A Year of Projects Update - week 26

A very happy festive period to everyone.  I hope everyone is safe and enjoying this time however you celebrate, if you do. 
This is a very short update just to check in really.
And brag a tiny bit as I have managed to finish 2 projects this week in time for gifting.  I finished grans mitts

And I am extraordinarily pleased with the socks I have knit for mum under her nose (I finished them today - that's two days knitting them in front of her).  I made up the pattern and have done some owls for her!

And that is it for this week.  I hope everyone has a brilliant week and I shall look forward to checking in next week.

A Year of Projects Update - week 25

This time next week we will be at mum's so will see if I can update, but I may be a bit late.  This week has been filled with festive comings and goings.  We went to the panto this weekend as well as seeing both boys Christmas productions.  Will add a pic at the end.

WIP's
I have made much progress on both of my advent cast ons.  It's actually got to the point now where I think I will cast off.  I am going to switch around 17 and 18 so that I finish on some speckled yarn.  So I hope to finish tomorrow.

I have also made much progress on my Tchaikovsky mitts.  So much so I am hopeful I can finish these today.

I have made no progress on Thomas's jumper or my mum's socks, but I am hoping with the completion of these three projects I can make good progress on these.

I hope everyone has a brilliant week, I shall leave you with some pics of our week.

A Year of Projects Update - week 24

The week's keep flying by in a blur!  I am feeling much more prepared this week though.  The house is decorated, the presents are wrapped and cards are written.  That said I decided to add to my WIP's this week.
WIP's 
The projects that have had all of my attention this week are both for me.  My advent socks

and my Land of Sweets cowl by Helen Stewart

Both are out of my advent calendar by Little French Meadow. 
I do now have three projects that are on a deadline - Thomas's Christmas jumper, mum's Christmas socks and I have decided to knit my gram a pair of mittens/wristwarmers.
Now, of course I only have 2 weeks to do all of these.  But if Thomas's jumper isn't ready for this year it will fit next year, I can always knit mum's socks and give them to her before we leave (that gives me until new year) and I should be able to whip up a pair of DK wristwarmers.  So we will see what we can do.
I hope everyone has a lovely week, do check out what everyone else has been up to from the side bar.

A Year of Projects Update - week 23

Still don't feel prepared but I do feel much more festive this week.  We all started our advent calendars this week and this year I have a yarn one!

I don't have much knitting wise this week as I was fairly monogamous trying to get my November socks done.  I am pleased to report I did get them done in time and here they are.

Yarn is by Mothy and the Squid and the pattern is Dragon Pox by the Knotty Gnome.

In Works in Progress, I knew that I wanted to knit my advent calendar into socks, but I figured that I would have far too much yarn for just one pair.  Here are the socks so far.

So I decided to also knit Helen Stewart's Land of Sweets cowl from her latest knitvent collection, and so here that is.

I have the advent calendar from Little French Meadow and am loving it so far.

So over the next week I am intending to get on with Thomas's Christmas jumper and mum's Christmas socks. 
We went to see Santa today, so I will leave you with a couple shots from the morning while I go and make more mince pies (for those of you that asked last week, I use shop bought mincemeat so it does have suet, I am quite sure there are suet free versions)

A Year of Projects Update - week 22

It's beginning to get a bit close to the festive season for my liking.  I love the festive season don't get me wrong, but I'm not feeling that prepared.  That said, I baked my first batch of mince pies this morning.

I can show you my test knit today - as the Sugarplum Fairy was released on Friday.  So here are mine and I love them.

WIP's
I still have the same WIP's.  I have progressed on my Chuck sweater and my mum's Christmas socks but have no photo this week.
I have made progress but not as much as I would like on my November socks.  I have less than a week now so I have to get cracking!

I have also cast on Thomas's Christmas jumper and will hopefully get this done by Christmas (fingers crossed).

I think that will have to be it for this week.  I hope everybody celebrating had a brilliant thanksgiving, and I will be back next week.

A Year of Projects Update - week 21

It is a beautiful morning here in England.  Mind you yesterday started nice and then quickly turned to drizzle!  We have no plans for today as I was out all yesterday at the craft fair.  I had a great time, sold some bits and pieces and got some knitting done.

On that note - here are some WIP's.
I knit a little on my mum's Christmas socks yesterday, they are not as far along as I would like them to be but there we go.

I have also made good progress on my November socks, knit in Mothy and the Squid - Christmas tree.  Pattern is Dragon Pox by the Knotty Gnome.

I have also made good progress on my Chuck sweater by Andi Satterlund.  I am loving these cables, the yarn is some that I picked up from Coldharbour Mill.

Oh, I do have a finished object!  I was inspired by a fellow Yopper last week and decided I needed a festive coffee cosy for my mug that I take daily to school.  So here it is.

