A new year, a new start

For the most part this blog, though very neglected, has been for just my column that has been published in The Columbia Basin Farmer. Since it is a new year and my life has seemed to calm down again, for the time being, I think it is time that I actually start writing some more.

So I will start off by how I got involved with writing Needles and Hooks.

I worked for our weekly local newspaper, The Othello Outlook, and one of the previous editors approached me and asked if I would write a column. I did not have the time at the time to put that much into a column and was not going to put something out there just to be published. I told her I would think about it.

I worked on my first column off and on for about a year before I approached anyone about it. By that time there was a new editor and I was not sure if I would be able to pitch it right. I decided that a weekly column was still out of my time range so I settled for the then monthly publication, The Columbia Basin Farmer. Well, little to my knowledge the publisher was changing the time frame for the its publication to every two months (6 issues a year).

That time frame worked well for me. I was still attending college at the time and was only happy to have more time to work on it. So the pitch went extremely well. He was more than happy to include it. So that was the birth of Needles and Hooks.

As you can see, I have neglected to place all of them on the blog, but that should change here shortly. I am in the process of getting the master files of the publications (the ones that have actually been edited) and now have the time to post them.

I will start to actually write some more knitting content and soon spinning. I have gotten a drop spindle from a friend far far away from me for Christmas. (She is so sweet.) So, with the new drop spindle, the book Respect the Spindle, and various videos from the web, I should be up and spinning in no time. Wait, its that time thing again. I really got to think all the things I want to do through more often.

Ok, so the good part of finally graduating (got the diploma on the 19th in the mail) is that I have some free time to knit and spin. I have actually queued 70 projects on my Ravelry page. This is not good, not at all!!

I have 18 actual projects planed out. Yarn and everything. I have done a stash busting/organizing/cataloging the last few weeks and should now have an idea of where all my yarn is. The worst part is that I really should find a pattern for most of it and get it out of the storage bins. (Not much room in my house.)

So here is my project list so far, I hope you can read my short hand.

PROJECTS THAT HAVE YARN AND HAVE BEEN STARTED:

~ Amy's Socks: Twisted Stitch Socks in Aussi Sock, color no. WS07 Pink.

~ Darla's Gloves: My own pattern in Drops Alpaca, color no. 6360 Denim.

~ Felted Bag No. 2: Just needs the handles knit and felted.

~Hexagon Blanket: Using up some Red Heart in my stash.

~Lena's Bag: Knit Pick's Sipalu Bag in Pallet (Frog and redo).

~ Amy's Scarf: My own pattern in Aussi Sock, color no. WS26 Blue Dream.

~ Joey's Blanket: Little Girl's Favorite Throw (the stitch works well for boys too) in Pound of Love color no. 110 Denim

PROJECTS THAT HAVE YARN AND NOT STARTED:

~ Emma's Blanket: Little Girl's Favorite Throw (the stitch works well for boys too) in Pound of Love color no. 102 Bubble Gum.

~ Wrapped in Ragg: Mary Maxim Kit, for Christmas 2010 for myself.

~Knit Pick's Karin Tote for myself.

~Prismatic Scarf in yarn given to me by a friend in Australia, The Knittery, color Moonlight.

~ Jaywalkers in Noro, color no. S240 (another gift that came from Australia).

~ Monkey in Happy Feet, color no. 18 (black and grays).

~ RPMs in Happy Feet, color no. 26 (blues).

~ Nutkin n Happy Feet, color no. 25 (pinks with some lime green).

~ Vinnland in Araucania, color no. 310 Ranco Multy. (Another gift that came from Australia).

~ Navie in Aussi Sock, color no. WS05 Charcoal.

~ Endpaper Mitts in Patons Kroy Socks, color no. 54042 Gentry Grey and 54044 Mercury.

PROJECTS WITHOUT YARNS:

~ Outside In Socks

~ Springgrass Socks

~ Boyfriend Socks

~ Celtic Braid Socks

~ Clessidra Socks

~ Hendra Socks

~ Firestarter Socks

~ Baudelaire Socks

~ Zonki Socks

~ Knotty Gloves

~ Log Cabin Square Afghan

~ Celtic Braid Afghan

~ Serenity Shawl

~ Evangeline Gloves

~ Gir

These are just the patterns that I got off Ravelry or were in kits that I requested for Christmas, or was requested from my niece (she wanted another blanket). I have 59 books that have made it on to my Ravelry page and a few more that didn't, all on knitting or crocheting. I have yet to go threw them and pick the patterns I want out of them. But this seems to be a good start so far!!

Well, I think I am done for this post. I will write at you later.

~ Danie