My mom used to send me articles about how older virgins are considered good luck in Mexico

After a very active January with all the running and the cycling and the running and the whatnot, I've not really done much exercise this month.  I ran just over 8km today, and I'm planning a 12k run next Saturday when the children are away, so that'll up the average a bit; perhaps I'll even do a bit of running during the week.  Simon isn't planning to travel during half term, so I can go to the gym in the evening, and that should up my total mileage from 17 km to something a bit more respectable.

That's enough RUNCHAT, time to talk about knitting.  The majority of my stash is almost totally inaccessible, and I am totally fed up with the Rainbow jumper, so I moved a load of boxes and climbed over a few loudspeakers to get to my wool, in order to have a new project to cast on.

Super Lemon Myrna is finished and blocked and has buttons and ribbon stabilising the button band, which I sewed on by hand, I thankyew, and I am actually wearing it at the moment.  The house is SO COLD, so I'm wearing it over about three other tops.  It's a bit tight with all the clothes on.

It fits just fine over my running gear.  The yarn is Sublime Extra Fine Merino DK, in Soft Yellow, and it is soft and warm and cosy.  The yarn is from Mr Bunty in West Ealing, and I bought the buttons and the ribbon at the same time.  I was going to make a Miette out of it, but the Myrna is a better pattern for my shape, so that's what happened instead.  However, I have limited use for a wool cardigan with short sleeves, and the puffed sleeves don't do much for me either, so I picked up 68 stitches around the armholes and decreased every four rows seven times, while knitting the sleeves flat.  I sewed them up, because I get a bit of a better fit that way, and also I dislike the fiddly-ness of knitting sleeves in the round.  I've got some red yarn somewhere to make another one.  I just need to find it. *sob*

The Rainbow Raglan: I've done a couple of stripes, and I'm just getting on with it.  SLOWLY.

Hexipuff Quilt: Still at 237/500.

Simon's Cobblestone jumper: in storage.

Simon's massive man socks: I should buy that yarn really.

This One's for Parties Vintage Jumper: Stored.

The Yellow Petrie: I looked at it today.  It's still too cold for summer knitting.

Rainbow jumper for Hattie: Storage.

These are things that are waiting to be started.  I've added something.

NEW: Audrey in Unst Cardigan in my favourite Sublime Yarn, this time in pink.
Mini Hetty cardigan with sleeves for Lucy
A circle blanket for Robin

Cream and Beige Coco style boatneck striped top

Sun-Ray Ribbing Vintage Jumper
Ishbel scarf thing
Waterhouse Mittens

Bright Rainbow Blanket for Lucy

Burton Bear cowl for Hattie

Minion blanket for Hattie

Finished:

Vianne
Wisteria
Elwood Mittens for Lucy
One MASSIVE MAN SOCK
Weather Blanket
Separate but matching vests for twin boys
Urchin hat
Peacock mittens

I've found a great website with ALL the Parks and Rec gifs.  What fun.

Well now I'm standing. Happy? We're all standing now. Bunch of jackasses, standing in a circle.

The first KNIT CHAT of 2016.  I've been meaning to write about the KNIT LIST before, but, you know, stuff happens.  No ablogogising.

Half my stash is in the storage unit, the other half is stored in the spare room in boxes and while not totally inaccessible, I will have to work on one project at a time, so progress will be even slower than normal.

The Rainbow Raglan: we are in a fight at the moment.  I ALMOST finished the body AGAIN and tried it on, and that bloody side boob thing is still there, and so I've ripped it back to the armholes again, and now we are not speaking.  I may well start knitting it again once I've finished my super Myrna.

Super Myrna: it is lemon.  It is beautiful.  It is sexy.  It is nearly finished, and just needs a second sleeve.  Big love for the sexy lemon.

Hexipuff Quilt: There are 237 hexipuffs done and sewn together and looking gorgeous.  Still.  No car journeys planned, so it might stay the same size for a bit.

Simon's Cobblestone jumper: round and round and round I go, where I stop, I do not know.  *sigh*

Simon's massive man socks: Need more yarn.  I'll buy some after my BIG RUN next week.

This One's for Parties Vintage Jumper: Grumpy

The Yellow Petrie: Being stored.  I'm thinking about it.

Rainbow jumper for Hattie: I'm very much afraid this will be for Nicholas instead, it seems much, much too small for her.  I'm still working on the sleeve problem, I might make them sort of top down.  I know what they'll look like in my head.

These are things that are waiting to be started.

A circle blanket for Robin

Cream and Beige Coco style boatneck striped top

Sun-Ray Ribbing Vintage Jumper
Ishbel scarf thing
Waterhouse Mittens

Mini Hetty cardigan with sleeves for Lucy 

Bright Rainbow Blanket for Lucy
Burton Bear cowl for Hattie

Minion blanket for Hattie

Finished:

Vianne
Wisteria
Elwood Mittens for Lucy
One MASSIVE MAN SOCK
Weather Blanket
Separate but matching vests for twin boys
Urchin hat
Peacock mittens

I've found a great website with ALL the Parks and Rec gifs.  What fun.

And then a car coming the other way swerves to avoid you and goes off a cliff

It'll be 2016 in a few days, and the start of a new year, and time for resolutions that I don't keep.  Looking back, my resolutions for this year were to be a size 12 (ha!) and to make trousers (ha! again), so this year, my resolutions are going to be pretty much the same.  I've just joined our local cheapy gym, and I've been for a 6.61km run today, and done a load of sit ups and stuff, so things are moving in the right direction.  I've got 20 pounds to lose; so far I've lost 1.  At Christmas.  You can touch me if you like.  I have some photos of me in my workout gear which when I'm feeling brave I will post as a before picture at some point, so brace yourself for that.

