I haven't shown any of my knitting projects here in awhile, but I've certainly had them! I even have time built into my weekly schedule now for knitting or other craft projects. It doesn't take time away from school, from James or even from sleep, but I have approximately 15 hours per week that I spend on projects now.
Okay, truth be told, the time is already devoted to our geeky pastime. James and I are both longtime tabletop gamers, particularly Dungeons and Dragons. Neither of us worships Satan or forgets whether the battle with orcs or goblins or dragons was real or fictitious, so I don't think anyone needs to worry about our involvement in this hobby. Yet this is the majority of our social life, as it gives us the opportunity to see our friends who are gamers as well. At our house it also includes a certain gourmet aspect, as I long ago used this night as an excuse to cook fun foods. As others also bring appetizers and desserts, I generally provide the main course and we all indulge in good food and conversation for an hour or two before we get down to serious dungeon crawling.
As of this month, though, I officially play in 4 separate games. Two are at our house on alternating Fridays; I run one and James runs the other. Of course, the setting is the same, and some of our characters can participate in both nights. We split the game for a practical reason: our living room was just too small to accommodate 10 people at once. Everyone seems to have fun this way, too, as everyone participates more. Every Saturday, James and I go to a game run by a former coworker; actually, he has my old job and Taliface's old job smooshed into one. (Poor guy.) Recently he started a second game to include a couple people he met at school and I agreed to play then as well. As it happens, this game runs the same week that I run ours at home.
So where does the knitting come in? Well, I can't sit still and do nothing with my hands for hours. I don't even like to just sit and watch TV; I will fold laundry or organize something or craft or work on something on the computer. So I have given my idle hands something to do while we play, and these days that's something crafty. The only game that prevents me from this is the alternate Fridays when I'm running it. Still, that means two nights per week of knitting or cross stitching or something productive.
Here's some of my recently completed projects. Almost all of the work was done during game sessions.
I've been wanting to make a purse for awhile, but I thought it would take more skill than I had. So I studied several patterns and in the end followed none of them exactly. I still need to felt this one and attach a button to close it, so it isn't actually finished.
This is my favorite so far! I actually started it while I was in Pennsylvania at my step-mother's house but I had to take it all out and start again. The first few inches were actually completed at my sister's house. I love the yarn and I have two more skeins and I'll likely make them into scarves, too, possibly using this same pattern.
I liked the pattern so much that I made another of my growing collection of dishcloths using it. I think I'm up to 6 cloths right now. What better practice is there than making something small yet practical?
So I got to thinking: I can't find work right now, but I have this skill that is improving all the time. Perhaps I should continue to work on things like this so I really can sell them? I've already had 2 people offer to take things to school with them to sell--a teacher and a student from different schools. Besides, I have a healthy stash of yarn and other craft materials, so I don't have to worry about expense. So why not?
Well, first things first, I had to get better organized. I long ago put all my cross stitch thread in a box with the threads wound around cardboard squares to keep them untangled. Last summer I made a small needle case so I wouldn't get stuck with sewing needles when I went into this thread box. I also have a small flannel bag which I use for holding yarn and my current projects so they won't get tangled or attacked by cats. But all my other knitting and crafting supplies were hanging out together in a doubled-up plastic grocery bag that could hardly contain anything anymore for all the holes. So I got together the materials to make two things: a small zippered bag to hold things like pins, the needle case, stitch markers, papers with patterns on them, etc., and a needle case for my knitting needles and crochet hooks. I started the latter first:
And I even have it tied up with a cord I knitted. Of course, the needles are still sliding out the top, so I'm not finished. Plus the zippered case won't be complete until I actually buy a zipper to sew in. But it's already an improvement.
As to upcoming projects, I have no shortage. I'm almost finished a cross stitched bookmark of the god Horus (inspired, of course, by my recent Egyptian adventure). I have started practicing for my first creation on circular needles, a small drawstring bag. I'm carrying enough cotton yarn in the bag for at least 4 more dishcloths. I also have at least a half dozen other cross stitch projects and a plastic canvas needlepoint that isn't coming out to my satisfaction. That's just what I'm carrying in my craft bag.
