Shawls for Sale & Taking Commissions!

Well, it's almost been a year since I posted...again. I have to break that trend. Anyway, the main reason for my post today is to sell some of the shawls I've knit and introduce my new commission order form. I've made some beautiful shawls for test knits because I love knitting shawls, but I don't wear them. There's something about watching it grow as you knit it -- you start with just a few stitches and end with a few hundred! Below are the shawls I'm offering:

First is a test knit I did last year: Bellatrix

Cost: $60 OBO

Measurements: 41.5"x17"

Next up is Betelgeuse (from the same designer)

Cost: $60 OBO

Measurements: 36"x14"

This was a fun knit and it's super cozy: Halona 

Cost: $50 OBO

Measurements: 66"x18"

In addition to selling these, I'm also starting to offer commissioned pieces. Basically, you'd pay me to knit or crochet something you'd like. :) I'll provide a quote before you pay anything and if you're on a budget, we can negotiate prices. Fill out this order form and I'll get back to you within 1-3 days (it will take some research). I am skilled at making socks, shawls, mittens, fingerless mitts, cowls, scarves, hats, boot cuffs, and other small things. I'm an advanced knitter, but there are some things that are beyond my skill level. Please do not order a sweater...I am not very good at making them. :/ 

If you'd like to buy one of the shawls or have questions, contact me at bekknits14 AT gmail DOT com. Also, please share the word! I appreciate it! Thank you!!

Pyrite & Shawls

I thought it was time to update on what's been going on in life. Last time I posted (August) I was going through a rough time but getting by with a lil help of my friends (sorry if you have that song stuck in your head now). Things are getting better though; I got back together with Steven (again) and hopefully this time it'll stick. We're working hard to make this long distance thing work. I'm on some new meds which seem to help my day to day functions. Work is going really well; we'll be fully staffed soon! I adopted a kitty, Pyrite, from the Humane Society who's adorable and super soft.

Bubba & Pyrite Cuddle Time

I finally finished (August) and took pictures (October) and uploaded pictures (December) of the test knit Bellatrix shawl. Here's a couple of the good ones:

Jen and I went up to Door County for my birthday weekend. We discovered an amazing yarn store -- Spin of Door County -- where we fondled lots of amazing yarn and discovered a bunch of great patterns. It's the best yarn store in 50 miles I'm pretty sure. While we hiked some bluffs near the top of the peninsula, I took some pictures of the shawl. It turned out well and is currently decorating my office. I think I'm going to take a break from test knitting for a while since I completed this nearly a year after the designer wanted. :/ 

Other things I'm working on: a shawl for Steven's grandmother (hopefully completed by Christmas), socks for his mom (so not going to be completed by Christmas); the Squall Line Shawl; my earth stole; Kyle's socks; and my sweater. I'll post pictures soon.

That's about all I can muster for now. I'll try to post more regularly in the vain hope it helps my knitting mojo. I really need to find a knitting group...or start one. Happy Holidays everyone!

Socks, Blankets, and Kittens!

Haven't posted in a while (again). Had another bout of depression (again). Lost my mojo (again). But things are looking up (again). This last year has been extremely difficult. Between moving, starting a new job, the one-year of my dad's death, breaking up, getting back together, then breaking up again with Steven, and just all the other stuff life throws at you it's no wonder I've been all over the place. But let me focus on the good things: I spent a lot of time cuddling with my cute furball, Bubba. I went to see my friend Megan and managed to give her completed (!) socks!

After spending some time with Megan, her bf Burrito (my nickname for him) and her friend Apryl, I went further up north to visit my brother, his fiance and their son, Wyatt. I met a lot of cute kitties and reminisced about my parents while going through boxes of stuff. It was a short trip, but it was nice to see the lake and to catch up with one of my favorite library ladies, Elizabeth, from Northland as well.

