Good Bye 2015 & Hello 2016!

A new year is always a fun place to start with fresh ideas, goals and challenges.  I love a new beginning, a fresh slate, a chance to move on and leave other items/issues behind.

What I am hoping for is a winter full of snow and already this seems to be a struggle--dang!  We have had temps in the mid to high 30s and how can that be even fair when we live in Alaska.

A bit of a 2015 wrap up here and on to 2016!

Knitting:

This year I knitted these 3 lovely gals each a sweater and a hat.  Two of them received Tomtens.  After knitting two of these great designs my EZ, I decided enough and jumped into a Lopi design for grand niece #3 sweater.  I have fallen back in love with Lopi designs once again.  All sweaters were knitted with Rangely Yarn from Schoolhouse Press. This yarn is not a Lopi yarn but worked great in the pattern I choose for this project. 

This pattern is found on Ravelry and is written by: Sarah Dearne the pattern is called Blossi Icelandic lopi sweater/lopapeysa.

Rangeley Yarn From Schoolhouse Press. This yarn is for the adult sweater I am presently knitting.

Winter Solstice Ski:

We have not been able to do our Winter Solstice Ski or Full Moon ski the last few years due to timing or weather.  This year we were able to get a Solstice head lamp ski in complete with fire, hot chocolate and hot cider.  We had a huge turn out and a lot of fun on skis.

 

We say good-bye to the shortest amount of daylight for the year here in Unalakleet, 4 hours and 16 minutes! We welcome back the daylight slowly.  Our days are already increasing to 18 more minutes of daylight.

Skiing!

We are back to full on skiing.  I get in 6 practices a week as long as we can cross the slough to get to the Dragon's Back.

Elementary skiers

Alumni back for some training commuting on their hot wheels!

My coaching partner in crime from Nome and I at the World Jr. Youth/Jr Biathlon Team Trials in Anchorage last week.  Notice their vanishing snow!

Here I am home on the range zeroing rifles!

My skier who I was able to join for this event.  Aly did a fantastic job racing at this level!

Good Bye 2015 & Hello 2016!  

 

Tomten #2 is off My Needles!

I have now knitted 2 of these very cute sweater/jackets.  I knitted both out of Rangeley Wool which I really like as a very durable yarn with what I like to call "ganas."  It is real and is long wearing no soft fluff yarn the real McCoy in my mind.

A friend pointed out to me the real issue with this project I threw myself into last winter.  I often do this to myself, and I really need to learn from this personality trait of mine.  Taking on far too much and thinking I can actually do whatever I throw myself into.  Well . . . not the case!  The problem with this very well designed knit is it is so dang boring!  Way too much garter sts!  Two in a row is too much.  I have always loved the collar on this jacket.  I also loved using up some of my stash yarn, I learned how to knit in the round in garter sts., and the issue is me and not the jacket.  I am glad this one is done and I am glad I realized the issue.

I still have 2 more sweaters to knit and they will both be pullover yoke sweaters.  I am thinking the smaller kids one will be a combo of my design and one from Cottage Creations and the other may be "No Bad Weather" which I knitted for myself last year.

The story of Tomten #2 and not enough yarn!

The Tomten which is a design by Elizabeth Zimmermann is a favorite of many a knitter.  I too enjoy this rather brilliant jacket and I am currently knitting # 2 in the Tomten parade.  ONLY, I ran into a bit of a snafu!  I was dead on certain that I had one more skein of this wonderful green yarn upstairs!  The first mistake of a knitter, is one who is convinced they have more skeins of a certain yarn.  Of course I didn't have any more green!  None at all!  All gone! Zip--zero--none!  At which point knitting came to a grinding halt!

Do you see the right  sleeve is all done and perfect!

 The other sleeve had just run out of yarn, done, none, no more yarn!  I thought about making this left sleeve a fun wild crazy striped arm.  Then I stopped and thought this out a bit!  I could frog the other sleeve back use some of that green to knit a bit more on the other sleeve.  Ok, and then add some striping and get this project off my needles.  I am almost done with this sleeve adjustment.

Since running out of yarn is a bit of a topic on this post. Here is a completed pair of socks.  The goal was to use up some PDS DK Yarn.  I purposely knitted them as opposite socks, but ran out of green.  I knew I would runout of yarn but the goal was to knit up socks and use up some of the left over project yarn in my stash.  I now find this a bit funny as I realized those darn greens are the trouble makers here in my knitting!  I used up all the green and blue and tossed in just a bit of what is called fireweed for the toe.  I love this bright little toe as it certainly add a smile to any day!

Blog Update: This is going to be a long one . . . get your favorite beverage . . .

I have come to the realization and I have known this for some time but I really enjoy Twitter and my blog far more than FACEBOOK!  Instead of posting stuff directly to the FB I figured out that if I write a post on my blog first this way I will stay off the dread FB!  I also will not let myself just click on "LIKE" I have to write a reply if I am going to add some communication.  Like is not an option for me any more.  I am off my soap box!

 I need to post lots of photos that I wanted to posted and then forgot about.  Once work starts back up I get behind and I am going to try to change that!

This photos should have been posted before the last post but oooops!

