FO Friday 29.12.23

Look, I actually know what day it is! That probably won’t last.

Parts of Gerald the giraffe wouldn’t do as they were told so I had to finish off and hand him over after Christmas. But I think he’s cute enough to get away with it.

Even with the extra bit I added to his neck he’s still smaller than my hand, so most options that people suggested to support his neck were too big. I ended up using a pipe cleaner folded in four and it seems to be working perfectly.

I also added in more brown patches than the pattern suggested because I think it makes him look even more giraffe-like.

What do you think?

Hannah

xXx

One Christmas present down

My first family set of selbu mittens is done!

The baby ones are just too cute and I have to resist the urge to squish them every time I look at them. They also worked up ridiculously fast, thanks to being so small and not having a thumb to deal with. This is why I love making baby items.

The pattern for the adult pair is Norwegian Selbu Mittens by Stefanie Canich (Rav link), the child size is my own modification of that pattern, and the little ones are Baby Selbu Mittens by Kat (also Rav).

The two bigger pairs were made using Willow & Lark Ramble DK 100% wool in the colours Snowdrop and Stained Glass Blue. Then I ran out of blue so the baby pair is made with the Snowdrop and some Rico Melange from my scrap bag, which I think matches up pretty well for a last-minute fix. Melange is technically aran weight rather than DK, but since it has a thick/thin thing going on it balances out overall.

I’m really proud of myself for these mittens, and I hope my friend will be as happy unwrapping them as I was making them.

Now, on to the next pair!

Hannah

xXx

Christmas crafting gifts

I am aware that we’re nearly at the end of March, but life has been a bit up in the air since January so I’m letting myself off the hook.

Here are the crafty gifts I got for Christmas 2022.

There were a few from my Mum, who is excellent at finding presents. I got a couple of amigurumi sets:

A box of fruit-themed yarn and patterns to go with it:

And a few yarn-adjacent presents:

I got a yarn swift from The Fiancé, which he let me have early so I could wind all the mini skeins for my advent socks. What a game-changer! I never want to wind another skein without it.

My cousin gave me this really cute origami pets book:

And my sister sent a voucher to put toward some sewing lessons. It’s for a course in Glasgow that I’d already looked up, but the cost was a bit too high for me to pay it all myself. They have options for one evening per week over several weeks or an intensive weekend for the same price, so I need to decide which would work best. Once I’m employed again.

Hannah

xXx

Happy mail

I’m so exciteeed! As an early Christmas present, the Fiancé has bought me my very first yarn advent calendar from Bluebell Yarns!

Each teeny parcel contains a 10g skein of Falkland Corriedale 4ply, and I went for the non-Christmas colourway option so the colours will be a total surprise for me as I open them. I have some ideas for what to make using my new mini skeins, but I’m waiting to see what they all look like together before making a definite decision.

I just can’t wait to start opening them! Is it December yet??

Hannah

xXx

Was Santa good to you?

Well I was spoilt rotten this Christmas, with lots of crafty gifts.

My mum got me some gorgeous crochet books.

A diamond painting card kit.

This adorable colouring book.

Plus some crafty bits and bobs.

My sister also added to the collection with these two books, and a little pack of yarn to make them with.

How lucky am I!

What did everyone else get for Christmas?

Hannah

xXx

November review 2020

Stash used this month: 3.75

Total stash used this year: 46.75

Stash remaining: 323.5

Well I felt super productive last month!

I finished up two pairs of Diagon Ally socks, a cowl, an ear warmer, a little headband, a toddler jumper, and one sleeve of the boyfriend’s Flax jumper. Go me.

Don’t be expecting too much from this month though. My wonderful mix of anxiety and depression has been having a field day since the redundancy, and adding Christmas on top is not helping anything.

I’ve already decided that I’m not making any new presents this year. If something in my stash of finishes catches my eye then I may give them as gifts, but otherwise I’m going with Etsy or simply sending a card. The people I love already know that I love them, so they’ll understand.

