52 Hike Challenge

 I remember my friend, Paige (Frame & Fiber) did the 52 Hike Challenge a few years ago.

My sister, Andee also did it last year. Life has been weird lately and we have all fallen into a pattern of not really going anywhere. Covid has slowed down our world and I thought this hike challenge might help get me moving again. So, I signed up. It's free and the idea is simple. 52 hikes, one hike a week for 52 weeks.

I started a few weeks late but I plan to make up for the first few missed weeks with some short hikes mid-week. My friend Carrie was happy to join me and so far we have gone on 2 hikes. We live in NJ and it's VERY flat where we live, so most hikes are not challenging. We are using the All Trails app on our phone to find some new places to go. Once a month we plan to find a hike farther away and more challenging.

Our first hike was at Allaire State Park. I had read about the "Allaire Dinosaurs" but had not gone out to see them. Here's a link to read all about it. We parked our car and followed the directions we found online. It's a magical spot in the forest! There in a clearing we saw them. The dinosaurs made of sticks. I highly recommend taking a walk and finding them!

Our second hike was at F.Bliss Arboretum in Eatontown. We saw deer and a pretty stream. I'm sure it's a beautiful park in the summer and fall. 

I'm really happy we are doing this. It's nice to have something to look forward to and a reason to be outside. 

FROGGED!

I bought this beautiful yarn and knit almost an entire sweater. The whole time I was knitting it I knew that I wasn't going to like it. The pooling was bothering me. I switched skeins every other row and it still pooled....so much. Some people like this look. Me? Nope. 

So...after the sweater sat in timeout for two weeks, I did it. Yup. I frogged it. Unraveled it and I was so happy. I hopped on Ravelry to figure out what I could make with it and immediately knew this was the one. The Koivua Sweater by Caitlin Hunter. I had some white Navia yarn left over and my friend Paige from Frame & Fiber is going to order more for me.

The sweater has some texture in it but I decided not to do that. I also added a row of the contrast color to the collar. I saw another version on Ravelry that I liked and decided to do that too.

This photo was from two days ago. I've finished the yoke but it's impossible to photograph since it's a bunched up sweater on my needles.

I also listened to an audio book while knitting at night. I have missed books and I always seem to have trouble focusing on a book but this time it was easy. I borrowed my son's air pods. I had no idea how nice they are! They always look like q-tips hanging out of people's ears!

My library has an app that lets me borrow audio books. I'm now onto a new book.

Here's the one I "read"...(listened to)...How to Walk Away by Katherine Center. I'm always a sucker for a predictable romance book!

New to You 2021 MAL

It's New to You Make-a-long time again! Liz and I run this make-a-long and this is our third year. The premise is to try something new to you in the fiber arts. It could be a new craft, a new technique, a new project, just something that you have never tried and always wanted to.

Everyone can enter by using the #newtoyou2021mal on Instagram or on our farm Ravelry group page here. Then you get a chance to win lots of prizes!!!

I decided to learn macrame. It was so fun! I made a plant hanger.

I also tried a new cast on and garter heel for a pair of socks. I made the Simple Sport/DK socks by Lindsay 

from A Wooden Nest. I loved the cast on and now I'm going to use it for all of my socks!

 

Inspiration

 Hello! Wow...I've been away from this blog for a while. I have been reading others but I haven't posted in a while. I've been in a knitting funk for a month or so but it's kicking back into gear. So I thought I would do one of my knitting inspiration posts like I used to do. In case you're in a funk too....here are some fun things I have found that inspired me.

In the Weeds leg warmers (and how cute are those shoes??!!!!)

Heady Topper

This is the sweater I am knitting now....

Koivua by Caitlin Hunter

Pretty sweater. Love the color! Astragal

Cute hat! Spring On My Mind

This would be nice for late spring and summer.

Summer Trellis

And a few not knitting things that I just like...

Mushroom Fontina Pizza

Pretty braids

I'm always a sucker for a wrinkly quilt. I love this color combo.

And one more thing....something great that has come out of this pandemic.

Hope you are all doing well, are healthy, happy and creating!