All posts in category Knitting

What’s going on

I just thought I’d share what I am up to lately.

Knitting. I’ve been knitting! I am working on an OpArt blanket. Mine will be larger since I have and plan to use 20 skeins of Knit picks Shine worsted. I think I’ve used about half the yarn so far? I will share a picture soon. I always forget how nice it is to just sit and knit, and it is especially nice to be knitting a blanket when it is cold out. Cozy.

Walking. The last few days I’ve gotten up early, had coffee, and then went downstairs to walk on the treadmill while watching TV. I’m only doing a half hour in the morning but I like to mess with the incline so I get a good workout. I also got outside today for an hour on the parkway. It was so nice! No music or anything, just me and my thoughts and the sort of fresh air. We are having some air quality issues here 😉 My goal is to walk twice most days, once in the morning and then in the afternoon with M.

Cooking. I was getting lazy there but it is all turned around now. I’ve been making lots of good stuff and tomorrow I have plans to make carnitas! And pumpkin donuts. And peanut butter cookies. And homemade spicy and breakfast sausages. And my posole-ish soup. I guess I’m on a pork kick 😆 Speaking of soup, I can’t get enough of it! I’ve been using up the squash in storage to make a pot of soup every week. M won’t eat squash whole but when I blend it up in soup she really likes it. Go figure!

On the weight loss front. I have decided to give up on weight loss – sort of. I’m not really giving up because I do know that I have fat to lose, but I’m going to change the way I think about it. I bought an ebook called Lift Like a Girl and read my way through it all. I don’t know why but it just clicked with me and things seem a lot more hopeful for me now. I am going to focus on getting strong first and foremost. So for my activity I’ll be lifting 3 times a week and my cardio will be walking or doing the recumbent bike. I’d love to be running but it just isn’t in the cards right now. As far as nutrition, I am going to keep it very simple. I’m going to get more in tune with my body. I’m going to eat real food most of the time putting a focus on protein, eat when I’m hungry, and not worry about it! It has been working great for me so far, mentally anyway. I am using my Zero scale so we’ll see how I progress as I go. I will tweak things as I need to to get the results I want. But honestly I don’t care how long it takes me. I’ve lost 20 this year and gained probably 10 back – so ultimately I have lost a pound per month. So instead of going nuts and working hard for a few months and then totally slacking, I’m just going to make it as easy as possible for me to maintain changes and new habits. If I only lose a couple of pounds a month, so be it. And wherever I end up I will be fine with. If I focus on getting strong and staying strong, and ultimately getting to where I love how I look, there is a lot more to shoot for than just losing weight. There is also no end point this way as opposed to losing weight. I will never be done because this is my life! Anyway, I’m hopeful, excited, motivated, and feeling happier than I’ve been in the past month and it feels really good. I’d better go knock on some wood 😆

March Goals, or February Goals repeated

My goals for March will seem like a bit of a repeat. Oh well! It is what I need to do right now. I’m not moving mountains, but I am feeling really good about what I’m doing and have been able to accomplish, as well as what I have been able to avoid doing. You have to get healthy to lose weight, and not drinking and eating a bunch of crap food has really helped! I may only be down 7 pounds right now, but that is better than being up 7!

Here’s what I want to do in March:

Yes, lose another 5 pounds. Actually I’d be happy to get to my second 5 pounds lost mark (3 pounds away). But still aiming for 5. I’m hoping my body is starting to get used to the changes and will start to let go of some weight again.
Exercise every day. I mean every day. I missed maybe 2 days last month, so I know I can do every single day. Don’t worry, I’m not going all out every day, even walking counts. I just want to do something every day.
Walk outside every day. It probably won’t actually happen every day, but as long as I keep the thought in my mind it motivates me to do it most of the time. It is good for my mind to get outside!!!
Knit every day on the afghan, or until it is done. I have 6 skeins of yarn left and I may or may not use it all. Surely if I focus I can knit up 6 skeins of yarn in a month. I just want this thing to be done! 😆
Spin every day. I finished up a bobbin and now I’m ready to move to a different color which is exciting! I hope to at least get this color done and one more bobbin filled.
Keep up my weights 3 times a week, and add kettlebells in once a week. I did the kettlebells a little the other day and it didn’t kill me (or hurt me) so I think I will be able to do this without issue. I have regular pain in my left bicep, but it has actually started to go away with more weight lifting. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to do the kettlebells but now I’m hopeful it will be fine.
Keep my spending down. I spent the same amount in January and February and I’d like to do the same this month. I’m doing really great here, just trying not to spend money on things I don’t need and sticking to my budget. It feels good!
Actually do something on the damn curtains 😆 Sigh.

Do you have any goals for March?

