Challenge: Fine Yarn Frenzy
stargrace 
I knew when KnitPicks announced their luxury yarn sale that I’d probably end up getting something. I got a gift card for Christmas from my sister-in-law and brother, but even before then I had added a few things to my wishlist. Of course I wasn’t wrong. I ended up buying 4 skeins of chroma in fingering weight (2 lupine and 2 new leaf) and 10 skeins of galileo in dragonfly that just looks amazing. I’ve never used either yarn before, but I have seen a lot of projects knit up in chroma and wow are they ever beautiful. Of course owning all of this beautiful yarn is great, but I didn’t just want to have it collect dust, I wanted to knit beautiful things with it. I’m still coming up with a name for a potential Etsy shop, so far nothing has appealed to me. I’m not 100% convinced that I want to open one to begin with, but it’s something I think about. I know some of my colour work items would sell. Plain items not so much. I’ve had a lot of interest on facebook from friends which I really appreciate.
Anyway, it’s no use having all of this pretty yarn if I don’t actually make anything from it. On that note, I’ve joined a few KALs (remember, those are knit-a-longs) one of them being a mystery kal (you don’t know what you’re making before you make it). The first one I joined is from Sherwood Knits, and is a shawl. I’m honestly not sure what colour I’m going to knit it in yet, the suggested yarns are either a solid, semi-solid, or ombre yarn. I’m thinking of using some of the gifted cone yarn I got, especially since I have so much of it. I’m sure I’ll make a decision by January 1st though as that’s when the first clue is released. I’m nervous about this one, the designer didn’t write out the chart pattern, so it will be my first time attempting to read a chart. I may just end up writing it out myself, we’ll see. Ideally I want to keep growing my skills and I know that chart reading is part of that, but I’m still pretty nervous.
Aside from that, I signed up for a sock KAL in my beginner’s knit-along group, and they’ve decided to go with the knitmore girls vanilla socks for January. They’re pretty basic socks, and I’m going to finally get a chance to knit with my rainbow felici. I’m also doing cuffs, heel, and toe in black glimmer yarn. Very excited about this one. While I make those socks for one group, they qualify as an item in my final group, who is challenging people to FO (finish off) objects in fine yarn – anything DK weight and lower. There are prizes for this one, and my socks will definitely qualify as one entry. If I complete the shawl, that will be two entries. You see where this is going? It’s a fun motivational way to encourage people to use up that beautiful yarn and not to just let it lay around for years on end (of course if that’s what you want to do with your yarn, you’re more than welcome to. No judgement here)!
Have you decided on your 2016 projects yet? My ‘big’ goal for 2016 is still to knit a sweater for myself – we’ll see how that goes. I do plan on creating a smaller version of flax light, if I like it well enough it could be a potential full sized sweater for me later on in the year, maybe. Looking forward, I’m excited about all of my potential projects. Knitting is relaxing and feeling the yarn between my fingers is just a joy. I’ve been working on a baby blanket with knitpicks might stitch and smushing it every time I turn the project around because it’s just that comfortable. If I opened an Etsy shop and was able to make a few sales, maybe I could afford some of the nicer yarn. I guess we’ll just have to see!