I wrote a book. "The First Historical Guide to Pawnee." I wrote it as a reference for myself, but then my campaign advisors said we should make it a big wide release. So we had people contribute, we added pictures, and we removed a lot of my poems and emotional ramblings and pictures of unicorns and here it is!

I'm not getting into a rhythm at all at work.  Well, I am, but it's not really a sustainable one.  Now I've actually got my job, I'm going to try to set my own hours to a certain extent; baby steps.  I feel I'm going to be full time before I really want to be.  Ah teaching, the job that keeps on taking.

Still, there's been a bit of a break in the clouds today, in the unlikely shape of Hat having a very high temperature and fever and Simon working in town, meaning that I had to stay at home and not go in at all.  In between fetching and carrying and doing my planning, I was able to knit, bake bread, make soup, dye a jacket and do two loads of washing, and bizarrely all these things meant that I could reset my brain.

So.  In the last month, what have I made from the never-ending list?

I finished my Wisteria jumper this afternoon.  It has taken FOREVER to make, with its complicated cables that require concentration.  I immediately wondered whether I had it in me to make a grey one out of Cascade 220; turns out, I don't.

The jumper is made out of Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted, in the Prairie Fire colour.  The yarn is a mohair blend and very fuzzy and gorgeous.  I used 6 mm needles, in the round for the body, and DPNs for the sleeves.  It took such a long time because I spent a lot of time willing it to finish itself, and I didn't really want to work on it during the summer.  A couple of kilos of mohair on your lap is not conducive to keeping cool.

A very dear friend of mine had twin boys, so they needed a gift.  Each.  I felt that they needed a separate but matching vest top, in vibrant rainbow shades.  I used the same pattern for both and the same balls of yarn but in a different order, and I think they are pretty striking.  The necklines might be a bit tight, but I stretched them out over a pretty big pumpkin and they went over fine, and the boys have smaller heads than the pumpkin.

I made an Urchin hat as part of the FESA thing, but I haven't photographed yet.  Too busy wearing it constantly.

Hexipuff Quilt: I think it is now 195 out of 500.  Not sure.  I should probably count them at some point; I think I will make another ten and then count.

Vianne cardigan: Finished.  I gave it a new button band, and a new ribbon and I'm really pleased with it now.  It sat on my new dressmaker's dummy for a while, and looked smashing.

Simon's massive man socks: I've made one.  I can't now find the other ball of black flecked sock yarn.  Bum.  It's either in the stash somewhere, or I went mad and only bought one ball.

The Rainbow Raglan: Still waiting for sleeves.

This One's for Parties Vintage Jumper: I'm not entirely happy with this.  I've shelved it for now, and I will get back to it.  Maybe a 2016 vintage pledge.  Hem.

The Yellow Petrie: I want to say I've finished this, but I can't.

These are things that are waiting to be started.  Still.  They will (may) get made before July, or they may not.

A present for Robin: I don't like that owl blanket.  I'm going to make him a vest in the Knit Picks wool I bought about two years ago.  

Finish the Peacock Mittens

Miette cardigan in Lemon

Cream and Beige Coco style boatneck striped top

Sun-Ray Ribbing Vintage Jumper
Ishbel scarf thing
Waterhouse Mittens

Reknit Simon's Cobblestone jumper

Mini Hetty cardigan with sleeves for Lucy 

Bright Rainbow Blanket for Lucy

Burton Bear cowl for Hattie

Mini Hetty cardigan with sleeves also for Hattie
Minion blanket for Hattie 

You remember my nephew Marcus, the thirty-one year old? He asked me to ask you if you are single. I told him I'm not a third grade girl with pigtails passing love letters.

Hi!  Remember me?  I'm the one who goes on and on about knitting and sewing, and makes lists and joins vintage pledges, and never really actually follows through on things.  I've got 4 months to make two vintage jumpers.  Chances of that happening?

This is what the list looks like now.  There are no photos, because they are on my phone, and that is in the front room and I can't be bothered to move.  LAZY.

Lucy's Elwood mittens are done, and she loves them very, very much.  She loves everything I make.  She is the best person to make things for, as she is so enthusiastic.

The back of the Petrie top is finished.  It looks good.  I'm going to block it before sewing it up, which might make it look less like it was knitting by Mad Margaret on a bad day.  It does not look at all like a minion.

There are now 17 squares to make for the Weather Blanket.  One seven.  That is all.  The plan is now to make one a day until it is finished.  So that will take me another three months.  I've actually run out of yellow wool, so I can't do much more until I go shopping.

I made a start on the Rainbow Raglan.  It is beautiful and smells of sheep.  Big hairy sheep.  I can only knit it for about 4 rows before the smell becomes overpowering, so it will proceed slowly.  I won't be taking it out of the house until it is finished.  Just in case.

