A Year of Projects Update - week 26

 I hope everyone has had a great week.

We are back from mum's in which we had a good time, even though my husband was ill for most of the time!

I managed to finish my socks whilst there.

I used up a few odds and end from other projects and in time to start Stephens January socks on Wednesday.

I have also made progress on my desktop vest.

I  am nearly at the top of the arm hole.

I  also have cut fabric for a dress - I am going to finally make one from Gerties Ultimate dress book!

Since returning I have gone full domestic goddess (!) - I made bread today for the first time for ages, as well as biscuits for Thomas, a poached chicken for later this week and a slow cooked pork joint today that will also do for meals later in thd week.  Also, managed to get outside and dug up the last of the potatoes today - and hopefully  the weather will be reasonably kind to us and I can get out in the next few days to plant the last of our bulbs.

Anyway, best get on!!  I hope you all have a great week and I will see you all next year!

A Year of Projects Update - week 25

 It's another short one this week!

School finished on Friday and me and Daniel are leaving for Somerset tomorrow morning. 

I think we are ready - even Darren has wrapped his presents (that doesn't usually happen until Christmas eve!)

I have only done a little crafting this week- my socks are coming along nicely.

I'm having a bit of a sock thing at the moment,  so much that I have signed up for the Stephen West year of socks to try to knit a few different techniques. 

And that is it for this week - hopefully over this next week I should be able to get some time to sit and knot.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week and great Christmas if you celebrate 😊

A Year of Projects Update - week 24

 Gosh the weeks are flying by!  I don't have a great deal to show for it crafting wise.  So this will be a very quick update!

I did finish my socks for mum's cracker gift.  And, as I had some wool left, I have started a new pair for myself - these will have contrast heels.  The yarn is a Christmas skein from Lay Family Yarn. 

I also had my Christmas nails done yesterday!

Not the best picture but they are blue and green and sparkly!!

And that is about it for this week.  Next week we will be preparing to visit mum for Christmas  but I'm sure I can squeeze in a post.

Hope everyone has a great week 😊 

A Year of Projects Update - week 23

 Did not mean to miss two weeks!  School has been really busy in the run up to Christmas and I just ran out of time the last two weeks.  I have been able to do some crafting though.

I have been chipping away at my mum's cracker socks!

I have home made crackers and this is what I will put in hers!  I have turned the heel, sk just the leg to go.  The yarn is Lay Family Yarn from a couple of years ago.

I have also been doing a bit on my Desk set Vest.

This is being knit in de Rerum Natura yarn that I bought from YAK in Brighton a couple of weeks ago. 

I also bought fabric and made myself some trousers.

These are the Bliss trousers by Fibre Mood.  Sewn by hand as is my preference.

It's been somewhat windy here the last couple of days so I haven't done much else this weekend.  I hope to make mince pies later, but it's all inside stuff today!

I hope everyone has a great week.

A Year of Projects Update - week 20

 Despite a tough week at school I  managed to get a bit done this week and I had a lovely weekend 😊 

I finished the Christmas socks.

I am very happy with these, and promptly started on another pair for mum as her cracker gift!  These were from a Little French Meadow yarn and the new ones are from Lay Family Yarn. 

I also started my Desk set Vest by Squidney knits.

This is Ulysse by de Rerum Natura and was the yarn I purchased from YAK in Brighton.  I also got fabric from Ditto fabric which I will share when I start the project - hopefully soon!

I had a lovely time in Brighton it was nicely autumnal and very relaxing.

Anyway,  til next time!  Hope you all have a great week!

A Year of Projects Update - week 19

 Not a lot of knitting has been done this week, as I returned to school for the last term before Christmas. 

What knitting I have done has been reserved for my Christmas socks!

These are being knit in some Little French Meadow yarn from 2019.  The pattern is just a vanilla sock and will have a short row heel.

I have done some Hitchenbrook but it looks much the same.

I also dug up some potatoes this morning and planted some tulips for spring!

And that is all this week.  Next Saturday I am taking a trip to Brighton to get wool and fabric, so will, hopefully,  have something to show next week!

I hope everyone has a great week 😊 

A Year of Projects Update - week 18

 I can't really believe we are into November already!  I spent last weekend and a bit of the half term break with my mum, so there was no post last week.  But I have had a bit of time this week between baking and walking to do some crafting to write about!

Firstly,  I finished my mum's socks and was able to gift them to her while I was down visiting.

I made these using leftover yarn from other sock projects - which is why they change colour.

I also finished my Tolsta tee this week.

This is also knit in leftover yarn from last year's Christmas dress.