Lastly I took possession of my advent calendar by Little French Meadow in the week and now am trying to stop myself opening all the little parcels all at once!  I will share as I open them in December - I am going to knit some scrappy socks to start with.
Anyway have a great week, Happy crafting.

A Year of Projects update - week 20

We took a lovely walk this morning to feed the ducks.  Gave me a chance to get out all the hand knits as it has got decidedly wintery here.
FO's
I finished my test knit this week.  I will show you as soon as they are released but they are lovely if I say so myself.  I did mean that I was able to cast on my November socks - I am knitting Dragon Pox by the knotty gnome in the Christmas tree colourway that I got from Mothy and the squid.  I have pictures of neither of them, maybe next week!
WIP's
I wound my yarn for Thomas's Christmas jumper and hope to cast that on tonight.
I didn't make any progress on my mum's Christmas socks, but hope to put some work on them this week. 
I did make some progress on my Chuck sweater - I am now ready to start the front.

I have also made progress on the Pumpkin spice mittens.

I have my craft fair next Saturday so will be making sure I am ready for that and then the serious Christmas prep is likely to begin!  I hope everyone has a great week.

A Year of Projects Update - week 19

Back to school this week so only a little progress has been made on projects.
I forgot to mention last week that one thing I had done over the half term was to frog a hat I started over a year ago.  I came to the realisation that the reason I was making no progress on it was because it was likely to be too small for my revised plan of giving it to Daniel (revised when it was going to be too small for me).  And even if I finished it the beginning of it was not good enough to give to someone else either.  I think I realised this a while ago but was in denial as I don't like frogging things but it had to happen and did.  I am now on the lookout for something to do with the yarn I have left from this.

Anyway in good news...
WIP's
I am making my way up the leg of the test knit.  Ruth has revealed that the name of her new pattern will be sugarplum fairy and that is what I am doing with the sugarplum colourway from Stranded dyeworks.  It is absolutely gorgeous as is the pattern.  Will reveal all soon.

I have also made some progress on Chuck by Andi Satterlund in my Coldharbour Mill  yarn.  When the socks are complete I imagine this will fly by.

That is all I have been working on this week - I'm feeling a little purple this week.
I did receive this in the post this week.

It took me quite a while to take it out of it's gorgeous wrapping and now I am waiting for a few moments to sit and peruse it properly.
I think that is it for this week, hope you have a great week - happy crafting.

A Year of Projects Update - week 18

Me and the boys have had the week off this past week.  We made it a nice combination of relaxing at home and activities (which meant I got a fair bit of knitting done).
FO's
I finished my October socks.

These are just a vanilla sock (knit one at a time this time as I started on a 9 inch needle - I didn't finish on this needle as the two of us fell out!)  The yarn is Oktoberfest by Zauberball.

WIP's
I have started a test knit which is going very well, but I cannot show you any of it!
I started my next sweater which is Chuck by Andi Satterlund.

Yarn here is by Coldharbour Mill.
I haven't done any to my next Christmas knit as I have been concentrating on the test knit.  But I have started the pumpkin spice mittens, albeit just a tiny bit.

Acquisitions
I caved and bought the following:
Yarn from Stranded dyeworks in sugarplum.  Sparkly yarn from Mothy and the Squid in Christmas tree.  A sock blank also by Mothy and the Squid and some Christmas progress keepers.  In my defence, they are all accounted for in projects so it isn't so bad!

 I shall leave you with a couple of photos from our week.  One of a zoo near mum's and the other was at Hever castle yesterday.

A Year of Projects Update - week 17

We have made it to the half term break!  Me and the boys have taken a little trip to visit my mum and dad this weekend and then we will return to make the most of the week off.  We shall be visiting a zoo tomorrow and then Hever castle in the week to indulge in a bit of Halloween fun!

But what have I been working on?
I have been quite monogamous of late.  I am so nearly finished with my Christmas jumper.  I have finished the yoke and am on the neck ribbing, but I didn't bring it with me so will finish when I return home.
My October socks have been worked on and I am currently on the heel of the second sock - these two should be finished very soon.

Otherwise I am working on a few things for a craft stall I will have in a couple of weeks.
Dream knitting
I have yet to cast on the pumpkin spice mittens, but will do later this week.  I have just signed up to do another test knit for socks which I will start later this week.  I also hope to cast on Chuck by Andi Satterlund  but the end of the week. 
Acquisitions
None this week, but have gone a bit mad online so will have a bit of a haul next week.
I am about to run out of charge now so will be back next week with FO's and new yarn - hopefully!  Hope you have a great week.

