New Year, New You

Happy New Year and all that.  I was going to do a round up of all the millions of things I made this year before today, but the germs attacked on Boxing Day, and I have been prostrate for days.

Anyway.  I've made 21 things out of wool - knitting or crocheting - which is considerably less than previous years.  Sewing has taken up a lot more time this year, and I've made 8 Coco dresses or tops and at least four others.  This year I want to make things I actually wear, so that will be more jersey dresses and more cardigans.  The wardrobe is full to bursting at the moment, so perhaps some winnowing out of the stuff is called for.

From the top left down in columns: New Year's Day cowl, Spotty Dress (my first dress), Spotty Coco, Stripey Coco dress (most worn thing ever), bird dress, Green and grey Coco.

Idlewood, Boatneck Bluebell sweater, Cherry Coco (my first Coco). red and blue baby cord skirt, Elsa dress.

Fox brooch, Upholstery skirt (too big), fleecy Coco, Myrna cardigan (OAL 2014), Butterfly top, blue and grey sock for Simon.

Puerperium for Nicholas, Green and Grey Coco again, MASSIVE MAN SOCKS FOR SIMON, Charley Harper bird Coco, Sew Dolly Clackett dolly Cambie.

Cat Lady Anna. Flamingo Anna, Boreal, a cowl for a little girl, Lucy's rainbow socks, chicken skirt.

What a lot of terrible photos of me.  That's the worst thing about making your own stuff - looking at pictures of yourself. Urgh.

Busy old year, and that's not all I've made at all.  I thought I'd spare you the rest, although one of my plans is to update the Handmade Wardrobe section of the blog.  At some point.  

Sewing and knitting plans for this year?  Just keep on keeping on and hopefully get the hang of it.  I'd really like to be a size 12 before I'm 38, which should be a bit of a saving on fabric and wool, and I really hope to make some trousers this year.  Hattie needs an Elsa dress too, which should be easy enough to get done in a couple of evenings.

Ah well.  At the moment, my only plan is to get over this cold and get out running again.  Or maybe to go into the front room and watch Mapp and Lucia and knit a new jumper for Hattie.  It's all go here. 

Winter kept us warm, covering Earth in a forgetful snow, feeding A little life with dried tubers.

Solistice.  It's half four, and it's been dark for nearly half an hour now.  Not unusual in the Winter, but after the next few days, the light will start returning, and then the Spring, and hopefully some warmth.  I've got all the candles I can find lit, banishing the dark without turning on the electric light.  We've got the fire going too, so the house is toasty and warm.

I'm looking forward to Christmas this year.  For the first time ever, I'm knitting someone something, and it's looking as if he will be getting it still on the needles.  My fantastic Secret Santa present was a knitting bag, and it's very, very cool.

Definitely coming with me to Cambridge.

The Knit List is unchanged.  *sigh*

• A small jumper for Nicholas - Christmas knitting.  I had a bit of a disaster where I discovered that one sleeve was considerably wider than the other.  You'd think I could read a bloody knitting pattern by now.
• Burton Bear cowl for Hattie.  Brown wool found.  Placed in knitting bag with pattern and needles.  Awaiting cast on fairy.
• Wisteria jumper - located.  I have been working on one of the sleeves, and will continue to do so once the small jumper is finished.

The rest is the same as before.  Deep joy.  Still, I'll get some done in the Christmas holidays.

• The Weather in the Streets - January to June done AND SEWN TOGETHER.  July in progress.
• 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.
• Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - I've now completed 20 rows.  Yellow row next.
• Nicholas' POP blanket - There are still 9 completed squares.   Needs to be done by April, so not that long to go.  Aargh.
• An Owlet for Hattie - yarn located
• Ringo and Elwood mittens in grey and brown - well, I've bought the yarn.
• 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 January 2015.
• Knitted Coco - got the yarn, printed out a pattern, just got to start.  Also, see above.
• Socks for me - meh
• Rainbow jumper - I have accepted that I won't find the bag, so I have bought some replacement wool.  *sob*
• A Little Birds jumper with no steeks - still planning
• Reknit an unwearably large jumper for Simon - 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

It's our Nine Lessons and Carols tonight; the church will be full of candles and peace and should be delightful.  We're looking forward to it, especially because we're abandoning the children with a babysitter, and just going together.  Church this morning was about Mary; fourth Sunday in Advent, and she finally gets a look in.  Our vicar talked about her acceptance of Scripture, and that she must have been a very religious person in order to go against her culture, and the expectations of her family and upbringing.  The Bible is written in its time; the words need to be interpreted by each culture as they come to it. and bits like St Paul talking about the need for women to be veiled in church and that women should keep silent are clearly a load of old rubbish.  Let's smash that stained glass ceiling.  

