Second Half of the Year.

It's been a while since I last posted but I decided not to do it until I finished a particular knitting project that I wanted so much to conclude.

July is almost over but this month represents an important period of the year for me. It means that the first half is over and whatever you planned for the year, if you still have not accomplished it then you still have some more time. It also means making final decisions about those "New Year Projects" because six months is also not such a long time, so it basically prompts you into getting "realistic" about them.

I do not like to make "New Year Projects" but I do like organizing my time, as much as this is possible in this very hectic life. One of the things I do love making projects about is knitting and sewing. This year has been a little slow regarding sewing due to logistic reasons (my studio is under construction), but regarding knitting things come fairly easy, and I just love it. You just need a comfortable space, yarn, needles and good mood.

As June ended and having realized that I had to many "cast ons" and unfinished projects I firmly decided to put a final point with them.....and so far it has been working. This obviously meant not starting any new projects until I was done with these six......difficult but doable!

So now comes my first accomplishment, the "Jacaranda Sweater" has been completed after many months of working on and putting it away after feeling tired.

I started it last May, yes last May of 2007! Oh my! this made me think why it is that I took so long and it is basically because although it was an easy project still it was also demanding: just a little distraction was enough to lose the way and find yourself having to face unraveling some rows........this happened frequently, I am afraid. But well, now it is time to celebrate! On the bright side I must say this project has excellent fit, something difficult to achieve sometimes. Check it out......

Going back to demanding projects I started recalling other similar projects that I had knitted in the past. The funny thing is that eventhough the knitted chart looks quite demanding......

....I do not recall ending so tired from it. The following is a picture of the second knitting project I ever did. It took me three months to finish it back in 1997 -talk about being excited with knitting!- and I still love wearing it. I am sure I will keep it forever. The fit is also great.

So now it is three more knitting projects and two crochet ones to go, July is still not over and I trust I will be posting here about another finished project soon!

To end this post with my traditional recipe I thought of sharing and experience I long looked forward to doing. No, I will not post the recipe because this one is a complex mexican dish (and after the Jacaranda Sweater I need a break!), I am talking about "Tamales", the ones from the state of Oaxaca, in the Pacific Coast of my colorful country. My friend Blani from Oaxaca took the trouble of teaching me how to do these delicacies that consist of maze dough with green and red tomato hot sauce that are wrapped around banana tree leaves. Deliciosos!

Hasta Pronto!