks off from uni, and I've emerged from my knitting nest long enough to reflect and think about the coming year (well, that and I couldn't resist the Singing Kettle reference) before I start studying again in earnest.

At the beginning of 2014 I had seven specific goals:
1. Knit a pair of socks - done!
2. Knit something with fair isle - also done! Well, all bar the photos but that can wait a day or two.
3. Knit one of the jumpers I have everything for - I'm mostly done on the simple jumper so I'm counting that as a win.
4. Move beyond chain stitch in crochet - facecloths, blanket motifs, snowflakes and mini stockings all achieved to I'm definitely calling this one done!
5. Improve my photography skills - I've been reading a lot of photography posts and books, and I definitely feel like I understand a lot of the concepts more. I'm not entirely sure it has transferred across in physical skill yet, but then it was kind of a vague goal to start with.
6. Learn to Spin yarn - I took a workshop and read up a little so it doesn't seem so overwhelming a topic, but I would have liked to have practised more on my own.
7. Write more - I definitely wrote a lot more original fiction in 2014, and though I'm not ready to share it, I'm happy with the progress that I made.

Overall, between reaching most of my goals and finally making the decision to go back to uni, it's been a better year than the previous couple and I'm hoping the trend continues.

Looking forward, by the end of 2015 I would like to:
1. Get back into sewing - I did a little when I was younger and it's definitely a skill I want to improve on. I think my first project is going to be a needle roll for my DPN's.
2. Carry on improving my photography skills - I'm going to give this a more concrete goal of being happy with the majority of my photos by the end of the year.
3. Knit a pair of toe-up socks - I think I've been bitten by the sock bug, and I've love to try this technique.
4. Graduate - I think this one is fairly self explanatory!
5. Practise spinning - I have some lovely fibre calling to me from my stash that I would love to use.
6. Work with beads - ideally I would to work with them in both knitting and with wire, but I will settle for one of them.
7. Comment and interact more - I definitely have a tendency to lurk given half the chance and I would like to change that.
8. Manage my time better - ie less time spent faffing about. Again it's a bit vague, but if I can look back at the end of the year and be happy with my balance of time spent productively, than I'll consider it a win.
9. End the year lighter and fitter - I've been attending Scottish Slimmers for a while now, and getting down to my target weight is certainly doable by the end of the year.
10. Finish the original fiction piece - it's sort of fallen by the wayside with all the coursework, but I'm still excited by it, and even if I never show it to anyone, I would like to get at least the first draft finished this year.

Spinning workshop

A wee while ago now, I nipped up to Auchterarder for a beginners drop spindle workshop run by Deborah Gray of Perfect Weather for Spinning and Knitting.

Deborah is a fantastic teacher, and I really enjoyed myself as well as learning a lot. It was a lovely small group and well worth the fee.

I ended up with this:

I'm really quite pleased with how it turned out, though I did realise when I went to take a photo that I had forgot to wash and set the twist on the yarn, hence the rather big slubs in places. I don't mind, it's all part of the learning process and hopefully I won't make that mistake again.

I definitely feel less daunted by spinning now, or rather, more comfortable with all the new skills and terminology to learn, and I'm eager to have another go. 

Plus, I'm really looking forward to attending the solar dyeing workshop Deborag is running next month!

New projects

It feels so good to feel creative again after living in a perpertual brainfog for most of the beginning of the year. There are still ups and downs (there always will be), but I'm really excited to try new things out.

Dyeing!

My family brought back this delightful undyed skein of Wensleydale Yarn by West Yorkshire Spinners from holiday for me. It's got a lovely crisp feel to it, and I feel postively awash with the colour possibilitities. I need to investigate fully what sort of dye I want to use and various methods, but I think it wants to be a varigated pinky purple sort of colour.

Knitting with wire!

The urge to try and knit jewellery popped back into my head the other day. It's something I've been curious about before, but this time I found myself standing in front of the wire in our local Hobbycraft. I have a vague idea of what I want to knit first, but I need to have a play about with the wire and see how it knits up. I can't wait.

Spinning!

This one has been building for the last year or so, especially after having a couple of goes at shows this year. I've not bought anything yet, just started to read up on it, but I am very excited to have another go. I suspect one of the drop spindle learning kits will be making it's way to me from HilltopCloud come payday.