This is what I do. I drop "truth bombs."

The Sunday night knitting klaxon is going off again.

I've not made a huge amount of progress since my last update; which isn't that surprising considering that I only did an update on the 8th, and I have yet to master sleep knitting.  Still, since July, I have made bags of progress, and that's a GREAT feeling.

• Boreal.  Done and done and worn twice.  I love it.  

• A small jumper for Nicholas - Christmas knitting.  It is really quite, well, large.  Simon, sarcastic tease that he is, suggests I compare it to my gauge swatch.  
• Burton Bear cowl for Hattie.  Brown wool found.  Placed in knitting bag with pattern and needles.  Awaiting cast on fairy.
• Wisteria jumper - located.  I have been working on one of the sleeves, and will continue to do so once the small jumper is finished.

The rest is the same as before.  Deep joy.  Still, I'll get some done in the Christmas holidays.

• The Weather in the Streets - January to June done AND SEWN TOGETHER.  July in progress.
• 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.
• Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - I've now completed 20 rows.  Yellow row next.
• Nicholas' POP blanket - There are still 9 completed squares.   Needs to be done by April, so not that long to go.  Aargh.
• An Owlet for Hattie - yarn located
• Ringo and Elwood mittens in grey and brown - well, I've bought the yarn.
• 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 January 2015.
• Knitted Coco - got the yarn, printed out a pattern, just got to start.  Also, see above.
• Socks for me - meh
• Rainbow jumper - disaster has struck.  I have misplaced the bag with it in.  I don't know where it is, I think it is in the pub, but they deny all knowledge.  Aargh.
• A Little Birds jumper with no steeks - still planning
• Reknit an unwearably large jumper for Simon - 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

I can talk to animals! Well, not talk to them. I can take commands from them.

I have ill for absolutely ages.  Yesterday was the first day I've felt even vaguely human, so I went for run, and then sat on the sofa, coughing away like a 40 a day life long smoker.  Lovely.  

Things have been busy at work; Parents' Evening, the joy of my winter - the Nursery Christmas Extravaganza, the need to do some work for my SENCo course building up and other seasonal joys.  If I have to sing "When Santa got stuck up the chimney" again, I'll go a bit funny.

The sewing has suffered, but the knitting is carrying on.  Slight progress made in some areas, not a lot to report though.  

• The Weather in the Streets - January to June done AND SEWN TOGETHER.  July in progress.
• 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.
• Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - I've now completed 20 rows.  Yellow row next.
• Nicholas' POP blanket - There are still 9 completed squares. 
• A small jumper for Nicholas - Christmas knitting.  Why am I doing this to myself.
• Burton Bear cowl for Hattie.  Brown wool ordered.
• An Owlet for Hattie - yarn located
• Ringo and Elwood mittens in grey and brown - well, I've bought the yarn
• Boreal - FINISHED AND DONE.
• Wisteria jumper - located.  It JUST needs sleeves.
• 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 January 2015.
• Knitted Coco - got the yarn, printed out a pattern, just got to start.  Also, see above.
• Socks for me - meh
• Rainbow jumper - disaster has struck.  I have misplaced the bag with it in.  I don't know where it is, I think it is in the pub, but they deny all knowledge.  Aargh.
• A Little Birds jumper with no steeks - still planning
• Reknit an unwearably large jumper - 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

It's all really quite exciting.  In a way.  I'm not sure I'll get much more done this year, but who can say.  

Cognitive recalibration. I hit you really hard on the head.

*SUNDAY NIGHT KNITTING KLAXON AGAIN*

I am ill.  Not really ill, but ill enough.  I cough and cough and cough, and it's awful during the day and worse at night.  Last night I took 2 night nurse, and slept for 12 hours straight.  The only downside was that I then felt shocking until about 2pm today, when they wore off.  Still, they calmed the cough and let me sleep, so they've probably done some good.

The illness has meant I haven't really touched or looked at the blog for a week, so thank you for commenting, I read all the comments, but just haven't got around to replying.  Sorry.