We went in the car to Brighton to clean my father in law's house, and I made 4 hexipuffs.  Then I made another one to use up some of the scraps from Lucy's mittens.  So that is 5 out of 100 *(&*&*&^*^%&&^%ing Hexipuffs.

The rest is still the same.

Miette cardigan in Lemon

Cream and Beige Coco style boatneck striped top

Sun-Ray Ribbing Vintage Jumper

This One's for Parties Vintage Jumper

Finish the Wisteria so that when it gets cold, I will be warm

Finish the Peacock Mittens, ditto

Reknit Simon's Cobblestone jumper

A pair of massive MAN SOCKS

Mini Hetty cardigan with sleeves for Lucy

Bright Rainbow Blanket for Lucy

Burton Bear cowl for Hattie

Mini Hetty cardigan with sleeves also for Hattie
Minion blanket for Hattie

Owl Blanket for Robin's Christmas present

I've worked out a way to fix my Vianne cardigan, but I've got to get up the enthusiasm to unpick the ribbon from the buttonband, and then replace it.

In other news, I'm going to a pop up yarn market on Saturday at Chelsea Old Town Hall.  I'm going to try to take some good quality photos; I might even put them on the blog, who can say.

The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.

What on earth has been going on?  Where has all my time gone?  It's been WEEKS since I posted anything.  It's nearly the end of Me Made May, and me has been wearing all the handmade clothes, as have the children, and I've been sewing like a demon too.  More on that TOMORROW.  PROBABLY.

KNITTING, KNITTING, KNITTING.  There's been knitting happening, but no photography, as I really haven't finished anything.  Aargh.  It'll be the end of this YEAR OF PROJECTS soon, so the majority of my list will form the basis of next year's list.  Hem.

• Hexipuff Quilt - No change.  Hey ho.

• Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - My Lucy considers this to be done.  I'm going to add two yellow stripes to it, and one purple, then an orange border around the whole thing, and then it will be done. 

• Wisteria jumper -  It needs a sleeve.  Just one sleeve.  *sigh*  But, as it is thick, thick wool, and cables, it's not going to be needed for a few more months.  Hopefully.

• The Weather in the Streets 

I've done a couple more squares, but I forget which, and I've not made a note, so these numbers will have to do, and I'll have a count tonight or tomorrow and get up to date.

• Yellow squares - 109/143 done - 34 to go
• Blue squares - 56/72 done - 16 to go
• Grey squares - 69/102 - 33 to go
• Turquoise squares - 2/11 done
• Orange squares - ALL DONE
• Pink square - DONE
• Purple squares - DONE
• Red squares - 7/10 done
• Dark Green squares - DONE
• Pale Blue square - DONE
• Pale Yellow square - DONE
• Dark Blue square - DONE
• Pinky-Red squares - 7/10 done

• Hattie's 4th birthday blanket - currently getting a pink border.  So, so close to being done.

• Miette cardigan - cropped cardigans are not very me, so I'm going to add 6 inches to the body, and then call it long enough.  

There has been no progress on any of these, so I'm going to call them the start of next year's list, despite the tiniest little outside chance that I will complete one of these by the end of June.  Tiniest chance on the planet, but still a chance.  

• Burton Bear Cowl for Hattie. Autumn project.
• Owl Obsession for one of my godsons.  I had a go at making the owls, and didn't really like the way they looked, so I am going to make him a different sort of owl blanket.  Probably one that's like the Repeat Crafter Me blanket I made Hattie.  I'm using the wool I bought for him, so it won't be exactly the same.  It'll be more controlled, colourwise, as I've got a variegated main colour and white for the edges.  I'll need some brown for the owl body, but some acrylic aran weight will be great for that.  
• Peacock Mitten - At almost a quarter of the way through this, I'm quite excited that I might even have it finished before it gets cold again.  
• Coraline cardigan - I'm going to start this once I've finished the Miette cardigan.  It is too pretty to keep on putting off. 
• Petrie top - it's time for a bit of selfish knitting, I think I'll start it, and see how it goes.    
• Knitted Coco - same with this one.  I'm so close to finishing the girls' blankets, I'll need some projects to put on the sofa to wind Simon up.
• Socks for me - I found some sock yarn.  I will take socks with me on holiday with me.  Might even get a whole pair made.  We're there for two weeks.
• Rainbow jumper - this is an Autumn project.
• A Little Birds jumper with no steeks - I still need to shred the stash for this.  But I'm pretty sure I bought some yarn that didn't arrive.  Hmm.
• Reknit an unwearably large jumper for Simon - Measure once, knit twice.  This is probably an Autumn project too.