Anyway, the point of all this exercise is to make the sewing and subsequent photos more enjoyable.  If I'm going to have to take all sorts of inside leg and around my bum and thigh measurements, it had better be an interesting rather than horrific experience.

Knit chat, as well as FIT CHAT.  No finished objects, but lots of progress.

Hexipuff Quilt: There are 237 hexipuffs done and sewn together and looking gorgeous.

The Rainbow Raglan: it now has a sleeve.  However, knitting the sleeve made me realise that I had knitted in some form of side boob, and so I had to rip it back to the armhole and start again from there.  *sob*  It's coming along pretty well, and I'm almost finished with the waist shaping and then it's only a few rounds after that until the body is done.  AGAIN.

Simon's Cobblestone jumper: round and round and round I go, where I stop, I do not know.  *sigh*

Simon's massive man socks: Need more yarn

This One's for Parties Vintage Jumper: Grumpy

The Yellow Petrie: I appear to be using the orange I used for the facing for something else, so I will need to have a think about that.

Miette cardigan in Lemon: changed to be a Myrna cardigan, again by Andi Satturland for her Selfish Knitting Knit-Along, starting yesterday until Valentine's day.  Myrna is very cropped and LOOK AT MY BOOBS which fits the new aesthetic very well.  I'm going to give it long sleeves and make it a bit longer, so it looks less pornographic and is more wearable.

Mini Hetty cardigan with sleeves for Hattie: swapped out for a Rainbow Owlet jumper without owls, so a DK weight raglan sleeve jumper with rainbow stripes, which I started in Cambridge on Tuesday and am nearly done with.  Hurrah for quick fixes.  Not sure how to do the stripes on the sleeves though, but I'll work it out.

These are things that are waiting to be started.

A circle blanket for Robin

Cream and Beige Coco style boatneck striped top

Sun-Ray Ribbing Vintage Jumper
Ishbel scarf thing
Waterhouse Mittens

Mini Hetty cardigan with sleeves for Lucy 

Bright Rainbow Blanket for Lucy
Burton Bear cowl for Hattie

Minion blanket for Hattie

Finished:

Vianne
Wisteria
Elwood Mittens for Lucy
One MASSIVE MAN SOCK
Weather Blanket
Separate but matching vests for twin boys
Urchin hat
Peacock mittens

It's not looking that bad really.  Just got to keep going, one stitch at a time.  

Hey Nolan, I came here to watch Batman, not Kung Fu Panda.

The collect for the day.

Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee by plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

The will was stirred up, the fruit was plenteously brought forth from Tesco, and the reward will be an inadvertently egg-free Christmas pudding on the 25th.  I do love a family tradition, and I've made this pudding by Dan Lepard for the past 3 years, and we all stir and wish and generally our wishes come at least partly true.

It doesn't look much now, but it will taste wonderful.  Even without eggs.

Anyway, enough of that.  On with the knitting.

Peacock Mittens: This is the second one, and I've done more than that since I took this photo.  I might even finish them this week.  Might.  

Hexipuff Quilt: I've made another 2 today.  When there are 8 more, I'll recount, and see where we are with the whole 500 titchy little hexagons.

Simon's massive man socks: still the same.

The Rainbow Raglan: Still waiting for sleeves.  Having just been stuck on sleeve island with the Wisteria, I'm disinclined to make another trip there.

This One's for Parties Vintage Jumper: Still not happy with it.

The Yellow Petrie: Shshshsh

These are things that are waiting to be started.  Still.

A present for Robin: I've changed my mind again.  I'm going to make him the same blanket as I made his sister, but in different colours.  And not as many circles.  And not for Christmas.  Maybe for Easter.

Reknit Simon's Cobblestone jumper - I'm getting moaning about this, so this is up next.

Miette cardigan in Lemon

Cream and Beige Coco style boatneck striped top

Sun-Ray Ribbing Vintage Jumper
Ishbel scarf thing
Waterhouse Mittens

Mini Hetty cardigan with sleeves for Lucy 

Bright Rainbow Blanket for Lucy
Burton Bear cowl for Hattie

Mini Hetty cardigan with sleeves for Hattie
Minion blanket for Hattie

Finished:

Vianne
Wisteria
Elwood Mittens for Lucy
One MASSIVE MAN SOCK
Weather Blanket
Separate but matching vests for twin boys
Urchin hat

I'm sure I've made more than that; it doesn't seem that much really.

The key to a healthy urethra? Radishes.

It's Sunday night, I'm full of beans and salad and kofte and tsatziki, and now I'm feeling slightly queasy; what better time than to update the Year of Projects list.

I've finished something - the Vianne.  I wore it out that night, didn't manage to take any pictures mostly because I forgot, but also because I'm not entirely sure about it.

Here's a picture, and I blogged about it here.

I restarted the Petrie top in the yellow wool cotton from Liberty, it did look a bit too like a minion, so I remade the hem facing in orange instead, so now it looks like a Starburst instead, which I think is better and I can call it a St Clements top now.

I'm halfway through the Elwood mittens for Lucy, as in I've made one and have done half of the ribbing for the second one.  It's a bit dull making the second one.

The Weather Blanket is still the same as it was last week; but it's so close to being done it no longer worries me.  As the weather gets worse, I'll want three stone of wool on my lap, so it'll be finished before my birthday.  Famous last words.

The rest is still the same.