I also went to State Fair and ate way too much greasy food. It was a blast and I definitely got my steps in that day (I was sore for about two days after). Then I wandered down to southern Wisconsin and visited some college friends who I haven't seen in a while. I met their critters, walked along the beach, ate delicious German food, drank hard root beer (amazing!), performed/received tarot readings, and had deep conversations about life with my old roomie Brad. <3 It was just what I needed. I saw my ex, Steven, on my way back home and we had a great conversation about life and love. I feel like I'm in a better place now to reinvent my life. I've felt so lost since my dad's one year death anniversary. And I was handling the grief reasonably well in Iowa, but then the move happened and when his one-year death anniversary came up I just kind of lost my ambition. I'm on some new meds now which should help me focus and take on the day. I feel this renewed energy to live life, not just exist. My parents are dead (lots of people lost their parents younger than I was, so I'm grateful for the 24/27 years I had with them), but that doesn't mean I should stop living my life. I need to move on and learn to live without them. It's hard, no doubt, but they wouldn't want me grieving so long and hard for them. They'd want me to move on, fall in love, explore, travel, and create memories of my own. So that's what I plan to do.

I've noticed the new meds are helping me focus on things I enjoy but gave up. Before, I'd get so overwhelmed because I couldn't focus on anything for any amount of time so I'd just do nothing. I stopped knitting, reading, writing, walking, and even watching shows I enjoyed because I couldn't focus. It was bad. Now I can focus longer so I feel that drive coming back. I want to read, knit, and walk more. I'm not 100% yet, but things are improving. And I can tell they're improving because this past weekend I finally finished that test knit shawl from last year! Well, technically it's not finished finished because I still have to block it, but it's off the needles! It was the first time I'd knit in a while and the first time I'd completed something in a long while. I think Bubba missed me knitting too:

I also finished an afghan after trying to figure out how to widen it. I tried picking up stitches off the side, but it didn't really work. So I single crocheted the edges in gray then built on that. It's not the prettiest fix, but it's just for me so I don't mind. Bubba enjoyed cuddling up with it while I was working on it; he doesn't seem to cuddle up in it now that it's done. Silly cat.

 

That's about it for the last few months, but like I said, I feel the mojo coming back as I start to feel better and more productive.  I'm even heading to the Humane Society tonight to find a lil furry friend for Bubbs. He's been acting rather clingy lately and I think it's because he's lonely. He's alone from 7:40-5 everyday so it's no wonder he cries and wants attention when I get home. I'm hoping a kitten will keep him occupied and give me another fluff to love. :)

Life and Depression (but with a pretty cowl)

I haven't posted here in a while. Things have been rather difficult these last, oh, seven months or so. The one year anniversary of my dad's death kind of threw me in for a loop and everything else (depression and anxiety wise) came crashing down on top of it all. I've lost interest in a lot of my favorite activities (yes, including knitting). I've done a few things here and there, but nothing substantial. Things are lying about either half finished or just started and it's hard to get the gumption to pick it up. I have an excuse for everything: I'm tired, I have a headache, I don't have the energy, I need to clean the apartment, etc. So needless to say, this latest bout of melancholia has interfered with my life. But, in small baby steps, I'm hoping to turn it around.

I have a tendency when I get fed up with something (work, relationships, depression, my weight, etc.) that I think I'm going to make a drastic change overnight. Which, as anyone with a brain can tell you, is not the best way to go about doing things. So I'm trying this time to go a lil bit slower. Which is why I'm writing this post. It's something small and manageable that will give me a lil boost of confidence for the day. Then maybe later tonight or tomorrow I'll pick something else up and work on and that'll give me two boosts to be proud of. Then tomorrow maybe a lil more. And hopefully things will snowball in a positive way.

Since I haven't been crafting much lately, or reading, or writing I don't have much to share. But I do have pics of a lovely cowl I made for my friend Lauren. She was kind enough to take pictures of her wearing it for me:

 

The pattern was purchased as a kit from Craftsy. On a trip to Iris Fine Yarns in Appleton, WI Lauren picked out the buttons -- a beautiful green that works beautifully with the pink yarn. The only difficulty I had with the pattern was picking up the stitches on the back side. It's knit one side at a time and you pick up the stitches from the cast on to knit in the other direction. My stitches didn't transfer very well, but I didn't obsess over it because it's in the back and Lauren was kind of amazed with the knitting anyway. lol As long as the front pieces looked okay, I was happy.

I encourage you to try knitting from a kit once -- it's so nice. The yarn comes with the pattern and you can just get started. No guessing if this yarn is the correct one for the pattern or whatnot. Plus, getting mail that aren't bills is exciting. And yarn mail is even more exciting. Craftsy has a great selection and often has sales.

