Wow I have been BUSY! let’s see what has happened since I last posted here, well I got married and went on a fabulous honeymoon(I have pictures somehwere!!!) I’ve been knitting a lot… and oh yeah I started a yarn dyeing business Grrrl Shaped Yarns overall life has been good to me.

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

You may be fed up with hearing about the sock, but I’m absolutely in love. This is my first sock pattern that I’ve put a lot of thought into and plan on making a pattern of it. (pssst test knitters don’t do chart three and four cause I’m going to change those) Keeping track of what I’m doing has been a bit of a challenge for good ole me who just kinda wings it a goes with the flow, but that’s what I’m doing. Once it’s all completed and such and I have it completely test knit then you can buy it! I hope. I haven’t actually worked out my webstore’s kinks and such, but hopefully you will be able to buy it! Okay I can hear you all enough of the chatter bring on the pictures. So I’m halfway through chart 2(not that, that information helps you much now does it) which is the point in which the cable starts it’s journey inward.

Work, turn to the left
Work, now turn to the right
Work, sashay shante

I can hear you all go ooooh look at that texture. This shot is just for you.

It don’t matter what you wear
They’re checkin’ out your savior faire
And it don’t matter what you do
Cause everything looks good on you …supermodel

Look at thos bump and ridges. Little morsels of colour popping out at you. BAM! BAM! BAM! The more I knit the more I fall in love with this yarn especially the colours they are just YUM! If your just tuning in the yarn is Vintage Purls Sock in Gondwana. You can buy some by clicking on the link over there ———————->>

Finally after all of that tough modeling work the sock was sweaty and dirty, and my bunny decided that it deffinitle needed a bath. she thumped and thumped when I put the sock away. Maybe I’m not the only one in love.

One of the first things I noticed when we moved into our current flat is that I was going to needa good solid way of storing my stash. Originally we had found this really cool pvc pipe and nylon hanging basket storage thingy that used to be Ryan’s. I thought yes that’s perfect absolutely perfect! At first it was, then I bought more yarn, and more yarn and mooore yarn! The weight of all that yarn slowly caused the frame to torque and twist, while the bags started to rip I started to have to put less and less stuff in the baskets and instead on the floors next to it!

This is what it looked like!

I knew it was time for a new system but what? I started to have a look around and besides your generic large tupperware boxes with lids I wasn’t finding anything I thought would work well. Then I was browsing one of my favorite stores, Plastic Box, which is a lot like the container store in San Francisco, when i found something that would work! There were these stackable baskets that were partially open on one side and seemed really sturdy. The best part was they were affordable! So I started out getting four of them and was able to turn that previous picture into this!

I would still like to get two more of them so that I can put all my UFO/WIP’s in one instead of staking them on top of the whole thing and also so I have one to put needles, gauge rulers, and other assesories into instead of having to put them in random places with the yarn. they also have stable ways to conntct them next to each other! While I was in an organizational mood I made my embroidery threads go from this.

to this.

I love being organized it helps the creativity flow so much easier. When you want to do something with something everything is all right where it should be!

This is the kind of day I have been having!

That’s All!

On this night a year ago I was on a plane over the dark night waters of the pacific ocean. When I got off that plane I was met by a wonderful man who I was madly in love with. I still love him with all my heart and soul! This last year in New Zealand has been awesome and amazing in so many wonderfule ways!

So here is to new beginings!

New lives!

New friends!

New family!

Here’s to the next year, and the one after that!