Hey, happy new year! I had decided not to make any sort of blog or knitting resolutions this year, as it’s always depressing to go back and see where I fell short. But then I went and looked at last year’s new year’s day post, and this was the nut of it:
So my goal for this year is to choose wisely. I feel like I’ve gotten much better about picking projects and materials that are worthy of my precious making time. I want to make better, not more. And now that I have the space to do it, I want to really, truly sew. The biggest personal shift for me this year was the crystallization of a desire to know where my clothes come from, whether I’ve made them myself or bought them from small-batch producers. But most of all, I want to make them — to the extent that life will allow.
What do you know! That part I think I can feel pretty damn good about. Although, remember that whole fantasy about how this week was gonna go? How I’d work a few hours in the morning, sew all afternoon, and knit in the evening? Yeah, HAHAHAHA! I did sew a lovely muslin last Saturday, worked all day Sunday, then put in the usual 12-14 hour days all this week. My making has amount to 4 rows of Bob’s sweater. Oy! So this week has been a bit discouraging, but I’m proud of all I sewed and knitted this year, and how much of it has resulted in truly useful garments.
Anyway, no resolutions this year, but I do want to give you some news — a few different heads-ups. First: You guys really surprised me and endeared yourselves to me with your enthusiasm over the army green Field Bag. I thought I was ordering that one for me and DG and a few other weirdos, but it wound up running neck and neck with the gorgeous grey throughout the holiday season. Unfortunately, last week when I placed an order for more of the army green canvas, I was informed that it’s deadstock. My order that day cleaned them out. So we’re down to the last two batches of army green bags:
1. The penultimate batch is mid-progress — half of them are at Fringe Supply Co. right now for you to jump all over, and the other half of this batch will be listed at the beginning of next week.
2. The final batch will be sewn up (if all goes as planned) in time for me to take them to Stitches West in February! I wasn’t planning to do West this year, but Veronika Jobe at YOTH asked me to set up a Fringe pop-up in her killer booth, and I’ve said yes to that. So the last of the army green bags will be with me at that show. If any survive the weekend, I’ll put them in the webshop the following week.
So basically, if you are going to Stitches West, plan to hit me up first thing! If you’re not, do what you can to nab one from the webshop now.
And in addition to West, I also want to let you know DG and I will have the full-blown Fringe booth once again at Stitches South here in Nashville the first weekend of April. I’d love to see you at one or both shows!
Do you do Stitches Midwest?
HA. I remember my thought of spinning/weaving and sewing …..somehow, life kept getting in the way!
Life being DOGS :) gotta love them. Happy New Year!
Merry Christmas to me….just ordered the bag plus the stitch marker pouch and a “Taproot” mag. BTW, I finished ALL your KAL hats in 2015 with the 1898 hat just gifted to my brother last night. I just started an instagram account (a little behind on the times!), so I hope to document my knitting progress a bit more this year (New Year’s resolution/goal possibly?). Happy New Year to you!
Happy new year, Karen! Just about to embark on the Stadium Hat kit I gave Clif I mean me I mean you know what I mean. Here’s to big adventures in the months to come.
I usually include the intention to be kinder to myself as one of my goals each New Year, knowing that I’ll need to remember to do that when I inevitably fall short on another goal. (Which is why I should probably call them “targets” instead of goals.) The funny thing is, I was totally inspired to follow your brilliant plan to sew-by-day and knit-by-night this past week while I was off work and enjoying the post-holiday calm, but I, too, was completely derailed and ended up doing absolutely no sewing and just minimal knitting. When I started to feel annoyed with myself, I remembered to give myself some slack and to be grateful for what I did do as opposed to what I didn’t do this week. So here’s wishing you a very happy, and kinder, New Year and a hope to see you at Stitches West.
I got one of the green Field Bags and do love it. I had no idea they were so coveted! I am very new to knitting. Your blog is a treasure trove of great knitting and fashion advice, but what I like best about it, Karen, is that you are really up front about the imperfections inherent in the process, which make the output perfectly individual and endearing. When I look at your FO’s, though, I see the most lovely things so reading about the less than ideal things that happened along the way is quite important to someone new to the craft. I tend to be a perfectionist and can quickly get caught up in every flaw in a piece, which is silly. I resolve in 2016, to revel in the process and just love knitting for the calm pleasure it brings me–mistakes and all. Let go and flow…
I had a look on your shop and love it! your blog is a discovery to me. your bags are very beautiful and I am thinking of spoiling me with one of them!
I agree the thing to do better et not more! I have to say I have to do better and not so much things as I am always running!
Have a great day,
Rose
So excited that you will be at Stitches West! Looking forward to meeting you there! Happy New Year.
I’d love to see a denim field bag!
Can’t believe that Stitches South will be the first weekend of April! I’m hoping to be there for a hockey tournament (yep, I play). It’d be great to see you in person although I don’t know if I can walk up and say “Hi” (I am shy in weird ways).