January Jewels

-
A Gem of a Calendar from Phlights of Phancy
It's no secret January is my least favourite month but slowly year on year I'm doing better at loving it. Last year with the snow I had a better time than in previous years. Slllooooowwww is definitely the pace for me in winter. One step up from hibernation. Though I'm prepared to ease away from the sofa when the sun shines like it did today. With blue skies overhead jewels sparkled wherever I looked.
Christmas Books to look forward to diving into just as soon as the last gifts are knit.
New friends and old.
Goodbye murky grey...


...hello sunshine!
Afternoon tea with my lovelies - spot the Vogue Cowl in action - yay for gifts well appreciated!
Exciting times ahead.
Even the dark brought more jewels.

Comments

Anonymous said…
oh, so many lovely photos, with so much to be cheery about! i hate january too, but mostly because the temp sits about 30c with 100% humidity. this year its raining too. but i do love the hanging out with friends a lot part as well. and we're not talking about work right?
9 January 2011 at 20:22:00 GMT
Anita said…
Hi Sarah, I love Mr. Owl, he's so cute and I wonder what the cat is thinking about. I noticed the titles on the stack of books and have taken down the names of them to order at the library. I can't quite see the whole title on More last minute...? That's a special bump you have there. Happy knitting. Kind regards, Anita.
9 January 2011 at 22:47:00 GMT
sara said…
Such lovely pictures! I love Mr. Owl and cat.

I'm not a fan of January, either.
10 January 2011 at 00:59:00 GMT
Bells said…
i think what you're doing is spot on - finding the small things that keep your ahead above water. And oh so many lovely things - it's all about the little moments in life.
10 January 2011 at 08:47:00 GMT
Rose Red said…
Such gorgeous photos! What a lovely place you live in!
10 January 2011 at 10:15:00 GMT
mooncalf said…
I'm finding this January much easier than normal. I think the cold weather before Xmas was so horrid and the glimpses or warmth and sun in January so welcome that it has seemed almost spring-like.

I got Modern Top-Down knitting too. i'm not sure where to begin with it though. Love those ripply arm things, and the cute beret and all the dresses...
10 January 2011 at 11:32:00 GMT
t does wool said…
gorgeous series sarah...
I have been MIA and I apologize for that sweet you.
Hoping your holidays were perfect and a happy new year to you...xx

oooo...the bump!!!!!!!!!
11 January 2011 at 00:00:00 GMT
T. said…
LOVE the pics!! And that owl is gorgeous.
11 January 2011 at 01:52:00 GMT
Linda said…
Your pictures have made this murky grey day so much better! Knitting books are great for new things to brighten up the new year too aren't they. x
11 January 2011 at 09:19:00 GMT
Charity said…
So many great things to fill up a dreary January! :o)
11 January 2011 at 16:26:00 GMT
raining sheep said…
Hi Sarah, I so love your owl pillow and most definitely exciting times ahead :) Glad that you are trying to embrace January. I am like you, typically January is a tough month for me. Actually Jan, Feb, and Mar is my least favorite time of year. It is cold here, no special holidays. I need to make some changes for those months in the future.
12 January 2011 at 13:02:00 GMT
Rachel said…
Beautiful series of images...it makes me long for your January rather than mine! I've barely been knitting as I try to get my dissertation done...1.5 feet of snow and I fear I won't see the ground until May!...I'm not quite sure when I last saw the sun! Oh well, I'll live vicariously!

LOVE that owl pillow...where did it come from?
13 January 2011 at 22:01:00 GMT
Anonymous said…
Hi Sarah,
I just came across your blog, and it is terrific! I wanted to send you some complimentary knitting books to possibly review on your blog. If you are interested, please get in contact with me at regan@workman.com.
Thanks! Regan Clancy, Workman Publishing
14 January 2011 at 11:33:00 GMT
Modelwidow said…
I agree about January, but your lovely photo's are an inspiration to look for the good things.
15 January 2011 at 14:35:00 GMT
marycatharine said…
Sunshine can take January from painful into livable.
24 January 2011 at 03:17:00 GMT
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"As in knitting, as in life"

-
Image
Whilst admiring Bells beautiful steeked jacket the other day I found myself agreeing wholeheartedly with her suggestion of knitting as a metaphor for life and mentioned my little "as in knitting, as in life" mantra I'm often mumbling. You know how it goes - the pattern/recipe you modify without noting down the changes = a hard to replicate FO/dish. As in knitting, as in life. The one more row/I'll just finish this before I go to bed mentality = dropped stitches/botched job. As in knitting, as in life. The jump in head first without proper swatching/preparation = ill fitting knit/ill realised project. As in knitting, as in life. What it all boils down to is the big WIP of life - we knit, we make mistakes, we learn, we adapt, we pick up those dropped stitches, we live with the imperfections and we get better at it all. So for anyone who knows that it is all about the knitting take this blog button and display it proudly in your sidebar, link back to the blog you ge...
Read more

Ways I keep together

-
Image
I feel like this world breaks my heart about a hundred different ways every week at the moment. The horrors we witness, and then up through the cracks of the latest tragedy, the tender shoots, the beautiful ways humans reach out to one another to help each other tentatively move forward again. Those of us still blessed or cursed or blessed to be here. I hear an internal narrative that says it's all too much for me to take in. I am challenging that, staying present for the reality of it, mindfully, finding personal stories behind platitudes and headlines, understanding more about how we all process and grieve and flail. I look for the moon. I knit. I think about the equinox. I stop and smell primroses. I say thank you to my toes. And I love, the best I can, as many as I can.                                                             ...
Read more

First Stutterings

-
Image
At the end of January I had the pleasure of taking a learn to crochet course at The Makery in Bath taught by the very patient and adept Rosee Woodland .  Here is my first ever piece of crochet. Hard won over an hour or so. Rather tight and twisty. I thought it would be, as that aptly describes my first pieces of knitting. The focus and anxiety to get it right flow through my hands and translate into tightly wound stitches. I seem less patient with myself than I was when I learnt to knit as if somehow because I can do the one I should be able to do the other. I was no natural knitter but because it it flows now I think other crafts should feel the same. That belief certainly sabotaged my attempts to learn from a book which worked for me with knitting; with crochet I felt like I should be able to skip through that beginning section and get straight into the 'real' stuff and when I couldn't get it easily I didn't want to persevere. So I was delighted to see details of ...
Read more