I spent all day yesterday crocheting or snoozing sitting up; I'm happy to report progress on a whole load of projects.  Mostly because I looked at the list, looked at the WIP pile and had a good old think about my behaviour.

For the Girls

Burton Bear cowl for Hattie.  Brown wool ordered.

An Owlet for Hattie - yarn located

Ringo and Elwood mittens in grey and brown - well, I've bought the yarn

For me:

Boreal - making the first sleeve.  I need this done by December 12th.  It will be.  There is no way I am BUYING a Christmas jumper.
Wisteria jumper - located.  It JUST needs sleeves.
Peacock Mitten - on hold
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 January 2015.
Knitted Coco - got the yarn, printed out a pattern, just got to start.  Also, see above.
Socks for me - meh
Rainbow jumper - no progress
A Little Birds jumper with no steeks - still planning

For Simon:

Reknit an unwearably large jumper - not proving as popular an idea as I thought it would be.

Other - I've done things here!

The Weather in the Streets - January to May done AND SEWN TOGETHER.  June so, so close to being finished, July STARTED.
Owl Obsession for one of my godsons - it's for his second birthday.  In September.  2015.  Tonnes of time.
Hexipuff Quilt (I'm aiming to get 250/500 done by the end of June 2015) I had a look at this, and found my bag of scraps, and I might just get on and do one.
Finish the bloody Elephants blanket - Officially taking off the list.  I don't like it, it's a pain to make, and while I'm not going to bin the blooming thing, I'll put it completely on the back burner, and not worry about it anymore.
Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - I've now completed 19 rows (all the colours) and just have to do it all again 2 more times and put a border on it, then it will be done.
Nicholas' POP blanket - 9 squares are still done.
A small jumper for Nicholas - need to get a move on with this - Christmas knitting.

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

So there is some progress, especially with the 2014 blanket.  I've just got 8 squares to go for June, and then I'll be half way through, which I'm pleased about.  It's still pretty busy though.  

At my knits end

*MONDAY NIGHT KNITTING KLAXON*

It's that time again.  I'm running out of oomph for knitting at the moment.  It's all happening very, very slowly, and I'm busy at work and in need of quick fixes in the shape of cat dresses and Cocos.  Oh well.  I'm making very slow progress on everything.

A Knit List Update

For the girls:

Two Burton Bears cowls - the one I made for Hattie was rejected, as she wanted a BROWN bear, not a POLAR bear, silly Mummy.

The Polar Bear one is finished, but I am yet to take a picture; it does not look good unmodelled.  Here is a detail.

An Owlet for Hattie - oh dear

Ringo and Elwood mittens in grey and brown - well, I've bought the yarn

For me:

I'm on to the snowflakes on the Boreal.  It's still going well.  I'm nearly at the split for the sleeves, which is where I'll put it to bed for a week, and start something else.
Wisteria jumper - not talking about that
Peacock Mitten - I started mitten two, it is going OK - I've done the ribbing, I'll take it around with me for a few weeks, and it will soon finish itself.
Coraline cardigan - moved to be finished by February; this is Britain, it will still be cold then
Petrie top - still thinking.
Knitted Coco - got the yarn, printed out a pattern, just got to start
Socks for me - meh

A Rainbow jumper with some sheepy yarn from the Faroes and a lot of Kauni wool - I've done a bit more than that, but not much.  It's very thin yarn.
A Little Birds jumper with no steeks - still planning

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.  I want this done around his birthday (February)
Pair of socks - done.

Other - no change.  Quite depressing really.

Owl Obsession for one of my godsons - sigh
Hexipuff Quilt (I'm aiming to get 250/500 done by the end of June 2015) (Nope)
The Weather in the Streets (should probably be finished by June) - January to May - done; January to April sewn together. (Nope)
Finish the bloody Elephants blanket - FCK THAT SHJT. (this is supposed to be Hattie's 4th birthday blanket.  It won't be)
Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - going surprisingly well (still slow)
Nicholas' POP blanket - I've still done 9 squares.
A small jumper for Nicholas.

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

I'm having so many thoughts and feelings that I'm paralyzed right now

*SUNDAY NIGHT KNITTING CLAXON AGAIN*

I've not written anything for a few days; we've been terribly, terribly busy with half term trips to Cambridge and Edinburgh, my SENCO course starting last week and all sorts of things going on.  