Well, my darlings. That's all I can do for today. I'll try to post more often. Maybe once a month or so to keep you apprised to my progress (overall and knitting-wise). Take care and fondle some yarn today.

Keeping Up with the Kelley

Jen posted again after a while, so you know what that means...I have to post to try and keep up with her. Seriously, when she posts it reminds me I have a blog and should maybe write in it from time to time. I get discouraged after a while because I know this blog won't become something huge like YarnHarlot or something, but 'eh. At the very least it organizes my knitting thoughts. So let the organization begin...

Last night I finished a cowl for Lauren and it made me wonder what other projects I have lying around unfinished. So I took stock and realized there are a lot. This doesn't even count the items I've promised people and haven't cast on yet. These are projects on the needles/hooks and languishing in baskets and bags around my apartment.

Jen's '70s Sweater started in...oh...2011?

My spinning...started in 2013?

Super secret fingerless gloves started 2014.

Capelet for Mary started 2014.

Stole for me started 2014

Mountain afghan started 2014.

Megan's skyp socks started 2013.

Bellatrix test knit started 2014.

Plus size sweater started 2014

So there we go. There may be one or two more hiding in the craft room but this is the bulk of it. Now the big question...what to finish?

Fall is Here!

First cup of pumpkin spice coffee from Door County Coffee, chilly weather in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and knitting. This is my season. And I intend to make it last since I hear it'll be rather short this year.

A lot has happened since February: I broke up with my boyfriend in March (though we're still friends), I got a job at UWGB's Cofrin Library as their Instruction & Reference Librarian and, as a result, I had to move to Green Bay in June, my brother got engaged to a super sweet lady in August, and I've had several adventures and knitting projects since then. But that's mostly the big stuff.  I'm loving my job; I work with a great group of people and I'm excited to spread my information literacy instruction wings. I'm so happy to be back in Wisconsin -- despite how hard I tried to convince myself otherwise, Iowa just wasn't for me. I'm a 'sconnie at heart so being "home" again is awesome. I'm right by Lake Michigan and the Bay. I'm close to Milwaukee and Illinois and Scott is a couple hours closer.

I'm trying to really use this newness to my advantage and improve my life. I joined a gym, started seeing a personal trainer and dietician, and I'm going back into therapy to help me through the challenges of life including the loss of my parents. The trick for me now is to not overwhelm myself with all my goals and give up so I'm easing into things very gently. I need to improve my health so I don't walk in my parents' footsteps and I need to open up and live a little. Date more. Love more. Explore and enjoy life. That's the hope anyway.

Knitting! Oh, my goodness. Well. I'll give a brief update to all my knitting happenings. I tore out those socks for Andrew and CO a new pattern. Unfortunately, they turned out rather small so I'm giving them to Megan instead. I'm almost done with the second sock. But I've been distracted by this beautiful yarn I got during the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival last weekend. It's a limited edition hand painted yarn made by Briar Rose Fibers in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. I'm in love with it...

Jen went with me and this is our loot!

My sweater is still on needles, Jen's sweater is somewhere in a basket, I made an afghan that's not quite finished yet (I have to weave in the ends and make half-hexagons), I still have over 6 oz of roving to spin, and probably a bunch more projects to start and finish. But that'll do for now.

Happy Knitting!

Cold Librarians Need Warm Cats

I decided I wanted to knit a sock that wasn't evil. So I cast on a new pattern. So far so good (minus the part where I forgot to kfkbkf on the increase row so I was way below stitches and had to rip out over an inch of my work). I really like the pattern (cables...yum) and the needles. And Bubba likes it too. 

Bubba's sexy pose.

Then I got cold. 

So I decided to cast on a sweater for myself. Yes. Myself. The last plus size sweater attempts did not end well for anyone. So I'm using good needles, fabulous yarn (Cascade 220 Peruvian Wool <3), and I'm using a pattern from my Plus Size Knits book that I bought a million years ago. I'm on my way, sweater. Be ready to be toasty come...June?

Who doesn't love turquoise ribbing?

Bekky Tested, Bubba Approved.