A Year of Projects Update - week 35

It's been the half term break here.  We have been out and about and even managed to get the first throwing stones in the sea shot even though the weather wasn't great.

FO's

I finished my Hermione's Valentine socks at the start of the week and added them to my box of socks.

WIP's
This week has mainly been about the test knit.  I signed up to do two at the end of last week in my great wisdom!  I can therefore, only show teaser shots of these for a moment.  I started a sock test, and here is the cuff.  I am much further along than this now - I am currently on the heel on both socks.

 I also started a shawl that I will gift to my friend.  The yarn is Adelaide cottage and is gorgeous.  I have decided to add some of the beads to the bind off.  I am currently on the last lace repeat and hopefully will be near the bind off by tonight.

That has really been all my knitting time this week, so From Way Back has seen no love.  I have made some acquisitions.

Acquisitions

I was fully enabled by a podcast called Snuggly Stars this week, who talked about an Etsy company called Little French Meadow.  She mentioned that they had Harry Potter inspired yarn and as I am trying to take part in the Harry Potter KAL with Inside Number 23, I wanted to grab some.  So I purchased Bertie Botts every flavour beans and Mandrake.

Whilst in Brighton this last week, we went to a lovely yarn shop with the intention of getting some yarn for sock bash for March (spring).  The boys picked out the lovely skein of Life in the Long Grass yarn in rosehip.

 I also got round to dying my yarn for Breathing Space.  So, bar winding, I am now ready to cast this on.  Just in time for Interpretations 4 to come out, which I totally succumbed to.

 I think I like every pattern in this, but I really love the cover pattern (Double Trouble), East or West and a shorter version of Winterfolk.
Well that was my week - hope this next week is good for you all.

A Year of Projects Update - week 34

We have our half term break this week, it seems like it's been such a long time coming.  I have made some progress this week, but hopefully, I should be able to fit in a fair bit of knitting this week - which is good news.

WIP's
My From Way Back is progressing nicely but slowly.  As I said last week it's a great knit but I do have to concentrate on the lacey bit.

I have nearly finished my Hermiones Valentine socks (they weren't ready for Valentines as predicted) - I hope to get these done by the end of today.

These are for the Grocery Girls sock bash KAL and Inside Number 23 Harry Potter KAL (as well as Boxosox) and both of these are month long KAL's.  But we needn't worry that I can't have a pair of socks on the needles as I have signed up to a test knit!  I can't show you these as they are a test knit and I haven't cast them on yet.

As if that wasn't enough I have also started a second test knit.  I talked last week about starting a shawl with the yarn I won - I was going to knit Fodhla by Kniterarium.  However, Ruth of Knitterarium is running a test knit for her latest shawl that I thought would be perfect for the yarn so I have decided to do that instead.  I am hoping that knitting it for my friend and it being a test knit will spur me into finishing doubly quickly.

Acquisitions

I acquired my yarn for Breathing Space this week.  I got some merino fingering from Travelknitter in a beautiful blue.  I intend to dye some speckled yarn to go with it this week so will post pics next week.

I also succumbed (it didn't take much!) to a print copy of Interpretations 4 by Joji Locatelli and Veera Valimaki.  It has only just come out and is due to be dispatched on the 22nd - so hopefully next week I shall be able to show some pics.  

Well I fully intend for this to be a crafty week, I may even get to some sewing.  Hope everyone has a good and productive week. 

 

A Year of Projects Update - week 33

It's been a bit chilly here this last week.  Yesterday it snowed all day but not one speck settled.  I like enough snow that I shouldn't go out, not this that you can't even make a snowball out of!
No finished objects this week, but some progress.
WIP's
I have made little progress on my gift socks, but I am nearly at the heel so I am sure then they will fly by.

I am at the heel of Hermiones valentine socks.  Not sure that they will be finished by Valentines day but we will see.

And I made a good start on From Way back.  It is still quite small, but I really need to concentrate on the lace part so I can only manage a little bit at a time, and with few distractions.

And that is it for this week, no sewing for a while, but with half term break looming I hope to change that soon.
Hope you all have a great week.

A Year of Projects Update - week 32

It's been a week of finishes, starts and acquisitions this week.  We better get going!
FO's
I finished the sunshower vest this week.  I have weaved in the ends and sewn on buttons, it's just not blocked - in all honesty I probably won't.
It fits nicely, although as I have found with most of Andi's knits, it is a little baggy at the top.  I think once I have worn it and washed it that will sit better.

I knit this with stash yarn from Skeinyarn in blush - now discontinued and the black is cascade 220. Pattern is sunshower by Andi Satterlund.

WIP's
My Christmas gift socks are coming along nicely, I am nearly at the heel.

I have cast on my February socks for both the Grocery Girls KAL, Inside number 23 KAL and the boxosox KAL.  These are my Hermione's valentine socks using the Hermione's everyday sock patern.

I have also cast on the chain for the provisional cast on for From Way Back which has been in my queue with yarn for what feels like forever.  However, once I did that I remembered I hadn't wound the yarn, but now that is done and I shall be off again.
And that leads me to acquisitions.
Acquisitions
I said a couple of updates ago that I had won a competition.  I won a prize in the Adelaide Cottage knitting for a cause KAL.  One of the prizes was an Interpretations 3 book which I already have, so I told Shauna to give that to the others and I would happily take the stitch markers.  Anyway she got back to me and said she would send a skein of her yarn if I would like (If I would like! - Of course!)  While I was waiting for it I came up with a plan.  One of my relatives is suffering with cancer right now and his wife is of course being really strong, but it is really difficult for her.  So I have decided to knit her a shawl - I love knitting shawls but don't wear them myself. And I think that will be very much in keeping with the original intentions of the KAL.  I have chosen Fodhla by Ruth Mckeon (Knitterarium) and hope to have that cast on by the end of this week.
Here is the prize - the yarn is gorgeous - a lovely coffee colour with wisps of black and specks of red. Also came some stitch markers and some labels to sew onto your hand knits - beautiful.

So that is it for this week - please check out the rest of the group by clicking the sidebar.