So what is next?  I have a few plans but I want to choose yarn and fabric in person, so will be visiting Brighton to go to YAK and Ditto fabric in the near future.

So, in the meantime,  I have made progress on my Hitchenbrook.

And I have started a plain pair of Christmas socks.

I am using some Little French Meadow yarn from years ago (think 2019).

And that is about it - I have been doing a little in the garden  a bit of baking and some walking which is all good, but for now we are back to school for the slog to Christmas!  I'm expecting a busy time!  I hope everyone has a great week. 

A Year of Projects Update - week 16

 It's been a busy couple if weeks!  School has been busy and it seems as though this half term has gone on forever.  Now just one more week before our half term break, which will be very welcome 😊 

I have done a few things these past 2 weeks - I have turned the heel on mum's socks.

I need to have these finished by next week which is when I'm going to see mum and dad, so I shall be working hard on these!

I have also put a few more rounds on my Tolsta tee. 

I think I will do another white stripe and then finish with burgundy ribbing.

I have also modified two pullovers to be zipped tops so that I might wear them some more!

And that's it for this week!  I hope everyone has a great week 😊

A Year of Projects Update - week 14

 It's been a week of trying to get back to normal!  I do feel much better this week - perhaps as I am not taking the antivirals this week!

Anyway I have only make a little progress on my projects this week. 

I have done a little on my Tolsta tee. 

Upside down but there we go!

I have also started some socks.

I have made reasonable progress on these as I am on a deadline!  My mum requested them and I will be seeing her at half term so I have about 3 weeks to get them done!  Yarn is the leftover Fine Fish Yarn from my last pair of socks as she didn't want me to buy any!

I have also done a bit of mending and am waiting for a couple of zips to change a couple of bought pullovers into zipped tops.

Next up for sewing - I would like to make a yoga top and a  pair of trousers from The latest Fiber Mood magazine. 

I have the pattern just need to get the material.

And that is it for this week.  Hope everyone is well and has a great week 😊 

A Year of Projects Update - week 13

 I missed last week - not because I didn't have much to report (although I didn't have lots) but because I have shingles!  It's not been too bad, but it started painfully and then developed into tiredness!  Anyway, I've done a bit now and am feeling a bit better.

I actually have a finished object.

I started and finished this in the last 2 weeks.

I really wanted one of those little scarves to tie around my neck.  So I made it up myself and finished - it was very quick.  I used some Zooming home for Christmas,  which was a Christmas yarn from Standed Dyeworks.

I have also put a whole load of rounds on my Tolsta Tee. 

This is made in some leftover Navia Duo from my Christmas dress.  I am nearly there and then I need to make my mum some more socks. 

And that is all I have been doing - my walking has stalled for a moment but I will be back on it soon.

I hope everyone has had a great couple of weeks. 

A Year of Projects Update - week 11

 I'm back to work properly this week, so what with that and Goodwood last weekend, I have not done a lot crafting wise

I have put in a bit of time on my Tolsta tee this week.

I took this first thing this morning, so the light isn't good, but the colour is about right.  I am knitting this in leftover yarn (Navia Duo) from a project last year.

I have spent a bit of time in the garden this weekend as we have just had a bit of our fence and the back gate repaired.  So I have done some cutting back and some weeding.   Next weekend I hope to dig the last of the potatoes that are in the ground.  Leaving the bags for a bit after!

I also went for another walk this morning - I hope to try and write a post for the last two in the week. 

And that is it for this week.  I will catch up with everyone before I post this time!  Hope everyone has a great week 😀 

A Year of Projects Update - week 9

 And with that, the holiday is over!

This week's post is a bit of a round up of the last few projects.  I did a post of our holiday Inn Sweden here.

And a post of last week's walk is here.

I did a further walk this morning and so, may pot that one in the week.

I finally got a picture of my Tonight Top by Lily Kate France. 

It's a bit crumpled and my hair is sweaty from the walk, but you get the idea!

I  will do more of these as I love it - this one is in Scheepjes Catona, so the next will be a wool.

I  also started another Tolsta tee. 

A nice stripy one to use up some stash!

I have done no more on my Emotional support chicken which a couple correctly guessed last week!  But I did finish my socks.

This week, I will write up my last walk and make a real effort to comment on everyone's posts - I'm afraid I have been slacking lately!  Next week I am unlikely to post as I am going to the Goodwood Revival all weekend so will have little time.  I hope everyone has a great couple of weeks.

My Mighty Hike - prep week ?5

 Obviously,  I have not updated for a while!  However, preparation has been going well.  From practice walks to investing in some kit.

