I have been working through the Artist’s Way with Ellie of AllWoolFibers and one thing it helped me (re-)realize is that I need to reflect more. I (and Jeremy) have accomplished so much in the past year, but it is way too easy for me to point out all the things we didn’t do (no Woodman’s trips, fewer New England adventures, no sheep yet). I used my “Morning Pages” the other day to outline some of what we’ve done this past season:

• Bought a house
• got said house repaired, repainted, re-roofed, all new appliances (there were none beyond a mouse infested stove)
• ripped up the stinky barn floor
• started an entire garden from SEED and plant donations from my mom and her garden club
• grew almost 20 tomato plants from seed
• grew corn from seed (even though the worms got it in the end)
• found a shepherdess to buy sheep from (CAN’T WAIT)
• started my software LLC (baaaware.llc)
• built and launched 2 fiber related software products! (In beta but still!)
• went really far outside my comfort zone and promoted fleecemonger.com in person at NH sheep and wool (and hoping to do the same at Rhinebeck if I have the social strength lol)
• finally made GOOD pasta and a full weekend of epic cooking
• had my parents over for food for the first time in a place I live lol
• reached out to mini mill owners to ask for guidance (again, hugely outside my comfort zone but could lead to some real things!)
• participated in farm day – and sold some yarn!
• sold batts on etsy!
• joined town committees
• got a new project on the big loom (debbie the macomber)
• finally visited a place to weave (aka my new favorite place)
• Joined the Artist Way club
• signed up for a Homesteading class with UMass online ag school
• and probably more!

So yeah, I feel like that is more than enough (on top of dealing with a lot of changes at my full time job!)

But of course I still have things I would like to get done. The short term plans are:

• Fencing for sheep
• start writing on a knitting pattern (i have some ideas but just haven’t had the moment to get them going)
• make progress on WIFWork.com and promote it more
• And knit some sweaters

On that last point, I have been in a huge knitting slump. Spinning braids very “default-y” is way easier after work than knitting anything that needs to fit. But I finally cast on my Na Craga in Nutiden and a Cloud Sweater in some handspun.

Of course I couldn’t make either easy for myself – the Cloud is off gauge, and I converted the Na Craga to top down since I will definitely be playing yarn chicken (and it too is off gauge). But I’m really effing excited about just being excited about knitting again.

I have been thinking about knitting (and making) in terms of themes and “aesthetics” a lot more. Aesthetics like how the internet uses the term. The Na Craga fits into my CROFT FARMER aesthetic while the Cloud leans more cool girl. I also indulged myself and bought green cowboy boots and a new leather jacket that fits my 30+ yr old body better and it is kind of amazing how having clothes that you like and are comfortable and feel YOU changes your whole mood.

I’m also bringing this themes thing into my home decor. Our rooms each have a theme, and that has been hugely helpful in organizing decor and not getting overwhelmed about what to do where. Our bedroom is coastal Maine themed (centered around our Deer Isle poster and a crab print my mom gave me). Guest bedroom is Anne of Green Gables (white metal bed frame, all my pink and girly decor can go there, plus some vintage needlepoint magazine pages I have framed). And the last one (for now) is the upstairs bathroom – ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT. Basically I wanted SOMEWHERE I can’t paint motifs on the wall and go all out with my love of color and pattern. It will be a while before I get to all that, but it’s exciting to think about.

I also took a week off in attempt to have a solo “weaving retreat.” It obviously wasn’t the same as going up to Harrisville, and I was nowhere near as “productive,” but I did manage to get a new double weave project on the big lady as mentioned above, and it is my first double weave project I have designed myself (with the help of WIFWork). By help, I just mean I’ve made use of the profile/draft substitution. I have a default 8-shaft block double weave “windows” tie up, so I could think more about where I want the window to be instead of the individual threads.

I also made some progress on the other 4-shaft double weave project on the HD loom, but I’m realizing a 6 yd warp (or whatever it was) was a mistake haha. I would much rather waste some yarn and take the time to do a new warp than have these long warps that go on forever.

That’s all for now. Maybe someday I’ll figure out how to make this more consistent and share more of my actual making, but this is what we got for now.