Done:

Myrna Cardigan

Hattie's cardigan.

A pair of simple socks for the children

Garter Yoke Cardigan

An Owlet for Lucy

Lucy's Cowl

Hattie's Cowl

A Burton Bear Cowl for Lucy

Simon's socks

Boreal

A tiny jumper for Nicholas

Sparkly Owlet for Hattie

Ringo mittens

Aiken

Striped jumper for Lucy
Nicholas' POP blanket

Oh, I don't think I'm a lot dumber than you think that I thought that I thought I was once

What a terribly busy weekend and couple of days that.  My nephew turned one, I went to Bristol for a day trip to see a friend and spend money at the Outlaw Craft Fair (great), and we spent Monday walking around London, looking for more Shaun the Sheep statues.  So a fine time has been had by all.  There's even been knitting happening.  

• Nicholas' POP blanket - Finished and done and given to the birthday boy, who was predictably unimpressed by it, but my sister in law loves it, which is the main thing really.   30 circles, 30 squares, the blue border made from the remains of my Elsa jumper.  I've only had the kit for 18 months, so that's a pretty good rate of progress for me.  

• Hexipuff Quilt - It's something like 180 out of 250.  Which is great. STILL.  

• Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - Nearly done.  I need to finish this now, although I honestly need more wool for it; some more orange is needed as it's her favourite colour. 

• Wisteria jumper -  Still the same.  It's too warm to work on this.

• Burton Bear Cowl for Hattie. I'm going to move this to next year I think; it's really too warm for this too.

• The Weather in the Streets 

Still 98 to go, so no photo.  I'm still pretty happy about it, although I'm thinking that I should really just get on and finish it.

• Yellow squares - 109/143 done - 34 to go
• Blue squares - 56/72 done - 16 to go
• Grey squares - 69/102 - 33 to go
• Turquoise squares - 2/11 done
• Orange squares - ALL DONE
• Pink square - DONE
• Purple squares - DONE
• Red squares - 7/10 done
• Dark Green squares - DONE
• Pale Blue square - DONE
• Pale Yellow square - DONE
• Dark Blue square - DONE
• Pinky-Red squares - 7/10 done

• Hattie's 4th birthday blanket.  This is going really well.  I've made and sewn together 20, and there are another 3 to sew on at some point.  I can finish 4 more of them, but then I have to wait for the wool fairy to bring me some more wool to finish it. I've been putting empty ball bands under my pillow every night, but nothing. 

• NEW: A Miette cardigan.   I've seen lots of these on the internet, and thought it would be just the thing to make myself to go with my soon to be finished skirt.  The skirt is gorgeous; red roses, Liberty print, salvaged from something my mum was getting rid of, which makes it super amazing: vintage, upcycling and handmade.

• Owl Obsession for one of my godsons - it's for his second birthday.  Next up. 
• Peacock Mitten - I'm almost a quarter of the way through the second mitten.  Still.
• Coraline cardigan - I've wound the wool for this, but I need to finish the Wisteria jumper first.
• Petrie top - I should probably start this one soon.    
• Knitted Coco -see above.
• Socks for me - I have no suitable sock wool that I like.
• Rainbow jumper - still depressed about losing jumper 1, and in mourning.  
• A Little Birds jumper with no steeks - still planning.  I need to sort the stash to see what I've got of this.  I might even need to sort out whether I've got the wool.  I think I bought some, but I don't remember.  How awful.    
• Reknit an unwearably large jumper for Simon - Oh Lord, I keep putting this off.

Done:

Myrna Cardigan

Hattie's cardigan.

A pair of simple socks for the children

Garter Yoke Cardigan

An Owlet for Lucy

Lucy's Cowl

Hattie's Cowl

A Burton Bear Cowl for Lucy

Simon's socks

Boreal

A tiny jumper for Nicholas

Sparkly Owlet for Hattie

Ringo mittens

Aiken

Striped jumper for Lucy

So that's your lot.  There's been sewing happening, but no photos.  Too busy and important these days.  

Come back to what you know

Which in my case is knitting, not film reviews.

I haven't written about my current year of projects for a while, simply because it is just so BORING.  Boring sleeves.  Boring sewing on a billion buttons.  Boring enormous MAN SOCKS.

So, an update.

For the girls:

Ringo and Elwood mittens in grey and brown (it's getting close to mitten weather, better get a move on)
One of these for each of them - yarn bought, Lucy's is next on my list.

