Hank Winding

My knitting friends near and far will know what this blog title means.  It is not one of my favorite things to do when preparing to knit but like always I seem to take the less easy way to do things.  Especially when it involves spending money on something that I can do with out.  I have no idea how much a hank winder costs and no desire to check.  Most of the yarn I knit socks with comes in what is called a hank.  That means before using I have to roll it into balls, two actually because I like to knit both socks at the same time.  Many have learned to knit socks on a long circular needle...............not Cheryl.  I love to learn new ways or a new hobby but there is always the few that I have no desire to learn and knitting both socks on a circular needle is one of them.   My type A personality, show me it's easier and I will swear my way is better......even if it's not.  I have two sets of double pointed needles the same size.  Ummm, maybe two sets of several sizes.  I cast on to both sets, knit the cuff on each set, move onto the heel for both and then on to the foot.  For some reason the pair of socks get done much quicker and both are exact length in each step of the way.  No writing down by knitting this way.  One important thing with knitting or crocheting, COUNT, always count how many stitches as you knit or crochet.  That way you will know if you dropped a stitch and it will only be back one row.  It took me a while to do this but by 68 years old..........counting is the key.  Not as in counting my age, that is not necessary, age is only a number!

The hank as it is untied and ready to wind.

Above is the 100grams of washable hand dyed wool from Peru.  As I was getting ready to start winding I thought to myself, please let the guy or gal that hand wound this hank take pride in their work and not have a "rats nest" somewhere in it.  Rats nest?........that just popped into my mind because that is what my mom use to say when she combed my long hair.  I would jump and ouch and complain and she would say, Cheryle Anne, I don't know how you get some many "rats nests" in your hair when you sleep.  Darn they hurt!   Get to hank winding........

RATS NEST

Well there is a rats nest!  Almost finished winding the yarn and BAM it started.  I can say it is almost as painful for me as the rats nest  werein my hair.  It took one hour to work through it and save every inch of yarn without giving up and cutting it.  I know why they are called rats nests.....a mouse nest would be small and no big problem.  This afternoon I will be winding another hank.

Ends are already to finish off with the Kitchener Stitch.

January and February bring knitting and quilting to my hands.  I love hand stitching a quilt this time of year, all warm and cozy setting with the quilt on my lap.  Just before Christmas I finished the #10 quilt for the #10 grandchild.  Sloan's quilt is all lavenders, white and silver.  Yes, silver!  I have no idea how I decided to use silver binding but it is a favorite of mine.  I even found a lavender, purple and silver throw pillow to match. 

Sloan's quilt, doily and pillow.

 Next I will be cutting all of my leftover material from quilts that I have made in the last 5 years.  I don't care if they  match and would rather they don't.  There is a plan floating around in this strange mind of mine and it is not going to be the traditional patterned quilt.  My mind will be flying free and maybe beads and embroidery will be used too!  No matter the project from one to the next I get just as excited to start a new one.  Free and out of the norm is the next quilt. 

By the time March comes the indoor hobbies will be put to rest and we will be back at the cabin with a list of projects to do and some to finish up.  The cabin looks so cute all nestled in the snow with the greenery and red poinsettia flowers tucked in the flower boxes.  It looks cute but it also looks lonesome or maybe I am lonesome for cabin time.  Soon.............