I joined Self Portrait Tuesday because I thought it was an amazingly innovative project. I loved the concept behind it, and the aspect of personal exploration. Unfortunately, I have not been the best SPT participant, as I only post a picture about once a month. And here I am, the last day of the month…

The weather in Maryland (and for much of North America, for that matter) has been very fickle this season. It is supposed to be winter. That means cold outside, pulling out the warm sweaters, and snuggling by the fire. Except, it has been 60 degrees outside… while I love the pretty weather, I want some winter too. That is why I am wearing the legwarmers - with bare feet.

My weekend proved to be quite productive - I worked on my Hourglass. I finished sleeve one, and started on sleeve two. I hope this one goes quicker. Maybe I will be able to wear it before it gets too warm…

I chose to make the sleeves “bracelet length”, falling right above the wrist. This length is perfect for me and my daily tasks - can’t have sleeves getting in the way while I am working with materials in the archives, or am crafting at home. The yarn continues to be a good fit for the project. I am glad that I decided to go with this yarn, and I am particularly happy with the shade of green (KnitPicks Andean Silk in Lettuce).

For those of you unfamiliar with this pattern (perhaps one or two of you that have not made this pattern - are you out there?) there is a special hem on the sleeves, collar, and bottom of the sweater. I have not yet hemmed my sleeves and bottom, but I like the polished look of the tucked in hem.

Untucked hem - Unfinished

Tucked hem - Finished

You know how you look through your stash, and you come across this great yarn you kind of forgot about? and then 10 minutes later, you find that you have already cast on and started it? Yeah… well, that happened to me this weekend.

I should not have started something new, but I was really taken by the color of this yarn. This was the first yarn I ever bought at a yarn shop. Before this, all yarns came from the craft store. Hey, I am not knocking the craft store, but this yarn just sticks out in my mind for that reason. It is Classic Elite Provence, Egyptian mercerized cotton. I bought the yarn with this pattern in mind - the “Little Black Top” by Jenna Wilson in the original Stitch N’ Bitch book. Except, mine will be a little blue top. This will be a slow-go knit on the size 5 needles, and that is fine with me.

…and now for something really pretty…

Hill Country Yarns Sweet Feet in Strawberry Swirl colorway

Hill Country Yarns are a new kid on the block, and they have some great yarns to offer - look at their colorways! They are all inspired by the colors of the landscape in their home state of Texas. I chose the sock weight yarn, but they also have a special yarn called Instant Gratification, that you can knit up for a pair of quick socks. Lynda just made some in the Blue Bonnet colorway (in 5 days - definitely instant gratification!) Stay tuned to see how this hank knits up.

I chose the pink and red colorway specifically for Project Spectrum - another pair of socks for March! But, I may just have to start these early… along with all the other socks I have planned.

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I compiled the list of Project Spectrum participants, and we have a great group! Please let me know if you see any mistakes or misspellings, and of course, let me know if you want to be included too!

Project Spectrum seems to be catching on, and I am so excited that many of you are making great plans to think “outside of the box”. Remember, this is not just about knitting! You can do anything that revolves around the color of the month!

• Tracy and Kathy are planning to work on their beaded jewelry.
• Moni is planning to work on handpainting and dyeing her own yarns.
• Allison and Amy are planning paper crafts and scrapbooking.
• Cara is planning to focus specifically on her spinning.
• Kate’s plans involve photographs and picture essays.
• Stephanie started a sew-along for knitters! You can still sign up for the Sew? I Knit! - the first project is to make a skirt by March 20th. You could easily use a pink or a red fabric for your skirt! I signed up immediately after seeing it!
  

What do you have planned? Please leave a comment and let me know! Hearing what you have planned is an inspiration to all of the participants, and a perfect way to attract more crafters to the Project! Of course, there is plenty of time to plan, so if you don’t have a project in mind, that is okay!

Plus, remember, there is no reason why Project Spectrum cannot work with your other projects, no matter what you have planned - it can be as little or as big as you want to make it. It can be your dinner plate, or your finger painting with your child.

In closing, I saw this great little piece of word art over at Karma’s today…thought I would share.

See that on the right? The bolded words say “Lolly Love One Project Socks” - that is just too true! Although, my lonely Dublin Bay sock is not feeling any love right now…

Koigu Indigo Short-Cuff Socks
Yarn: Koigu KPPPM colorway P820
Needles: Susan Bates size 2 aluminum
Pattern: Heel and toe based on FiberTrends Hellen’s Favorite Socks
Notes: Now I see why some knitters swear by Koigu… Finished these in 10 days- they were hard to put down!

I have used this pattern for 3 of my 4 finished pairs of socks. It is a simple pattern that leaves plenty of room for "knitter’s license". I started with a one-inch rib, and then extended into stockinette stitch for the remainder of the cuff. I chose to make shorter cuff socks because I was unsure about the yardage, this being my first time using Koigu. I have size 10 feet, so I did not want to run out of yarn right before the toe! Looking back, I could have extended my cuff at least another inch, as I have a good amount of yarn leftover.

