Divine Bird has an interesting post about creativity and craft and how in her opinion, it’s more about practice than amazing talent that makes people good at what they do. She’s a spinner with some nice looking yarn on her etsy shop.

Still jetlagged from my trip, I’m forgoing a walk this morning in favor of getting right to pattern writing. Hopefully, I’ll be able to reward myself with the walk later, and maybe it will be warmer, it was 32 Fahrenheit this morning when I took Jay to school which is, believe it or not, unseasonably cold for January in Maryland.

My real reward for finishing these patterns will be getting to start the designs that are now on my list, I’m itching to start sketching and swatching and playing with the new yarn I’ve discovered at TNNA.

One of my favorites is the new Panda Silk from Crystal Palace:

It’s a wool bamboo blend with just 5% silk for strength–a sock yarn that doesn’t need nylon! It has amazing sheen and softness and would make wonderful shawls too. I like how the multi-colored yarns are “tonal” instead of variegated, and each one has a solid that goes with it.

I’m resisting all of the great sales that seem to be assaulting me through e-mail. Namaste bags are on sale at Joann’s, (I hear there’s a coupon floating around for them too) and KPixie has their kits on sale, including three of my blue sky patterns, the Cropped Cardi, the Suri Merino Crocheted Sweater, and the Pleated Vest. They’re showing the vest in Charcoal, which I think looks very cool.

Hard Work