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 & Year of Projects round up

Goodness me, can my life get any more interesting?  Yesterdays bombshell - a burned foot and a sulk - was mostly due to me using an iPad app to type; a device that blocked all inspiration with great efficiency.

My WIP this week is, boringly enough, Lucy's birthday blanket.  It is coming on really well, and should be finished in plenty of time, but goodness me, is it boring to make.  

Probably just as boring to read about, if I'm honest.

So, for those still awake, here is my list from this year, which for me ran from February to the end of June.

Alphabet Blanket for Noah - still mostly yarn

Peacock Mittens - sat on needles, waiting for replacements

Granny's a Square Afghan - see above, about a third left to go, plus border

Idlewood - still yarn

Owl Blanket - half way through, plus border

The Killing Jumper - done

Hexipuff Quilt - I've made another 4, so only about 3 billion left to make

Paper Dolls - sloooooooooow going

Vine Yoke - done

Skyfall socks - also done

The list for this new year, beginning of July to end of June, is something like this.

Alphabet Blanket for Noah

Peacock Mittens

Granny's a Square Afghan

Idlewood

Owl Blanket

Hexipuff Quilt (probably)

Paper Dolls

Dunno

Something else

Something from the queue

Scintillating stuff!  Tune in next Wednesday for more fascinating knitting and crocheting related chat.

WIP Wednesday

It is almost finished!  A year after starting to think about making this jumper, and about six months after actually getting on with it, I have finally attached the sleeves to the body, and just have to do the last set of stars and the collar, and then I will be able to wear it and walk about solving crimes and being grumpy and emotionally unavailable.

For interested parties: Rowan Cocoon, cream and grey, 3 of cream, 1 of grey; 6mm circular needles, 6mm DPNs for the sleeves. Yarn bought from the really very wonderful Mrs Moon's of St Margarets.

Year of Projects List - these are some from this year, and some for next year

Rusted Root - swapped out for an Alphabet Blanket
Hedgehog Mittens - swapped out for Peacock Mittens
Starburst Flower Blanket - swapped out for Granny's a Square Afghan for Lucy's fifth birthday
Idlewood - still yarn
Owl blanket - on hold
The Killing Jumper  - nearly done
Hexipuff Quilt - on hold until I can find my needles
Paper Dolls jumper - another inch knitted, but it's still going slowly
Vine Yoke cardigan - still done
Skyfall socks - done

Fascinating stuff.

WIP Wednesday

This is my absolutely, absolutely favourite thing I have ever, ever made in my whole entire life.  It is entirely from bits and bobs and leftovers, and I adore it.  It is Hattie's birthday present, and she is already very keen on it, and wants it very much, and keeps asking me when it will be finished.  So no pressure then.  Her birthday is in December, so I'm very much ahead of myself for a change.

It is about half finished, in that it has the half the amount of owls, some of which need eyes, and it still needs a  border, but as it doesn't need to be done for a while, I am putting it on hold for a bit.  Unusually for a crochet project, I'm actually enjoying making it.  

Sorry, yarn and hook nerds, I've no idea what I've used, it's all odds and ends.

WIP Friday

My current favourite WIP is not the green socks started in South Africa, or Lucy's small socks, or the Very British Killing Jumper, or the Paper Dolls jumper, or the Owls Blanket for Hattie, or the Hexipuffs Blanket, or even the Pink and Purple socks, it is the Alphabet Blanket for my friend's baby due in May.

It's a lace job in the pattern, but I don't do lace, so I've made it using intarsia and lots of colours, and so far it looks great, and I'm actually really enjoying it.

Looking at the list of WIPs makes me feel a bit tired.  Pass the wine.

For those who like this sort of thing: Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo, 7 colours - pale blue, purple, turquoise, red, blue, royal purple and orange; 3.5mm wooden circular needles, pattern from Debbie Bliss The Baby Knits Book.

A Year of Projects

Now that the holiday is over and I'm back at work and back at home, I'm starting to think about my knitting more and more.  It's a great distraction from the other things I should be thinking about, and conveniently takes up lots of time.

I joined the Year of Projects Ravelry group back in February, and have already slipped from what I was planning to do, not because the projects are boring, but because I didn't give them enough thinking time.

The list looks a bit like this:

Rusted Root - the first six inches looked dreadful, and I don't really want an asymmetric bust, so swapped it out
Hedgehog Mittens - still yarn
Starburst Flower Blanket - still yarn (unbought)
Idlewood - still yarn
Owl blanket - half way through the main body of the blanket, put down as too addictive
The Killing Jumper - going to be joining the sleeves at some point, exciting!
Hexipuff Quilt - keeps on growing steadily, but will be swapped out as I honestly don't think it will be finished until Winter 2014
Paper Dolls jumper - meh
Vine Yoke cardigan - done
Skyfall socks - done

I think I am going to swap in an Alphabet Blanket for a little boy due next month, and an Elephant Blanket of some description for a little person due in September/October.

It's all rather exciting really.

