Getting my knit-on etc.

Well, it's been a while. A lot has happened in the last month, so I'll provide a recap:

We went snow shoeing, skiing, started P90X, got sick, took a break from P90X, started knitting, stopped sewing, had a drastic change in diet, etc, etc, etc.

We have an exorbitant amount of snow this year, and I bought a groupon for a snowshoe rental. It was okay, but I like skiing better.

 
(snowshoeing at the local golf course)

I admit, I'm a little stuck in the sewing department. I made a couple of major fails and then another slightly disappointing piece that took the wind out of my sails. After my successful Jungle January blouse, I whipped off another Renfrew using a unique piece of knit I found at a second hand store that I was saving for B, but then selfishly reallocated to myself.

This goaround with the Renfrew, I was not as happy. It seems that the minor fitting issues that I could live with on the first make were magnified in this one. Namely, the biceps are tight, and I think I need to make the arm scythe larger too, not to mention a sloped shoulder adjustment. Now that I've washed it a couple of times, it feels better in the armpits, but something needs to be done if this is ever going to be a tnt for me. I was even thinking about going up a size to see what that feels like. I should probably also look into a sway-back alteration, but I just can't seem to give a crap about an angle I can't see.

My next sewing project was just barely started when we wend skiing, I got sick, and stopped being motivated to sew. It's a baby quilt for my friends in Calgary who are due in a couple of months. I used this Rough and Tumble pattern as my basis, but squared things up a bit to make construction easier and scaled everything down to the craft-size batting I had in my stash. I only have one of the coloured strips done, so it's not even worth showing you a progress shot, but here's the inspiration quilt:

http://www.modabakeshop.com/2011/12/rough-and-tumble-quilt.html

I also took a learn to knit class in January, and continued with a sock class at my local yarn shop. I was considering buying a much cheaper course from Craftsy, but honestly, getting out of the house, meeting new people and having two hours to myself only focussing on making something is worth the extra $. I am surprised how much i look forward to it every week. 

The Learn to Knit class sweater (children's size 4). It will go to my nephew. 

And the sock class socks in progress: 

I'm also currently working on an easy sweater pattern I purchased so long ago, I don't even remember when it was. I had completed the back but then unravelled it when I was cleaning up a few years ago for a move. 

I now have the front and the back done and just have the sleeves and assembly left. 

The slow pace of knitting used to frustrate me, but I like that I can do it while watching the many shows on tv that I keep up with but don't really care about. 

There are a tonne of sewing projects that are floating around in my head: finding/fitting a tnt button down shirt pattern, blazers, jeans, pants.... the list goes on. All are complicated and intimidating which is mostly why I'm procrastinating starting anything. 

Today I'm having my very first sewing meet-up (ever) with tanitisis. We just learned that we live in the same city and are going for coffee. Confession: I feel just as nervous as I did before a date back in my "cupid.com" days, but at least now I know that we have something in common!! It will be very nice to have someone in my age bracket that will understand sew-speak. It should be fun!

In conclusion, I hope to get my ass back in gear and sew some things soon!!