Maintaining focus

Focus isn't something I normally have problems with.  Whether it is in work, sport or hobbies, obsessive is a word that could quite frequently be applied to me.  How constructively I use that focus however I would sometimes doubt.

With this in mind taking on a few commission pieces has provided some interesting lessons.  Rather than being able to indulge myself in new hobbies (spinning), or making something I'm going to wear (Midnight's Dreams I'm looking at you), I really need to get these pieces done.  Learning how to put down the wip I'd really like to work on in favour of the one I should be working on has been interesting.  Whilst I'm still enjoying the knitting it feels slightly constraining to limit myself to certain projects.  For example with a new batch of fibers from Woolfest I would love to be spinning, learning how the fibers work and planning future projects.  Instead I'm working a simple stocking stitch sleeve.

Looking at it more positively though, it is giving me time to read around the subject, to really understand what I'm wanting to do with the fiber before I jump in with both feet.  Similarly, whilst finishing projects is something I've never really struggled with, I often have several on the go at once.  At the moment all three that have been cast-on are for others and it has been interesting to see where my attention and motivation lie each day.

There are I suspect lessons in patience, generosity and selflessness buried deep in my thoughts... how long or how many projects it takes to learn them however remains to be seen.

Of spinning and Woolfest

Well last Saturday I went to my first fiber festival down in Hatch Beaucamp, Somerset.  As (at that point) a non-spinner it was a bit of a blur of sheep related bits, shiney combed out looking stuff that I had no idea what to do with and sadly quite a few really rather snotty stall holders.  I'm not sure the best way to get someone into your hobby is to declare that everything you're selling is far to complicated for my feeble brain to comprehend, and on that basis you're not going to sell me anything!  Anyway.... on a not at all snotty, and indeed really rather nice stall, I decided to buy this delightful bundle of fluff, otherwise known as Phoenix:

No idea at the time what I was going to do with it but it looked pretty.  Well Monday rolled around and I finished my exam earlier than expected meaning I had a little time to kill before work.  A little googling and it turned out the stall which sold me the above fluff (and who had cunningly given me a cotton bag with their name etc on it) would be a 10 mile detour before work.  Detour duly taken I walked in to find the very nice team from Ashford demonstrating how to spin with wheels and spindles.  Well several hours later and I was happy I could both spin singles and Andean ply them into a fairly respectable yarn.  The only thing for it then being to buy a spindle and get going on the Phoenix.  Several days later and I got this beautifully (even if I do say so myself) squidgy soft sport weight yarn which by some minor miracle was perfectly balanced:

Its a sport weight (about 5ply) merino/silk mix that worked out at about 203m for the 100g I bought.  I'm now working on the second batch so that I'll have enough to do a really warm autumn/winter shawl type thing.

So having learn to spin and been utterly bitten by the bug, the only thing for it this weekend was a trip to Woolfest with Mum.  A rain soaked drive up the UK followed by a boiling hot night in the Cockermouth YHA didn't put us off and we hit the festival just before opening (luckily for us resulting in getting in just before the rain hit... again!).  I had been good and set myself a "want list" and a budget meaning I hopefully wouldn't be tempted by random shiney or prettiness.

It has to be said it was a fantastic show.  Very focused on its target audience, that of fyber crafting in all forms, and well stocked with good high quality produce.  There were none of the tacky or unrelated stores you so often see at such events.  I quickly found Ian from IST Crafts and bought a spindle for spinning lace:

Its a rim banded 16g Amboyna Burr on Sycamore with Walnut shaft and spins beautifully.  Given I've been spinning for less than a week at this point, the singles on there are the moment are working out at fairly even 38wpi which I'm planning on plying together into a 2ply.  As a slight aside the fluff is a random 50g bag of blended merino silk that I'm hoping I might get enough out of for a Rock Island shawl.

All in all a superb show that was well worth the long drive and erm interesting night's sleep.  Updates on everything else I bought, progress on spinning it and the projects in mind to follow when I manage to get photos taken.

Stash

It would appear that I have been in stash-denial.  Having claimed for weeks (well ok maybe months) that I only bought yarn for particular projects and that my stash was purely made up of odds and ends, it would appear that I was mistaken:

So firstly my apologies for all those I've been stash-denying to.  Then the more interesting bit, the yarn!  Most was purchased with particular projects in mind, many of which have been completed. 

Up in the top left are the gorgeous blue and brown Cashmere Tweed that I made my all time favourite gloves out of, with a set in the brown for my DH.  I bought enough to make us both a cabled hat, gloves and scarf set... completed a set of gloves and hats for each to date.  Then there's the Cathay.  As you can see from the photo I completed almost all of a cabled jumper (can you see a theme developing here?) before deciding it a) didn't fit and b) I didn't like the design.  It has been languishing ever since as its a really rather odd colour in real life.

