Happy New Year....and knitting all the things! :)

Good morning peeps...and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Yes, it's been a while since I wrote on my blog but since we're starting a new year....I thought I'd start it up again.  I will be changing the theme a little this year though.  It will mostly be about the knitting! :)  I will also throw a few tidbits in here and there about the everyday stuff, but mostly....I just want a place to share my love of YARN! :) 

So what have I been up to you ask?? Well,  I have now made a corporate decision to step away from my Etsy store and their exhorborant fees and start my own Yarn Makes Me Happy site.  For the past few weeks, I have built a website (shopping cart really) and have started adding a few yarn related items to it.  I should have that up and running in about a week or so, but it is not quite ready yet! :)  I will probably still use my Etsy store to sell my hand knit items, but I won't have my yarn on there anymore.  Another reason for this is that I have also been asked if I was interested in having my yarn sold commercially.  Of course I said yes, so having a site will make it easier for my clients to view my site and pick and choose the yarns and bases that they want to carry in their retail establishments.  It will be easy to send them discount codes and I won't have to be raked over the coals with the Etsy fees.  Exciting stuff ahead!!! :)

So as it is January 1st, it is time to cast on a few new items.  I am going to be knitting up the Dark & Stormy Cardigan by Thea Colman but I do have to wait until my yarn gets here.  I have ordered a tweed yarn so I'm hoping it will be okay for all the cabley goodness and not too overwhelming.  Whilst I wait for that to arrive - I am joining a KAL where we knit two squares a month from the Great American Aran Afghan book.  This month, we are starting with Julie H. Levy and Hanna Burns.  I intend to get those cast on today and I'm using some 100% BFL superwash yarn.  We'll see how long I keep it up but if all goes well, I should have a completed afghan sometime in early 2014! :)

The only thing I am finishing up right now is the Hitchhiker Shawlette in my handspun yarn.  It is turning out really pretty and I only have a little ways left to go.  Currently I have 38 points and I believe there are 42 in the pattern.   It has something to do with the "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" and the answer to the question about the universe or something.  Clearly I'm not a geek and could care less about that reference...I just like the shawlette and the mindless knitting! :)

 

I've also been making a few of these characture hats.....I really love how quickly they whip up and EVERYONE seems to love them!! Here's one I finished a few days ago - my little lion.

 

 

I've done a couple of sock monkey hats, and a kangaroo hat and I think next on the needles will be a little pig for my girlfriends daughter (she picked out the pattern and the yarn is on the way).  I have also had a request for a panda...so that will be coming soon as well.  They're super quick and super fun and oooooh so cute, dontcha think? 

 

I also have a couple of other projects in mind for January but we'll see how things go.  I have joined a sock club this year but won't receive my first shipment until February for that.  Last year I joined the 12 in 2012 club and I did knit 7 pair so that wasn't too bad.  This year, I have joined the 13 for 2013 but I may just be counting the individual socks this year as 13 pairs is really quite overwhelming! LOL!! :)

 

Well, I hope you're all safe and warm in your cozy homes after the New Year's Eve celebrations last night!! You can expect to see a weekly blog post from me this year - not sure if it will be on Tuesdays, but hey...that seems to be just as good a day as any, right?!! :) 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!