I’ve really been thinking lately about how much impact I’m having on the world and how much impact it’s having on me. It’s becoming a bigger and bigger priority of mine to be more “socially conscious”. I’m really trying to implement better practices, like eating organic food whenever I can – I think about all the chemicals we’re consuming and it’s scary! I read a really great article a couple weeks ago about what we consume. How much of our nutrition is processed and altered? How much of it is actually real, whole food? I’m trying to avoid food that has ingredients that I can’t pronounce. (Whenever I’m struggling with the progression of something, be it family relationships or consumerism, I always try to think back to the way things are “supposed” to be. The way things originated. It used to be that the farmer grew the food and the people ate the food. The money people spent on food was kept in their community. And in the winter they had no fresh produce – not everything is bad about social advancements. It’s sometimes hard for me to balance what is a good advancement and where we’ve gone too far in the name of convenience or to save money.)

I’m also thinking about how much waste we generate. I come home from a grocery trip and have 10-15 plastic sacks to contend with, not to mention that everything I purchase comes in some sort of packaging. The least I could do is start bringing home my purchases in reusable sacks.

I’ve got all these thoughts about how to live a better life floating around in my head and it’s getting a little overwhelming. I think I just need to start where I can, like eating as much whole food as I can. (And accomplishing this on a budget!) And using reusable shopping bags. I’ve knit one already, so, what? I’ve got like 9 more to go! Luckily, the pattern in the Spring Issue of Knitscene is really cool. And, I may also crochet this one – of course out of different yarn!

And maybe that’s what I should go start on right now…

It’s finished!

I really love it. I would have passed up this yarn had I not seen the finished project. But I have to say, it’s one of my new favorite summer yarns.

(photo by Eden)

Stats:
Pattern: Split-Neckline cap-sleeved tee from the book Fitted Knits by Stefanie Japel.
Yarn: Invito Multicolor in color Joan (pattern called for 8 balls, I used 5) and Pima Tencel (pattern called for 1, I used 2.)
Needles: Addi Turbos US 7 32″
Use: for me!!

Changes: I decreased the amount of stitches picked up around the keyhole, it seemed to lay better on me this way. I also found it necessary to pick up two stitches in the underarms to avoid holes. And there were a few wording issues for separating the sleeves. Anyone who’s ever knit a raglan sweater can easily fix this.

Now I’m just wondering if I can get away with knitting one in every color?

(just so you know, I do not drive a mini van)

Eden’s first game is tomorrow. I’m not sure what they think a bunch of 5 year old girls will know after two practices, but it will be hilarious anyway. (And don’t get me started on the COST of a mere 7 games.)

Here are some pics from Eden’s soccer practice. Click any to see the whole set (that I’m sure will expand as the weeks go by.)

“Mom, in the morning can I have a juice box and a pop tart? And after that can I have cereal? And after that can I have oatmeal?”

What do you think? I’m not so sure about the teal. Either the original pic was altered, or there is a HUGE difference in dye lots (very unusual for Cascade).

Oh, I love Amy Butler. I wish that there was someone in town who would carry her stuff. Wow.

Look at this bag – I don’t think she’s selling the pattern, just the bag, but if I can get my grubby hands on a pattern, you bet I’ll get my sewing machine out!

I think this is a great idea – something that I’ll need to knit for fall. via craftzine.com
Belly Warmers

I’m still thinking I really need to knit these mittens from the brand new editor of Interweave Knits.

And I’m pretty sure that I managed to score myself one of these. yay!

I’m sitting here at Tangle anxiously awaiting the arrival of my UPS lady. (All of my postage delivery people are women – interesting.) I’m excited because I ordered in yarn to make this:

Isn’t it purdy? I’m even making it in that exact color which is quite a departure for me, but, hey, I gotta say, I love the green!

As you can probably tell, I’m really loving Stefanie’s new book, Fitted Knits. So much so, that if I had the time I’d knit through the entire book. Seriously, there’s very few pieces that I wouldn’t knit.

As with all books, check out the Errata here before enjoying!

(While I was trying to write this between customers my shipment arrived. I know what I’m doing tonight! – I’ll have the yarn up for sale asap at Tangle too. )

I think I knit this like 6 months ago. I felted it 2 months ago and I took the picture a couple weeks ago. I’m really on the ball here huh?

Pre-felting (lens cap for size)

post-felting

I think it turns into a really cute bag. Plus it takes like no time at all to knit.

Stats
Pattern: Noni Carpet Bags (smallish carpet bag)
Yarn: Cascade 220
Needles: Denise size 13 (I think? maybe 11’s)
Use: model for Tangle

The thing I really love about crocheting is that it seems so much more forgiving than knitting. (And it needs to be if I’m doing it!) Plus, I really love the free form aspects of it – it allows the creator free range to do just about anything.

When Christina (my right hand woman at Tangle) and I decided that she should teach this class for Tangle (and boo hoo, nobody signed up!) I knew that I had to make the blanket myself. It looked like so much fun. And it was! Christina helped me out with this one – it sort of became the project that whoever was working at the store worked on – and I think that’s what made it even more fun. Working with someone on a largish project makes it so much less daunting.

We are really loving the idea of baby blankets that aren’t necessarily “heirloom” blankets, but ones that get used. That’s the reason we decided to go with Peaches and Creme yarn. (I find Peaches and Creme yarn to be far more superior to Sugar and Cream plus it’s the same price. I carry Peaches and Creme at Tangle and can special order the other colors we don’t presently carry too.) This ended up taking about 8 balls with a 6.0mm hook. This blanket will stay at the store, hopefully providing inspiration for other projects. But once again, I find myself wishing that I would have started knitting and crocheting just a few years earlier. Honor would have been so cute wrapped up in this one.

edit: I forgot to say that the pattern is from the book Craftivity