WIP Wednesday (Thursday edition)

I'm making Lucy a pair of socks.  This is a first for me; I haven't made children's socks before, and I've never made a pair of toe up socks either.  So, of course, toe up children's socks started in the middle of nowhere with no internet access made perfect sense. 

Actually, they've turned out pretty well, and I'm very pleased with them.  The annoying thing is that I would have been able to have a pair if I hadn't attempted to make two pairs of adult socks as well out of the two balls of pink and orange sock yarn I brought with me.  As it is, I am a tantalising 3g short for Lucy's socks, and need about another 10g for the adult socks - they are striped, so take much less of the secondary colour; I've had to buy a third ball, which may well be delivered by the time we get home on Sunday.  I've already had an order for a similar pair from Hattie (where me sock go?), so that'll be my job next week.  Good thing they've got small feet really.

These two weeks have been very productive, sock wise. 

For people who are interested: I used Regia Sock Yarn, 4 fadig, colourway Crazy Chris and 2.75mm DPNs.  I didn't use a pattern (get me) but started the toe as if it were a Hexipuff, and then just knitted until it fitted her foot, and then made a short row heel.  There are 25 rounds on the leg, and then 10 rounds of ribbing.  I used the Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off to make sure that she could actually wear them, and would probably been better off waiting to do that when I had internet access to check how to do it, as it looks a tiny bit ropey.  Oh well.  Lucy absolutely loves them. 

WIP Wednesday

What on earth is going on with this blog?  Every time I open the computer, it appears to be Wednesday again, and time to talk about knitting, meaning that both my regular readers (Hi Vicky!  Hi Rosemary!) stop reading, roll their eyes and read something more interesting, like, well, almost anything else.

Last week's WIP is still a WIP, as I got fed up after the first round of stars, and need to get the Nordic knitting vibe going again.  This week's WIP is a pair of socks, started before a trip to see Skyfall, and then shoved in the bag and forgotten.  Because I am arrogant, I thought I could do ribbing in the dark.  I can't.  One pair of socks has the most beautiful, neat 2 by 2 ribbing, the other has what could kindly be called a ribbing/moss stitch hybrid.  The socks are for my husband, and even though they look rather petite, they stretch like mad, and fit perfectly.

The yarn is Regia, Kaffe Fassett dyed, and is lovely to knit with - stretchy but strong.

WIP Wednesday

Golly, is it Wednesday already?  This week has gone so fast, which is a combination of terrifying and relieving, and it's Knit Night again.  Last week, I worked on my Vine Yoke Cardigan, and now it's finished, except for some buttons and a good block, so I can't wear it quite yet.

We got very into The Killing last year, and I, along with the rest of the world, fell in love with Sarah Lund's jumper.  Unlike most of the rest of the world, I can make my own, and started making plans and charts and all sorts for a while, even going so far as to buy the yarn for it, lovely lovely Rowan Cocoon.

This is not a picture of my jumper.  It is the original inspiration, and it is shamelessly taken from the shop at Gudrun Gudrun.  Nice though, isn't it.  The yoke is a bit, well, and this sounds really arrogant given that these people make a living from making knitwear, messy, so I thought I could do a different job on that, and the arms are of gorilla like length, and as my husband loving told me before we were married, I have very short arms.

My jumper is on ravelry here, and this is a photo of me trying to look cold and emotionally distant while wearing the sleeves.

I'm just about to start knitting the first round of the stars on the body, and I'm really pleased with it so far.  Hurrah for WIPs.

WIP Wednesday

WIPs, where to start.  For those of you who aren't familiar with knitting terms, a WIP is a Work in Progress, ie the thing that sits in your knitting bag, glaring at you balefully as you cast on yet another quick crochet project.  I have a selection of WIPs: an Owl blanket for Hattie's 3rd birthday; a jumper inspired by the Killing;  a quilt made up of 300 hexipuffs, 80 down, 220 to go; a pair of socks that I started in the cinema, and which have the worst ribbing known to humankind; a Paper Dolls jumper that I love dearly, but as it is fine grey wool, I just can't bring myself to work on and a Vine Yoke cardigan.

The Vine Yoke Cardigan is my favourite WIP, and I am nearly finished with it.  It is knitted all in one piece and is a very clever construction by my favourite designer, Ysolda Teague.  Thanks to a pattern reading error, I am making it in stocking stitch, rather than garter, and in the most beautiful of all the yarns, Malabrigo Worsted Merino.  The photograph below doesn't do it justice frankly.

The finished jumper will make me look taller, thinner and will flatter my hair and complexion, while making me wittier, a better knitter and a more interesting writer.  Is it any wonder these things never get finished?

This is my first entry to a blog-along, which doesn't sound like a thing, but apparently is, called A Year of Projects.  The people running it on Ravelry started back in August, so I'm hopping in at the middle and will see what happens.  My list for this year, which for me will be running until the end of February next year, is all the WIPs listed at the top, as well as four patterns from my queue: Rusted Root, Hedgehog Mittens, Lucy's birthday Starburst Flower Blanket and Idlewood.  I can't see anything going wrong with all that, can you?