Trying New Things: Yarn Cakes (by Hand)

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I finally made a center-pull ball of yarn, with my hands! Well, the three glue-sticks taped together helped as well. I've wanted to have center-pull balls of yarn instead of the store-bought skeins, but never really had the motivation to until Haute Knit Yarn posted on instagram about a flash sale.

"Hold up," I thought to myself. "I need this yarn. At $6.50 less than usual, why not?? Isn't being a knitter all about trying new yarns?" So, with that, I made my first Etsy purchase. It arrived within a few days, and has been sitting in my room ever since. I finally got pictures of it today for my stash on ravelry, which meant I could finally get it wound up. I haven't decided which pattern I'm using this with quite yet, but I've got a pretty good idea. I'm definitely thinking a cowl or infinity scarf.

My first experience winding my own yarn cake: I will do it again. As much as I would love to buy that $18 wool winder on Amazon (hint, hint...my birthday is in a few months...just saying...), I can't bring myself to do it. I definitely think I will start winding all my yarn up like this, just for a fresh look.

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)

WIP Wednesday

I hit a milestone on this project in this last week: halfway point! I hit that magic number with 160 stitches on the needle, which meant I could start the decreases! You can see a little bit of the progress in the first picture. I've got lots of things I want to knit next (I printed out at least five patterns tonight...I'm so ready), so hopefully this week I can get some movies off my Netflix queue while knitting away.

Also, the color balance looks really messed up in these photos. I'm still trying to figure out shooting in manual, obviously.

- rl

(Little) Sister Date #4

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Our fourth date didn't only consist of sitting in the backyard together while reading, as the pictures show. We had actually gone to the library before this, where little sister picked out two books, then I surprised her with two other books I had put on reserve for her. Now she has a pile of books to start her summer off right. Me? I'm still working on Harry Potter. As much as I'm loving the series, I have two other series I'm dying to get in to, which is actually making me read slower. Hm.

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)

Trying New Things: Gluten Free Mac & Cheese

I have recently had an urging to try new things. It really started with breakfast food, which is a topic I'll blog about after I try a few more things, but it's spreading to all areas.

I've always been a picky eater. I always stick with pasta and/or chicken. I love chicken. I don't like a ton of spices and crazy variants of things, yet something has changed within me lately (maybe it's that your taste buds supposedly change every seven years?) that has me wanting to venture out a little bit. It's not an extreme thing, but just kind of a challenge I have with myself.

Saturday night we went grocery shopping, and I was picking out something for me to eat for dinner (the rest of the family had something I just do not like) and I ended up with a few different things. This gluten free macaroni and cheese was one of those things. While it was double the price of the other pastas I know I like (a whopping $1 difference! but still) I just knew I had to try it. I follow way too many gluten free bloggers to not try it. I had it tonight with my dad's hamburgers, and it was really quite good. I don't think I'll ever buy it again - because that $1 does add up! - but I'm glad I tried something different. YOLO, right?

- rl

Self Portrait (22/52)

Today we watched Ragamuffin with a couple who've been family friends for years, and it was incredible. Either the movie or today's sermon at Bent Tree from Pete Briscoe. Both were inspiring in that I'm more motivated to treat everyone like Jesus and live with more purpose. These aren't new concepts to me, but they're obviously things I'm always going to have to work at, since I am only human.

This self portrait is not connected with that paragraph, except for the fact that I got ten rows done today (between movie watching and self portrait taking...) which leaves me with only eight rows to go before I can start the decreases. I'm so ready. This project is right at a month old now. If I don't bind off this month I may completely lose my knitting mojo.

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)