Miette cardigan in Lemon

Cream and Beige Coco style boatneck striped top

Rainbow Raglan to replace the one I lost

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

100 *(&*&*&^*^%&&^%ing Hexipuffs

I'll distract the file clerk. Apparently he's really into bird-watching, so talking to a woman should blow his mind. And talking to this woman? It could kill him.

Long time, no blog.  Something to do with the summer holidays, going on holiday (Greece, and lovely, thanks for asking) (no, there was tonnes of money, and the cashpoints worked) (no, no riots in Stoupa, and Athens was a hot shithole, but I suspect it always was), the NASENCO course essay being due in September (nearly 2500 words, thanks for asking) and general STUFF and THINGS happening.  The children are away, and I am missing them a great deal, but also really appreciative of the time without them, particularly on Sunday morning after drinking my body weight in gin the night before.  I passed out in my clothes.  It was not good.

I'm supposed to be going for a run now, but my phone is nearly out of battery and I need to charge it before I go out otherwise I will get in a real snit about not having music, so what better thing to do than update you on all the fascinating KNITTING and SEWING TOGETHER CROCHETED SQUARES that I've been doing.

The list for this Year of Projects is substantially the same as it was when created.  Quelle surprise, so I'm only going to talk about what I have done, rather than what I will be doing.  If you are massively into lists, you can see the whole thing in all its glory here.

Anyway.

Petrie top in Yellow Wool Cotton from Liberty - I've started this.  I used some of the blue wool from my Vianne as a hem facing, and with the yellow of the main body of the top, it looks like a minion.

I might rip it back.  I have to have a long think about it.

Finish the Vianne in time for the end of the Outfit Along - well, I've got the buttonband to do on this one.  I need to use slightly smaller needles for the band, so it's got that sewn on look I like.  I have made mistake after mistake with this one, honestly.  I buggered up the lace, lost my DPNs, ran out of wool half way down the first sleeve; you never stop making mistakes, you just make them faster and more irreparably.

Elwood mittens for Lucy - I've made one.  Look!

Cute, isn't it?  Lucy loves it, which is the main thing.  I've trimmed the ends now, and started the ribbing on the second one.  That's the problem with knitting mittens and socks, the idea of making the same thing twice when there's already a perfectly wearable garment in existence.

Finish the &%^%^&^%&^ing Weather Blanket - there are 19 squares left to go on the Weather Blanket people.  19.  Less than a row.  And there are 21 to sew together, as I had a big push and did a lot of hungover sewing the other day.  Hurrah.

More soon.  And some sewing.  I will finish this essay in time to sew something before the girls come back.  Right.  Running time.  Yay.

You see how picky I am about my shoes and they only go on my feet.

A round-up of the last Year of Projects.  It's been fun.  I've not completed everything, and I keep adding to it, which sort of screws up the whole "list" idea.

Things I have finished:

Myrna Cardigan
Hattie's cardigan
A pair of simple socks for the children - Lucy, Hattie
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

Lucy ripples

Hattie rainbows

Miette for me

Things I have almost finished:

The Weather in the Streets blanket

Lots of progress on this one.  Yay.  Just got to crochet them on to the main blanket, but as it's too hot to have a massive heavy blanket on my lap.

Yellow squares - 134/143 done - 9 to go
Blue squares - 64/72 done - 8 to go
Grey squares - 90/102 - 12 to go
Turquoise squares - 8/11 done - 3 to go
Red squares - 8/10 done
Pinky-Red squares - 8/10 done

Orange squares - DONE

Pink square - DONE
Purple squares - DONE
Dark Green squares - DONE
Pale Blue square - DONE
Pale Yellow square - DONE
Dark Blue square - DONE

Vianne cardigan - Irritated by this.  I had to rip it back, and ripped back too far, so now I've got to start again, and it's taking FOREVER.

Wisteria jumper - Still needing a bloody sleeve. It's too hot.

Hexipuff Blanket - least said, soonest mended.

Peacock Mitten

These are for the next list.

Knitted Coco

Coraline cardigan 

Owls for Robin
Socks for me
Petrie top
Burton Bear Cowl for Hattie. 

Elwood mittens for Lucy.  

Rainbow jumper

A Little Birds jumper with no steeks .

Reknit an unwearably large jumper for Simon

So that's that for last year, and onward into this.  You can pretty much tell what the list is going to look like from reading the list of unfinished projects. 

My knitting is as boundless as the sea, My stash as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite.

What a weekend.  We went to Paris very early on Saturday morning and came back on Sunday night.  I am EXHAUSTED, and the children are foul, as they would be with so little sleep.  It sounds so glamourous, 48 hours in Paris; does it break the spell to say that it was my grandmother's 90th birthday, and we didn't stay in Paris itself but in a small but anonymous hotel in her village, half an hour out of the centre?  Probably a bit, but we had a great time, and I have some photos once I get them off the camera.

Some things from the list:

A FINISHED OBJECT

It's Andi Satterlund's Miette cardigan, which will go with my two Miette skirts.  I made it with the wrong weight of yarn, DK instead of Worsted, which was a bit of a mistake, but it will be lighter weight for Summer.  I wore it today, and it was a bit too warm, but then it's been rubbish and humid in London today.

NB It looks better on than in the photo, but I am having a bad hair day so there are to be NO PHOTOS.

Stuff I am actually working on actually.

The Weather in the Streets blanket

Even slighter progress this week on this one.  I've got 18 loose squares now.

