Our 2020 challenges are:
- The Color Challenge
- Gift Giving
- Learn Something New
- Read a Book
I’m not sure about the best way to do our sharing but let’s try it this way this month and if someone has better ideas, send them to me and we can try a different way next month.
If you want to leave your info in a comment, or if you have a blog and want to leave a link in the link box, that would be great. If you prefer to just say “I did the gift giving challenge but would rather keep it to myself” or “I learned something new and would rather keep it to myself”, that’s fine and if you want to say nothing, that’s fine too! I’m so agreeable!
So, here are my answers:
For the color challenge, I worked really hard on the red Persistence is Key sweater. It isn’t finished but I will go back to working on it once I finish the mittens for ESK’s Flash Knit Along.
For the gift giving challenge, I made a meal for Chad’s new neighbors when they were moving in.
For the learn something new challenge, I’m working on learning American Sign Language. I will probably never be adept or even know enough to help anyone but Addie and I started working on it when I was there, and then Nicole was really excited about it because she had learned quite a bit in middle school so she and Addie have been working on it a bit. I will work on other things too, like learning to do some different kinds of knitting, but I’ll work the American Sign Language all through the year.
I want to thank one of my blog readers who suggested American Sign Language. I would never have thought of that and I think it’s good for all of us to know a little of it.
For my read a book challenge, most of the books were audio books but a couple of them were Kindle books that I read. They’re on the sidebar also.
- Tidewater by Colleen Coble
- Rosemary Cottage by Colleen Coble
- What’s it Like to be Married to me by Linda Dillow
- A Place in the Country by Elizabeth Adler
- The House at Saltwater Point by Colleen Coble
- Bluebonnet Bride by Colleen Coble
- One Year After by William Forstchen
- Anxious for Nothing by Max Lucado
Obviously, I found and loved a new to me author, Colleen Coble.
I’ll do a blog post in the morning about the February challenges.
Cilla says
A great book for learning ASL is “The Comprehensive Signed English Dictionary”. It’s put out by Gallaudet College, a college for the deaf. Over 3,000 signs.
Judy Laquidara says
Thank you. I’ll look for that.
carolyn says
Let’s see…I didn’t do anything with the color challenge. The learn something new challenge was learning the Russian Bind Off, which I loved! It was so easy! And gift giving…I made an adorable dress and set of Minnie Mouse ears for my granddaughter’s first trip to Disney World next week. She has plenty of clothes, but I wanted her to take a little reminder of Grandmom with her!
Books that I read: The House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig, Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout, The Love Scam by Maryjanice Davidson, A Week at the Shore by Barbara Delinsky, You are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, When the Magnolia Blooms by Ann DeFel, Beyond the Moon by Catherine Taylor. (A Week at the Shore and When the Magnolia Blooms will be published in May, You are Not Alone in March and Beyond the Moon in June. They were all very good books!
Judy Laquidara says
What a great idea to make things that would remind your granddaughter of you while she’s away.
Thanks for all the book recommendations! My queue at the library will be full.
Sandie says
Red was an easy color for me, one of my favorite ones to wear, so for the color challenge, I worked on the Barnstaple vest, using Cascade 220 Superwash in burgundy (according to them, but to me it is more of a brick/barn red.
For the “Learn Something New” challenge, I learned how the knit Fair Isle style color work, something I’ve always admired but never attempted. 😀
For the gift giving challenge, I bought some small toaster oven size bakeware for my aunt. She lives in a very small apartment and had mentioned how difficult it was to find things that fit in her oven. The reading challenge was a little of a bust from r me this month. Spent time o much time knitting and working to get any reading done
Judy Laquidara says
1. I love the Barnstaple vest with all the texture and I’m guessing it’s beautiful in Cascade 220 burgundy.
2. I read about Fair Isle knitting for years before I got brave enough to try it so if you want to do it, try it and don’t be disappointed if your first project doesn’t look perfect. My advice: Use something like Harrisville Highland at ESK or Jamieson & Smith Jumper Weight at TLE. Those yarns are “grabby” and fill in holes or loose or too tight tension nicely.
3. That was so sweet to find the small baking dishes for your aunt. I’m sure she appreciated them and thinks of you each time she uses them.
4. For reading, this is why I love audio books. I can knit and read!
You did great with the challenge.
Sandry Franz says
Last year you and I listened to a few books alike that I didn’t notice until towards the end of the year. We are starting this year off with listening to the same author. I just finished One Second After by William Forstchen and I want to listen to One Year After and then The Final Day.
Judy Laquidara says
I read One Second After and that was one of the first books along those lines and it changed my entire way of thinking about the way we live our lives. I’m on the waiting list for The Final Day, anxious to hear it but yet not sure I really want to know what happens. One Year After was pretty enlightening, knowing, and yet wishing it weren’t possible, and probable!
shirley swift-bruner says
I finished the red challenge.
Teri says
I made a dish cloth in red for my friend and gave it to her for her birthday along with yarn to make the pattern Shadow Knit Checkerboard Baby Blanket. To make for her new granddaughter…..
I also read The Seamstress of Jamestown….
Judy Laquidara says
I bought The Seamstress of Jamestown for my Kindle.
Nice gift for your friend!
shirley swift-bruner says
my red challenge is on my blog …. http://brunerwoman.blogspot.com/2020/01/im-finished-with-january.html
Judy Laquidara says
Thank you!
Val says
I also want to learn ASL, but mostly because I am slowly going deaf. I live in the boondocks tho and there is no where to go to learn.
Susan Nixon says
I will write a post and link in next week before the 7 days is up. It’s a crashing end to everything when your son breaks his leg and needs emergency surgery to put it back together!
Peg Turner says
For the reading challenge I listened to The Art Of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli, that was a Vince recommendation. I actually really liked this book, I can’t say that I think much more clearly lol but I do think it made me aware of the fact I need to pay more attention to what people are saying and really think about the numbers/statistics being thrown out.
Learn something new: our office went to a new software system in December, I’m learning something everyday with that.
Gift giving: I brought donuts for my coworkers a couple of times in January. My mom wanted some jeans with an elastic waist band so I ordered her a pair from Amazon to try.
I didn’t accomplish any of the other challenges this month.
Dot says
I knit three little red preemie hats for the Heart Month project in the NICU at the local hospital, combining Red and Gift Challenges. Also finished a slouchy knit hat for my daughter, an orange one for her to wear while photographing wildlife during hunting season! I’m learning how to use the air fryer I got for Christmas, and have been reading cookbooks from the library. One interesting cookbook was “Skinnytaste One & Done” by Gina Homolka, with recipes for Instant Pot, Air Fryer, and more. Doing these challenges is fun!
Carol Andrews says
I can’t believe it but red was not a colour I worked with in January. For every other colour you can go to my blog post to see what I did manage to do;
https://quiltschmilt.wordpress.com/2020/01/31/january-in-review/
For gift giving I am working on finishing a quilt for my great granddaughter and made a quilt for a dear friend to give her soon to be born grandson.
I did start learning a new appliqué technique with a set of Appliquick tools.
I did finish a book this month but have already passed it on to a friend and for the life of me, I can not remember the title. It really wasn’t a great read so that must be why the title eludes me.