For me:
A Garter Yoke cardigan in that lovely blue - nearly finished the second sleeve.
Finish the Wisteria jumper (not much to go) - just got the sleeves to do
Finish the other Peacock Mitten in time for winter - need to get on with it
A Coraline cardigan - I have NEW YARN in a new and exciting and very not Julia colour for this one
A Petrie top with navy and blue stripes - on hold
A knitted Coco (no link, because I am going to make it up and channel Tilly) - got some yarn for it
A pair of socks - didn't get to start in France, but will try to do them in the car in the next few weeks.

For Simon:

Reknit an unwearably large jumper - I've had a look in his cupboard, and chosen the one to reknit.  I need to take measurements and search out the pattern.
More socks. - One sock is done.  We are going to YARNDALE on Friday, so I will start it then

Owl Obsession for my new godson - got the yarn....
Hexipuff Quilt (I'm aiming to get 250/500 done by the end of June 2015)
The Weather in the Streets (should probably be finished by June) - January to May - done; January to April sewn together.
Finish the bloody Elephants blanket - FCK THAT SHJT.
Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - going surprisingly well
Nicholas' POP blanket - I've done a few squares, but am being very slow about it

Done:
Myrna Cardigan
Hattie's cardigan.
A pair of simple socks each

Hmm.  It's not too bad when I lay it all out and look at it like that.  Hurrah for knitting more than you think you are.

It's knitting Jim, but not as we know it

A knitlist update before I go off on one about Disneyland.

For the girls:
Hattie's cardigan.  DONE.

As you can see, the stripes do not match, although the pink ones are predominate, as per instructions.  She is indifferent to it, the little weasel.

A pair of simple socks each - DONE

Lucy's are a bit patchwork - I made one in the red/yellow/orange colourway, then realised that I was going to run out of yarn before I could finish the second sock, so I put the pink from Hat's socks in as the heel, finished them up with the original colourway, then had to finish the edging with green.  Lucy likes them not matching, and I've promised her a pair of orange socks that do actually match to make up for it.  Plus, two whole balls out of stash, just like that.  Gone!

Ringo and Elwood mittens in grey and brown
One of these for each of them - yarn bought, Lucy's is next on my list, after I've finished the sock.

For me:
A Garter Yoke cardigan in that lovely blue - no progress
Finish the Wisteria jumper (not much to go) - too hot to think about
Finish the other Peacock Mitten in time for winter - will do in September
A Coraline cardigan in either that same lovely blue, or in the other blue I've just impulse bought - Not yet
A Petrie top with navy and blue stripes - still thinking; will need to buy yarn for it, and I don't want to do that
A knitted Coco (no link, because I am going to make it up and channel Tilly) - got some yarn for it
A pair of socks - didn't get to start in France, but will try to do them in the car in the next few weeks.

For Simon:

Reknit an unwearably large jumper - I've had a look in his cupboard, and chosen the one to reknit.  I need to take measurements and search out the pattern.
More socks. - I've done the toe and a lot of the ENORMOUS HULKING MAN FOOT of the first one.

 I stage my photos so well, don't I?

Blankets:

Owl Obsession for my new godson - got the yarn....
Hexipuff Quilt (I'm aiming to get 250/500 done by the end of June 2015)
The Weather in the Streets (should probably be finished by June) - weather written down for the past three months, nothing else done
Finish the bloody Elephants blanket - on hold
Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - not started
Nicholas' POP blanket - I've done a few squares, but am being very slow about it

Done:
Myrna Cardigan

I'm not doing too badly at the moment.  The fact that I started it a month ago has made me far more focussed than I was last year.  Maybe it will all get done this time.  Knitting and crochet are far easier to find time for; I can do them in front of the TV when the girls are in bed, plus they are more sociable - nothing says LEAVE ME ALONE, I'M CONCENTRATING more than a whirring sewing machine. 

Leslie, what do we do when we get this angry? We count backwards from 1,000 by sevens and we think of warm brownies.

A bit about the knit list 2014 - 2015.

I have to confess to cheating slightly when I drew up the list. I was already more than 50% through my blue Myrna, and only put it on the list to have a bit of a soft start.

Still, my list, my rules, what are you going to do about it?

Blue Myrna, and don't I look silly in it?

For me:
Finish the Myrna cardigan - DONE AND DONE
A Garter Yoke cardigan in that lovely blue - about to finish the yoke
Finish the Wisteria jumper (not much to go)
Finish the other Peacock Mitten in time for winter
A Coraline cardigan in either that same lovely blue, or in the other blue I've just impulse bought
A Petrie top with navy and blue stripes
A knitted Coco (no link, because I am going to make it up and channel Tilly)
A pair of socks

For the girls:

A cardigan for Hattie, probably this one - the back and one and a half bits of the fronts are done. The stripes do not match. This is a bespoke design. My daughter wants me to go a bit (more) bonkers.
Ringo and Elwood mittens in grey and brown
One of these for each of them
A pair of simple socks each

For Simon:

I am going to reknit one of his unwearably large jumpers. Either this one or this one. I was a terrible knitter when I made these, and I'm much, much better at it now. So now he gets a recycled jumper.
More socks.