I've got lots of blog posts planned (lucky you), with lots of photos (even luckier!) but right now I just don't have the energy - I have a very slight hangover.  Very slight.  So knitting it is.

A Knit List Update

For the girls:

A Cowl for Hattie - FINISHED!

We chose the dyes together - Hattie isn't as sophisticated as Lucy, and chose pink and orange.  We dyed it together, by which I mean that I did the work and she turned the beautiful skein into a great big mess. 

Two Burton Bears cowls - this is Hattie's.  I started it this evening, and it is very quick to work up.  I can't seem to get it to join happily in the round, so I'm making it flat.  

An Owlet for Hattie - still very close to starting this

Ringo and Elwood mittens in grey and brown - shh shh 

For me:

I'm on to the snowflakes on the Boreal.  It's going quite well really.

Wisteria jumper - not talking about that
Peacock Mitten - I started mitten two, it is going OK - I've done the ribbing, I'll take it around with me for a few weeks, and it will soon finish itself.
Coraline cardigan - moved to be finished by February; this is Britain, it will still be cold then
Petrie top - still thinking.
Knitted Coco - got the yarn, printed out a pattern, just got to start
Socks for me - meh
A Rainbow jumper with some sheepy yarn from the Faroes and a lot of Kauni wool - still in the planning stages
A Little Birds jumper with no steeks - ditto

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.  I want this done by his birthday (February)
Pair of socks - done.

Other

Owl Obsession for one of my godsons - sigh
Hexipuff Quilt (I'm aiming to get 250/500 done by the end of June 2015) (Nope)
The Weather in the Streets (should probably be finished by June) - January to May - done; January to April sewn together. (Nope)
Finish the bloody Elephants blanket - FCK THAT SHJT. (this is supposed to be Hattie's 4th birthday blanket.  It won't be)
Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - going surprisingly well (still slow)
Nicholas' POP blanket - I've done 9 squares.  It's going really well.  I'll have it finished for his birthday for sure.
A small jumper for Nicholas.

Done:
Myrna Cardigan
Hattie's cardigan.
A pair of simple socks for the children
Garter Yoke Cardigan
An Owlet for Lucy
Lucy's Cowl

It's not a hobby, it's a post-apocalyptic life skill

*SUNDAY NIGHT KNITTING CLAXON*

A Knit List Update

For the girls:

An Owlet for Hattie - very close to starting this

Ringo and Elwood mittens in grey and brown - These are going to be Christmas presents, I need to get a  move on

Two Burton Bears cowls - pattern printed out

A cowl for Hattie to match the cowl I made for Lucy - this is about 3 hours work, once I've wound the wool

For me:

This is my new jumper - a Boreal by Kate Davies; I'm using lovely, lovely EasyKnits Ooomph in Soooooooper Grover; it's aran weight and absolutely delicious.  The white is a super squishy sheepy smelling aran from Laxtons - it's on their website as Blue Face Leicester Roving.  Gorgeously snuggly.
Wisteria jumper - not talking about that
Peacock Mitten - ditto
Coraline cardigan - moved to be finished by February; this is Britain, it will still be cold then
Petrie top - needs me to buy yarn, so not feeling it at the moment
Knitted Coco - got the yarn, printed out a pattern, just got to start
Socks for me - I'm not going to use the yarn I was going to use, so now I need to dig in the stash
A Rainbow jumper with some sheepy yarn from the Faroes and a lot of Kauni wool - still in the planning stages
A Little Birds jumper with no steeks - ditto

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.  I want this done by his birthday (February)
More socks. - One sock is done.  I have 4 and a half rounds of ribbing to do on the other, so I am calling it done for now.  They are bottle green, not black.  Still a bugger to knit.

Owl Obsession for one of my godsons - got the yarn.... (he's only just turned one, he doesn't need a blanket yet)
Hexipuff Quilt (I'm aiming to get 250/500 done by the end of June 2015) (I might get a bit more enthused about this in Christmas)
The Weather in the Streets (should probably be finished by June) - January to May - done; January to April sewn together. (Again, I've lost momentum for this)
Finish the bloody Elephants blanket - FCK THAT SHJT. (massive hate on about this, might just bin the damn thing)
Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - going surprisingly well (slowly)

Nicholas' POP blanket - I've done a few squares, but am being very slow about it (speeding up - I've done 8 squares) (oops, make that 7 - curses)

