A Year of Projects Update - week 34

And we come to the end of our half term break.  I'm always sad as I love spending time with the boys   but it's only six weeks until the next one!  So this week didn't go quite to plan  - the weather wasn't great, which doesn't usually put us off,  but this time we were all under the weather and just felt like doing nothing!  I did do a fair bit of crafting and I did do a lot of tidying and spring cleaning.
I have made progress on both sweater projects that I have on the needles right now, but both are fingering weight so they are quite slow growing.  Still enjoying both though!
Like a cloud  is coming along nicely.  I have joined for the body and now it is just back and forth until it reaches a good length.

Stonecrop is also coming along  I have a couple more pattern repeats before I  split for the sleeves and then, given that it is cropped, shouldn't be much more after that!

As Thomas was unwell  we didn't make it to unravel.   I was quite disappointed, but I don't really need yarn right now and I have promised myself a class next year instead.
I also didn't get to my sewing as I picked up the wrong cotton.  Maybe next weekend! 
Anyway, I hope everyone has a good week.

A Year of Projects Update - week 33

I didn't post last week,  by the time I found time it was far too late!  So here is a bumper post!
I finished Aiken last week and although one sleeve is a little different to the other you can't tell once it is on.

I really like this and can't wait to wear it in the summer.   I knit it from a new to me yarn called zig zag by interlacements. The resulting fabric drapes wonderfully.
I also finished my socks.   These are a made up shortie sock with a German short row heel.   The yarn is by Life in the Long Grass.

Having finished those two,  I have made some progress on Like a Cloud.

I am knitting this from a lace weight from Blacker yarn held together with some mohair from Homespun Wonders.

And finally, I cast on my Stonecrop by Andrea Mowry.   I had to enlarge the chart but other than that it appears to be going well.

I am knitting this from John Arbon Textiles Devnonia yarn.
In other news my meal planning has been going very well.  I found a lovely recipe we have had a couple of times now which involves various vegetables  from my veg box and the addition of ras el hanout spice.  Lovely!
We are on half term this week so as always I am looking forward to getting lots of crafting in.  Hopefully I will be able to do some sewing - I want to put together some trousers and another dress.
I would also like to get out into the garden, but we had a rather large tree fall (about 50 foot) so we need that removing first!  We have had a couple of storms here in the UK  (Dennis is still with us now)  but Ciara brought this tree down, otherwise we seem to be ok.
At the end of the week it is Unravel at Farnham.   We shall be going and I intend to make a few purchases whilst there.   I will fill you in next week.
I hope everyone has a lovely and safe week.

A Year of Projects Update - week 31

It's been a busy week here what with parents evenings,  meetings and karting.
Very excitingly (for me) Susan B Anderson came up with an addition this week!  And here it is modelled!

I didn't do the pocket or the little  toy bunny  - maybe next time.
I also made progress on my Aiken and now have bound off the body - just some short sleeves to go.
Several people asked about my meal planning last week, so I thought I'd write a little about it.
I decided that I would like to start meal planning at the start of January.  There were three reasons:

• We had got stuck in a rut with our meals.  I always get our shopping delivered, and that together with working full time meant it was very easy to have the same ready type meals every week. 
• Although I try to grow my own veg, I'm not organised enough to be able to harvest throughout the year.  So I decided to have a veg box delivered every other week to increase our intake of locally produced organic veg.  We use Riverford and are very happy with them.
• I have at least 100 cookbooks (I've never counted them!) And get more each Christmas and birthday, but once I have looked at them,  I put them on the shelf and leave them there.

So, meal planning it is.  Every Saturday or Sunday I sit down with some cookbooks and plan what we will have along with the contents of the veg box.   I have really enjoyed it and we have found some real gems.  I will try to remember to share some here.  This week our favourite came from this book

I did seared turmeric chicken.   This consisted of a marinade of turmeric and oregano on the chicken.  This was then pan fried with some Romano pepper  and served on a bed of swiss chard and cous cous  made with chicken stock and mint.  It didn't take much longer than a ready meal and it tasted really good!

I will leave you with a pic of my boys before they went karting yesterday. 

A Year of Projects Update - week 30

Week 30?  How did that happen?  I will have to start thinking about next years projects soon!
This week has again gone in a flash.   I finished the hat for Daniel and he has worn it to our local park to see the animals in.   He wanted a pom pom so I had to oblige.

I have done a few more rows on aiken this week and hope to be done with the body by next week.   I have also done a few rows on like a cloud,  but none that you can tell.

This next one is a busy one with parents evenings and trips out, but let's see if I can fit a bit of crafting in!
My meal planning is going very well.  I'm not sure if I mentioned it here, but I wanted to be more organised in my meal planning this year.  We have been stuck in a rut of the same things last year.  I now get a fortnightly veg box and I have a planner in which to plan!  We have been having a weekly vegetarian dish and I have kept to making the bread once a week.  We have discovered several gems enroute.

A Year of Projects Update - week 29

It's been quite a quiet week  here, but I'm late as we are preparing for Thomas's birthday.
I made a cake yesterday for the big day - he will be 12 this week!
I finished my dust of snow wrap this week.   It is huge and have already used it a couple of times as the temperatures have dropped away of late.

I used my advent minis from little french meadow and some stash alpaca.
I also cast on a new hat for Daniel.   His last one is looking a little ragged.  He chose some green yarn from de rerum natura - gilliatt.   I am just knitting a basic hat.

And that is that, hopefully I should be able to fit some knitting time in between celebrating!  Hope everybody has a good week.

A Year of Projects Update - week 28

Not a great deal to report this week as I have been almost exclusively working on Christopher.
But he is finished and he has a sweater and trousers.

I love him!  I am holding fire and doing more on other projects before knitting him more.
I did do a bit on Aiken and finished the first ball of wool.

This is interlacements zig zag yarn which is rayon based and feels fantastic.
I shall be making jam in a bit from some frozen blackberries and  that is about it.   I hope everyone has a great week.

A Year of Projects Update - week 27

A week into January and it feels as though Christmas was months ago!!  No worries, it's good to get back to normal.
I have made loads of progress on my garments (Like a cloud,  Aiken,  Dust of snow wrap and some shortie socks) but I am not going to show you any of those.  Because yesterday,  I saw and subsequently became obsessed with Christopher rabbit by Susan B Anderson.  Now I am not a toy maker, neither am I really a gifting person (in my crafting) so this is most definitely a toy for me.

I really want to knit him a range of sweaters, for each of the seasons - once I have finished him,  I will embark on an Easter sweater!!
Needless to say I will return to my garments and hopefully be able to update you as to the progress on all next week.
Have a great week.