Blankets:

Owl Obsession for my new godson
Hexipuff Quilt (I'm aiming to get 250/500 done by the end of June 2015)
The Weather in the Streets (should probably be finished by June)
Finish the bloody Elephants blanket
A blanket for Lucy's 6th birthday, which is in September, so may well be sewn together stripes instead of something knitted - I've decided to make her a Lucy Attic24 ripple blanket, which will be for her birthday but not on her birthday, if you see what I mean.
AAAARGH. I FORGOT TO ADD NICHOLAS' POP! BLANKET. I'm making that too.

We're going away next week, so I will take a ball of yarn for Simon's socks, a ball for the girls and something for me, and see what I come back with. My record for making socks is something like 5 in 14 days, and we're doing a lot of driving, so who knows.

Leslie, no, don't drink that. We use it to burn warts off of the mules!

WARNING.  THIS IS ABOUT KNITTING.  LOOK AWAY NOW.

Apparently, it's been a year since I started the whole "Year of Projects" blogging about knitting and that.  I had forgotten about it as sewing gradually took over my free time and most of my spending on myself budget, and I started writing more and more about non craft things like running and Frozen.

So, here's the list at the end of June.

Wisteria - on hold; but there's not a lot left to do really.

Idlewood - done!
Blue and Grey Socks - done and being worn
Elephant blanket - two stripes still almost finished.  For Hattie's birthday (December) I don't like this much.
Peacock Mittens - found this the other day, it's too hot to think about gloves
Ringo and Elwood mittens - still queued (still want to make them, see above)

Owl Blanket - finished and done
Paper Dolls - finished and done
Peerie Flooers - finished and done
Alphabet Blanket for Noah - done
Granny's a Square Afghan - done

Hexipuff Quilt - 147/500 hexipuffs done (least said, soonest mended)

The Weather in the Streets - done and sewn together up til April.

That is not bad progress really, considering I've made a cardigan for Lucy that wasn't on the list, a couple of other things for my nephew and an entire wardrobe of dresses (5).

I need a new list now, and a new resolution to stick to the plan, and try to write a bit more about the knitting.  I'm going to have to have a bit of a think.

A SELF PORTRAIT OF HATTIE FOR NON KNITTERS.

She is a photographic genius.

Generally you don't see that kind of behaviour in a major appliance.

Me-Made-May starts tomorrow, and while I'm no keener on the title, I'm quite looking forward to swanning about in my super dooper handmade wardrobe.  I have to do some mending, and there's a small matter of a dress made out of clouds to make, as well as a red and white spotty dress; plus the fabric for a couple of new Cocos fell into my internet shopping basket earlier, though not as much as I was planning to buy, a lot was out of stock.  Which is probably a good thing.  PROBABLY.

Fabric!

Knitting!

Lots of lovely things to do to be getting on with; exciting times ahead; work jogging along pretty nicely; running not as hard as I thought it would be; brace yourselves for lots of pictures, mostly of me for a change.

She turned to the sunlight, And shook her yellow head, And whispered to her neighbour: "Winter is dead.”

Spring has sprung in West Ealing.

Hattie has been borrowing the camera.

Her view of the world is, well, enlightening.  One of the pictures she took was of the mantelpiece.

Can you see the twigs in the vase?  We collected them a few weeks ago, and they've been sitting in the front room since then.  I've used some flowers from a cushion I made for my friend's wedding last year, and have been working on some daffodils.

They need a good block, so they still count as a WIP, and I want to make a few more.  The green things are leaves; they need to be sewn behind the daffodils, and I need to make a whole lot more.  

I'll have a go at taken some better photos in the next few weeks.  And I've got some more decorations for the branches.

Hurrah for Spring.

March Madness - 19/31

WIP Wednesday

I'm having a bit of a deep red phase at the moment, wanting to use up the monstrous stash; the wool was bought for this pattern about 4 years ago, and has sat around for absolutely ages.  I used some of it to make the not Blue Bluebell Sweater, which I finished off, and made smaller a few weeks ago, and should still have enough to finish off this jumper.  I might need to send to America to get some more, as Lamb's Pride Worsted is not available in this country.  Thank goodness for the internet.

I've found the pattern really quite insanely complicated, which is probably my inexperience with cables, and a fairly steep learning curve.  I've more or less come to the end of the very difficult bit, and I'm going to split for the arms in a bit, then put it to one side for a while.  It's starting to get a bit warm for this amount of wool; it's jolly thick.

