For the love of Cotton

I have recently found myself making cotton dish clothes. Why(?) might you ask, well for a couple reasons. One, Sponges are nasty buggers, literally full of germs and bacteria. Two, they are so much more reusable them sponges, all I have to do is pop it in the wash with the other daily towels and put out a new one each night. Each one has a lifespan of about a year before they start to fall apart. Three, they are a cheap easy portable knit. Plus the cotton colors are hard to resist. And none of my other knitting works out to be 33 cents for each finished piece. Four, the patterns are infinite and usually always free, gotta love free.

Eventually I know they will be just as numerous as our cotton kitchen towels, which have turned out to be a much better investment then paper towels will ever be. They get used for years, and then can be used for many more years as cleaning rags and then finally they can become bird nesting. So much better then filling a landfill with precious paper. Now I must admit that we are not a strictly non-paper towel household, because honestly bacon cooking goes much easier with a paper towel on top. :) But we do our part.

What do you do?

Purples and Greens Oh My!

This was just the haul of yarn, there are at least a dozen set of needles as well as patterns too!

I had a fabulously fun fiber day. My mom and I went to our LYS that is unfortunately closing doors in a couple months, I decided to use up all of my very generous gift card they gave me for Christmas. So last night I sat down, checked off my needles and researched what I would need for queued projects, I organized all my patterns and stashes on Raverly and armed myself with a list today. Since word has gone out that this store is closing things were starting to get pick over, especially the Cascade 220 that I was looking for, so I changed my plan by super stocking my needles and circs, and indulging in loads of Noro Blossom, Lorna's Laces, Jitterbug, Kaffe Sock yarn and some super bulky that is crying out to me to cast on tonight. Funny thing is that everything turned out to be some shade of purple today. I must be in a mood.

Go for the Art or the Food?

Hmm do I go with the Monet or Popsicle?

Since my needles are bare while I wait for my yarn to come in, I have to have something besides a mega gifty to work on. Variety is the spice of life you know. So I have decided to make a pair of fingerless mitts and I am stuck with the colorways I have narrowed it down to. Do I choose something that will match with my new quilted pea coat, or do I go for the bright that will bring smiles? I am leaning towards the Monet and just might use the Popsicle for a pair of socks.

Time to go cast on with a set of needles just about as wide as toothpicks!

Viva le Knitting!

Punkin' Luv

Some days are perfect for a punkin' completion. Seriously the hardest part about this little guy was the stitching up, and only because it was tedious. Pattern here. Mine came out a bit different due to a different yarn and a smidgen to little stuffing, but I am dang happy about it. Be on the look out for dozens more soon.

Work's in Progress

I have seven works in progress on needles and hooks right now. Two blankets, two scarfs, one booga bag, one pair of socks, one Panta ( that was supposed to go to a good friend, but *ashamed* I never finished it). For the last two weeks I have been working steadily on one of the blankets, it goes super fast since it is crocheted and I am all ready on my third large skein. I am going to jam through it in the next couple weeks to finish it up and avoid having a lap full of yarn in the summer months. then it is on to my smaller projects, especially those that are Christmas presents. I would really like to finish the summer with a nice pile of gifties done. Of course once this pile of WIP's is done, I will attach my mega stash and start another pile of projects. The one thing that makes me bite my lip in glee is the sheer amount of completely ready to roll projects I have stashed, I KNOW I learned this from my mom. Here is proof, two of her 4 cabinets for fabric. Guilty Guilty Guilty!

Merry and Bright

Christmas is coming at the Boyles Household. The tree goes up today, and I am thinking of starting on the outside lights too. After making Chocohotopots by Nigella of course.

The sky is slightly smudged today, sooty with peeps of blue. It looks like it would feel crisp and cold, but it is surprisingly warm. Alex and I are flying solo and we have a loose schedule today, the last day before he returns to school. We have had leftovers for break-fix and lunch and plan on finishing off more later. He is iris deep in lego star wars 1, and I am so tempted to give in and sit and knitknitknit. I want the feel of bamboo and wool in my hands. I want the rhythm and click, the soft hum of creation. I mostly want to finish what is on my sticks. I have so much to do!

But first there is kitchen clean up, tree setup, Alex laundry, and mad amounts of vaccuuming due to the pups being inside last night, and then it is time to indulge in crafty goodness.

You can spy on my thankful journal, two christmas presents, and my ever evolving planner in here.

This project must end soon, I am getting B-O-R-E-D.