Yellow squares - 123/143 done - 20 to go
Blue squares - 63/72 done - 9 to go
Grey squares - 79/102 - 23 to go
Turquoise squares - 4/11 done
Red squares - 8/10 done
Pinky-Red squares - 8/10 done

Orange squares - DONE

Pink square - DONE
Purple squares - DONE
Dark Green squares - DONE
Pale Blue square - DONE
Pale Yellow square - DONE
Dark Blue square - DONE

Vianne cardigan - another Andi Satt pattern, this time for the outfit along 2015.  Because I am awkward, I am making it with a plain back. It's a good pattern, but I've never been one for masses of lace everywhere.  I knitted quite a lot of it on the plane yesterday, and it's coming along well.  Turns out I only have about 6 balls of the yarn I've earmarked for it, so I will use that up and probably (totally) buy more for the Petrie top.  



Stuff I am not really working on, but saying I am as it makes me feel less like a grasshopper and more like an ant.

Wisteria jumper - Still needing a bloody sleeve.
Hexipuff quilt - least said, soonest mended.
Peacock Mitten

It is doubtful whether these will be started this month.

Knitted Coco

Coraline cardigan 

Owls for Robin
Socks for me
Petrie top

These are not being started until the weather turns crap again.  I have no guilt.

Burton Bear Cowl for Hattie. 

Elwood mittens for Lucy.  

Rainbow jumper

A Little Birds jumper with no steeks .

Reknit an unwearably large jumper for Simon

These are DONE and are therefore my favourite projects

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

Lucy ripples

Hattie rainbows

Miette for me

The new list is shaping up to be depressingly similar to the old one; ho hum. Fewer socks for the children though as they keep on growing, and it wears me out. 

All romantics meet the same fate some day. Cynical and drunk and boring someone in some dark cafe.

How long, how long.  Have I been busy?  It's been half term, sure, which meant picnics in the park, trips to London to see the stuffed animals, hamster funerals (sob), play dates, trips to the theatre (Simon and I - High Society, so good), trips to the cinema (Simon and I - Age of Ultron, so adequate), dentists, haircuts and lots of running around.  A bit of an experience all round, and we are very much missing our darling little chap.

There's even been some knitting and sewing happening; I've taken to making the girls pants, in the hope that it might, cough, encourage improved, well, hygiene in the younger one.  These ones come from the off cuts of a dress I made for myself.

The pattern is from Kitschy Coo, and is super, super simple and quick; I think they took me thirty minutes each. I'm getting her grown up pants pattern soon to make some for me too. If I start talking about making bras though, do please have a word. Mind you, that's more like metal working than sewing for me, and the engineering is complex, so it's unlikely to happen in this life. The waistband on Lucy's pair is on back to front, but it helps me tell them apart, so it's a design feature, not a maker flaw.

The list is still going on.  There's now a month until the end of this Year of Projects cycle, so I'm starting to think about next year's list, which will be mostly projects I haven't managed to finish yet. 

Hexipuff Quilt - No change. Hey ho.

Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - Done, done and done.  

When Lucy was sad about Charlie on Thursday, she wrapped herself and Hattie in the blanket while they cuddled and watched TV.  Even though I was very sad too, it warmed my heart to see them using my work to cheer themselves up.  I can't wrap them up in cotton wool and keep them indoors, but I can wrap them in love and time.

Wisteria jumper - It needs a sleeve.  Which won't take forever.  She says.

The Weather in the Streets

So close now to being done.  I've sewn together 320, there's 14 loose ones, and I've got less than 70 to go.  Happy days.  I've tried to do 2 a day recently, it's made a real difference.  Who knew that if you actually crocheted something rather than leaving lying on the sofa it would make it grow bigger?

Yellow squares - 120/143 done - 23 to go
Blue squares - 63/72 done - 9 to go
Grey squares - 79/102 - 23 to go
Turquoise squares - 4/11 done
Orange squares - ALL DONE
Pink square - DONE
Purple squares - DONE
Red squares - 8/10 done
Dark Green squares - DONE
Pale Blue square - DONE
Pale Yellow square - DONE
Dark Blue square - DONE
Pinky-Red squares - 8/10 done


Hattie's 4th birthday blanket - Also done, done and done.

Not a great picture, but she loves it to bits and back again, so I don't think I care too much about that. 

Miette cardigan - nearly finished the body.  It's looking good.  It'll go well with my as yet unblogged new Liberty skirt.  Which needs buttons.  Will the chores never end?

I'm keeping these here, with the some of the same notes next to them.  Still no progress.  I've put them in a possible making order.  Just in case.  You never know.

Knitted Coco - selfish knitting project.  Got the yarn, just need to make a start.

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 - I want this for August.  So I'd better get started.  It's June now.  

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. 

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.

Owl Obsession blanket -  I think I'm going to make this as a bunch of circles, with some owls. They'll basically be pretty plain, no mucking about.  That's what I didn't like about the pattern as written, too much mucking about with quite unnecessary lacy bits.

Burton Bear Cowl for Hattie. Autumn project.

Elwood mittens for Lucy.  I'm sure I've started these.  I can't remember though.  Aargh.

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

Lucy ripples

Hattie rainbows

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.  

You should never, never doubt something that no one is sure of.

It's been a while.  Life keeps on happening, in its boring and inevitable way.  Module 1 of my course is now over, and I still have 2500 words of my essay to write. The title has changed, along with the focus, but nothing else.  Module 2 has started, what terrific fun it all is.  There have been a few minor health niggles, nothing serious, so no running at the moment.  I've got either the start of a terrific cold, or something I can shake off easily, so I'll have to get shot of that before I go out again; I dislike being unable to breathe when I'm running.  

Anyway, enough about that.  There's been some knitting going on.

