TGIF 1.3.25

Hello Gentle Readers. Welcome to the first Friday of the month. Since I had no other occasion to post these sunset photos, I'm sharing them today, looking both backward and forward.  The first was taken early in December from a plane east of Kansas City, Mo. Our flight had been delayed by three hours. I was too tired to knit or read so I watched the setting sun. Here in the northern hemisphere, darkness comes early and it can be beautiful.

Today I am thinking (maybe overthinking 😏) about the construction of a cover, spine, and pages for a stitch journal. Some makers stitch pieces/pages and then assemble them into book form while others make the journal and add pieces as they are completed. I'm going to make the physical book/journal first. This week, I pulled some fabrics for the cover and need to play around with size and measurements. 

I am inspired by a new year and a new word for 2025. Earlier in her "Cup of Kindness" posts, Kym wrote two posts about "protecting your peace." To support the practice, I chose "nourish" as a word for the year. I hope it's a way to not only shelter but also enrich the coming year.  If you are interested in choosing a word, Kat has posted some ideas and links. Later this month, I'll write more. 

I am grateful for many things. This afternoon, I returned library books and picked up two more holds: Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout and Night Flyer: Harriet Tubman and the Faith Dreams of a Free People by Tia Myles.  I looked at the shelves of new fiction and nonfiction but nothing else caught my eye. Public libraries are a treasure. I am grateful for access to a robust city library system and especially for the librarians who staff them.

Earlier this afternoon I had a fun coffee date at The Mill - Telegraph with two dear friends. (The Mill is a locally owned coffee shop with several locations in Lincoln and one in Omaha. This particular shop is located in what is called "the telegraph district" because it used to house the telegraph office and the telephone company.) We caught up on family/friend news and talked books. Two of us knit a few stitches. 

I'm easing my way into the new year and reminding myself everything doesn't have to be done or decided at once. January is three days young with plenty of time to savor winter days.

This last photo was taken very near the end of 2024. Here's to unwrapping beautiful sunsets in 2025.

A New Year

Hello Gentle Readers. Monday rain fell. Briefly, the rain became wet snow but by Tuesday morning temperature rose above freezing leaving wet streets. New Year's Day promises to be sunny, clear, and chilly. Perhaps I'll walk. I don't mind bundling up against the cold but I don't like to walk in the rain. 

As I link with Kat and other Unravelers, I'm enjoying a cup of decaf green tea while reviewing my making in 2024. All but one of last year's projects were a success. The yoked colorwork sweater I finished early in the year does not fit well. In spite of the alterations I made, it's too big. The neckline continues to grow as does the circumference around the hem. Sometime this year I may rip it out and reclaim the yarn.  

For Kate's July Birthday

I very much enjoyed learning more about slow-stitching. My first project, a cloth pouch, holds stitching notions: a thimble, a pair of embroidery scissors that were a gift from my Mom, a small needle book, and whatever floss I'm using on a current project. I made and gave other pouches to my daughter, nieces, and sister. This year, I plan to create a Stitch Journal and will share as I work on it.

My current knitting projects are the holiday socks, a shawl, and a sweater. I finished the first sock Monday evening and cast on the second one. I am making progress on a current sweater but don't have a photo to share. I am pleased with the fit - so far. I'm working the body and sleeves in tandem. The mental gymnastics and yarn manipulation is fun - for awhile. One night I needed a quieter more predictable project so I pulled out a shawl cast on last spring. Garter stitch and easy lace to the rescue. 

I read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho as it is the January selection of my local book group. First published in 1993, it felt like a book from a time gone by, a time when I was more idealistic. The metaphorical story centers around one young man, a shepherd, and another man seeking their "Personal Legends." I wonder what my feminist group will have to say about a story where women are portrayed only in secondary stereotypic roles. An older woman features as a fortune teller. The other two young women are passing romantic interests waiting at home for men to return. The book is readable. Perhaps I am old and cynical and/or missing something. 

I reread Clear by Carys Davies in book form because I wanted to see the words of the old lost language in print. I found the writing just as eloquent and the story touching. I continue to think about all the meanings and nuances of the word, clear, and the ways that simple kindness radiates in unknown ways. 

With kindness on my mind, I ease into 2025. Happy New Year.