Finished Object Friday

This week has been productive for finishing projects.

I completed the shawl I started in Finland using my wool I bought from Griffiths Mill on my hooky holiday in April.

It was my first attempt at proper lacework and it took a lot of concentration to follow the charts but I found that using stitch markers between each pattern repeat really helped.

I also finished my purple stripey socks.

These were knit on 2.25mm needles which is why they took me so long but I do love them now they are finished.

Other projects I've finished recently are...

More Clangers:

This time for 2 little girls who had seen the other Clanger I made and wanted ones of their own.

Campside Shawl:

I love this shawl - it's lovely and big - I can't wait to wear it.


And I'm nearly three quarters of the way through making my crochet blanket squares (315 out of 420 made).

Stash Enhancements

One of my friends mentioned that he wanted me to knit him a scarf a while ago.  Because I've finished a few things recently I thought it was time to start thinking about the scarf.  I wanted to buy some really nice wool so went to browse LoveKnitting.  I decided to go with Malabrigo Worsted in a lovely dark blue but because I had to spend over £25 to avoid postage costs I also bought some sock wool.

It's not that much yarn!  I had been wanting some purple sock wool for a while now - I quite like making socks.

So this is the wool for my friend's scarf.

The colourway is Buscando Azul.  I wanted a simple ribbed pattern to show off the lovely colour of the yarn so chose the New York scarf which is a free pattern on Ravelry.  This is my progress so far:

And here is the lovely sock wool - I got a few different colours - for delivery cost purposes of course...

Ooh and also a ball of Rico Essentials aran to make another Bankhead hat.

Last week I also cast on a project that I've wanted to make since it was released last year - Mr Bakery Bear by Kay F. Jones . I had bought some Robin Paintbox in the leopardskin colourway. I'm waiting for my Mum to visit to show me how to make the cabled jumper but I've already knit the bear and his shorts

It's such a lovely pattern to knit.  This bear is called Rufus.  I think I'll be making more of this bear in the future.

I said that I enjoy knitting socks - I did manage to finish the socks I was knitting in the last post. They are so good!

And then cast on another pair of socks using West Yorkshire Spinners signature 4ply in the Bullfinch colourway.  These have grown so quickly - while I've been sat watching films and Sherlock on Netflix.

I used the same pattern as my previous socks - the Vanilla Latte Socks by Virginia Rose-Jeanes and they are nice and simple.

The Zoo Story and my knitting week

On Friday I went to see a play called The Zoo Story.  It was a performance by an amateur theatre group - the Without Walls Theatre Company.

Before seeing the play I wasn't sure what to expect - from the summary on Wikipedia it sounded a bit weird but it was a great performance and I really enjoyed it.

This week I managed to finish the hat KAL for the Bankhead hat pattern - it's so quick to make and could prove quite addictive.

Ravelry project page here

I've also made lots of progress on my second sock - due to a conversation with a friend about Studio Ghibli films (mostly Spirited Away) that led us both to start a weekend film binge.  Yesterday I watched The Wind Rises, Howl's Moving Castle, and The Cat Returns so today I will watch Kiki's Delivery Service, The Castle of Cagliostro, Spirited Away, and My Neighbour Totoro (which is my favourite).  Anyway, this gave me plenty of time to knit my socks

I've just got to knit the foot now - about 30 rows before I decrease for the toe.  Ravelry project page here.

And just because my weekend would be boring without playing with the hamsters (who are sleeping as usual at the moment) here is a photo of them eating raspberry pieces.

Happy New Year and Project Update

Hello again!  Happy New Year.  Hope your 2015 is going well so far.

I'm having a very quiet day today and just sitting in my flat knitting and watching knitting podcasts.

I've managed to get lots of projects finished since my last post including this lovely jumper which I finished only this morning.  Ravelry project page here.

The pattern is Snug by Kim Hargreaves and the yarn is Sirdar Escape Chunky in colour 0197

I crocheted a tiny little monkey as a present a while ago using 2 different crochet patterns.  Ravelry project page here.

I also made a Honey Cowl using the yarn from Wild Wood Wool I bought at Yarndale.  Ravelry project page here.

The last WIP I mentioned (a long time ago) was my Age of Brass and Steam shawl which I was speeding through so finished soon after.  Ravelry project page here.

I received a request to make a knitted clanger from the old childrens TV show using the original pattern from 1972.  Ravelry project page here.

I got around to making the colourful armwarmers I had been planning to make for ages.  Ravelry project page here.

I knitted myself a toy robot using the Louie the Lovebot pattern by Rebecca Danger.  Ravelry project page here.

I am currently working on a few knitted WIPs.  The first is something I started a while ago but stopped halfway through.  My first pair of socks!  Ravelry project page here.

Yup I have second sock syndrome but I cast on the second sock on Friday

I started another Trillian shawl project which will be my handbag project as it was last time.  This time I'm using the Laalbear yarn I bought at Yarndale in the colourway Gandalf. Ravelry project page here.

