The End of Q1, 2015

There was a lot of knitting going on in the first quarter. It’s probably my most productive knitting quarter of the year . . it’s cold and often icy outside. There’s not much I can do except stay inside. There were new gimmicks fun ideas at both my favorite knitting shops. At The Loopy Ewe, there’s Loopy Academy’s second semester. I finished a hat and felted mittens and will hopefully finish my cowl in the next week or so.

Eat, Sleep, Knit started 2015 off with a really long fun year long program. At first, it seemed overwhelming but after I got it all sorted out in my head, it’s quite motivating. One of the best parts is that we can use yarn we already have, so long as it was purchased from ESK.

I didn’t know they were doing this but they chose three of the KAL projects, which happened to be #1 – 3, for the main ESK projects, and which purely by accident happened to be three I did this quarter, and they’re allowing voting on them. The winner gets a $20 ESK gift certificate. I’m not saying vote for me but check out the colorwork projects. Right now, my  Pixelated Pullover sweater is in first place at the moment and you can see all the colorwork projects that are in the running here. You click on “agree” to cast your vote. I also submitted my Sandpiper Shawl but it isn’t near the top of the vote getters. There are some beautiful shawls in there. By the way, I did send my shawl off as gift and it should be arriving tomorrow so now I need to make another one for me!

Of the 12 Knit Alongs, I finished and submitted 5:

• KAL #1 – Colorwork
• KAL #2 – Headgear
• KAL #3 – Shawls
• KAL #7 – Socks
• KAL #12 – Chunky Knits

I’m so close to being finished with KAL #11 – Felting. The knitting on that one should be finished today or tomorrow and then it will have to be felted.

Tomorrow we should find out if ESK is going to go in order and choose #4 – 6 as their featured second quarter projects. If they go in order, the next ones are:

• KAL #4 – Hitofude Cardigan – I have the yarn for that and am anxious to get started. Maybe today I’ll swatch for that. It’s going to take a bit of pattern adjustment so I have to do some math and think about it before I get started.
• KAL #5 – No Sleeves! – This one doesn’t excite me but I’m going to do it just so I can say I did them all. Maybe I’ll make it for Nicole or maybe I’ll make it so I can wear it under something. There are three (I think there were three) patterns that we can choose from.
• KAL #6 – Mitered Squares – This one also doesn’t thrill me but I’m going to make a small blanket for Addie to keep in their car. Or, it may be a doll blanket. We’ll see how far I get with it.

ESK also has 12 badges per quarter that you can earn. Whatever you don’t earn carries on and it can be earned later in the year. I got 9 of those done. One is Special Delivery Badge where you order yarn on your birthday and since I haven’t had that yet this year, I couldn’t do it. Another is the Longhaul Badge and that’s to finish something that’s been started for at least 9 months. I’ll finish my Kynance Cove sweater . . some day. The third is Accidental Moebius which I also haven’t done and actually, hope I don’t do but I probably will. 

I’m also hoping to do a test knit for Laura Aylor which will count as KAL #9, which is Sweater Free-For-All. The second quarter will be a busy one, especially considering the garden work .. and a few other things going on around here. No idle hands at my house!  🙂