They fit perfectly, and I am already thinking about purchasing some more Koigu… but I need to work through some of the stash yarns before I think about that!

I have one sock lingering on the needles, and I plan to finish that one soon. I also plan to cast on for the Red Hot Sizzling Socks in the next few days. Then I came across this lovely yarn (a gift from Heather), and it got me thinking about a pair of bright pink socks for March’s Project Spectrum. The wheels in my head don’t stop turning!

The Phildar Plaisance (colorway Berlingot) is a cotton/acrylic blend and will be perfect for some lightweight spring/summer socks. I am planning to check out Amy’s free sock pattern repository to find a pattern that matches the yarn.

I finally got back to my Hourglass sleeve - I was feeling like quite the slacker after reading Yahaira’s post about working on her lovely version, and it was just the impetus I needed to knit up a few more inches last night. I am closer than I was before, but the road is long.

Its not a race, I have to keep telling myself… However, I would like to wear this sweater before the weather gets too warm for alpaca and silk… (KnitPicks Andean Silk in colorway Lettuce)

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Project Spectrum continues to grow, and many new participants are joining every day! There are an array of beautiful buttons to choose from too - check it out!

I hope to have a list of Project Spectrum participants set up by tomorrow or Monday. Stay tuned!

Have a great weekend.

Project Spectrum was born out of one of my New Year’s Resolutions…

…To be more conscious of my surroundings - to take the time to "smell the roses" - and to notice the small things…

Not only is this a large part behind the philosophy of Project Spectrum, but it also plays a part in my regular life. I live in a great region that has so much beauty, so much history, and such great attractions - and instead of always saying "I will get there someday…", I have decided to take advantage and get out there to learn more about the city: going to the museums, the parks, learning more history, taking more time to see the beauty around me.

I have played tourist in my own town before, and yesterday I got the chance to do it again. I had a little help from my great friend, Becca!

Bec and I met in our first year of college, and became so close after our study abroad summer in Israel in 2000. She moved back to DC last fall for grad school, and it is great to spend more time with her! She is sporting the awesome freeform crochet scarf that her mother made for Hanukkah. We were walking down the street and a random guy said "That is the ugliest scarf I have ever seen!" and then he smiled and said "I love you." It made us laugh, even if it was kind of weird… (Check out Becca knitting on her Hourglass sweater!)

We met at the National Building Museum, located just off the Judiciary Square stop on the Metro red line. Becca was working on a project for school, and I am never one to turn down a trip to the museum, so I tagged along. So glad I did!

Exterior of the building

Interior of the building’s main lobby

Just for scale: me next to one of those columns - they were like giant redwoods!

It was such a beautiful place, and we were only able to spend an hour there - I had class to attend at 4:30. We did enjoy the Washington: Symbol and City exhibit. Many other exhibits piqued my interest, so I am already planning a second trip.

Some other random beautiful sightings on our walk around DC:

The Chinatown Gate - look at those colors!

The United States Capitol Building

Supreme Court Building - with no protestors outside - I guess it was just too windy and cold…

*Meow*
The Lion, the Lolly, and the Wind

Despite the cold wind in our faces, we managed to have a lovely afternoon! Many more afternoon visits to come…

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I want to thank you for seeing the potential of Project Spectrum, and for realizing the potential that you have to inspire someone else with your unique ideas about craft and color. I am bursting at the seams with excitement about all of the possibilities! Thank you for making this possible!

I want to thank my friends Heather and Jenna for being my "sounding boards" about this whole Project - they helped me work it all out in my head last Sunday afternoon at Heather’s new pad - offering suggestions, encouragement, and giving me more inspiration! (and Jenna let me try on her Cutaway! love it!)

My knitting has been merrily rolling along - a progress report will be coming soon. The Bellini shawl was off to a great start, and then started to pool into a very unattractive pattern. I am going to give it another try with a different size needle - I hope that does the trick. Just before it went awry…

Looks like Becky is excited about color too - specifically RED!

I joined her Red Hot Sizzling Sock knitalong - how could I not? I love socks. I love red. Done deal.

…and the yarn for it?

KnitPicks Sock Garden Geranium

Happy Thursday!

PS- Anyone want to express themselves creatively in the form of some buttons for Project Spectrum? My little button seems subpar!

*UPDATE: I have received some great buttons! I will post them soon, and participants can choose which ones they will use on their own sites. Thank you for all of the contributions!

Something so unique that there is not anything exactly like it in the world… not even one. Creating with your own hands - using your precious time to make something beautiful, something thought-provoking, or something simply spontaneous…

Creating memories. Creating stitches. Creating something that only existed on paper and the designer's mind before it came into your capable hands. Creating something completely new and beautiful from an item that someone else discarded and considered useless.

What can be more rewarding than that?

These thoughts have been central in my mind in recent weeks - I have been completely inspired by the beautiful handmade items and the creativity I see all around me, on the internet and in my daily life.