2 Comments

by Lauren on March 2, 2012 • Permalink

Posted in Budget, Exercise, Goals, Happiness, Health, Knitting, Life, Losing Weight, Making yarn, Miskellaneous, Walking

Posted by Lauren on March 2, 2012

https://cookeatrunplay.wordpress.com/2012/03/02/march-goals-or-february-goals-repeated/

February Goals Update

Well I didn’t do so hot on the goals for February. Here’s where I’m at.

Lose 5 more pounds. If I did it last month (with all of the extras/sweets I ate) I should be able to this month!
~~Keep working on the afghan I’m knitting.~~
Finish curtains for M’s room. All I have to do is sew the back, make the sandwich, and add a border.
~~Spend as little money as possible I actually did pretty well last month, I’d like to do it again.~~
Walk outside every day.
~~Keep exercising at least 5 days a week.~~
~~Keep up with the unprocessed and no booze challenge.~~
~~Work up to doing strength training 3 times a week.~~
Finish my current spinning project.

Epic fails on the curtains and spinning. I didn’t not work on the curtains once! I did do spinning here and there, and managed to finish the bobbin I was working on, but that’s about it. The good news is that I finished last night feeling very motivated to start on the next one. We’ll see.

I tried my best to lose 5 pounds, but that didn’t happen either. I kind of slacked toward the end of January and started eating way too many sweets and ice cream. Since I cut that out, I’ve been doing a lot better. It isn’t a total loss though, I did lose 2.4 pounds, and get this – I lost over 6 inches!!! I am measuring once a month, and this wasn’t even in a whole month. More like 24 days. In no way can I consider that a fail!

I walk a lot, but not outside every day. This month has been too damn cold 😆 I should suck it up and just bundle up and do it, but some days I was really wiped out too. I figured if I was really too tired then I just needed rest instead. I still want to keep this up as a monthly goal.

I worked out as much as I could!! I think I only missed a few days this month, so I definitely made this goal 😀

I did work up to lifting weights 3 times a week. I thought it would be too hard, but it felt like I wasn’t doing enough with just two days. So three it is. I think the next goal will be to add kettlebells in once a week.

I knitted, quite a bit. I am still working exclusively on the cabled afghan I started last year around this time. I am determined to get the damn thing done!

So there is my update, not fabulous but I didn’t completely fail either. I will get my March goals together and posted.

Did you have any goals for February? How did you do?!

2 Comments

by Lauren on March 1, 2012 • Permalink

Posted in Exercise, Goals, Happiness, Health, Knitting, Life, Losing Weight, Making yarn, Miskellaneous, Unprocessed challenge, Walking

Posted by Lauren on March 1, 2012

https://cookeatrunplay.wordpress.com/2012/03/01/february-goals-update/

January Goals – How did I do?

Thought I should check in and see how I did with the goals I set for January. Here they are, what I accomplished in bold:

Lose 5 pounds. I am pretty sure I can do this.
Work back up to exercising 5 days a week. Not every day has to be intense, so I think it is plenty achievable.
Work on cutting down my internet time. It has become such a habit and I know I waste way too much time looking at blogs and Facebook! I want to be down to 1 1/2 hours total per day by the end of the month.
Of course stick with the unprocessed challenge and no booze challenge
Go for a walk every day. If I just make myself do it I know I will enjoy it, I always do!
Finish my current spinning project. I plan to fill 3 bobbins with 3 different fibers and then ply them all. I stopped doing it and I really want it done, so I just need to get on it.
Knit 5 more squares for my leftovers blanket. There is one in progress and that one doesn’t count as it is more than half done!
Knit one small gift. I would have liked to have given some this past Christmas but I just never plan ahead.
Do 5 days of school every week, starting this week. We took a couple of weeks off for the holiday season, but it is time to get back to it!! It is so easy to slack off, but we need to do it.

Well, not that good I guess! At least I did accomplish some of them. I totally got sidetracked on the knitting. I didn’t knit the squares, but I did knit almost a whole sweater! I also completed a couple of afghan squares, just not for the blanket.

I did NO spinning 😦 I didn’t really even try to cut down on the internet time. I did get my outside walking days up a lot from nothing though! Some days were just really crappy and cold, and I made too many excuses.

I wish I had been doing more updates for unprocessed challenges. I am still going strong! I had one sip of peach mead, just to taste, while The Boyfriend was racking it into another carboy. Yesterday was a really shitty day, and I sure would have liked to drink 😆 One month down and 11 to go!

I will add a February goals post soon, and hopefully give an update on our final budget for January.

FO: Random Obscurity Scarf

M took the photo for this one, she did pretty good! She also did the photos for my Margo
hat. Not bad for a rookie, not that I’m any better – ha!

This one is from my handspun, a 50/50 merino/tencel blend from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. The idea came from Spin-Off magazine. The scarf was knit from energized singles, switching from stockinette and reverse stockinette to make the zig zag pattern. It mellowed out quite a bit with blocking, not zig and zagging quite so much. Still love it! And it is very drapey and warm.

