You know that feeling when there is something you are supposed to do hidden in the back of your mind that you can’t quite grasp? Yep, that’s me trying to remember if I had posted or not in the last couple days…I was like, yes, I know there is something I’ve been wanting to do, but I just couldn’t quite grab hold of it. So here we are, and it’s Friday.
Never fear, just because I haven’t posted in a hot minute (that’s Memphis terms for a little while) doesn’t mean I haven’t had ideas brewing about what to post on this glorious FREE-FOR-ALL FRIDAY! Where shall I begin? I’ll start with the most interesting part of the title, the Frog 🙂
On my last WIP Wednesday post, that was actually an early Thursday morning post, I showed you guys my crazy flower cowl that I didn’t love.
Then I sat on the plane and frogged the whole thing, rewound it into 2 separate balls and thus ended up here:
During the second flight from Chicago to Denver (2.5 hours) I worked without halt on the little shawl thing, but I didn’t quite finish it. I made it to here:
I’m working on the decreases now. For some reason I couldn’t quite bring myself to pick it back up since I’ve been on the ground and the flight home had a different project in hand to work on. And since I’ve been back home, I’ve been combing through my WIP hoard again. I have kept going back to my darling Technicolor Toes socks.
Remember how I told you the Addi Lace points reeked like old brass? And every time I used them, my hands reeked too?? Well I tried to work on them. I really did. I even looked for some DPNs in my needle stash to use to finish them, but I think they are engaged otherwise with the bunny…So I frogged them. I pulled them off those stinky needles and rewound the single yarn cake into two balls by hand (Sorry Sherry).
I also may have picked up some tiny size 0, 9-inch circulars to cast these on again. The owner, Noel of Sophie’s Fine Yarn Shoppe here in Louisville said she does her socks this way and I love doing hats without having to worry about Magic Loop or DPNs or switching needles in any sort of way…I haven’t done this yet since I’m trying to exercise some self control and finish at least one thing on the needles before adding back to the WIP hoard again. Aaaah, such is life I suppose.
I’ve also been reading a ton of blogs lately…**CAUTION: the next pictures have almost nothing to do with the written words**
I recently read a blog post that I really enjoyed. The horrible part is that I can’t remember where I read it. I’ve been trying to read and keep up with so many blogs since I started blogging that it’s a little overwhelming. I enjoy reading everyone’s blogs, but I feel like there are just so many I can’t read them all or remember them all. Such is life.
Anyway, the post I read had to do with why the author blogged. She said originally she started out blogging for herself, talking about what she wanted to talk about. Somewhere along the way, it turned into a chore that she didn’t enjoy. She said she felt like she was posting for her audience and not for herself anymore.
Reading about this blogger’s experience made me a little sad. I realize how easy it is to slip into a routine and how easy it would be to start posting for someone other than yourself while blogging. It’s a fine line to determine what you want to write and share and what you think someone will want to read and find interesting. I find myself wrestling with this even as I post now.
This takes me back to why I wanted to start a blog in the first place. I wanted to connect with people over a craft I love. I think I’m doing that. Like I said, getting into blogging has led me to read some great blogs and to virtually meet some cool people.
Moving on…I HAD NO IDEA HOW HUGE THE FIBER ARTS BLOG WORLD REALLY IS!!!! I knew people were out there, blogging, knitting, crocheting, spinning, designing and what have you, but wow! I probably follow close to 50 blogs on my Bloglovin feed, and not all of these blogs update that often. However, if I go to my feed right now, I’ve got 36 unread posts to look through and I read some yesterday!! This world is huge! I love that I can read about so many different fiber artists all over the world.
I will say that reading all of these blogs has inspired me to take on new projects. This is dangerous since I am in the double digits (still) of Works in Progress (WIPs). It has also inspired me to get knitting on these projects since I want to post about them 🙂
I know this is a word-heavy post and I did try to keep you entertained with my darling Brother & Sissy & a few baby alpacas, but it’s on my brain.
v’s & bumps,
Jenna
hardknitlife 
Wow those tiny circular needles! I’ve seen them around and have always considered them, but just looking at these at work gives me a hand cramp. Do let me know what your experience is like with these!
Also I’m glad to know what an impact the vastness of the craft-blogging community has on you. I’m having a similar experience here! What initially was expected to be an echo chamber for my photography and craft-blather became a platform with which to connect with really really cool knitters and bloggers and I couldn’t be more excited to open feedly in the morning for updates!
I will certainly let you know about the baby circs 🙂 I’m hoping I can avoid the hand cramp!!
If it wasn’t for blogging and the cool ravelry blogging group I wouldn’t have found your blog!! I love reading about your socks! So impressed with how quickly you knit them up!!1
I put some blogs onto my blog feed and make a point of checking them daily for updates, as well as bloglovin and forums here …. It does take up a lot of time, but there is so much inspiration out there it is amazing, I’m so glad I have got into crafting now when there is such easy access to help and inspiration. Love your new needles and kitty pictures by the way!
Thanks! I’m with you that it does take up a lot of time, but so very worth it. The inspiration alone is so uplifting!!
That’s very true – the fiber arts world, and even just the blogging portion of the fiber arts world, is so huge that it can easily overwhelm one’s life if one lets it. It can lead to both great inspiration and great burnout. I hope you continue to reap the benefits of the former without falling prey to the latter.
I’m certainly trying not to be overwhelmed. It really helps that my husband helped me set up a good guideline for posting (or trying to) every other day. Hopefully you are in the same boat, enjoying the benefits of the inspiration and avoiding the burnout 🙂
you really don’t love your addi lace needles?????? 😦 I love mine….I wonder if there is something wrong with my nose? I don’t think mine are stinky. ???? Anyway—-curious to hear how you like the itty 9″ needles. I didn’t like the tiny grip, but then, I’m an old dog and learned socks on dpns and actually LIKE knitting with them. Magic loop drives me batty. (love Sophie’s…..haven’t been in awhile, but you are lucky to have such a great shop close!!!!)
I’m wondering if my needles have just been in too humid places like Louisiana that they started to smell. I think my nose is pretty sensitive and my needles are like 4 years old, so that could have something to do with it. I did love the points and I do love my other Addi’s that are nickel plated, but the brass got to me. I sent them back to Addi last week and am waiting to hear back.
I haven’t tried out the itty needles yet. I also learned on DPNs, but I find them tough to get going. Maybe as I knit more socks and become more comfortable with them, I could try again. I’m with you on the batty Magic Loop!!
They are having a WWKIP event at Sophie’s this Saturday. Not sure how close you are, but I hear they are going to have a few specials, chairs and tables set up outside from 12-4. Could be a fun adventure 🙂