WIPs Archives - Yarn Tails SA

Category: WIPs

An Epic Case of Procrastinating

Happy December everyone!! It’s good to be back! More than a year has passed and I have been agonising over this website and blog for many many months. An epic case of procrastinating!I’ve not even ventured into it because of my own disappointment in my apathy. Along with that goes my self-judgement and agonising over neglecting all you yarn- and fibre-craft-lovers and hopelessly letting you down.

But I have finally taken the leap, ripped my head out of the sand and updated the Yarns and Fibre Artists.

Life in the times of Covid

Helloooo Yarn Lovers. I can’t believe it’s been 6 months since we last connected. I hope you and your loved ones and friends have managed to get through what was, without a doubt, the strangest and toughest year for everyone. If you lost someone close to you last year, please accept my sincerest sympathies and condolences.

Does knitting count as a religion? Or perhaps as exercise?

Hello yarn & fibre-lovers & -crafters

And so we enter another phase of lockdown, albeit a different version of the same phase. It is starting to get a bit confusing trying to keep up with minor changes and what’s new. In version 1 of lockdown level 3, I recall getting very excited that places of worship would be allowed to reopen, with a maximum capacity of 50 worshippers. I immediately thought that this was the right time and perfect reason for Yarmies to become a religion.

We have yarn; we’ll survive lockdown

Hello blog. We still have (hopefully only) two weeks of lockdown to go and our household is managing (just barely, on some days) to keep our sanity in tact. How are YOU doing? I have to say that the fact that I have a SABLE (stash acquired beyond life expectancy) is definitely in my favour. What more could one ask for… we have yarn; we’ll survive lockdown.

Adulting

One of the joys of having kids is that you have a constant reminder of how quickly time is passing and how old you’re getting (not fun, that part!). I still can’t believe my eldest is in matric. Admittedly, most of my high school friends already have grandchildren, so I’m a bit of a late bloomer in the having kids (and, mind you, adulting in general) department. Nonetheless, I am feeling the horror of having a child on the brink of adulthood (and a teeny tiny bit of excitement, but really, only a smidge, mind you). And, of course, she’s not looking forward to adulting. It must be genetic. After all, adulting can often be SO overrated!

Alive & Kicking! Despite a “wobbly” start to the year…

Recent happenings in the world of Yarn Tails SA (most notably an epic cycling mishap & upcoming Yarn Tails knitting workshops), Yarmies Market Bag CAL & Christmas ornament swap, + a WIP of course

Classes? And other happenings…

Helloooo Yarn-Lovers! I’ve been agonising for a few weeks over how to add a separate page to my blog for yarn-craft classes. My concern has been keeping it continuously up to date, amongst other things. So I’ve decided to just do a regular (maybe monthly?) blogpost with details of upcoming classes all over SA. If you host or offer classes, and would like to add yours, please do send me details and I’ll gladly add it. I’ll be posting crafting classes next week, so keep an eye out.

I Love Yarn Retreat

I’m particularly looking forward to (and nervous about) the I Love Yarn Retreat this weekend. It’s being held at Shangri-La Country Hotel & Spa in Modimolle (took me a while to realise that it’s the town that used to be called Nylstroom). It’s going to be a laaarge group of yarn-crafters (about 30, I think). Hence my nervousness. Big groups of people are overwhelming for me, but it’s good to get out of my comfort zone occasionally…Copyright protected by Digiprove © 2018 Brenda Olwagen

WIPs

Progress on my WIPs

Hi there yarn-lovers. I hope you all had a fabulous Women’s Day and enjoyed your long-weekend? I certainly did. A variety of WIPs got some attention, I started something new, and I’m doing my best to be Bolt (“zoom zoom”) and get something finished…

WIPs

Why on earth knit socks???

I finished my first sock yesterday! Never thought I’d ever be thrilled about knitting a sock. I hate feet and anything to do with them. They gross me out and always have. Even my own. So entering the world of sock knitting has been an epic journey for me.

Most of the members of our knitting group are regular sock knitters. Inspirational sock knitters! But for me, ever since I started knitting, I have violently balked at the idea of making socks. I just never got the point of it. There are so many, MUCH more bee-autiful patterns out there that I’d rather be making. Not just that, but the thought of hiding the gorgeousness of my sock weight yarns on my feet, inside shoes no less, was ludicrous, bordering on hysterically laughable.

Then, in May, a friend was asked to give a cuff-down sock knitting class at a nearby shop in Roodepoort, Craft Academy Fabrics & Fibres. I decided to join the class to offer her some moral support. Maybe it was time to at least appear to be finally interested in this sock knitting malarky?Copyright protected by Digiprove © 2018 Brenda Olwagen

WIPs

To knit or weave with my Slubby Wool?

Spending some time on Ravelry is an essential part of my day. For me, it’s almost like showering or eating…it just has to happen at least once a day!

I was browsing patterns a day or so ago and happened to open my projects page. I realised in absolute horror that I have only one WIP that I’m making with SA yarn. Yes, I deserve every gasp after reading that sentence, on this, my blog about SA yarns! And I’m even more disgusted with myself because I’ve not gotten much further than when I took the picture. The pattern just isn’t working for the yarn, but the yarn is absolutely divine!