This is my “big” knitting project, the Queen Anne Cardigan(ravelry link) by Christina Wall of A Knitter’s Life. I’m knitting this in alternating rows of two different colourways of Vintage Purls Sock (2 rows of each colour). I had wanted to do this cardigan for awhile but I didn’t have any sport weight yarn, when digging through My stash I found two skeins each of two colourways that were almost identical. I could totally pull it off with four skeins! I’ve finished the yoke increases, and put the sleeves both on stitch markers and started on the body. I’ve actually added about another 6 rows to this since the picture, but unfortunately its now to big for my purse knitting and is resigned to be for when watching movies and TV(which I don’t do a lot of).

Ah yes these are my Baudelaire‘s I finished the first one and this is how far I got with the second one. I really want and need to pick them back up and finish them but just hasn’t happened. I’m still partially mad that these were originally going to be knee highs but alas I screwed up the increases and they were just way too tight so i ripped them back and couldn’t be bothered re knitting them knee high again… maybe next time!

These of all my projects are the ones I SHOULD be working on. These are a thank you gift to my friend Nick who shuttled me around on a very important day! This is thankfully the second sock, But I just seem not to be working on them as much as i should, I think I’m tired of the repetitive pattern(which btw is just from a stitch dictionary) and once i can get to the heel I’ll be sweet as, I hope. The yarns is my own silk merino in the aflame colourway

Of all the projects on this page these will be the ones most likely to actually get finished. I worked on them some today when I was fed up with the cardigan while watching several movies since running to catch the train yesterday(in heels I might add) I fell and hurt my back and legs so now work for me today. I’m half finished with the heel which is good! these are my own design, just goofing around really. This is also the second sock.

And long time readers of this blog know I suffer from real severe startitis(the disease which causes you to chronically need to start things). Over my 28 years on this earth I have had to develop some nifty methods to counter act the disease, usually it’s to cast-on the toe of a second sock, or of a sleeve. This time tho I didn’t have any of those so I dug out this yarn for hubby socks and started the magic mirror socks(ravelry link) for him. As you can see I got REAL far!

So that’s about it for me for now, I guess soon I will have to take update photos!

1. To finish my wedding shawl! DONE!!!!

2. Finish my Baudelaire socks (sock one complete toe of sock two complete)

3. Finish secret socks for special someone (sock one done halfway up the foot of sock two)

4. knit at least 2 pairs of socks for Ryan

5. Knit one pair of knee highs for myself!

6. This will be the year I start my Rogue

7. Knit Sprossling

8. Knit another Rose Of England Shawl(this one for myself)

9. Try to work out a few of the patterns that are floating around inside my head!

10. have fun!

It’s weird looking back now it seems like so much has been happening i don’t know where to begin or what I should talk about, maybe I’ve gotten a bit rusty as blogger, I feel rusty.

I can’t believe it’s 2010, 10 years since I was in high school come thus June,  8 years since I transitioned come this July, 2.5 years since I moved to New Zealand to live with my husband. I still remember the feeling of being unsure of where I was going, getting lost often, and in general being confused about my surroundings.  Wellington is so big that there are still parts of it I have never seen and parts that confuse me, unlike the relatively small San Francisco I used to live in.  Still doesn’t feel like home, and I still miss San Francisco at times, but things will change. A New year, a new decade, it seems like just last year we were all panicking about Y2K, or in shock over 9-11. It’s amazing looking back at how much I have changed in these past 10 years.

One thing that new years always bring along with them are resolutions, I haven’t made any resolutions so much as a few goals. and in the effort to help me stick to them I guess I shall share them with you.

1. become a bit more fit and healthy(if this helps me lose weight than so be it)

2. Expand my business to the best of my potential

3. Finish at least 12 items this year(after realizing last year I completed one super simple scarf and shawl and that’s it ALL year)

That’s it just a few simple goals, nothing to earth shattering. I like to think I’m doing good I’m eating healthier and participating in the Couch 2 5k challenge even though i am a bit stuck right now… I’m plotting and scheming business plans. I have finished one item already this year that’s my wedding shawl( yes it was 3.5 months late what you wanna make of it?)

In general I think life is good, and although I am busy it’s a good busy I’m enjoying it! I have so many plans for the next year I hope some of them pan out. and with those thoughts I would like at say, I’m thinking of starting an online crafting magazine, if you are at all interested in submitting a project  or article or review please let me know via email Zine AT brooklynnemichelle DOT com

Guidelines (NOT RULES):

1. Spin every day the Tour rides, if possible. Saturday July 4th through Sunday July 26th. Days of rest: Monday July 13th, Monday July 20th. (Just like the actual tour)
2. Spin something challenging Wednesday July 22nd. (The Tour’s densest mountain stage with 5 mountain passes)
3. Take a button if you want one. Then we can use the button on our blogs in show of solidarity. Take it from here or grab a clean one from the flickr pool. Come join the flickr pool!
4. Wear yellow on Sunday July 26th to announce victory. Why not wear yellow on any day you feel particularly successful? (Yellow is the color of the race leader in the Tour – but here we are all ‘race leaders’)
5. Other colors if desired: Green (sprinter – think FAST), Polka-dot (climber – as in uphill), and white (rookie)

Teams: Join one, or many, or none.

• Rookies (first years)
• Sprinters (fast and/or high mileage like lace)
• Climbers (conquer mountains, big personal challenges)
• Breakaway (Art yarns)
• Peloton (The main group. Everyone is in the peloton at some point)
• Lantern rouge (You will participate as much as possible but you may skip days here and there. Cheerleaders welcome.)
• Wildcards (This is for people who want to form their own team. This includes sponsored teams, like those affiliated with a specific fiber shop or people who live in the same town, etc.)

This is all done on ravelry, and it’s not too late to join so if your interested head on over to here(ravelry link)

I hope you have been enjoying the made mondays as much as I have they are really cool I think and I get to explore etsy and other shops like that. If you have bought something from one of our sellers let me know. I would love to share some of YOUR experiences with the other readers.  Also if you want me to feature your product please feel free to contact me via the contact button on the upper left.

I have been spinning, I recently got Jacey Boggs‘s DVD Sit and Spin and dug out some fibre and went to work.  An hour later I had this wonderful Corespun wool with cocoons which you can all learn how to spin with her dvd.