Knitting

This summer I knitted five yes five Crowned Jewel Hats.  A friend of mine designed this hat about 10 or so years ago.  I finally got around to knitting this great hat up this summer.  I fell in love with the pattern and of course who doesn't enjoy knitting with Noro Silk Garden.  The two hats at the bottom were knitted with GINA.  The two bottom hats were knit with the same colorway I just reversed skein.  Yarn and pattern can be bought at my very favorite yarn shoppe Knit 'N Needle in Whitefish, Motana.

These hats were knitted for one of my most cherished knitting fans!  My niece and her girls, and husband. 

They are currently working on their land to build a home that will be off the grid.  I am so proud of them and just love their desire to have a different life.  Since they are off the grid wool is rather key we all think and thus the hats.

Once again wonderful yarn that is hand dyed in Whitefish at the Knit' N Needle by a fantastic independent dyer.  This is a super wash yarn.  I use this mostly for gifts and smaller knit items.  I have knitted a sweater as well and everything turns out great!  I highly recommend PDS Yarn.

Tomten #2 that really needs to get off my needles to be sent to one of the little girls above.  This was home in Montana in my hammock.  That is one of my favorite places to knit, read, or rest.

Very Random 

One of my favorite chocolates!  My favorite is the 88% dark chocolate.  Just a little posting on dark chocolate in case anyone is interested in a good dark chocolate of not sure what to get me for a gift!

Sunflowers!  yahoo who doesn't love sunflowers?  the only bummer is I had to leave Montana before they were blooming but a photo is worth a few words!

I stopped eating wheat which means no more beer.  I have become a hard cider lover and this one if you are interested is really very good. 

I miss BBQ-ing once we are back up in Alaska.  Yum! 

Burgers and veggies on the grill . . . ahhh summer time!

Construction

 No summer is complete with some construction around our place.  This is a never ending job!  Remodeling a 100 year old house is a ton of work!

Front porch this project is out with the old and in with the new all of which will be done this fall in theory.  It will be perfect and wonderful in the end.

Our 79 year old carpenter!  This is my FIL and he is an amazing person.  He has pretty much done it all you name it he has done it.

New front walk way was poured and no long straight we have a nice twist to our front door.

All this work is so we can sit on a nice deep front porch and enjoy the days, sunset, sunrise, visit with neighbors, relax, have a coffee or a cold beverage.

A Little Bit of Whitefish

Nice mud graffiti on my morning bike ride this bridge is a must for my early ride no matter what!

A neighbors nice way of taking a care of the dogs and reminding owners to me respectful.

Whitefish Lake with early morning sun.

Ah Huckleberries!

Big Mountain NOT Whitefish Resort!

Knit 'N Needle yarn shoppe and I had a blast helping a wonderful knitter from Ravelry pick out some yarn.

I am so glad I was able to explore this great little tea shop this summer.  Steeps Tea is a treasure!  I will be ordering tea from them online I know. 

I treated myself to this great tea mug as I find having these little treats in rural Alaska is a must.  When you live most of the year in a place you can only get to by plane treats are a must.

Honey, I discovered whipped honey oh so dang yummy!

If you have made it this far you are a real trooper!  Thanks for taking the time to look into my world and I hope you find it relaxing.

Knitting . . . oh yes I am a knitter!

No matter what once winter arrives my life gets rather busy.  Working, coaching skiing, taking time for my dogs and husband (not necessarily in that order-oops!)---life just takes up a lot of time!  Then there is reading, knitting, yoga, working out, skiing, cooking . . . . the list goes on just like it does for every one.

I do want to get my knitting updated and posted.

Here is Tomten #1 which I  loved knitting.  This is good as I have yes 3 more to knit.  This design comes from Schoolhouse Press, one of my very favorite yarn and knitting suppliers/designers.

This Tomten wasn't knitted for this cutie but she is trying it on for size as she will be Tomten #3.

Here is the proud owner of Tomten #1!  Fits perfect and the smile says it all to her Great-Auntie!

These two photos are Tomten #2.

I am working on adding little color into the garter stitch.  This yarn is a wonderful rich green color way named mountain green.  I must knit something out of it for myself when time allows.

How can an Great-Auntie not love an aspiring knitter!  I order her one of my favorite knitting books for kids.  I even used this book a lot when I was learning how to knit as well.  Kids Knitting is a great book and full of very kid-doable projects!

The next project, I worked on this winter is an all time favorite of mine.  Felted Baby Booties that are wonderful to knit and every new mom I know requests a pair.  A long time friend of mine designed this pattern. The pattern can be purchased  at my very favorite local knitting shoppe in Montana.  If they don't have it please bug them about getting it republished!

I knitted this pair for a friend here who recently adopted a little boy.  The color combo is a mixing of the 2 Scottish flags as dad has a strong Scottish background.

I started this project in August when we were driving back up to Alaska for work.  I am not done but I am certainly closing in on finishing the "Long John" project.  I decided to name this pair of long underwear after a horse I used to ride long ago.  Long John was a 17 hand thoroughbred horse off the track.  He was blind in one eye but a love.  I am sure this is why I love big chestnut horses to this day.

The first leg is done.  I am using a yarn from Polk a Dot Sheep.  If you love color have a look at PDS yarns.   These yarns are so rich in color it is almost impossible to walk away from buying yarn in every colorway!

The legs are now joined and I am working on the BUTT!  I am doing some increasing in that area and German Short Rows  as well.