Hannah

xXx

October review 2020

Stash used this month: 0.5

Total stash used this year: 43

Stash added: 2

Stash remaining: 327.25

I’m really not getting through stash mountain as quickly as I hoped. That seems to be what happens when I can’t stop knitting socks; they’re such addictive little things, but not exactly yarn munchers.

All I’ve managed this month is a pair of socks for the boyfriend and two blanket squares.

Of course, stress-buying yarn isn’t helping either. I really am trying to cut down on that.

I’m now starting to think about Christmas presents, as well as a couple of December birthdays, so there should be something other than socks and blankets to show off this month! Even I’m looking forward to that.

Hannah

xXx

One week to go!

Current WIP count: 12

I’m not panicking, why would I be panicking, are you panicking?

My Dad’s hat just needs 3 more centimetres before I start decreasing. And it looks like I’ll have to get the train down to my parents rather than driving so I’ll have plenty of time to finish it.

I hit a slight snag with the bracelets when the covering kept unwinding from the elastic, making it too wide to fit through the bead holes, but I gave the ends a quick coat in clear nail varnish and now I’m rolling. These will be done in a couple of hours, max.

There’s been a slight reprieve with baby Flax Light. My friend hasn’t had chance to sort all her Christmas shopping, so we’re having a meet up in the new year to exchange presents instead of making this week more stressful than it needs to be. So I now have an extra week or two to get these sleeves finished and I can focus on other presents, yay!

My running hat now looks like this, and I’m trying to decide whether to give it ribbing or not. Thoughts?

Also, I’m a glutton for punishment and started ANOTHER gift. In black. The yarn is Paintbox Simply Chunky so it should work up pretty quick. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Hannah

xXx

Keep calm, everything is under control

Current WIP count: 10

It may look like things are getting out of hand with my ever-growing WIP list, but I know what I’m doing. Honest.

One of the new makes is a bracelet, so that won’t take me long at all.

Lookit these gorgeous beads!

The cupcake hat just needs a pompom and that’ll be off the list.

I’m about 3/4 done with the first sleeve of baby Flax Light.

Yes, the top section is thinner than the rest because 1. I’m a dingbat and used the smaller needles I had lying out ready for ribbing, and 2. I was NOT tinking back 4 inches to fix it. I’m just going to block the hell out of that top part and tell myself babies don’t get to wear clothes for long before outgrowing them anyway, so it doesn’t have to be perfect.

The blue hat is chugging along. I’m using the Hubby Hat pattern, but decided that was just the wrong side of boring for me, so I’ve added in a wee garter stripe.

This is my easy peasy mindless knit that I’ve been working on before bed to help me switch off. It’s great!

There’s also been a tiny bit of action on my running hat, because I just needed some crochet in my life. When did I become a knitter?

The big day is coming up fast; how is everyone doing?

Hannah

xXx

WIPs, WIPs everywhere

Current WIP count: 8

Ah, Christmas. That time of year when my WIP list runs out of control and there’s nothing I can do about it.

Actually that’s not true; I exerted some control this year by deciding to only make presents for a select few people. It would be lovely if I had the time and resources to make for everyone, but I somehow skipped half of October and November, and I have a full-time job that takes up far too much of my day, so that’s just not happening.

I compromised a little for my other friends, and raided Etsy for handmade-but-not-by-me gifts. This way everyone I love gets something special, I don’t end up having to pull all-nighters from now til Christmas Eve, and a few Etsy sellers get to do a happy dance. Wins all round!

As for the pressies I am making, obviously baby Flax Light is now going to be a Christmas rather than birthday present, as I only have this much of one sleeve done:

There’s also a hat present in the works (thank you, Alissa, for bringing this gorgeous yarn to my attention months ago):

And I decided the cupcake hat will also be a gift, as I have a couple of friends who love bright colours as much as I do. I just need to work out how to attach a pompom so it stays put.

Considering there are only 3 weeks until the big day, I’m feeling pretty calm and in control about Christmas this year. Probably because I’m not thinking about all the Christmas cards I want to make!

Hannah

xXx

ICHF Christmas craft show 2019

A few weeks ago my Mum came up under the guise of visiting her favourite daughter (so I keep telling myself), but really to go to the ICHF Christmas Craft Show at the SECC. Of course she bought a ticket for me as well, because she is the best Mum in the world.