• Lucy's stripey jumper.  Finished and done.

• Wisteria jumper - I've just finished the body of the jumper, "just" the sleeves to go.  I need to try it on and make sure that everything is OK, and also see how much more going round and round on the sleeves I need to do before the tricky cable bits.

• Nicholas' POP blanket - Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.  

• Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - 38/57 rows done.  Lucy is using this, so I am going to do 2 more rows and a border, and call it done.  

• Hexipuff Quilt - I've managed to do about another 10, which is fantastic, and I'm very pleased with myself.  172/250, which is my target for this year.

• Burton Bear Cowl for Hattie. Brown wool found again.  Hattie isn't showing any particular desire for a cowl, so I will put this on the back burner.

• The Weather in the Streets 

The numbers are depressingly the same.  Ho hum.  We're on a break.  Still on a break. 

• Yellow squares - 107/143 done
• Blue squares - 52/72 done
• Grey squares - 64/102 done
• Turquoise squares - 1/11 done
• Orange squares - ALL DONE
• Pink square - DONE
• Purple squares - DONE
• Red squares - 6/10 done
• Dark Green squares - 5/7 done
• Pale Blue square - DONE
• Pale Yellow square - DONE
• Dark Blue square - to do
• Pinky-Red squares - 6/10 done

• Hattie's 4th birthday blanket.  6/36 Rainbow Granny Squares done.

• Owl Obsession for one of my godsons - it's for his second birthday.  His birthday is in SEPTEMBER PEOPLE.
• Peacock Mitten - oh God, this is too depressing.
• Coraline cardigan - moved to be finished by April; this is Britain, it will still be cold then
• Petrie top - too cold to think about spring weight tops.  
• 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
• Reknit an unwearably large jumper for Simon - March project

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

You win some, you keep some the same.  Again.

There's also been some rather exciting sewing happening too; my Mothers' Day present was a two week, two Sundays, sewing course, making a lovely Mortmain dress with Jane of Handmade Jane fame, at Badger and Earl in Chiswick, so I've been doing that.  The dress is beautiful, so far, and I'll have it finished and ready to photograph next week.  I'm going to need some new shoes to go with it too.

What's new with you?

What a life it would be, If you could come to mine for tea, I'll pick you up at half past three, We'll have lasagne

The immortal lines of the Nineties finest lyricist always go through my head when I'm cooking for the family, especially when I'm buggering about making a white sauce, stopping Simon from smashing the printer in sheer frustration and comforting two hysterical girls who haven't realised that Lilo and Stitch isn't a documentary.  I was always team Blur though; shame that they are now a coked up twat, a friend of the Prime Minister, a bit of an arse and Dave.

Still, you don't come here for tales of indie bands from ages past, you come for the knitting, and there has been knitting happening this week, as well as super exciting other crafty things.  Oh yes.  

• Lucy's stripey jumper.  One sleeve done and stuck on, one sleeve started. 

Those are different sleeves, promise.  The bottom photo is from yesterday, I finished that sleeve last night while watching Rich Hall at Battersea Arts Centre.  He was very good, and the sleeve is surprisingly good considering  it is stripes knitted in the round in the dark.

• Wisteria jumper - this is now nearly at the place it was when I ripped it back last week.  *sigh*  There's not a lot left to do on the jumper body, just the last bit of the cable, and strangely, it doesn't feel as insanely complicated as the time before.  Although, you know, ask me again in a week.

• Nicholas' POP blanket - I found the yarn.  I realised that one mini-skein will never make 6 circles.  It is now going to be 30 squares, not 36.  30 is not a square number.  This is now giving me maths heebie jeebies.  On the plus side, it's that bit closer to being finished, so yay.

• Burton Bear Cowl for Hattie. Brown wool found again.  

• The Weather in the Streets 

The numbers are depressingly the same.  Ho hum.  We're on a break.  

• Yellow squares - 107/143 done
• Blue squares - 52/72 done
• Grey squares - 64/102 done
• Turquoise squares - 1/11 done
• Orange squares - ALL DONE
• Pink square - DONE
• Purple squares - DONE
• Red squares - 6/10 done
• Dark Green squares - 5/7 done
• Pale Blue square - DONE
• Pale Yellow square - DONE
• Dark Blue square - to do
• Pinky-Red squares - 6/10 done

• Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - 38/57 rows done.  So over HALF WAY.

• Hattie's 4th birthday blanket.  6/36 Rainbow Granny Squares done.

• Owl Obsession for one of my godsons - it's for his second birthday.  His birthday is in SEPTEMBER PEOPLE.
• Hexipuff Quilt (I'm aiming to get 250/500 done by the end of June 2015) NO
• Peacock Mitten - oh God, this is too depressing.
• Coraline cardigan - moved to be finished by April; this is Britain, it will still be cold then
• Petrie top - too cold to think about spring weight tops.  
• 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
• Reknit an unwearably large jumper for Simon - March project

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

You win some, you keep some the same.

In other news, I made Lucy a World Book Day costume.  It needs a bit of refinement, in the form of a kitten to hold, a black sash belt, and a heart on the apron, but I channelled my inner Sewing Bee, and altered a rather fragrant tee-shirt of Simon's, and turned it into a dress for a little girl.

With some striped tights and a white top underneath, she'll make a passable Alice.  Hattie wants to be the Gruffalo; we have brown leggings and tee-shirt on order, and purple prickles will be forthcoming.  Exciting times.  

Give a girl an education and introduce her properly into the world, and ten to one but she has the means of settling well, without further expense to anybody.

It's Sunday, it must be time for:

WHAT HAS JULIA BEEN KNITTING THIS WEEK?!