My final WIP was cast on on Thursday night as part of a live knit-a-long on Instagram.  Dan from the Bakery Bears podcast decided to start a knit-a-long for the Bankhead hat pattern because he loves it and I couldn't resist joining in. Ravelry project page here.

Here's to a productive 2015 - already off to a good start!

The Yarndale Picnic and WIP Wednesday

In my last post I mentioned that my Instagram friends had agreed to meet up at Yarndale for a picnic. People were taking photos of the whole group during the picnic and someone was kind enough to send me this photo for my blog.

Unfortunately some people had left the picnic just before this photo was taken but there is still a pretty large group of people!

I also wanted to share the progress I've made on my Age of Brass and Steam shawl - because of the lovely yarn and the super-simple pattern - I've been so engrossed in knitting the shawl that I haven't worked on another project for the last 2 weeks.

I did have to rip back more than half of my shawl (twenty rows) because I had the wrong number of stitches but I've managed to catch back up and it's making good progress.

WIP Wednesday - Preparing for Winter

This year I've decided not to leave my winter crafting till it gets colder - last week I started making some mittens out of super-bulky yarn.

The pattern is 'Super Chunky Mittens' by Hannah Storms and the yarn is Patons Fab Big in wine.

Because it's such huge yarn, the mittens knit up so quickly - I'm halfway through the second mitten already.

They are so warm - makes me want to knit everything in super-bulky.

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WIP Wednesday (and some finished projects too)

I thought it was about time I admitted to how many projects I'm working on at the moment and gave an update on my progress.

Trillian Shawl:

Still going on this one - and it feels like it'll take forever but it is growing nicely

Rob's Scarf:

I tend to take this one when I'm travelling because it's low maintenance - again growing nicely

Ripple Blanket:

This has been hibernating a bit but I've just added another colour

I've also decided to take apart the sleeves of my crocheted cardigan to make them smaller so I'm busy re-crocheting them

And now for a couple of finished objects:

Tiny Knitted Minion:

• Craft: Knitting
• Pattern: Tiny Minion by Kelly Vu
• Yarn: Stash DK
• Weight: DK
• Needle Size: 3mm
• Ravelry Project Page

Crocheted Fox:

• Craft: Crochet
• Pattern: Little Fox by Samantha J. Montgomery
• Yarn (Leaves): Stash DK
• Weight: DK
• Hook Size: 3mm
• Ravelry Project Page

FO’s 2014 = 0+2 = 2

WIP’s = Need a proper count

Queued = 17 - need to be ruthless and remove some of these

Graduation

In my last post I said that I was about to graduate from university.  My graduation ceremony was lovely - mostly just getting to see all of my friends and knowing that all the effort we put into our degree over the years has now paid off.

We had to wear full robes all day even though the weather was so hot.  The colour of the hoods of our robes signifies the type of degree - in the case of our uni orange is for engineering.

Outside my department before the ceremony

On the stage accepting my degree

Rob was also graduating at the same time as me

Me and Rob both in our graduation gowns

Now that university is officially out of the way I can get on with thinking about work and my new flat - too exciting!

Today I ordered a sofa, armchair and a futon to be delivered to my flat in September.

I had already decided on what colour furniture I wanted so when I was in town last week I bought a cushion in John Lewis because it was nice and bright (and reduced).

Anyway this then inspired me to crochet a cushion-cover to match/complement it and got making it straight away.

I'm using the join-as-you-go method to crochet the squares together.  The cushion will be 25 granny squares on one side and one big granny square on the other side.

I've also finally cast-on the first sleeve for Rob's jumper but then the weather turned warm again so I've not got much of that done.

The friendship blanket I'm constructing from squares swapped with other crafters on Ravelry is making progress though:

It is looking good so far and I'm meeting lots of new people by taking part in the swap

WIP Wednesday - An Update on my Current Projects

As with a lot of crafters I have startitis - the ability to start lots of projects then forget about them to move to other projects without ever finishing anything.  I've been able to control this recently and I have cut down from 20 projects to just 9.

I'm struggling to prioritise projects at the moment as I am busy trying to pack up the house as our tenancy ends soon but I will list each project and say how far I am through it (and include a photo where I can).

Knitting Projects:

Trillian Shawl:

• Percentage complete:  10%
• Ravelry Project Page

Beau Jumper:

• Percentage complete:  60%
• Ravelry Project Page

Rob's Scarf:

• Percentage complete:  40%
• Ravelry Project Page

Present for Friend's Boyfriend:

• Percentage complete:  5%
• Ravelry Project Page

Mini Beau Jumper for Teddy:

• Percentage complete:  5%

Crochet Projects:

Ripple Blanket:

• Percentage complete:  20%
• Ravelry Project Page

Granny Square Skirt:

• Percentage complete:  10%
• Ravelry Project Page

Lark the Monster - from scraps:

• Percentage complete:
• Ravelry Project Page

Rob's Name Banner:

• Percentage complete:  90%
• Ravelry Project Page