Knit From The Stash, Read From The Stacks

It really didn't take long to break my yarn diet, but more on that later.....

The weather in Indiana is still frightful, with another ice storm heading our way tomorrow. I have to say though, I am going stir crazy and so is the dog. WE NEED OUT! *deep breath*

For 2015, I deemed January and February hat/scarf knitting only. I was going to stash dive, buy NO yarn, and knit hats and scarves for the 2 shelters in Madison County. So far so good. I pulled out all the manly colored yarn and have went to town: 1 hat and 2 scarves are complete! I've casted on another hat in Lion Brand's Fisherman's Wool and another scarf in Lion Brand Wool Ease. The scarves will all be bulky/chunky yarn so I can get more done. I'm going to start some chunky hats as well simply because it's been so cold here I really want to crank these out and get them to the guys!

I'm being completely monogamous with my knitting. ONLY hats and scarves for 2 months. Then the rest of the year is an Amanda free for all! I will finally get my WIPs done and knit things for me!

Stash Acquisitions

I hope this is the only acquisition for the year (besides the yarn clubs). I really really need a yarn diet and really just want to knit the beautiful stuff I already have.

One of my favorite indie dyers, Gnomeacres, is having her 5th shop birthday! She updated her shop with almost 400 skeins of yarn and I didn't think it would hurt to look, right???

I caved.

I bought the birthday candles set. I had previously purchased her Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle set too (that comes in a pizza box!) so I figured this was just destined. Aren't they beautiful? I'll have them in my hot little hands in 3-4 weeks. (Pssst! Her Valentine colors are out!)

For Your Eyes

I've been catching up on Warehouse 13. I'm at Season 5, Disc 1 from Netflix and am super sad it's ending. I've also started Parks and Recreation after reading Amy Poehler's book. I seem to keep jumping in when shows end. Boo. But P&R is really good and I don't normally go for comedies.

For Your Ears

At this point, who hasn't been listening to the Serial podcast from NPR? I just finished Episode 7 of 12 and am thoroughly hooked. I hope they continue this format. Go listen now!

More Butt-tah!!

I'm on a quest to cook at least one recipe from all of my cookbooks this year. Some of them I use on a regular basis (like Nigella and the Tassajara Bread Book), but some I only glanced through and then put on the shelf. I'm tackling

I made the potato cheddar ale soup today and it was mighty good! I have so many recipes tagged in this one that it may take a bit to get through but it will be a tasty journey!

This is part of my second pledge for 2015: ready only from my current books (of which there are about 1,200 in my house). I can get books from the library, but no new acquisitions. So far, holding true to this one!

Don't Make Me Go Back!

After 2 weeks off work, I have to return tomorrow and I'm super not happy. I didn't get nearly enough knitting done. Now I have to put knitting on the back burner while work takes over *everything* again. *grump* I did get to spend 2 weeks with Miss Eva and that has been most pleasant. Naturally, as I head back to work, we're expecting bitter cold and snow. Yay?

I've had a wicked sinus infection for the entire 2 weeks (+ 1 week before vacation). I guess if I already feel miserable, I might as well be at work!

On The Needles

My Halloween socks (now for 2015!) are still in progress. I got some done when waiting at the hospital over break.  But they are not even close to being complete.

I just casted on a scarf for my charity knitting (see: blog post). My friend Becky had quite a bit of yarn and her family gave me a lot of it. I am using her skeins of Loops & Threads Charisma in the Lakeside colorway. It's blues & browns and works very well for a scarf for the men at The Christian Center. I feel good that her yarn is going to help people :)

 Off The Needles

Our silent auction at work went well and one of my co-workers won the hand knit scarf I offered up. Instead of rainbows, she chose Gryffindor colors (sweet!). Luckily, I still had 2 balls from when I made my big ol' Harry Potter scarf and I was determined to finish this while on vacation. It's done! It looks really good too!

Click to embiggen

That will be in the happy recipient's hands tomorrow!

I also casted off, today in fact, a hat for the Christian Center. It's a basic rib hat and it's a pattern called Just a Beanie. It's my go to hat pattern. The label of the yarn is missing but it feels like a nice acrylic, perhaps Brava from Knit Picks.

Click to Embiggen

I also completed a prayer shawl made with Lion Brand Homespun. It was a very pretty light blue, teal and white and I did not get a photo. I wanted to get it done (it's was on the needles for a long while) because I had lots of shawls and chemo caps to send out. I mailed out 2 boxes of caps to Riley Hospital for Kids and 1 box of caps and shawls to Kellogg Cancer Center in Skokie, IL. That made me pretty happy!

I plan on only knitting hats and scarves for the homeless shelters for January and February and then the rest of the year really work on my UFO's that have stacked up and hit my Ravelry queue because I actually haven't made a lot for myself in a while. I haven't even finished my Iced cardigan.

That's about all I have for now. I keep thinking of things to blog about and never get the time but I'm going to make an extra effort in 2015. Somehow I need to NOT let work take over my personal time. *fingers crossed*