Hello and welcome, and people who have been reading this far might remember that it was HALF TERM last week, that glorious week in the middle of February dedicated to hair-cuts, going to the dentist, visiting the museum and generally regretting anything outdoors because it is still freezing bloody cold the whole time.

Knitting time has not been limited, but it has consisted of FINISHING THE BLOODY WIPS, which is neither exciting or thrilling to photograph.

• Aiken is FINISHED.  Hoo-bloody-rah, is all I can say, despite absolutely loving the pattern, yarn and everything about it.  I messed up the sleeves as written, so I just made plain sleeves: repeat after me "I have altered the design to suit my personality".

Things I have learned: I totally need to knit a smaller size.  My body is really quite short, so a cropped knit would have looked very out of proportion.  Cascade 220 is the best yarn in the business and I love it.

• The Weather in the Streets 

These are the numbers for this blanket.  I'm adding it here, because I need to keep a better record.  Plus I can see how far I've come in a week.  Or not.

• Yellow squares - 107/143 done
• Blue squares - 52/72 done
• Grey squares - 64/102 done
• Turquoise squares - 1/11 done
• Orange squares - ALL DONE
• Pink square - DONE
• Purple squares - DONE
• Red squares - 6/10 done
• Dark Green squares - 5/7 done
• Pale Blue square - DONE
• Pale Yellow square - DONE
• Dark Blue square - to do
• Pinky-Red squares - 6/10 done

• Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - 38/57 rows done.  So over HALF WAY.
• Lucy's stripey jumper.  Got up to the arms.  Shouldn't take that long.  She says.
• Hattie's 4th birthday blanket.  6/36 Rainbow Granny Squares done.
• Wisteria jumper - ripped back because it is just too tight and too uncomfortable.  I have to knit 25 rounds and then start on the cables at the bottom again.  This nearly made me cry, ripping it back, but I'd rather have a bit of baggy thing that I actually wear, than something I keep in the cupboard. 
• Owl Obsession for one of my godsons - it's for his second birthday.  His birthday is in SEPTEMBER PEOPLE.
• Hexipuff Quilt (I'm aiming to get 250/500 done by the end of June 2015) NO
• Burton Bear Cowl for Hattie.  Brown wool lost again.  Curses.
• Nicholas' POP blanket - I can't find the yarn for this.  EMERGENCY.
• Peacock Mitten - oh God, this is too depressing.
• Coraline cardigan - moved to be finished by March; this is Britain, it will still be cold then
• Petrie top - too cold to think about spring weight tops.  
• 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
• Reknit an unwearably large jumper for Simon - March project

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

So there is some progress, and I also took a terrible photo.  Tune in for more next week!

All these teenagers are gonna start coming here for their queer horror

Finally, I took my own advice, and wrote some of the damn essay.  500 words are now done; just got to do another 4500, and it's finished.  That only worries me a little bit.

Look!  Things about knitting!

The amazing Sonja from Ginger Makes has made a jumper WITH HORSES ON.   I love it and plans are afoot.

This is an amazing pattern from Andi Satterlund.  I can't decide whether to make it or not.  It doesn't look mindless.

I've got 16 yellow squares to make for the weather blanket for September.  It was 22 originally.  Progress is progress.

Hattie wants to use sparkly buttons on her next jumper.  The little so and so won't wear her Sparkly Owls jumper, so I am not entirely pro the whole idea.  The sparkly buttons originally were to go on her new glittery purple skirt.  I convinced her they wouldn't go.  Photo of the sparkly skirt to follow.

Things about running!

I'm thinking of signing up for this.  I don't know if it is a terrible or a terrific idea.

Things about books!

The plan to only read books by women writers hit the barriers when I was lent "Foxglove Summer" by Ben Aaronovitch.  Read his books, they are brilliant.

We have been listening to Harry Potter in the car recently; we've nearly finished the first book.  Both girls have absolutely loved it, and followed the story really well.  No worries with their verbal comprehension.  Hurrah.

Nothing like a bit of getting on with it to put you in a better mood.

That guy wanted to buy me a drink? I already have one. Do you think he'd buy me mozzarella sticks?

Sometimes the best solution to stressing out over writing an essay is just to get on with it and write the damn thing.  I've already done a bit of the literature review, a pen portrait of each of the children in my intervention and a table of assessments, but nothing else.  I think once the rationale is done, I'll feel a bit more clearheaded about the whole thing.  The other thing that's stressing me out is how to get results.  I think I'm going to have to use thematic analysis, and record how many movements the children are able to copy in a given session.  If all else fails, I'm just going to make it up.  Further research is needed.

It's so stressful writing serious things, when all you ever write is light-hearted drivel about knitting.

• Ringo mittens.  DONE AND DONE.  Hattie, delightful child, has even consented to wear them twice.
• The Aiken is going quite well.  I have altered the design of the sleeves to suit my personality, and am half way through the first one.  Won't be done by Valentine's Day, might be done by the end of half term. 
• The Weather in the Streets - on hold.  It is doing my head in. 
• Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - I've done another half a dozen or so rows.  Lucy is starting to complain that she hasn't got it yet.  Each ripple takes me about 30 minutes.  I crochet REALLY SLOWLY.
• Lucy's stripey jumper.  It's my go to project for sitting at ballet.  
• *NEW* Hattie's 4th birthday blanket.  Only 3 months late in starting this.  36 Rainbow Granny Squares.  2 done.
• Wisteria jumper - sleeve island.
• Owl Obsession for one of my godsons - it's for his second birthday.  His birthday is in SEPTEMBER PEOPLE.
• Hexipuff Quilt (I'm aiming to get 250/500 done by the end of June 2015) NO
• Burton Bear cowl for Hattie.  Brown wool lost again.  Curses.
• Nicholas' POP blanket - There are still 9 completed squares.  Again.  Next week, there will be 10.  Yes.
• Peacock Mitten - oh God, this is too depressing.
• Coraline cardigan - moved to be finished by February; this is Britain, it will still be cold then
• Petrie top - too cold to think about spring weight tops.  
• 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
• Reknit an unwearably large jumper for Simon - March project

