One of the things I love about both music and yarn-crafting is the fact that I get to practice making things.
Beautiful things.
One results in a physical finished object such as a pair of socks, the other is something that, while fleeting (unless I record), I can draw back on and make again and again, each time a little different. On this blogging journey, I would like to share some of my current goals for both music and wooly, fibery goodness...and the blog!
Music Goals
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| My primary trio of instruments |
1. Master transitions on the guitar.
I'm giving my best shot on learning chords, I've nearly gotten the "dreaded F" to sound clear after years of trying and failing miserably and wanting to give up altogether. That's one of the downsides of being self-taught...but also one of the plus-sides. You may not always have someone physically there to guide you, but once you develop that muscle it's such a great feeling of accomplishment.
Anyway, it's nice to have the chords to a favorite song, but learning a song is like baking--you could have all the ingredients, but you need to know how to put them all together. Working on rhythm and transitioning from one chord to another is like measuring the ingredients and having the oven set to the right time and temperature. Granted, it's not my best analogy, but it works.
2. Learning the left-hand on the harp.
This has always been a tough one--I am almost as monodexterous as they come...almost; I can type decently with both hands and play the piano (by the way, that is an instrument you will NOT see on this blog--my piano at home is shamefully out of tune), anything where my hands are mirror-image of each other is fine. But my left hand trying to do a right-handed job? That's a tough one. When playing the harp, your palms are facing each other, so your thumbs are facing the same direction. (unless you're like this guy...) There's likely a lot of neurological reasoning as to why this is, but that's a whole other can of worms (albeit, one that I would like to crack open at another time) and suffice it to say, my brain still needs to re-wire and strengthen those neurons.
3. Learn fingerpicking on the ukulele.
Oh, the one technique everybody loves to hear, but is deceptive in how easy it looks. In my journey to master this, I plan on practicing scales, learning where different notes are on each string and fret, etc. Sounds pretty obvious, but it does help, even in reading tabs.
The good news is, I have gotten a start on some of them at some point, I just fell out of practice and need a solid refresher course.
Crafting goals
1. Complete a sweater.
I already have one started, the Luella Top on Ravelry. It is a pattern for purchase, so I won't be talking about it in-depth, other than sharing current progress. Right now, I'm working on the yoke (pictures to come). The only reservation I have about this one is the fact that I currently live in an area where cold weather is never a guarantee, even during winter. Oh, well. It'll still be fun...
2. Learn brioche knitting
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| Isn't that just gorgeous?! |
Brioche refers not only to a French style of bread (eggy, moist, somewhat sweet...okay, I need to stop..), it also refers to a style of knitting wherein the resulting fabric is double-layered and occasionally dual-colored. Which leads into...
3. Learn colorwork.
Whether it's intarsia knitting (the secondary color does not span the whole row) or Fair Isle (you know, rows of beautiful colors in a floral or snowflake pattern), I would love to incorporate multiple colors and even charted pictures into my projects. I will need to do research on techniques and styles, so stay tuned.
Blog goals
1. Start a podcast.
I'm so excited for this one! This will be a fantastic way of not only keeping in touch with the fiber community (big shoutout to my friend Jessica of the Army Wife Knitting Life podcast), but a way to document my progress in learning to play my trio of instruments. It's also a different way of getting ideas out there...here I get to be a little more creative and planned out, but having a vlog or podcast will allow a little more spontaneity.
2. Cartoon
Along with music and crafting, I love doodling and cartooning, and so far my adventures have been ripe with juicy, funny material. Or at least I think it's funny...but I digress. If it works, you'll get to see some adventures with the hound dog, some of my 93-year-old grandmother's tall tales (some true, others may be a bit of a stretch), the quirky daily happenings of a barista in a coffee shop, and more!
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One of my (normally human) characters going into "mama bear mode" as a visual pun.
There is most definitely a backstory, but it'll be revealed at another time.
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3. Work on introductions to the world of fiber crafting
The fiber community is really a great one to be a part of; if anyone finds him/herself (lots of awesome dudes knit and crochet too, you know...) even the slightest bit curious about such hobbies, there are so many people that would be just itching to welcome in new peeps and share their wisdom. Of course, there are times where things will seem a little bit intimidating, even in the friendliest of fiber groups (sometimes fiber people can get a little cliquey, but let's not even bother with them--it's a rare thing, but it happens); lingo is thrown around, even basic stitches seem like a foreign language. All you need is a friendly tour guide to introduce you to this fabulous wonderland, and I'll be happy to fill that role. You'll see some re-posts from my old blog The Knitting Safari (still accessible until further notice), as well as new material.
Of course, what I love about setting these goals for myself is that I get to hold myself accountable by posting my progress here and share what I've learned with other like minded people.
Until next time, cheers!
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| A photo demonstration of the purl stitch; find the original post here |
Of course, what I love about setting these goals for myself is that I get to hold myself accountable by posting my progress here and share what I've learned with other like minded people.
Until next time, cheers!