Done:
Myrna Cardigan
Hattie's cardigan.
A pair of simple socks  for the children
Garter Yoke Cardigan
An Owlet for Lucy 

I've been obsessed, OBSESSED, with sewing recently.  Lucy now has an ELSA DRESS MADE BY HER MUM, which she wore to a party at the weekend.  She was overjoyed by it, and her friends' mums were amazed and stunned by my general brilliance and creativity.  You can read all about it here.  I made myself a beautiful Charley Harper print dress the other day; you can see pictures of me in my old specs, looking weird, here.  It is a Coco.  What else?  2 hours it took to make, that's all.  You don't get that sort of creative high from knitting, I can tell you.

PS Hello lovely commentators, who were so sweet about my last Year of Projects post.  I meant to reply to every single one, but things got in the way; sorry.  It's always lovely to read comments, thank you xx  I will try to be more diligent replying this week.

All the world is made of faith and trust. And knitting.

Sewing is taking over my life.  I can't do anything else at the moment, it's all so exciting.  I've been making Lucy a special Elsa dress, and will have photos (!) and a long, work in progress style blog post soon, but it's on hold at the moment, as I can't quite face it.

So the knit list.  I went to Ally Pally at the weekend, and came back with 4 metres of jersey fabric for two Cocos (chevrons and upside down birds - beyond gorgeous), a pattern for a dress that is slightly more complicated than a Coco but not much, some wool, some needles, some more wool and a pompom maker.  It's all very, very exciting.  I'm going to be very, very busy.

For the girls:

Owlet for Lucy : DONE!

It doesn't photograph well, particularly not on my crappy old 4; I'm getting a whizzy new one in a few days, can't wait.  

An Owlet for Hattie - yarn ready, just need to get on with it

Ringo and Elwood mittens in grey and brown (it's getting close to mitten weather, better get a move on)

For me:

A Garter Yoke cardigan - DONE and I have barely taken it off since I finished it

Finish the Wisteria jumper (not much to go) - just got the sleeves to do (hngh)
Finish the other Peacock Mitten in time for winter - need to get on with it (bah)
A Coraline cardigan - I have NEW YARN in a new and exciting and very not Julia colour for this one (still looking at the yarn)
A Petrie top with navy and blue stripes - on hold (sh)
A knitted Coco (no link, because I am going to make it up and channel Tilly) - got some yarn for it STILL
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 (bah, but we are going to Edinburgh, so I will start these on the train)

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.  The other sock is half done, so hurrah for that

Owl Obsession for my new godson - got the yarn.... (shh)
Hexipuff Quilt (I'm aiming to get 250/500 done by the end of June 2015) (shh)
The Weather in the Streets (should probably be finished by June) - January to May - done; January to April sewn together. (grr)
Finish the bloody Elephants blanket - FCK THAT SHJT. (massive hate on about this, might just bin the damn thing)
Lucy Attic24 Ripple Blanket - going surprisingly well (slowly)
Nicholas' POP blanket - I've done a few squares, but am being very slow about it (speeding up - I've done 8 squares)

Done:
Myrna Cardigan
Hattie's cardigan.
A pair of simple socks  for the children

I've got couple more things to add to the list - like two Burton Bear cowls, a Little Birds jumper (no steeks), a Boreal Christmas jumper that needs starting and a cowl for Hattie.  Hey ho.  Less sewing, more sitting.

That season of peculiar and inexhaustible influence on the mind of taste and tenderness

Some more about knitting and sewing.  Brace yourselves.

So far, I have made the following things for this super exciting sew and knit along.

In the Fabulous Frocks category, I am mid way through a dark grey Coco (what else) with red pockets (to be added, along with a hem).

I accept that it doesn't look fabulous at the moment.

In the Chic Chemises for Cool Climates, I've made a Garter Yoke cardigan in Cascade 220, 2247 Peacock.  I have rather a lot of 2247 in the stash, so expect lots of different garments in the same colour.

In the Baby, It's Cold Outside category, I've made Lucy a cowl.  The yarn is some white wool that I bought at the Spring Knitting and Stitching Show earlier this year, and Lucy and I dyed it together.  We used Wilton's Blue food colouring and Sugarcraft's Grape Violet.  It's really easy dyeing yarn with food colouring, and apart from the boiling water, it's pretty safe to do with kids.  We used two Pyrex bowls and a whole load of white vinegar.  