Some of the real jems in there though are my Royal Wedding Fyberspates and the 8 balls of Jaeger Alpaca 4ply.  Neither were bought with patterns in mind, just for the beauty of the yarn.  The Fyberspates is currently earmarked for a huge 6' diameter circular lace shawl but I'm undecided on the alpaca.  Originally I'd though of a classic vest for under suit jackets when it's cold.  I'm getting tempted by another shawl though.  Ideas on a postcard please.

The vast majority of the rest is as advertised, consisting mostly of odd balls left over from a variety of projects.  The partial balls I'm gradually working up into a series of squares to make a blanket.  The rest though I'm undecided on, a Ravelry destash maybe...

Settling to knit... or not

Well today I definitely have ants in my ahem proverbial clothing item.  For some reason I've not been able to settle to my knitting all day.  Not on the train into work, not in the various breaks between lectures, not on the train home and sadly not even at knit club.  Oh I've completed a few more rows of sleeve one of Hiker and a repeat and a half of the Little Diamonds pattern but stitches of mindfulness?  Precisely zero.

If I am honest the problem has been allowing myself to get wound up by work.  Worse, by small things at work.  As someone far wiser than me pointed out, sometimes patience is what is required to actually get things done, no matter how good the idea or how quickly you feel it needs to be acted upon.  Looking back on the day, I've been sowing the seeds of my own discontent all day.  Grumbling internally (and occasionally externally) about things over which I have no control, and to be honest which have little to no value to the big picture.

Lesson for tomorrow then must be to be more mindful in each moment, not only of what comes out of my mouth, but the contents of the internal monologue I have running too.

A panther with ADHD

A couple of weeks ago a very good friend of mine described me as a panther with ADHD, mostly on the basis that I have infinite patience with some things (lace knitting) and zero patience with others (people with brains who refuse to use them).  Well today was a day that demonstrated that in spades.

Work in its various guises decided that today was the day to mess me about.  Whether that was being utterly patronised in a lecture, watching some of the worst delivery techniques for a presentation that I've seen in a long time, or finding my hands tied in getting a new project off the ground, it wasn't a good day.  The frustration was mounting.

How nice then to a) get a few rows of InDreams knitted during lunch and b) to come home and complete a substantial chunk of Hiker.  Whilst I'm enjoying InDreams more, the simplicity of knitting a stockinette sleeve increasing every 6 (easily counted) rows was actually just what I needed.  TV showing the news turned down low for a little intellectual osmosis and I was set for a very relaxing couple of hours.

When I started my needles were all over the place, constantly hunting for the yarn while the tension in my hands fought to keep and even tension in the knitting.  As I got into it though the tension gradually faded.  Row one, row two, row three, row four, row five, hurrah increase row.  Count the stitches, ooh only another three increase rows before the pattern changes.  Row one, row two, row three, row four, row five, increase row and check the stitch count.  Row one, row two... ooh where did the stress go.  Whilst I love the intellectual challenge of visualising a lace pattern whilst I work, learning each row so I don't have to check each stitch, there is something very satisfying and calming after a busy day about a stockinette stitch pattern with nicely spaced increases.  Something about the ease of the knitting with the slight requirement to pay attention for the increases.

And the fruit of my labours... this one is for you Laura:

Knitting = yoga for the mind, Ashtanga = yoga for the body

Well having indulged in a good 90 mins of knitting first thing this morning (I'm sure watching Judge Judy at the same time reduces the mindfulness aspect drastically sorry) I decided to indulge in the latter this evening.  Indulge may be the wrong word.  It has to have been the physically hardest yoga class of my life!

I should explain.  Years ago when I took an interest in yoga, it was the Ashtanga style which interested me.  I duly bought the books/DVDs etc and set about teaching myself in lieu of a nearby class (I was in Cornwall, nearby was anything within 40 miles!).  Anyway practicing on my own meant I got to go at my own pace... and herein lies tonight's problem.  Several years out of practice and attempting the whole of the primary series in one go left me wobbling like a jelly... and very chilled out.  Mark is a lovely teacher and I just about remember enough not to have to turn round every 30 seconds to see where I should be going next.  That said I suspect it will be a number of months before my arms and legs stop feeling like jelly at the end of a class.  Anything that good for the mind as well as the body though can't be bad.

First post of a new blog

Having just started knitting commission pieces, and following a discussion about mindfulness the other week at KnitClub, I thought I'd start a blog following the ups and downs of knitting for others (and quite probably myself occasionally).  I'm hoping that by posting pictures of the works in progress those paying for them will be able to see what they're getting as well encouraging me and others to get our knit on.  I'll also be trying to photograph any interesting new techniques I come across (left-handed kitchener anyone... to be posted soon I promise.)

For now though I need to get this place looking good....