Pattern – Random Obscurity scarf from the Spring 2006 issue
Fiber used – 50/50 merino/tencel from Blue Moon Fiber Arts, 8 ounces
Time to spin and knit – 4 months

Apparently I did not keep very good notes. I wish I had the time it took to spin, and I didn’t keep track of needle size either? Oh well. It’s really a miracle that I got the thing done and posted on the blog 😆

4 Comments

by Lauren on January 12, 2012 • Permalink

Posted in Happiness, Knitting, Making yarn, Things that are done

Posted by Lauren on January 12, 2012

https://cookeatrunplay.wordpress.com/2012/01/12/fo-random-obscurity-scarf/

FO: Margo Hat

I’m trying to get some of the knitted things that have been done for a while posted, rather than letting them go off somewhere and be forgotten. So you might see somewhat of a Finished Object parade in the next little while…

This one is made from my handspun that I named Margot. It was spun from a batt that was all kinds of different fiber mixed together for fun. I loved how the yarn turned out and I love how the hat turned out! You can wear it right side and inside out, whatever you are feeling like. It was a very quick knit, being done on size 13 needles, it probably took me an hour total! Gotta love that. I wore it the other day when I was out and about and it made me feel all cozy and warm, and a little artsy fartsy 🙂

Pattern – just a basic hat
Yarn – Handspun Margot
Needles – US Size 13
Time to Knit – An hour or two

2 Comments

by Lauren on January 11, 2012 • Permalink

Posted in Happiness, Knitting, Things that are done

Posted by Lauren on January 11, 2012

https://cookeatrunplay.wordpress.com/2012/01/11/fo-margo-hat/

FO: Scarf, hat and mittens

I knit these up as a gift for M for Christmas. I love how they turned out!! I didn’t really use patterns but I did use my Knitter’s Handy Book of Patterns as a guide. I couldn’t really do it in secret as I waited until too close to Christmas, so when I was knitting and she would ask what I was making I had to hide it somehow. I told her I was knitting a rectangle, a dome, and a tube 😆 She kept telling me she wished I would make some mittens for her, a hat for her, a scarf for her 😆 She was so surprised when she opened it on Christmas and saw that they really were for her all along!! It was great.

Pattern – Made up with help from Knitter’s Handy Book of Patterns
Yarn – Elann Superwash Worsted Wool – I used about 2 skeins of red and white
Needles – US 3 & 6
Time to Knit 10 days

1 Comment

by Lauren on January 10, 2012 • Permalink

Posted in Knitting, Things that are done

Posted by Lauren on January 10, 2012

https://cookeatrunplay.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/fo-scarf-hat-and-mittens/

What do I knit?

I want to knit myself a sweater. I am not sure what I should knit though! I don’t want something that will make me look bigger than I am. I think I am an apple shape with boobs and belly to consider, as well as the extra pounds I’ve got hanging around right now. I know I need to choose something more fitted (right?) versus a big baggy sack 😆 So here’s what I am liking right now, and looking through the projects I have seen some on bigger girls so I think they would probably look okay on me too. I hope?!! My choices so far are:

Brilliance Pullover – there is an option for bust shaping which I for sure will need
Lucky Clover Lace Wrap – or something like that
Kirigami – not really sure about this one but I do love it
Pangea Cardigan – I am short, so I don’t know if this one would really be all that good for me
Pole

If you have any other suggestions please add in the comments!! Thanks!

4 Comments

by Lauren on January 9, 2012 • Permalink

Posted in Knitting

Posted by Lauren on January 9, 2012

https://cookeatrunplay.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/what-do-i-knit/

Instant gratification

I felt a strong urge to knit a big bulky hat this morning. I searched in my handspun and came up with some yarn that I spun a few years ago. I wasn’t sure I’d have enough but I made it! It is reversible, but I like it better on me with the purl side out.

Pattern – just winged it
Yarn – Purple Pirate handspun
Needles – US 13
Time to knit – an hour

1 Comment

by Lauren on December 17, 2011 • Permalink

Posted in Knitting, Things that are done

Posted by Lauren on December 17, 2011

https://cookeatrunplay.wordpress.com/2011/12/17/instant-gratification/

Garter Stripe Square Bag

I have been focusing much of my attention on knitting these days. It is so nice!! I haven’t been this excited about it in a long, long time. I’m going for it, hoping to keep the feeling alive.

I have a few projects I’m working on at the moment, but here is my latest FO, more notes on Ravelry.

Pattern – Garter Stripe Square Bag
Yarn – leftover Knitpicks Wool of the Andes
Needles – US Size 8 double points
Time to Knit – 7 days

I am very happy with how this turned out! It was pretty difficult to get all of the squares sewn together, and then as an added chore there were what seemed to be 10 meelion ends to weave in 😆 But after that it was easy. My bag went through two quick wash cycles in my front loader. I’ve had these big square buttons for a while and I knew it would just be perfect for this bag 🙂 I may or may not end up lining this, but probably not. I see it getting use carrying knitting projects.