On the Subject of Resolutions

I've just come from reading my sister's blog where she outlined her New Year's Resolutions and came up with a nifty theme for the year: "Walk, then Run to 41." Guess who turned 40 last year?

I've tossed around the idea of resolutions this year and have not come up with a laundry list. Mostly I just haven't had any down time yet this year to think about it. I worked over the break between Christmas and New Years -- typically a ho-hum quiet time in the office when one can take a lot of time off or lazily attack the professional reading pile on one's desk, with a snooze or two when it gets boring. This year, however, we're launching a big program I've been working on since last June and the three days the office were open during the holiday week were frantic and it hasn't slowed down any since. Anyway, more about that in another blog entry.

Pretty much my resolutions have come down to two. First, I'm going to keep better track of my knitting, quilting, etc. projects by using my Moleskine to record every project I start and go back and add the date when I finish, along with other details such as the brand of yarn I used. As you'll see below, I've already cast on three projects since Christmas and am actually making good progress.

My second resolution comes from reading my other sister's copy of "You on a Diet." I'm just not able to jump whole hog into the diet thing at the moment, but I am making every effort to follow one piece of advice from the book: walk 30 minutes every day -- no excuses! I'm trying to walk three days a week during my lunch hour (I'm taking a mini-course during our January term on quilting -- more on that later) and on the days I can't go at lunch, I'm meeting my husband at the high school and walking on the treadmill in the fitness center that is his third home (after our home and his classroom respectively). The AD asked me if using the fitness center was my NYRes and I laughed and said it was Don's resolution that I would use it! Oh, and this part got a laugh out of my son, Nate -- I bought a mini-tramp to "walk" or "jog" on when I couldn't do either of my usual walking opportunities.

So far, so good. I like the treadmill as it has a programmed 30 minute walk that builds in some faster portions and 5 "hills" during the walk. I've progressed to level 3. And, it gives me a chance to listen to my podcasts, especially Cast-On, in which I'm now up to podcast 54, on my way to catching up with the present at episode 70 or so.

While I'm not able/willing to diet, we have put our cats on one. And they are not happy about it -- especially Lydia (who is the one that actually needed the diet, according to the vet). When she gets hungry, she certainly lets us know.

ON MY NEEDLES
One of my gifts to myself for the holidays was Harrisville Shetland on cones from Halcyon Yarns in Bath, ME. I'm using it to knit up the Kimono pattern from Vivian Hoxbro's Shadow Knitting (Damn, why can't you cut and past a web address into this system? -- just look it up on Amazon, folks).

And, one of the gifts from Don was a skein of Jojoland cashmere (yummm!) in pink, along with a lace and cable scarf pattern. I'm about half-way through it and hardly want it to end as the yarn is so wonderfully soft to handle. But, I'll also like wearing it.

I'm still working on the Norwegian Woods Shawl in cream-colored Silky Alpaca Lace. I'm up to the part where there are over 400 stitches (405 to be exact at the moment) in each row. It can take an hour just to do 4 rows! But, the end is in sight. I'll post before and after blocking photos.

OFF MY NEEDLES
I've just finished a baby sweater that was an impulse purchase. My LYS had a basket with these balls of slubby yarn called, I think, Cotton Kisses. Each ball was enough to make a baby sweater using the pattern on the ball band and tucked into the center of the ball were the buttons needed for the completed sweater. One of my former students just had her first baby, so I couldn't resist knitting a little cardigan up in a mixed combination of cotton candy colors and white. Darling. I'll post a photo when I get the buttons on.

My mother's lace shrug is completed, blocked, and the cuffs sewn together. Did I remember to give it to my son to take to her yesterday? Oops, no.

NOT YET ON MY NEEDLES
I need to start another pair of socks. The pink ones were well-received by my sister at Christmas. Now I need to knit a pair for the other sister. One of my resolutions from last year is to always have a pair of socks going -- they are such an easy thing to carry with you for odd moments of knitting.

OTHER PROJECTS
I'm taking advantage of a quilting opportunity this month. I work with the woman who advises the Quilting Club on campus. 6 of us are working on a fun scrap quilt (though most of mine is not out of actual scraps -- I bought a lot of fabric new for this project). I'm making mine for Zeben who requested (over a year ago) a blue and white quilt (inspired by Blue Willow plates) for his bed at college. He and I picked out a toille (pronounced "twall") backing fabric in the right colors and now I'm putting the top together. It really is going to be pretty and is going together quite quickly. Right now it is all in random pieces, but I'll post a photo when I start to lay it out. My mother has requested a quilt, and now my other son, Nate, has expressed an interest in one in greens and browns. Go figure.

WHAT I'M READING
I'm working my way through all of my Yarn Harlot books. They do make me laugh.

And, I just broke down and subscribed to Piecework Magazine, which I've wanted to do for a long time but wouldn't allow myself to do until I let something else go. Sorry, Martha Stewart Living.