I did try to get some photos as we went around, but my camera + the odd lighting in the SECC means that none of them are worth using up my WordPress media allowance for. So, you’ll have to use your imagination for a few minutes.

The Craft Show is an annual event, but Mum and I don’t make it every year. I remember last time being very heavily geared toward papercraft, so much so that I was getting rather bored by the time we reached the other side of the exhibition hall, as it was all the same kind of thing.

But this year was so varied, I wish I’d started saving a little earlier so I could have splashed out on more of my hobbies! Especially patchwork; there were so many fabric stands this time, with huge rolls of beautiful fabrics, fat quarters, jelly rolls, cut-offs, and soooo much more I wish I could have bought!

There were also a few different yarn vendors, a couple of diamond art stands, and lots of beautiful pre-made jewellery to buy.

But enough typing – let’s get on to the goodies!

I knew going in that I wanted a jumper-quantity of some special yarn, anything DK or thicker because I’m not going through the Flax Light experience again any time soon. The first couple of yarn stands had pretties (obviously) but nothing that really jumped out at me. Then I spotted this pack of loveliness:

This is Yaya 100% superwash merino wool. Super chunky, loosely spun, plain purple from a distance but close up you can see the tiny flecks of pink, blue, and red.

Then I lifted that pack up and underneath it was another one almost the same colour as my Flax Light but a touch more toward the blue end of the spectrum. I wanted them both. I could not afford them both. I dithered for so long that the stall owner offered me a discount, and I looked so pleadingly at Mum that she bought one pack for my Christmas present. That was the greeny-blue pack so I don’t have photos, as I’m not allowed it until Christmas.

It’s quite a while since I made any cards, but I was still unable to resist a pack of pretty toppers.

And this red card literally drew me across the aisle towards it.

Then Mum bought some papercraft grab bags and we divvied them up between us over a latte.

We also ordered a Stampin’ Up set, but we have to wait for that to be posted out. It’s a magical set that stamps a tartan Christmas tree! Plus the punch to go with it so you don’t have to sit and cut out however many fiddly Christmas trees. I’m super excited to try them out.

I also got some pretty ribbon, because I have an addiction.

A little chocolate pack for my friend’s baby, who will have to get used to hardly ever receiving presents with her name on.

And there was also an unnecessarily large bag of honey and cinnamon cashews, but they didn’t last long enough to make it into a photograph.

I had such a fun day and I love everything I bought. I can’t wait to get making with all my new supplies!

Hannah

xXx

Christmas crochet presents

Don’t worry, I’m not trying to sneakily post this in the hope that nobody has noticed the hearts and easter eggs in the shops where there used to be tinsel. I do know I’m over a month late! So without any further delay and before May Day arrives, here’s a roundup of the yarn-related goodies I got for Christmas.

Firstly, and most notably, I got NO ACTUAL YARN!!

My mother, she of the 30 skeins for my 30th birthday and a mahoosive box of yarn for the Christmas before that, didn’t give me a single skein. It’s like she thinks I already have enough or something!?

Mum and dad did get me a crochet calendar though.

I like this because it’s not a different pattern for every single day, so I don’t feel totally overwhelmed by an ever-growing pile of patterns that I will never have time for!

My sister bought me a couple of books:

I remember reading a blog post about this one and thinking how much I would love to have it. Clearly my sister has inherited some of mum’s psychic abilities!

There’s also this lovely

I did have a brief mandala phase last year, and I’m so ready to revisit it.

My bestest friend since high school knows me very well (after only 17 years, who’d have thought?) and got me a book that combines two of my favourite things; crochet and folklore.

Of course I started with the baby dragon on the cover. A moment of silence for naive little me who believed she would find her own pet dragon when she grew up…

But next up I definitely have to make a water nymph, she’s just so pretty.

And finally, a bit of a cheat because I bought this present for myself!

But honestly, who can resist little yarny earrings?

Now I’m off to use up some stash in the hope that I’ll get some new pretty yarn for my birthday this year!

Hannah

xXx