Finding the Motivation to Keep Going

This is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. After the holiday season January can be a tricky month. Personally, I'm trying to take a breather from my day job and try to get myself ready for a tough few months. My kids have appointments and there is plenty to do for the cub scouts. With so many things, keeping up on the same project or two can be daunting.

Sending off my pattern to a Tech Editor last week felt like a big win and I received compliments on one of my samples at my knitting group last Sunday. I've already determined a few errors in the pattern I sent her. Also, I'm coming up with a summer and fall knit idea that I can start swatching for as soon as I'm done with my second sample of the hat. It's easy to get sidelined or to want to focus on other things. Trying to get ready for an 8K and keeping up on household things definitely get in the way.

PomPom Magazine announced accepting proposals for fall of 2019. I'm totally excited and also do not expect any of my ideas to be approved. My goal is to propose my hat idea this weekend. Next weekend a crocheted sweater, and the following week a knit cardigan. If they don't take any, I can draft up the ideas for self-publishing. PomPom is where I found the fabulous pattern for the my first completed WIP of 2019!!!

How do you stay on task? How do you stay motivated?

I have critical day job work goals at work each year. Making them happen is important, but the day to day work gets in the way. There are a couple of that I've been willing to let go of and others that I'm keeping aiming towards. With a new staff excited to join me, I'm getting some much needed assistance. Hope is still there :).

The pros and cons to test knitting. It's critical to keep your motivation going when testing someone's pattern. I've worked on large and small projects. Currently, I'm working on a pullover for Irmian Designs. It's the pattern I was discussing last week. The timeline gives me a little shy of 4 more weeks and I've made good progress.

I'm coming up with some fun ideas for my second design self published. Based on my timeline, it would come out in June. A summery top sounds nice, right? Some stripes? Color blocking?

Knowing that my day job and family come first, it's going to be a tricky year to keep up on the fun stuff. Stay motivated!

Have a great week and happy crafting!

5,000 Views! Already?!?!!!

Thank you to all of you who have stopped by to check out my blog. My hope was to have 5,000 views by the second anniversary of my blog and it's happened a couple of months early. Thank you!!!

Maybe my goal for my third year should be 10,000 views. Please help me make it happen. There will be lots to celebrate over the next few months. My 100th post is so very close, the eighth anniversary of my local knitting group, I sent off my first pattern to go through a tech editor today with the plan to have testing done in February, and publishing in March. So many things!

Ethan was happy to try on my prototype hat over the weekend. What do you think of the colors in the yarn...aren't they pretty?

Here is what I'm excited to be knitting over the next couple of months!

Check out the Bubbles of Joy mystery knit along that begins on February 4. There is a 20% off discount if you purchase by January 31 and a bonus pattern too. I had bought Kristina's pattern collection last year, so there was this lovely mystery knit along waiting for me. I'll enjoy this in place of the Rose City Yarn Crawl Mystery Alongs.

Another knit along that I'm excited for is the Lokken Cowl or Lokken Kerchief KAL. The designer, Megi Bercl, is hosting it on IG as she often has done in the past. I purchased the shawl pattern years ago with the Interweave Accessories magazine from 2012. There are so many awesome patterns in the magazine and I had a personal goal to knit all of them. I was able to complete the first two and start a third before I became distracted. Lokken has been on my list for some time and I'd love the excuse to finally pick it up. She is encouraging thicker yarn, which would be great for a more substantial accessory. Oh...what yarn to choose!

Of course, I was drawn to a test knit so it's unlikely that I'll be able to follow the KALs that I highlighted above...thankfully, I'm so excited for the sweater that I'm testing. There are a handful of designers that I jump on the opportunity to test for and Irina of Irmian Designs is on that list. I'm also super pleased to have yarn in my stash to make it work. Stash diving for test knits is an absolute blast...especially if you find colors that truly highlight the design.

I found another fabulous designer that I'm now following. Sandra of Nomad Stitches has created some very lovely work. I'm drawn in by her crochet patterns. Check out the Totum Tee. She is currently based out of Spain and I totally dig her style.

Please buy me one of her patterns...pretty please.

I'm posting early this week and am excited to keep the crafting hobby going. Happy crafting.

Are you still on track with your New Year's Goals?

I'm of the mindset that New Year's resolutions are a good thing. Taking the time to reassess your live, where you are, and where you hope to be is a natural path to progress. Keeping in mind what you can change is important too. I like goals that lead to action. Results from such action must come from consistent little baby steps. Celebrating the little victories is just as important the ultimate goal.

What are your goals for 2019 and what progress have you made?

Yarn Over New York has a great FO make along. I was so happy to post my first FO of the year, which is the sweater I featured last weekend and wore on Sunday. Check out Jessie's group on Facebook for more more info.

I've dug through my paper patterns to try to find the pattern for a crocheted spring poncho that I started ages ago. I had to dig out the yarn, and I'm a little worried that it looks funny, but that's what experimentation is all about. Yet, my next finish off will be a hat for my younger son that I had started for my nephew, but thought it was too big.

