Yop Update Week 32 - Knitting with Handspun

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I have two projects on the go using my very own handspun.  A Cowichan-style vest, and a toque.  I love how the vest is coming along.  Here is my progress so far - the back is done!

And my toque is on the blocking mat:

Both of these projects are with my handspun and that was one of my goals for myYear of Projects!

I have two pairs of socks on the needles, but no more progress to show and I also have started my Night Owl Mitts, but they are lanquishing in my wip (works in progress) basket and I have been actively ignoring them for the time being. 

I have been swimming twice in the ocean since getting home.  The ocean temperature is a brisk 6C.  Suffice to say I only stayed in 6 minutes each time.  

I also renewed my membership to the indoor pool and have been four times already - it is good to swim some distance in warmish water!

I took an Introduction to WaterColour Journalling last Saturday and it has been taking up much of my time since then. I am enjoying the step by step approach.  Here is an exercise which was to map my paint box:

Part of the course was to commit to making a watercolour gratitude journal and to create a small sketch for each day.  I decided to make a 'gratitude in a jar' journal.  I cut out 30 circles that when finished fit inside a wide mouth mason jar. 

Short update this week.  Perhaps I will be chattier next Sunday.  I will leave you with a picture of my Passerine hat on my head!  I have been wearing it quite a bit this cold rainy days.

 Oh yes, one more update.

Otis was busted for inappropriate mischief the other morning:

Yop Update #30 - We have our suitcases!

 

First announcement - My husband finally got his suitcase (missing for two weeks) so hurray for that.  

Second announcement - After 25 hours of travel I safely returned home last Tuesday night and miracle of miracles my suitcase arrived with me!

The rest of the week has been recovering from jetlag.  I think I am almost turned around and starting to feel somewhat rested. 

Because I was so worried about lost luggage my carry-on was almost all knitted things - 27 gnomes, my Spice Market shawl and my Birdsong sweater.  I was wearing my favourite handknit socks and of course my Dragon gansey.  Suffice to say I was never cold on any on the three flights!  

I took a picture of all the things I had knit while away:

9 gnomes, Birdsong, 24 blanket squares,9 1/2 socks
And a partridge in a pear tree!

I arrived home to a number of parcels that had been delivered in my absence.  It was like Christmas!  A wool order from KnitPicks (including a yarn spindle), some long dpns from Etsy, two mini skeins and a yarn gauge I won during the Year of Gnomes, some fleece lined leggings, a new top and a blanket I had ordered (to keep me warm after my swims), and a present from my sister of a large flannel shirt to also wear after swimming and that is big enough I can put it over my head and change under it so I don't flash the whole beach after my swims!

Yarn cake holder - it spins!

There was mountains of mail to go through, and of course unpacking and three loads of laundry.  Chores I was happy to do because it meant I was home!

My dear husband met me at the airport with a Rainbow Roll from my favourite sushi restaurant since Air Canada doesn't feed you on the five hour flight, and I hadn't had sushi for almost four month!  Shocking I know!!

In between sleeping and waking cycles I managed to block both my Birdsong and the 24 gansey blanket squares:

On the knitting front I have been working on finishing another sock - Caffe Mocha - I am down to the toe,

 picking up my son's gansey (I have done the shoulder straps and I am now on the first sleeve), 

and I started the Passerine toque to go with my Birdsong sweater. 

Tomorrow I am going for my CoVid booster and flu shot.  I have a To-Do list literally a mile long of things to do and people to contact now I am home, but I can't seem to do more that one thing on it per day. 

(Okay it isn't a mile long - but there are 29 line items and it takes a whole page of my bullet journal.) 

I haven't got back to the ocean yet, but I did get out for a nice forest walk a couple of days ago.  It has been cold and rainy here but I found a window without rain to go check out my local duck pond and re-acquaint myself with the beautiful trees in the woodland trail.  (Note to self - wear a toque and gloves next time - it is not like you don't have a LOT of them).

Speaking of a lot of knitted things - I think I have to stop knitting socks!  Either that or join some Sock Knitters Anonymous group.  (I mean a real SKA 12 step group because the SKA group on Ravelry just encourages you to knit more socks!) I have a drawer full of hand knit socks and it is overflowing with at least fifty pairs.  Many of them I have never worn as I tend to have a few favourites and I just keep recycling through them.  I am thinking maybe I should get a table at a spring craft market and sell some of them but it is like asking me to sell my children - I am so attached to them all! Stay tuned - calmer heads may prevail. 

So that is all for this week.  I am two days late with this post already, and I am blaming jetlag.  I think my etheric body is somewhere over central Canada at this moment.  I am hoping for it to catch up with me very very soon. 

I've been living under my new sloth blanket as I sloth-out on the couch!

Oooo.  I forgot I have a pair of socks I can show you because they aren't part of my test knits. These were such a fun knit, and great for using up leftover sock yarn.  I do love mosaic knitting!

Leftover1

Dear Readers, I hope you are fairing well through this winter.  And take heart, my daffodils are peeking up out of the soil.  Spring is coming!