You can find out more about the Knit and Sew Along here, at the lovely Creative Perfectionist's website.  All the knitting, sewing and 1920s fiction you could ever need.

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.

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.

So I let Crazy take a spin

The Year of Projects runs from July to June, and so I really need a new list.  Last year was partially successful, so I'm going to up the ante this year, and include slightly more projects, plus I'll almost certainly be doing a bit of sewing.

For me:

Finish the Wisteria jumper (not much to go)
Finish the Myrna cardigan (again, shouldn't be too hard)
Finish the other Peacock Mitten in time for winter
A Garter Yoke cardigan in that lovely blue
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:

Ringo and Elwood mittens in grey and brown
A cardigan for Hattie, probably this one
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

That looks do-able.  Probably.  Come back in a month.

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.

Well, you have a sweet bike, and you're really good at hooking up with chicks. Plus you're, like, the only guy at school who has a mustache.

Handmade May is nearly halfway through now, and I've really had a good look at my wardrobe and the clothes in it.  It turns out that I really wear the same two pairs of jeggings with various tops on rotation, and while I do wear skirts and dresses occasionally, what I really need (NEED) are a variety of basic tops that will work with various garments, and a way to make trousers without horrible flashbacks to Upper Three, and the terrible Textiles lessons. 

I've ordered Tilly and the Buttons' book, and I know she has a pattern for pyjama trousers, so that will be a good start, and I've got a pattern for a "zippy" top, that apparently takes minutes to make, but requires cutting out and taping together, and that worries me.  Learning new skills is hard, especially when you actually don't have very much time to do them.

Old skills: I finally finished Lucy's cardigan.  Hattie is now clamoring for one of her own, but she must wait until I've finished at least one of the jumpers I'm making myself.  That sodding Wisteria is still only half way through, and the Idlewild is missing a sleeve.  The WIPs are beginning to overwhelm me.  I have the Weather blanket to do (12 out of 36 done for April, none for May), the Hexipuff blanket has been put on hold, the Elephant Blanket needs 4 more stripes, I've only got one Peacock mitten and one blue and grey sock, and the blanket for my nephew's Christmas present is currently one square.  Plus Lucy wants a 6th birthday party blanket, and Simon brought me the yarn for our new godson's birthday blanket, so there's that to do too.  

WIP Wednesday.  Moan moan moan.

Because I'm not a Vanderbilt, suddenly I'm white trash? I grew up in Bel Air, Warner. Across the street from Aaron Spelling. I think most people would agree that's a lot better than some stinky old Vanderbilt.

It's about crafty stuff again, not politics, so don't feel you have to read on.

Handmade Monday again, and I should probably do some sort of update on the list of a Year of Projects as well.

The List:

Wisteria - on hold; but I've just bought some more yarn for it

Idlewood - split for the sleeves; plugging away on the body
Blue and Grey Socks - one sock done still done (lost in the stash)
Elephant blanket - two stripes still almost finished.  For Hattie's birthday (December)
Peacock Mittens - one finished, bar the thumb (still) (lost in the stash too)
Ringo and Elwood mittens - still queued (still want to make them, but the urge lessens)

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 (I'm going to take it to Cambridge with me next week)

The Weather in the Streets - 67/400 squares done (there have been 90 days this year - that is NOT BAD AT ALL)

It's only now, when I don't really feel like doing anything, that I realise exactly how much I do.  I sat in Ealing A&E with my crochet, unable to focus; just sitting is jolly HARD WORK.

I have a new-found respect for people who live with chronic pain all the time, and still manage to be cheerful and positive.

March Madness 31/31 - I did it.  31 posts of varying interest to other people; although some had more than 50 page views.  Inconceivable.  I might take a bit of a break in April, you'll be devastated to hear.

I'll leave you with a picture of my Wisteria jumper.  Without me in it.

I'm having terrific trouble with it.  I'm not entirely sure that it won't be much, much too big for me, and I'm decreasing like crazy across the back in a desperate attempt to reduce the sheer volume of bulky knitted fabric.  Oh dear, oh dear.  

You speak an infinite deal of nothing

It's been a good day today.  The sun has been shining, the children have been happy, Lucy managed to keep it together until just before bedtime and there is fish pie in the oven.  If only all days were like this.

I was going to cobble together a WIP, complete with a billion photos, but I used up all my photo taking energy on Monday with the dodgy elephants, so I'm just going to write about my lovely Wisteria jumper, currently on hold.

