So, I feel like I’m just waking up from a dark, haunting, and very cold dream…

I’ve just endured the longest, most miserable winter of my life. I didn’t fully understand that weather could leave you feeling incredibly drained and uninspired. Depressed, really.

I used to think that any temperature below freezing would essentially feel the same.

{snicker}

I can now attest that -25° F (before the wind chill) does not, in fact, feel like 25° F. And… walking through deep snow is more of a workout than jogging on a beach. And… going weeks without sunshine does affect your emotional well-being. Phew!

We’ve had 40° temps and sunshine for a few days now and I feel reenergized. It’s simply amazing.

So, now that I’m feeling more like myself, I have a lot of catching up to do.

Most of my creative energy over the past months has been channeled into knitting – primarily because you can do that one the couch, in your fleece pajamas, wrapped up in a blanket! I have to say, I’ve become pretty darn comfortable with it.

So, here’s a quick overview of a few of my favorite creations. Get ready for photo overload…

Chunky wool poncho

I absolutely love this piece. I would wear it all of the time if I could. Every time I’ve worn it out, ladies stop to ask me where I bought it. I’ve actually made two of these. With practice, the second actually turned out better than the first. I doubled the amount of fringe and it looked so polished!

This pattern came from a book. If you’d like to make one similar, here are a few free patterns:

The Simplest Sweater

I chose this pattern for the promise in its name. It was my first attempt at a top-down sweater. I am pleased to report it was incredibly simple! I’ve been lax with my photography, but a friend snapped this quick pic for me. 

I will definitely work up this again. Love it!

Colorwork Cowl

Three cheers for my first colorwork project! For this cowl, I used a pattern from The Purl Bee. Truth be told, I really prefer the colorways that they recommend. But, I wanted to use the yarn that I had on hand. I made many, many, many mistakes along the way. Fortunately, the folds disguise most of them!

Honeycomb Brioche Sweater

I could not love this sweater more. I typically gravitate towards free patterns, but I actually bought this one. I found this yarn on Little Knits, one of my favorite yarn sites. Retail, this yarn would have cost more than $200. I only paid $40!

I am very proud of the way it turned out. And it’s such a cool look!

This is just a sampling from the past few months. As you can see, I’ve been very busy (and cooped up indoors!).

Next update… sewing!