Although I'm not buying patterns, here are the ones I'm excited about. If anyone would like to buy me any of these recently released patterns, I'll make it my next project. I'm also welcoming any yarn too...(please ignore my yarn/pattern addiction pleas).

Pickles' Pangolin

Stephen West's Deco Drape

VERSACIKNITS Stepwise Shawl

Do you start a lot of projects in January? I love to...thinking about the year ahead and utilizing my stash is a blast. I was watching Potion Yarn's recent YouTube Video and I felt inspired to add one of Susanne Sommer's patterns to my cast on for this month. I've been eyeing her patterns for a long time and thought I had purchased a few. Looking at my Ravelry Library, I realized that I actually haven't purchased any...eek! However, I had seen free headband that she designed last month and it was in my queue. Guess what I'll be making this week. This would be so helpful when I'm running in winter. Now to pick colors.

One goal that I highlighted last week was to design four patterns this year. I had schedule to take three days off of my busy day job (Wednesday - Friday), but things didn't quite go to plan. I looked at my husband and asked if he'd care if I didn't publish any patterns. He encouraged me to keep trying. I had an idea to use an Estonian type overlay that is lovely for a shamrock themed pattern. I'm gearing up for the local Shamrock Run and thought it would be a great idea for some accessories. I made one prototype and wasn't thrilled.

I then stared at some hand-dyed skeins of special yarn and wanted to come up with patterns to make the yarn shine and the pattern fun. I can't remember who in Instragram said that the herringbone stitch would be the next big thing, but I've loved this stitch for a longtime. I'm all about experimenting with my favorite stitches and herringbone is is fabulous with crazy fun skeins of yarn. What do you think of the stitches? The yarn is from Potion Yarns, it's her Dragonfly base in the Inconceivable colorway.

Do I have any takers as testers? I'm debating about a private Facebook Group or Yarnpond. What do you think? I'm planning to retool a few things in the pattern and to have the pattern ready for tech editing this week along with see who's interested in testing. Maybe I can have the pattern up in March!!! The hat is so light and airy that I think it would be a great accessory for spring or fall. I was super happy that my four year old wanted

Another goal was to not buy yarn, so I asked my husband if I could have a monthly yarn club for my birthday and he agreed. It's one mystery skein a month...just one skein a month... I'll post about the first skein when I receive it next month. The theme is stars of the silver screen (1920s - 1960s). Check out January's page(only a few days left to order). This is a club where you have to actively order the next month's yarn, so you're not locked in.

The other critical adjustment I'm making to my life, not a goal that I had set at the beginning of the year is to train up for an 8K (4.997 miles). I signed up earlier in the week, and I have nine weeks to get ready. I started yesterday.  I'm using Verywell fit's beginner schedule to give me a good idea as to how to prepare. I live in a very hilly neighborhood so the runs are difficult. The actual race on March 17, is pretty flat in comparison. To be clear, I'm not doing the 15K or half marathon. That's a very difficult and hilly route (I've done it twice...but that was a few years ago). I've never faced one of these races well conditioned, so wish me luck.

I hope you're having a great start to 2019 and I look forward to posting more ASAP! Happy crafting.

Hello 2019!!!

I spent a chunk of New Year's Eve alone due to some issues related to a stomach bug. Molly snuggled with me as I crafted and enjoyed a quiet evening.

My boys were home well before midnight, but none of us could stay up.

I started this post on New Year's Day to put some of my thoughts and goals for 2019 at the earliest moments of the year.

Things I have goals to do:

• Look through the patterns I have or free patterns to find projects
• Stash dive for every project
• Take tons of pictures and share them
• Design four patterns (This will be the hardest part)

With my first finished object of 2019, I'm feeling very hopeful for a very productive year!!! This is Tabular from the 2017 winter issue of Pom Pom Magazine. I love the design and the play with color. The main color is "My Favorite Drummer" colorway from Yarn Over New York. The colorway refers to Animal from the Muppets. I found Jessie's yarns about a year ago when I won a skein during a knit along from Aroha Knits. I chose a different skein as my prize and then ordered two of this fun colorway.  Subsequently, I've ordered lots of lovely different skeins.

It took me about a year to complete Tabular and the results are lovely.

I told you last week about Leethal Knits, and I'm thrilled to start one of her many hat patterns this weekend. Lee has lots of fun stitch pattern ideas with one construction concept in one pattern:  Mokia. I'm hoping to make a few hats a month. The goal is to have plenty to gift and donate by the end of the year. Some mittens would be a great addition, but the hats are so tempting.

We made it out of town after several weekends of family illness. We're in Seaside, Oregon. I was super surprised at the deal we were able to get on our room and the quality that we received as well. Spending less than $80 on a room that costs $250 in peak season, is a good deal. We've enjoyed seeing what is open during the off-season along with some fish and chips.

We always check out the biggest candy store in town when we head to the coast. For Christmas, my hubby wanted to get me fudge. There was shop near us in Multnomah Village, but it had closed. We treated ourselves to a six pack here in Seaside: milk chocolate, amaretto, salted caramel, salted vanilla, cookies and cream, and penuche.

I hope your 2019 is starting out great, and that you have a wonderful year. Happy crafting!