The New Year

The New Year is a time for resolutions and starting fresh, so why not start with a challenge to kick off the new year! I have come up with the #2014bloggerchallenge. The challenge is to write a blogpost twice a month about different topics. The #2014bloggerchallenge posts will go live during the 1st and the 3rd weeks of each month. Everyone who signs up will be sent an email with the post topics. The topic ideas are there to give you new ideas and encourage you to write about things you wouldn't normally write about.

Well, I've done it again.  I've joined yet another blog challenge.  Which is probably good, as it's been awhile since I've blogged regularly on all 5 of my blogs.  Sometimes you need a kick start.  

I'm at #388 on a list of 409 bloggers who signed up for the challenge over at Another Girly Blog.  Gaby wrote the post about the challenge back in Nov, giving us all time to gear up.   Several weeks later, she sent out emails with the topic...again giving us time to write our post.  However, I'm just now on January 1, writing my post.  Life's been busy is my excuse.

Welcome to 2014, and the challenge.  I'm looking forward to getting out and about and visiting lots of new blogs and making new blog friends.

The topic:
The topic for the first post of the #2014BloggerChallenge is going to be "New Years Inspiration" - the idea is that instead of writing new years resolutions on your blog you share a quote or a picture that inspires you and you think will inspire others in the New Year. 

That little logo, inspires me.  It inspires many others as well.  Why?  It represents kindness, caring, and loving hands coming together to accomplish something that is near and dear to my heart.  It's the logo for my charity.  It's a ministry that reaches homeless people in need.  It reaches Men, Women, and Children living out doors in central Ohio; as well as those living in temporary shelter situations.  For 5 years knitters and crocheters and others have used their time and talents to keep people warm with making and donating hats, scarves, mittens, slippers, and other warm items.  Through a wonderful team effort we've been able to warm thousands of people in 3 different family shelters, people in food lines, and people living outdoors....under bridges and beyond.  If you knit, or crochet, or want to be a part of something that truly matters...check out the blog HERE.  (the logo is also an active link).  You do not need to knit or crochet to help.  

**edited to add, please folks kill your captcha's, when trying to visit lots of blogs it's beyond a nuisance and time consuming**

Knitted Green Kimono Style Sweater

Saw this on Facebook and it made me chuckle, so while it's been a while since you probably had left overs from Thanksgiving, I thought I'd share this.  lol  Actually I think the best part of going to someone else's house for the feast is not having left overs to deal with.  I'm not much of a fan of left overs, and the meal itself really isn't one of my favorites.  What I like is having time with family.  I hope you all enjoyed your time with family and friends, with or without leftovers.

I'm doubling up today with this post, why?  Cause I'm several days late getting the post up for YOP, and today is Wednesday soooooooo .

**All badges are links, click and join us, link up and share some linky love along the way**

This green sweater has been a long time in the making.  I barely got started on it last year right after Christmas, as it was suppose to be a belated gift for my DD.  It kept getting put away.  Been trying to get back into it so have been working on it now for awhile...large piece is the back and the smaller piece (the one still on the needles is one of the fronts.  I'm wondering when the time comes if it's best to laundered, and block before stitching together or stitch together then launder and block.  Love some input.

Hope you're all busy and enjoying the projects you're working on from your list (YOP), as well as projects you're trying madly to get done in time for Christmas Gifts.

If you've got time, would you consider making something for Bridge and Beyond?  We're getting more requests this year.  Seems more are living out in the cold, and the weather turned colder then normal earlier then normal here.

If you're cold, got snow on the ground and want a warm thought..........please check out a post from a quest blogger on my Travel Blog, I promise you'll be glad you did.
Here, and or HERE.

It's for Me and Mine

 Please disregard the scary face, it's not meant to look like Halloween; but the previous face had faded so I attempted to draw one...egads, truly no talent there.  This is the completed hood/cowl I've been working on.  First I'm pleased to say it fits, which is always a chore for something small enough to fit my child sized head...but I think it needs one more section to be long enough to work well as a hood.

 Alternating sections of garter and purl gives you these rolls.

 Wearing it as a cowl would certainly keep your neck nice and warm.

 Here you can see the side view, the sections, and how stretchy it is; but you can also see how a bit more length on the back to keep the neck warm would be an improvement.

So, this is my first selfish knitting for YOP and it will be warm and stay on, so all in all a successful project.  I would add one more section next time I make one though.  And for folks with regular adult sized heads I would suggest using larger needles or adding to the cast on. I think the sizing on her pattern is a bit lacking.

Sorta selfish knitting project here is a green kimono style sweater.  I say sorta selfish because it's not for my charity as 99.9% of the items I knit and or crochet are.  It's for my DD...so while it's not for me, it's for my family.  Actually........terribly late.  Started this last near years as a belated Christmas present......and as I do far too often put it aside while doing my charity stitching.  I am really going to try and get this finished.  I'm about 5 inches from finishing the back which is largest piece.  I purposely started with the largest piece thinking I'd feel I really had made headway that way.

It's Sunday, what's everyone working on with regard to your YOP list?

I must shift gears and get busy assembling some afghans again too.  I've just not been as productive with yarn in recent months, having gotten involved in research for multiple family trees for folks.