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

In running news, I have signed up for another 10k and a half marathon.  I need to get my speeds up.  Unfortunately, the sodding job is so busy that I can't find time to run at the moment.  Hurry up Spring and lighter evenings, so I can go out for an hour at least when the girls are in bed.  I really don't want to get up any earlier.

I will nag about sponsorship at a later date.

I wouldn't say you were thoughtless. Not just any guy would walk a gal to the morgue.

A bit of an update.  I haven't written anything for ages because I'm so tired and fed up with the whole thing and only knitting will help.  Honestly, I'm working every hour there is just to stand still, and I'm getting to absolute breaking point.  One more thing, and I'll scream the place down.

Anyway.  Nice knitting.  Playing with string and sticks is the only thing at the moment.

• My Aiken is going really rather well, I'm nearly finished with the body, then just the sleeves to go.  It's a very quick and satisfying knit.  I do like the pattern very much, and I think I might make a couple more.
• Ringo and Elwood mittens.  One down, half of the second done.  Another lovely quick knit.
• The Weather in the Streets - January to August done AND SEWN TOGETHER.  September in progress.  I've got 6 more happy squares to add to it.  I'm having a break now, it's doing my head in.

The rest of the list is depressingly familiar to how it was before.  Still.  Ah well.  Long time until June.

• Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - on hold.
• Wisteria jumper - I would quite like to wear this now, it's jolly cold in the house at the moment. 
• Owl Obsession for one of my godsons - it's for his second birthday.  I've bought the pattern.
• Hexipuff Quilt (I'm aiming to get 250/500 done by the end of June 2015) Ho hum. I've sewn the ones I was sent on to the blanket, and they look great. 
• Burton Bear cowl for Hattie.  Brown wool found.  Placed in knitting bag with pattern and needles.  Awaiting cast on fairy.
• Nicholas' POP blanket - There are still 9 completed squares.   Needs to be done by April, so not that long to go.  Aargh.
• Peacock Mitten - one done, started the other.
• Coraline cardigan - moved to be finished by February; this is Britain, it will still be cold then
• Petrie top - I have some rather fine Peacock coloured yarn to make this with, but it is a spring weight top, so it is on hold until February 2015.
• Knitted Coco - got the yarn, found a different pattern which I need to buy and print out,  just got to start.  Also, see above.
• Socks for me - meh
• Rainbow jumper - I have more Kauni wool, I just need the background colour.  Then I'll start it as soon as I finish the Owlet.
• A Little Birds jumper with no steeks - still planning
• Reknit an unwearably large jumper for Simon - apparently, he does want me to do this.

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

And I would have definitely gone to my reunion, but the boat I was educated on sank.

I'm out of class a lot this week.  Today I've been to a SEND reforms conference, which was a combination of far too much information and very, very interesting.  The best bit was hearing from young people with additional needs talking about their experiences - Ealing is a very good borough, and our young people are intelligent and articulate.  Hurrah for us.

Anyway, no more about teaching or SENCO-ing for now.  I've started my intervention, and it's good fun, and the children seem to be enjoying it.

• An Owlet for Hattie - FINISHED.  Have a crappy photo.

• The Weather in the Streets - January to August done AND SEWN TOGETHER.  September in progress.  I've got 6 more happy squares to add to it.  I need a break from the damn thing soon.
• Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - rippling away quietly in the background - one or two stripes every couple of days.  I might do a couple more over the weekend.
•  Ringo and Elwood mittens.  I've finished the right hand one of Hattie's pair.  Now to make the other one, and then to make Lucy's.
• I started a new jumper for a selfish knit along.  It's an Aiken by Andy Satterlund, and you can find the pattern here.  It's very satisfying to knit a lace panel in worsted weight wool.  

The rest of the list is depressingly familiar to how it was before.

• Wisteria jumper - I would quite like to wear this now, it's jolly cold in the house at the moment. 
• Owl Obsession for one of my godsons - it's for his second birthday.  I've bought the pattern.
• Hexipuff Quilt (I'm aiming to get 250/500 done by the end of June 2015) Ho hum. I've sewn the ones I was sent on to the blanket, and they look great. 
• Burton Bear cowl for Hattie.  Brown wool found.  Placed in knitting bag with pattern and needles.  Awaiting cast on fairy.
• Nicholas' POP blanket - There are still 9 completed squares.   Needs to be done by April, so not that long to go.  Aargh.
• Peacock Mitten - one done, started the other.
• Coraline cardigan - moved to be finished by February; this is Britain, it will still be cold then
• Petrie top - I have some rather fine Peacock coloured yarn to make this with, but it is a spring weight top, so it is on hold until February 2015.
• Knitted Coco - got the yarn, found a different pattern which I need to buy and print out,  just got to start.  Also, see above.
• Socks for me - meh
• Rainbow jumper - I have more Kauni wool, I just need the background colour.  Then I'll start it as soon as I finish the Owlet.
• A Little Birds jumper with no steeks - still planning
• Reknit an unwearably large jumper for Simon - apparently, he does want me to do this.