In response to this creative explosion in my head, I started to think of the creative possibilities that we have on this medium of the internet - we can share and inspire each other with the click of a button… with a simple photograph or a well-placed encouragement, or even with a color of yarn, or a swatch of fabric. Think of the possibilities!

Colors inspire me. Colors elicit deep emotions and memories. Colors symbolize life events and the changing of the seasons. We surround ourselves with color - in our homes, in our gardens, and even on our dinner plate.

The idea of Project Spectrum is simply a celebration of the colors around us, and taking the time to notice them. Each month over a six month span will be devoted to a color group - participants can knit, dye, crochet, weave, spin, stitch, paint, scrapbook, sew, quilt, cook, grow, photograph, bake, or bead items in that color group (of course all arts and crafts not mentioned here also count!).

It is really about expressing yourself creatively - making something beautiful, and creating something unique with your hands. It is also about thinking outside of the box - perhaps taking up a new hobby, or a long neglected one, or finally dabbling in design.

I had planned to begin this project in February (red for February would have been perfect…), but in order to properly respect the legions of Knitting Olympians, I have decided to begin Project Spectrum in the month of March. This will give participants plenty of time to gather supplies, plan projects, get some inspiration, and rummage around at the flea market for that perfect find in need of refashioning and refurbishing!

Here's the plan:

March - Red and Pink
April - Orange and Yellow
May - Green
June - Blue
July - Violet / Purple
August - Neutrals / Black & White

…and perhaps the most important part: this is a no-pressure project. The months are each assigned a color group, but you do not have to work on a project in that color group every month. If you have a project already going, please do not feel that you have to set it aside only to participate. You can work on more than one project (of different colors) at a time - that is what I will be doing!

The color of the month is merely a suggestion - you can choose to make one thing out of that color the whole month - or twenty things - or nothing at all. Don't have any desire to make anything yellow? You don't have to! Go ahead and plan for the green month. Or you can simply make a photo essay - you carry around your camera with you and post pictures of the color objects you see throughout your daily travels.

If you are interested in participating, I encourage you to think ahead and plan your projects - I am doing the same! Some plans of my own: stashbusting my yarns, painting my bathroom, taking up crochet and sewing, more paper arts, and refashioning and recycling thrift store finds.

Projects can be big or small - whether you plan to tile your kitchen or photograph a blooming tree in your backyard - it is not a race, it is just about sharing your creative work to inspire others.

I will begin signups for the project now - a full five weeks early - so please fill out the signup form if you are interested. Of course, one can sign up any time between now and August to be a part of this Project.

You do not have to have a blog to participate. You simply have to have a passion for creating and expressing yourself through your work, and encouraging others to do the same. This is a create-along! It can easily work with your other crafty obligations - whether they are knit-alongs or crochet-alongs, planned gifts, etc.

Project Spectrum is about expression and creating beauty with all of the colors of the rainbow - and there are millions of ways to do that! Let's discover them together!

Unfortunately, I am not able to email every new participant with a confirmation email - if your name shows up on the list, you are in the group.

SEE PROJECT SPECTRUM 2.0 INFO HERE!! 

Project Spectrum Buttons for your website / blog

List of Project Spectrum participants

It’s a double pointed needle project parade… It just so happened that all of the knits I am currently working with are on these little needles - the second Koigu Indigo sock, my first Hourglass sleeve, and the second Dublin Bay sock.

These projects have gone with me everywhere this week, and I was able to fit in a few rows here and there: on the way to class, on the ride coming home from work (Kris was driving!), at knit nite with the girls…

On the train - so MetroSOCKual

While the double pointed projects are so small and portable, my wrists and hands were in need of a little break - that is when I decided to pull out this lovely Morehouse Merino laceweight (triple skein) and begin the balling process. I tried to put this yarn on my swift and ball winder, but the yarn is fine and unplied, and it broke almost immediately. It was back to the ol’ hand winding process for me. There is a lot of yardage in this hank - nearly 700 yards. This yarn is slated to be the simple and elegant Bellini shawl; my kit was purchased from Morehouse Farm at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival last year.

This year’s festival is only four months away, and I am already thinking about what I am going to buy… I am hoping to find the LaScala and Violetta shawl kits at their booth this year - they are so beautiful! (okay, truth is, I really love all of their lace kits…)

I am planning to cast on for this project, as I am quickly realizing the need for a black scarf (even with variegations). It should be a quick knit, as the shawl calls for US 9s or 10s.

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The weather in our region this week has been unseasonably warm - this morning, it was about 60 degrees. We decided to take Jen and Bella on a walk / hike on the river near our house. We had a lovely time; it seems like a lot of other people had the same idea about getting out of the house. As you can see, the girls were quite happy to be outside

Jen (left), Bella’s tongue (center), and Bella (right)

PS - Memes are all over the blogs again, and while I do enjoy reading these memes on others’ blogs, I rarely enjoy answering them myself. So, for those of you that tagged me, thanks for thinking of me and caring enough about what I have to say - no offense, but I just think I will pass.