I've ordered a whole bunch of Cascade in Peacock, and I want to make two new jumpers, and then there are the thousands of WIPs still to plough through.  

Gin, anyone?

The List:

Wisteria - going well

Idlewood - next in the queue
Blue and Grey Socks - one sock done; casting on second sock before next Friday, as I want to knit it during my biannual haircut
Elephant blanket - one stripe made. Second stripe nearly finished. For Hattie's birthday
Peacock Mittens - one finished, bar the thumb (still)
Ringo and Elwood mittens - still queued

Owl Blanket - finished and done
Paper Dolls - finished and done
Peerie Flooers - finished and done
Alphabet Blanket for Noah - done
Granny's a Square Afghan - done

Hexipuff Quilt - 147/500 hexipuffs done

The Weather in the Streets - 40/400 squares done 

WIP Wednesday

Yesterday, I spent about twenty five minutes sorting the fabric stash, while the girls were in the bath.  Don't all ring Social Services at once, the fabric stash is housed next door to the bathroom, and both girls know not to go under water unless I am there.  Anyway, I have discovered that I have A LOT of fabric, especially fleece, in various pale pink, blue and white shades.  I also have a "quilt" that I started making for Lucy about 2 years ago, and then put away as it was too annoying for words, hand sewing all those raindrops.

Rainbows.  The idea came from Chloe Owens, via Mollie Makes.  Her mini quilt is lovely, and I made one a bit like it for Hattie.  

I suspect I wanted something a bit more bold for Lucy.

Something that a "big girl" would want on her bed.

Something that desperately needs an iron.  

I have now appliqued the raindrops and the cloud, and now I need to put a fleece back on it and bias bind the edges.  Do I have enough fleece backing for this project?  Do I heck.  

My credit card is on fire.

WIP Wednesday

It's all so dreadfully BORING at the moment.  I'm the librarian at school, for my sins, and I've been going in in the morning and tidying up, reorganising and generally trying to sort the wheat (good, new books) from the chaff (a lot of the other books).  This means that I am just too tired to do anything - I didn't sign up to be full-time with young children, and it's hard bloody work.  Everything's taken a backseat: knitting - abandoned; crochet - sporadic; baby grow making - on hold.  It's not great, but it's the way it is at the moment. Fortunately, there is a light at the end of the tunnel - I want to have the library looking great by next Thursday, so I can chat about it at the staff meeting on the following Monday, so not many days left to go.  Plus, I think I've got my costume sorted for Simon's birthday party, so I can stop over-thinking and generally stressing about that now.  Just got to get a babysitter arranged now.

So, the upshot is that although I've now made the middles of 18 owls, and two owls complete with eyes and beaks, and two complete owl squares, I've not made that much of a dent in the owl blanket. The Wisteria jumper is still the same. The weather blanket needs another 11 squares to be up to date. The pirate baby grow is beautiful but needs sewing. The pilot tee-shirt is still in the planning stage.

They can all wait until I am less drained.

The list has been put in for completeness.  It is JUST THE SAME AS IT WAS.  *sigh*

Wisteria - on hold
Blue and Grey Socks - one sock done
Elephant blanket - one stripe made. Second stripe nearly finished. Beyond bored with it.
Peacock Mittens - one finished, bar the thumb (still)
Idlewood - still yarn
Ringo and Elwood mittens - nyeh
Owl Blanket - 18 owls left to go
Hexipuff Quilt - lots more to go.
Paper Dolls - finished and done.
Peerie Flooers - finished and done
Alphabet Blanket for Noah - done
Granny's a Square Afghan - done

WIP Wednesday

First WIP of the year is a terribly difficult jumper from 2008.  It's got crossing cables and all sorts.

I'm making it in Lamb's Pride Worsted, Prairie Fire, for those interested, and I'm planning on finishing the yoke before stopping and doing something a bit less tricky for a few days.  

Short and sweet.

The List:

*NEW*Wisteria*NEW* - a long-queued project

Blue and Grey Socks - one sock done
Elephant blanket - one stripe made. Second stripe nearly finished.  Beyond bored with it.
Peacock Mittens - one finished, bar the thumb (still)
Idlewood - still yarn
Ringo and Elwood mittens - nyeh

Owl Blanket - 18 owls left to go
Hexipuff Quilt - lots more to go.
Paper Dolls - finished and done.
Peerie Flooers - finished and done
Alphabet Blanket for Noah - done
Granny's a Square Afghan - done

Made It 2013

If you are not interested in knitting, crochet or sewing, LOOK AWAY NOW.