As of Saturday, though, I have two big projects to do: blankets. Our host on Saturdays keeps his house chillier than some of us like, and the two blankets on the sofa are quickly claimed. While watching two of our friends try to share a blanket that is just big enough for one, I decided to make them one that may actually cover them both. Then James played the husband card and said he gets his first. So today, on my way to the game, I'm going shopping for some yarn for the first time since last March (in my pre-layoff days). I have some old wool that I'll probably use for the other blanket, but I have a particular color in mind for him. And, aw shucks, it's an excuse to play at the yarn store.
Okay, truth be told, the time is already devoted to our geeky pastime. James and I are both longtime tabletop gamers, particularly Dungeons and Dragons. Neither of us worships Satan or forgets whether the battle with orcs or goblins or dragons was real or fictitious, so I don't think anyone needs to worry about our involvement in this hobby. Yet this is the majority of our social life, as it gives us the opportunity to see our friends who are gamers as well. At our house it also includes a certain gourmet aspect, as I long ago used this night as an excuse to cook fun foods. As others also bring appetizers and desserts, I generally provide the main course and we all indulge in good food and conversation for an hour or two before we get down to serious dungeon crawling.
As of this month, though, I officially play in 4 separate games. Two are at our house on alternating Fridays; I run one and James runs the other. Of course, the setting is the same, and some of our characters can participate in both nights. We split the game for a practical reason: our living room was just too small to accommodate 10 people at once. Everyone seems to have fun this way, too, as everyone participates more. Every Saturday, James and I go to a game run by a former coworker; actually, he has my old job and Taliface's old job smooshed into one. (Poor guy.) Recently he started a second game to include a couple people he met at school and I agreed to play then as well. As it happens, this game runs the same week that I run ours at home.
So where does the knitting come in? Well, I can't sit still and do nothing with my hands for hours. I don't even like to just sit and watch TV; I will fold laundry or organize something or craft or work on something on the computer. So I have given my idle hands something to do while we play, and these days that's something crafty. The only game that prevents me from this is the alternate Fridays when I'm running it. Still, that means two nights per week of knitting or cross stitching or something productive.
Here's some of my recently completed projects. Almost all of the work was done during game sessions.
So I got to thinking: I can't find work right now, but I have this skill that is improving all the time. Perhaps I should continue to work on things like this so I really can sell them? I've already had 2 people offer to take things to school with them to sell--a teacher and a student from different schools. Besides, I have a healthy stash of yarn and other craft materials, so I don't have to worry about expense. So why not?
Well, first things first, I had to get better organized. I long ago put all my cross stitch thread in a box with the threads wound around cardboard squares to keep them untangled. Last summer I made a small needle case so I wouldn't get stuck with sewing needles when I went into this thread box. I also have a small flannel bag which I use for holding yarn and my current projects so they won't get tangled or attacked by cats. But all my other knitting and crafting supplies were hanging out together in a doubled-up plastic grocery bag that could hardly contain anything anymore for all the holes. So I got together the materials to make two things: a small zippered bag to hold things like pins, the needle case, stitch markers, papers with patterns on them, etc., and a needle case for my knitting needles and crochet hooks. I started the latter first:
As to upcoming projects, I have no shortage. I'm almost finished a cross stitched bookmark of the god Horus (inspired, of course, by my recent Egyptian adventure). I have started practicing for my first creation on circular needles, a small drawstring bag. I'm carrying enough cotton yarn in the bag for at least 4 more dishcloths. I also have at least a half dozen other cross stitch projects and a plastic canvas needlepoint that isn't coming out to my satisfaction. That's just what I'm carrying in my craft bag.
As of Saturday, though, I have two big projects to do: blankets. Our host on Saturdays keeps his house chillier than some of us like, and the two blankets on the sofa are quickly claimed. While watching two of our friends try to share a blanket that is just big enough for one, I decided to make them one that may actually cover them both. Then James played the husband card and said he gets his first. So today, on my way to the game, I'm going shopping for some yarn for the first time since last March (in my pre-layoff days). I have some old wool that I'll probably use for the other blanket, but I have a particular color in mind for him. And, aw shucks, it's an excuse to play at the yarn store.