A new year....

This year I'm not exactly making resolutions. There are some things I'd like to achieve, but I'm going to let it happen naturally, rather than strapping myself down with a solid list of dates, deadlines, and waist measurements. Some things I want to pay more attention to include my health (all around, not just my weight) and my general fabulousness. I have resolved to pay more attention to how I present myself.

This might be a bit of a half-assed post. Sorry about that! I'm to busy living already!

Last year I participated off and on in Project Spectrum and I found it inspiring and eye-opening. I will definitely be taking part when it comes around again.

1. Bubbles, 2. Seaweed Shawl WIP, 3. Basket Tree II, 4. This is all I see!, 5. Ninja!, 6. Project Spectrum: Bariloche or Bust - Ears, FO

I didn't knit as much as I was hoping to, but I knit a ton of useful and much-loved smaller items. I'm happy with what I've done and excited to see what this year brings. As you can see, Project Spectrum was a huge incentive for me.

1. Hemlock Ring Complete II, 2. NaKniSweMoDo09 #1 UCA Shrug, 3. NaKniSweMoDo09 #2 Demeter, 4. Project Spectrum: Frostberries FO, 5. Seaweed Shawlette Project Spectrum: North, 6. Toasty Gold Project Spectrum: East, 7. FO: Quick 'n Dirty Socks III, 8. FO: Bariloche or Bust, 9. Project Spectrum: Bariloche or Bust - Ears, FO, 10. Strong like bull!, 11. Too big for mee..., 12. Secret Santa

I have jumped back on the 52 Books in 52 Weeks wagon, but my rotation starts in August, so that's old news. I haven't been blogging the books, but perhaps I'll start doing that again. In the meantime you can see what I'm reading in the sidebar on the left.

I have big plans for my jewelry this year, but I will write about that more as the year goes on.

FO: Bariloche or Bust - Ears, Project Spectrum: South

Project Spectrum: Bariloche or Bust - Ears, FO, originally uploaded by Soasa Designs.

We now (hopefully) return to our regularly scheduled program. It's been a whirlwind ever since I got home! Sorry for the huge gaps in posting. I hope to be back on track now.

Pattern: My own
Size: CO 15st, knit to fit
Materials: 60-70 yds Yanabey Lana Mecha
Needles: #9, 5.5mm
Start Date: June 29, 2009
Finish Date: July 1, 2009
On Ravelry

This was my project for the July/August period of Project Spectrum. During July and August we focused on the South. I thought it was perfect timing for my trip through Argentina, as we finished our trip in Patagonia. We were also focusing on the color red and the element of fire, which I tried to incorporate in my use of a clay bead, and of course my color choice. My goal was to finish this in time for the south of Argentina where we anticipated it would be very cold. I ended up finishing it on the second night of our trip, up north in the desert. It was freezing cold at night there! Who would have thought?

Tilcara, Northern Argentina*

I couldn’t find a headband pattern that was exactly what I wanted, so I made this one up! It’s a simple 3x3 rib that I reversed every three rows to make it look like a weave. The decorative button is made of clay, while the two functional buttons are bits of branches.

San Martin de los Andes, Southern Argentina*

As you can see I've already gotten a lot of use and enjoyment from it!

Looking for other Fiber Friday posts? Click it!

*Thanks to Ashely, my friend and traveling companion, for the photos.

SA Sunday: Packing up, moving out

Packing up, moving out, originally uploaded by Soasa Designs.

I was going to show you a photo of my packed backpack for our trip, but all of my laundry is still wet, so my bag isn't packed. It's causing me a good deal of stress. Instead I'm going to spend the afternoon reading through some travel guides and packing up my suitcases to put in storage!

I've decided that I can't bear to leave my second BsAs hoop behind. It's my Project Spectrum hoop and it's perfect. I've doubled it up and hopefully it will travel home safely in my suitcase. Cross your fingers for me!

We are in the midst of refining our travel plans, and I have to admit I'm feeling some anxiety. I just feel like we don't have enough time! Maybe I set my heart on accomplishing too much. We're off bright and early Tuesday morning, and I'm hoping that I'll be able to take a deep breath and just let things roll forward. We'll get to what we get to, I suppose. It's going to fly by so fast! I'll try and keep you updated as things change!

Two at a time!

Two at a time!, originally uploaded by Soasa Designs.

I learned a new stitch in my weaving class this past weekend, called something funny that I can't remember. I'll have to ask when I go back on Monday. At first working with two bobbins at once was a pain, but I'm getting the hang of it!

I'm really enjoying my weaving class. It reminds me of taking classes at Off the Beaded Path except in a second language in a foreign country (which is weird, because I don't know the English words for anything I'm learning.) It's nice to do something besides my uni classes because I get to meet other Argentines. I'm making friends with some ladies in one of my favorite shops!

This is all I see!

This is all I see!, originally uploaded by Soasa Designs.

I'm absolutely hooked on weaving. My class yesterday was wonderful, and I understood a great deal of it, though the new vocabulary is a bit tricky. We learned to warp the loom and all that is involved with that, as well as a good bit of history (although I can't say I have any idea what she said regarding that...)

Weaving is a great way to utilize some of the yarn I have that I can't knit with! Cottons, silks, even acrylics... I'm so excited to finally get into some of the pretty yarns I have! The picture above is of my second project...Yes I was so enthused when I got home yesterday that I finished the class project and warped a second because I couldn't wait to use the cute peachy cotton yarn I had in my drawer!

Check out my Project Spectrum Set on Flickr for more of what I'm working on!

East: Weaving Yellow

East: Weaving Yellow, originally uploaded by Soasa Designs.

Hello y'all!

I'm still alive! Still in South America too:) This post has nothing to do with that though, sorry.

Recently I joined in on a year-long journey called Project Spectrum. You can read a bit about it and see some group photos here! Also more of my photos here! The idea is to incorporate a special focus involving color into your everyday creative practices. This year's theme is Cardinal Directions, and we are just wrapping up North and it's associated color, which was green. We are moving into East, and yellow! For that I am excited to announce that I'm taking a weaving class and it begins on Saturday! I'm really thrilled, as weaving is something I've wanted to learn for a long time and never found the time or money for. What better time than this? Above is a photo of my new loom, and my first skein of yellow yarn!