I've made a lot of things this year.  Lots of bloody baby grows for a start, as well as two skirts for me, numerous things for the children, accessories, jumpers, massive blankets, everything.  Except I haven't made some of the things I wanted to make.  I didn't manage to knit from stash every time; in fact, the stash grew exponentially, and is still growing.  Stuff I did make from stash didn't take as much as I thought I would need - I made a lovely cowl last night; less than a ball of Rowan Big Wool used, now what do I do with the rest?  I didn't knit from the queue much.  I got a few things done, but mostly  I made stuff I wanted to wear or give away, sneakily adding them to the queue just before casting on.

Some photos:

Noah's welcome to the world blanket.

A skirt for me - measure twice, cut once, use a safety pin to hold in the extra three inches of fabric.

Handmade Hallowe'en.

A dress for Lucy.

Lucy's birthday blanket.  

A dress made from fabric chosen by Lucy.  It looked much better than I thought it would.

The smallest socks I can be bothered to make.

Cape Town socks, pts 1 and 2.

Cape Town socks, pt 3.  The purple shrunk like a bugger (non-machine sock yarn - WHY?), so they now belong to Lucy.

Simon's socks.

Emotionally distant, solves crimes by itself.

Conspicuous by their absence: a welcome to the world handmade gift for baby Robin (the blanket I was working on was just too annoying, so I am going to give it to Lucy for her 6th birthday, and make him something else); Christmas knitting (my family apart from my daughters and husband do not deserve handmade stuff); Hattie's Birthday Owl Blanket (suffered from being addictive to make, so was put away, half finished, in February and not resurrected until after her birthday); anything for Simon apart from socks (tall men do not get knitted for - thirty inches of grey knitting is boring).

There are more photos on my Ravelry page, which can be found here: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/sljuls?set=2013n&view=thumbnail

And for those of you who read this far (good Lord, why?), and aren't on Ravelry, there are photos on my flickr page here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliaclare/

WIP Wednesday

The great stash sort of a few weeks back has completely paralysed me.  I can't seem to write anything or start anything new, and I've just been half-heartedly plugging away at the WIPs ever since.  I did go to Ally Pally and a couple of bits and bobs and books came home with me, but generally, I've been working on the WIPs and not really making a huge amount of progress.  Good news though; the stash sort resulted in the appearance of a new WIP, a blue and grey sock I'd started but never got on with.  Boredom probably.  

Anyway, that is my life in knitting at the moment.  Not thrilling.  Actually quite dull.  Even for knitting.

The List:

*NEW* Blue and Grey Socks *NEW* - nearly at the heel of the first sock.
Elephant blanket - one stripe made.  Second stripe started.  Colours chosen for second stripe.  Just got to get on with it.

Peacock Mittens - one finished, bar the thumb (still)
Idlewood - still yarn

Owl Blanket - I've made another 2 owl squares, just 34 to go!  Hurrah. 

Hexipuff Quilt - run out of stuffing
Paper Dolls - ran out of yarn.  Bought more.  Put it in a bag.  Ignoring.
Peerie Flooers - nyeh

Ringo and Elwood mittens - nyeh

Alphabet Blanket for Noah - done

Granny's a Square Afghan - done

WIP Wednesday

For some unfathomable reason, I'm working on the Paper Dolls jumper again.  I love Kate Davies.  I love the way she marries traditional and contemporary, humour and wearability, whimsical without being twee;  I love her designs inspired by the natural world and the Shetlands; I love the way she uses British breeds and pure wool; I love the way she writes and I admire her determination to recover from her stroke a few years ago.

What I do not love are instructions that start "with cc1 and a 3.5mm circular needle, cast on 234 stitches using i-cord cast on and join for working in the round".  That they are then followed by "Work in corrugated rib for 2.5 inches" seems to add insult to injury.

Looking at my Ravelry notes tells me that I started this project in January last year, and have been either working slowly at it, or totally ignoring it for the last year and a half.  The only way to finish it is to knit it, so that's what I've been doing and just look at the progress!

The really obvious stripe is thanks to me not buying enough yarn (imagine!) to finish the project.  I am not very happy about it, but ripping out all that work? 

I've still got 3 inches to the underarms, and I need to decrease more - I have a slightly distorted body image and could probably have gone for the size smaller.  Or even the one below that. 

I love you Kate Davies, but "knit in thin grey wool until completely bats" is NOT FAIR.

Paper Dolls - trundling along
Peacock Mittens - one finished, bar the thumb
Hexipuff Quilt - nearly 150 puffs made, how terribly exciting, and the quilt is rectangular, which is pleasing

Owl Blanket - needs to move up the list, Hattie's birthday is the 3rd of December

Elephant blanket - baby not deigning to put in an appearance, so it'll be a Christmas present.  2014?