So far the kit I have got are:

The Tamara Way guide

Thousand mile socks - recommended by my friend - if I get on with them I will get more!

Walking boots - purchased from Vinted - I tried them out this past weekend and they were brilliant (in conjunction with the socks!)

Walking trousers - bought a couple of pairs from Mountain Warehouse from  lightweight easy dry fabric  - I also have a couple of older pairs one of which is water resistant. 

Walking tops - I want a couple more of these  but also want to make a couple of these from thicker fabric to take me into the winter.

A couple of backpacks - one for short training walks and one for longer ones.

Small easy dry towel just in case I decide to take a dip enroute.

In terms of walking, before we went on holiday I did lots of daily short brisk walks.  Whilst in Sweden we walked about 30 miles and having come back I did a longer training walk.

This past Sunday, I went out with a friend.   We walked from her house, across playing fields, passing by the park out to the forest behind.

From here we joined the main road and popped into a little antiques shop.  This shop was in the middle of nowhere, but my friend knew the owner and before we knew it, we were sitting in the main room with tea and biscuits!

The owners were lovely  - they also had a converted van (like my friend) which we had a look at whilst there.  From here we rejoined the off road track and returned to her house via the park.  Here we stopped for a drink and flapjack.  All of which was lovely.  In the end we walked nearly 8 miles which is a great distance at this point of the training.

And so that is where we are now.  I have done a little this week,  but intend to do another longer walk on Sunday  - just have to decide where to go!

Sverige

 Or Sweden!  

On the instruction of our elder son, we went to Sweden for our summer holiday this year - it wouldn't have been our first choice, but it was amazing!

Day one

We just got our bearings this day as we were a bit outside the city in Upplands Vasby.

We walked to the station and the surroundings which were lovely.

Whilst there we met a man that had lived there having moved from England nearly 50 years ago.   He was fantastic and pointed us in the right direction for lots of sights and which tickets to get.

Day Two 

On the advice from the man!  We got a week travel card and travelled to Stockholm City centre to visit Gamla Stan - the Old Town.

It was beautiful with narrow streets and the Royal residence  - we happened to see the changing of the guard while there.

Day Three 

Today, Darren and Thomas wanted to see the local football team play - so we went to the Tele2 arena to see Djugardens play a European qualifying game!

Darren and Thomas loved it - me and Daniel didn't mind it and we can tick it off the list!

Outside the arena is another arena that also houses Skyview - which is similar to our London Eye but with only one pod.

Day Four 

Our aim today was to visit the Abba museum!

We trained it to Stockholm and then walked over to the museum.

The museum was fantastic with lots of interactive attractions if you didn't mind waiting a bit.  Darren and Daniel did some singing in a booth and there was a stage you could get on to become the fifth member,  but none of us were brave enough!

Day Five 

On this day we walked in a similar way to the Abba museum but this time to zn Island housing Skansen.  This is an open air museum that houses a zoo, an aquarium, vast grounds and a recreation of life in a nordic villiage from times gone by.

The zoo was amazing with the animals looking very well cared for and with vast room to move.

The aquarium was the best have visited (and Daniel likes an aquarium!)

Whilst in the old village we watched a glassblower at work, but got no photos of that.

Day Six

On our final day we took a boat trip around the archipelago.  We walked to the Strandvagen, which is basically a huge taxi rank for boats!  It is beautiful with bars and restaurants all the way along.   We got our boat at lunchtime and then toured the islands.

After the boat we went to the Vasa Museum.  This is a museum that houses a shipwreck.   The ship was a warship that sank on its maiden voyage just out of the shipyard.

And then we were home 😑.  We loved Sweden and would happily return. 

Flights were great, I think we walked about 30 miles all told.

Food was fab!

Sweden  - it was great!!  We will return!

A Year of Projects Update - week 8

 What a week!  Sweden was magnificent!

I think I might do a post tomorrow with some details, and combine it with a walking post, as we did a lot of walking.  I have also been out this morning and did a walk of nearly 8 miles, so will not be doing much else this long weekend!

I have done a little crafting since we returned.

I finished my Tonight Top by Lily Kate France,  but have not taken any photos, so will do thatater in the week. 

I have made progress on my second pair of socks this year (so much for 24!!) 

These are an improvised pattern knit in Fine Fish Yarn bought from Unravel, years ago.

I have also started a project that has been very popular that I suddenly fancied doing!

Can you guess what it will become?

And I shall leave you this week with an image from the walk this morning upon finding an antiques shop whose owners ushered us in for tea and biscuits!