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

You’re wise, Liz Lemon. Like a genetically-manipulated shark

I always, always forget how wiped out the first week back after Christmas leaves me.  It's been a good week, but extremely tiring.  I've got a new project to work on at school, because I'm not busy enough, and I've got to start my Write Dance SENCo course intervention too, which will be amusing.  My outline is done, I just want a couple of people to read through it before I hand it in. It didn't help that Simon was away for a few days in the middle of the week either.

A long winded way to say that I've not been blogging much or doing anything except working recently.  Anyway, I've signed up to a couple of crafty things, about which more later in the week; this week I've just been sitting and knitting quietly away at the list.

• The Weather in the Streets - January to July done AND SEWN TOGETHER.  August in progress.  Those squares in August that have been done have been sewn onto the rest of the blanket.  Still got to do the happy days squares.  *sigh*
• Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - rippling away quietly in the background - one or two stripes every couple of days.
•  Ringo and Elwood mittens.  I've finished the right hand one of Hattie's pair.  Now to make the other one, and then to make Lucy's.

• An Owlet for Hattie - I've made the body, joined one of the sleeves and am working on the second - should be finished before the end of the week.  Still no photos.

The rest is the same as before.  I'm going to blitz them as soon as I've finished the Owlet and the other mitten.

• Wisteria jumper - I would quite like to wear this now, it's jolly cold in the house at the moment. 
• Owl Obsession for one of my godsons - it's for his second birthday.  I've bought the pattern.
• Hexipuff Quilt (I'm aiming to get 250/500 done by the end of June 2015) Ho hum.  Someone sent me 3 spare ones, I need to sew them onto the blanket.  
• Burton Bear cowl for Hattie.  Brown wool found.  Placed in knitting bag with pattern and needles.  Awaiting cast on fairy.
• Nicholas' POP blanket - There are still 9 completed squares.   Needs to be done by April, so not that long to go.  Aargh.
• Peacock Mitten - one done, started the other.
• Coraline cardigan - moved to be finished by February; this is Britain, it will still be cold then
• Petrie top - I have some rather fine Peacock coloured yarn to make this with, but it is a spring weight top, so it is on hold until February 2015.
• Knitted Coco - got the yarn, found a different pattern which I need to buy and print out,  just got to start.  Also, see above.
• Socks for me - meh
• Rainbow jumper - I have more Kauni wool, I just need the background colour.  Then I'll start it as soon as I finish the Owlet.
• A Little Birds jumper with no steeks - still planning
• Reknit an unwearably large jumper for Simon - STILL not proving as popular an idea as I thought it would be.

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

Stop eating people’s old French fries, pigeon! Have some self respect! Don’t you know you can fly?

For the first time this year, the Sunday night KNITTING KLAXON.

The knit list.  There has actually been some change since my last update.  How amazing.

• A small jumper for Nicholas - FINISHED

OMFG, but I love it, and I want one in an adult size.  Totally sizing it up and making one for EVERYONE. 

• The Weather in the Streets - January to July done AND SEWN TOGETHER.  August in progress.  Those squares in August that have been done have been sewn onto the rest of the blanket. 

Look how beautiful it is.  Funny story: I counted wrong, so I am 10 squares out.  So I need to remove 5 from around the blanket, and sew in five Lipstick pink ones, as well as adding another 5 for the remainder of the year, for 10 happy days.  Whoops.  Good thing I don't need to count for my job, or anything. 

• Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - I've now completed, I dunno, about half?  It's on hold for a bit, but gaze upon its beauty.

It is still meant for Lucy's 6th birthday.  She'll have by the time the weather is good enough to go camping again.  

• Ringo and Elwood mittens in grey and brown - I started Hattie's right hand one the other day.  Oh mi dayz, but it is an easy and sweet little pattern, and I love it to bits and back again. 

LOOK.  LOOK HOW SMALL YET BEAUTIFUL IT IS.

• An Owlet for Hattie - I've made the body and some of one of the sleeves.  No photo, because it's boring at the moment, but the yarn is pretty sparkly and pink and purple, and Hattie loves it.
• Wisteria jumper - I need the needles for the Owlet, so I did one round before shelving it for a bit.  IT TOTALLY COUNTS.

The rest is the same as before.

• Owl Obsession for one of my godsons - it's for his second birthday.  I've bought the pattern.
• Hexipuff Quilt (I'm aiming to get 250/500 done by the end of June 2015) Ho hum.
• Burton Bear cowl for Hattie.  Brown wool found.  Placed in knitting bag with pattern and needles.  Awaiting cast on fairy.
• Nicholas' POP blanket - There are still 9 completed squares.   Needs to be done by April, so not that long to go.  Aargh.
• Peacock Mitten - one done, started the other.
• Coraline cardigan - moved to be finished by February; this is Britain, it will still be cold then
• Petrie top - I have some rather fine Peacock coloured yarn to make this with, but it is a spring weight top, so it is on hold until February 2015.
• Knitted Coco - got the yarn, found a different pattern which I need to buy and print out,  just got to start.  Also, see above.
• Socks for me - meh
• Rainbow jumper - I have more Kauni wool, I just need the background colour.  Then I'll start it as soon as I finish the Owlet.
• A Little Birds jumper with no steeks - still planning
• Reknit an unwearably large jumper for Simon - STILL not proving as popular an idea as I thought it would be.

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

I've also discovered the joy of Hama beads, thanks to Pinterest and lovely, lovely Lucy from Attic 24.  It's all crafty goodness here.

I think I need a new pair of mittens.  Hmm.