After coming back from the MDK Knitting Getaway a few weeks ago, I’ve been feeling pretty motivated to try new things and revisit some crafts I’ve set aside. I’ve been making pompoms. For what reason, I haven’t a clue but they are cute and fun to make so it looks like I’ve have a small stash of them if the need arises. I’ve also been making little mug rugs with my newly-acquired rug hooking skills. I’ve been itching to dust off my wheel and get back to spinning and frankly, my cricket loom has a scarf in progress on it that really needs to get finished. Now, unless I can clone myself, I don’t see how I can do all these things plus work plus dog trials and still sleep or eat (or shower). I’m just glad my motivation has returned for all the things I love. Now to choose what to pursue!
I am taking a couple of online agility training courses – one is for mental mastery for the handler – one I need pretty badly if I am being honest. I find myself walking the course, making a plan and then completely losing my mind once we start running. Fortunately changing my behavior in the ring is easier than changing his. The other course is a self-study course in foundational training for agility called B.A.M.. I think I missed out on a lot of this when I trained Jack and want to start off right with Speck. I also think this may be something I can bring to my own beginner students going forward.
I am finally finishing some knitting too! I finished the Brianna Shawl, a test knit for Unraveled Designs. This was a fun and easy colorwork piece. She calls it a shawl but I think of it more as a scarf to wrap about my neck and not my shoulders. Mine was a bit different from the other testers in that I used some speckled yarn from Koi Fish Fibers (Cannas) and Twist Fiber Studio (Bollywood) so my patterns were not as clean as those that used 2 solid contrasting colors (light and dark). I love the finished product and am already planning to cast on another using more traditional solid colors that show off the houndstooth and plaid to their full advantage.
My other project, the Love Note, is coming along nicely. I may be playing some yarn chicken with this one. I’m currently working the sleeves but I am shortening them both to alleviate my stress-level in running short of this ‘no longer available’ commemorative colorway from Miss Babs Rhinebeck 2020 collection and because I prefer shorter sleeves anyway. I am very excited to finish this. At that point, I’ll need to either pick up a UFO or plan a new project. Decisions, decisions!
Old Dog, New Tricks 