Peerie Flooers - I'm going to buy the yarn as a birthday present for myself from myself.  Sod it.

Ringo and Elwood mittens - were going to be a Christmas present, but I think that's unrealistic

Idlewood - still yarn
Alphabet Blanket for Noah - done

Granny's a Square Afghan - done

WIP Wednesday

My children are not here; Lucy is in Reception, having a whale of a time, Hattie is at pre-school between 9 and half 2, so I have that most precious of gifts, TIME.  I'm not quite sure that using it by going into work early to sort things out is the best use of it, and I really need to start going to the gym, but so far, I'm really enjoying myself, pottering around the house and generally trying to get on top of everything.

We have little visitors in the house; small, furry visitors that poo everywhere.  I've been tidying and hoovering more often (every few hours), in a vain attempt to get rid of them, as I really don't want to trap them, and I feel that we will have to learn to share our Edwardian house with them.  Anyway, I had to sort out the living room stash and find a new place for it as a big pile of wool seems to be a mouse paradise.  I spent my morning yesterday happily sorting through it, putting it in bags and boxes, and then stuffing it into the yarn cupboard.

The yarn cupboard is now full to bursting.  What to do, what to do?  I feel a bit unwell at the sight of all that spending, and at the amount that needs to be knitted up or even given away (NEVER).  It's just too much, and very overwhelming.  

This is my WIP this week.  A yarn cupboard full of plans and things to do.  Whether any of the original plans will come to fruition remains to be seen. 

The list:

Alphabet Blanket for Noah - done

Granny's a Square Afghan - done

Elephant blanket - one stripe half made, really need to get on with this as the baby is now overdue
Peacock Mittens - one finished, bar the thumb
Idlewood - still yarn

Owl Blanket - needs to move up the list, Hattie's birthday is the 3rd of December

Hexipuff Quilt - nearly 140 puffs made, how terribly exciting, and the quilt is rectangular, which is pleasing
Paper Dolls - moved downstairs; I am not allowed to cast anything on until I've finished the body of this
Peerie Flooers - not sure about, I might have to buy yarn for it, and, well, see above

Ringo and Elwood mittens - were going to be a Christmas present, but I think that's unrealistic

WIP Thursday

Well, it still just about counts as a WIP, as it is not bordered or backed, and therefore is not finished.  I am so proud of this, apart from a few little wobbles, particularly around the "Q".  I took one pattern, a massively over-complicated lace job, and turned it into a colourwork pattern, using only swearing, two colours and lots of wine.  I might even make it again, as there is a little boy who I think might like one for his second birthday - next May, so a long run up.

Right.  On to the next thing.

Alphabet Blanket for Noah - so close to being finished!

Granny's a Square Afghan (needs to be the next item, as it is Lucy's birthday in a month)

Elephant blanket (got to get going on this as the baby is on its way around the middle of next month)
Peacock Mittens
Idlewood 

Owl Blanket

Hexipuff Quilt
Paper Dolls 
Peerie Flooers

Ringo and Elwood mittens 

WIP Wednesday

Hexipuffs.  Invented by Stephanie Dosen, and very quick and satisfying to make.  Lots and lots of people on Ravelry have made them, and turned them into beautiful quilts.  My effort is beautiful in its own way; none of the hexagons have pictures on them, there is no overall theme, beyond "use up odds and ends as quickly as possible" and I am sewing them together as I go along, as not doing that would result in a box with 700 hexipuffs living in my house, gathering dust, forever.  Knitter, know thyself.

There are 100 hexipuffs there - our recent trip to Bristol yielded 8 new ones, and we're doing a lot of driving in the next couple of days, so I should be able to make another 10 or so.  The trouble with them is that I can't be bothered to make them when I'm on the sofa, which is where the majority of my knitting happens, as I don't really need to concentrate when making them.  

I don't know if they'll end up counting as a Year of Projects project, as I want to make at least another 400, maybe another 600, numbers that make me feel slightly queasy;  they are fun to make, and the end product looks great.  

The list: 

Alphabet Blanket for Noah (it's getting bigger, only 8 letters to go and then a border and a lining)

Peacock Mittens (I've bought new needles - hurrah)

Granny's a Square Afghan (still the same, I've ignored it this week)

Idlewood (still yarn)

Owl Blanket (still on hold)

Hexipuff Quilt (see above)

Paper Dolls (still going)

Elephant blanket (still yarn, but I have the pattern now)

*NEW* Peerie Flooers - hat by Kate Davies (for me!)

*NEW* Ringo and Elwood mittens, for the children (too cute!)(I'm going to make them a pair each for Christmas, they can fight over them later)

My 200th blogpost.  Hurrah.