I wrote about it here, when I had just started, and all the cables were in their infancy, and again here when it got a bit bigger, and now I have split for the arms, and it is started to look like a jumper, and has gone from being insanely complicated to beyond dull to work on.

A terrible, terrible self portrait featuring the jumper.

You can see the cables trailing away to nothing, in a rather fine manner, and the cunningly funnelled neck to hide excessive chins.  I really don't look very happy about the whole thing, do I?

The list

Wisteria - going well

Idlewood - started
Blue and Grey Socks - one sock done still done
Elephant blanket - two stripes almost finished.  For Hattie's birthday (December)
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 - 50/400 squares done

It doesn't look like much, does it?

March Madness - 5/31

March Madness

Last night, at around 10pm, I had a super idea.  Why not post something fascinating, witty, scintillating and generally all round great EVERY DAY in March?  I could call it "March Madness", or something equally brilliant, and then it could catch on and everyone (no one) would think I was great.  10pm is too late for finding the computer, turning it on, sitting and thinking, so I thought I'd start today, and backdate it (hem).  Anyway, BRACE YOURSELVES for lots of pictures of fabric, sewing projects and children.

First up, a finished project.  I wrote about Lucy's quilt a few weeks ago, and finally got around to finishing it this weekend.  I don't have a lot of time for sewing, as it involves a lot of preparation, and I'm starting to think about making another dress; but even after the girls were horrible on Saturday, I still used my precious sewing time on my ratbag daughter.  That is pure motherly love.

It's not a great photo, but the quilt is keeping her warm tonight.  I finished it just before I went to bed, and put it over her, and she sighed, rolled over in her sleep and smiled.  My heart lifted, and her rotten behaviour was, almost, forgotten.

A WIP.  

The instructions for this jumper has the cheerful instructions, knit in stocking stitch until the cowl neck measures 15 inches.  Boring.  But ideal cinema knitting.  We went to see the Lego Movie today; I did enjoy it.

Two WIPs to be.

I didn't watch "The Great British Sewing Bee" the first time around, we were in Cape Town over Easter, then I went back for Ouma's funeral, so I didn't learn about Tilly and the Buttons until relatively recently.  The top picture is her new pattern, and I might have a bash at her sew-along next week.  Simon is away on Tuesday; I might have a go then.

The second picture is the same pattern as my first dress, but the fabric is totally different, being quilting cotton, and very thin.  This may prove to be a bit of a mistake, so I am going to have a bash at lining it.  I have lovely turquoise bias binding to match it, and I've already made the front (unlined) and I can't wait to get some time to work on it - probably in May.  

Last picture.  A naughty girl on her scooter.  It's taken her a long time, but she has really got the hang of it now.

March Madness - 1/31

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 

Handmade Monday

At the tail end of last year, one of the members of the crochet groups on Facebook put up a picture of her weather blanket.  I'm not sure if I can link to it, but it's here, if you can see it.  It's very lovely, with its days of sunshine, rain, dreich and snow, so magpie that I am, I had to have one of my own.  Hurrah.  Of course, it has to be slightly different from the one in the picture, and have special days marked in, especially as we have some very special days this year, what with one thing and another.

Here are my January squares:

Blue is for rain.  Grey is for, well, grey.  Purple is for bank holidays.  Turquoise is for cold days.  Yellow is for sunny days.  I make a judgement at the end of the day based on the overall weather, so a rainy day with some sun is still a rainy day, and a grey day with some rain is still a grey day.  

I'm trying to sew them together as I go along.  I should probably block what I've already sewn together as it's a bit, well, crappy looking at the moment.  It should be 20 squares by 20 rows in the end, so 400 squares in total.  I feel a bit weird thinking of it like that, but actually I can't be any farther forward with it than I am, and keeping the record means I can go back to it as I feel like it. 

For those interested:

Red will be for birthdays - Simon, Granny, Grandpa, Tim, Lucy, Grandad, me, Jane, Hattie

Pink is for Valentine's Day

Dark blue will be for religious holidays - Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, Easter (3), Christmas, Boxing Day

White for snow

Pale yellow for the Solstices

Baby Blue for my nephew's birthday

Those, plus 365 days, will make 400 days, and 400 squares. 

One way or another, it will be finished in January 2015.  And bordered.  *cries*