A Year of Projects Update - week 16

Gosh another week has flown past!
For those of you that asked from last weeks post - the little cloths were made from cotton yarn and I am using them to cleanse my face.  They are a very simple cast on 3 stitches, increase every other row up to 25 stitches then decrease every other row back down to 3 stitches and voila! a little cloth.  I can report that after a week of use and washing they are working perfectly and I don't think I will return to cotton wool pads again.

I have no finished objects this week and only a few works in progress, but I have lots of plans for the next few days.
WIP's
My Christmas jumper is on the home stretch - I have joined the sleeves and am making my way through the yoke.  I have done the first set of decreases so this should speed up and I anticipate being finished by next week.

I am trundling through the Octoberfest socks now I am on the long circular needles.

I also started my mum's Christmas present socks - I have done the toes.

And that's all I have this week!
Next week, however, it is the start of the half term holiday and we are going to visit my mum, so I will need some projects to take with me.
I hope to have finished one October sock and I can therefore, work on the second sock.
I have wound my yarn so that I can start Chuck. I have this in my new project bag that I won with Knotty gnome in the Magical Maladies KAL.  I just need to add needles and I am away.

 I have also wound my yarn for the pumpkin spice mitts, but I doubt I will take that with me, I will leave them here.
So I think that is enough for a moment!
Hope you all have a great week and check out the rest of the Yoppers from the link in the side bar.

A Year of Projects Update - Week 15

All of a sudden, Autumn has arrived in England!  Which is brilliant as it means I can break out all of the knits!
FO's
I pretty much finished the little cloths, they have been installed in a pot in the bathroom and I have begun usage!  I am still knitting a couple more so that I always have lots, but here they are at the moment.

I also finished my festive candy cane socks.  I made a pair for Daniel about a year ago and have always wanted to make myself some.  The yarn is from Mothy and the Squid and I love them.

WIP's
I still have some of the same old wip's!  However, these are the ones I have been working on.
My Christmas jumper is coming along - I finished the second skein of Knit by numbers on the body and so wanted to finish the second sleeve, before returning to finish the body.

I have also cast on my October socks and so, I have the tale of needle woe!  I decided to try out my new 9 inch Hiya Hiya needle this month as I wanted to use some Zauberball in Octoberfest.  I completed the ribbing and about an inch of leg, but was finding it so fiddly and then I found a dropped stitch (I almost never drop a stitch in my socks).  So despite not really giving them a fair chance, I decided to move off to my default magic loop. Soon after this the needle must have fallen on the floor and I subsequently hoovered it up!  So now it never will have a chance but I am ot that upset.

Dream knitting
I have had to add to my list.
I hope to cast on the pumpkin spice mittens this week and very recently, I have become quite obsessed with the Penguono by Stephen West.  I am not really sure where this has come from, but I have been planning the colour combinations and getting quite excited.  I am hoping to hold off casting on until the new year and knit it as part of the self indulgent KAL with the Yarniacs podcast (this is a little premature as they have only just fnished the colors of fall KAL and haven't even mentioned the SIKAL yet!)
Anyway, I think that is enough from me - hope everyone has a great week - happy crafting!

A Year of Projects Update - week 14

This is just going to be a quick one this week.  We went to the season finale of the touring cars today and got back a bit too late to take photos of my WIP's.
I finished my September socks this week.  The yarn is by Hedgehog fibres and is amongst the loveliest I have ever worked with.  I can't wait to wear these, but these are for my boxosox for a moment.

I have done some work on both of my other main WIP's this week and hopefully, by next week these will almost be finished.  They being my Christmas jumper and my festive socks (a theme here I feel!)
I also bought some yarn this week (I have been good for several weeks!)  I got some Knitting Goddess for my pumpkin spice mittens that I have decided to make.
I will do a better and fuller check in next week.  Have a great week.

A Year of Projects Update - week 13

I'm a little late in the day posting this week, and I still haven't finished the socks pictured below!  I have done lots of other jobs though.
WIP's
My September socks.  They are so close to being finished, just the ribbing to go.

These are Losers Lurgy by the knotty gnome and the yarn is hedgehog fibres and is splendid!
My Christmas jumper is progressing.  I do a few rows each night.

My festive socks in Mothy and the Squid candy cane are coming along nicely, but are on hold for a moment while I finish my September socks.

I have also made some progress on my scarf.  This is Seville in Pom Pom magazine.  The rows are so long and are lace so take a while to do.  There is progress I promise!

Lastly I have started a new project.  In an effort to save the planet (well one step towards anyway), I have decided to knit little cloths that I can use instead of cotton wool pads.

So what have I been doing other than knitting?  I have been in the garden - mosty planting, but also pulling up potatoes, carrots and the single beetroot that grew this year.  I also made some cakes.  The Great British Bake Off is back on our screens and it was caramel week this week - so I felt inspired to make some caramel cakes.

Hope you all have a good week - I am going to finish those socks now and have a cake.