Not really moving that WIP list along, am I?

Current WIP count: 8

I’m a bit behind with my CAL blanket, since the squares took foreverrrrr to dry. At the weekend I’d had enough and got the hairdryer out to finish them off so I could finally get on with it.

After that the boyfriend and I spent about twenty minutes shuffling the squares around until I was happy that the randomly bright-looking squares balanced each other out. It was…interesting trying to make sure the colours all worked while keeping the squares with the same pattern apart, but we got there in the end.

So now I’m joining, joining, joining and looking forward to starting the next crochet part; the border.

I’m pretty excited about it!

Hannah

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Well that didn’t last long

I’m up to date with my CAL squares, ready for the last two to be released tomorrow.

Except, as you may be able to see, I did not keep up with sewing the ends in as I went.

I never learn.

Now, opinions please – I feel like the top left square doesn’t quite fit with the rest. Even though I used the same palette as the other squares, the way the colours sit together looks soooo different to me. Any thoughts? Did you notice it? Or am I just over thinking this? Please let me know!

Hannah

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WIP-ing on a Thursday

Yesterday was bad, but today will be better.

The blanket CAL calls for another 2 squares this week, and it’s a bit of a challenging pattern. I’ve finished one:

And started the second, mixing up the colours again:

I can’t say I’m entirely sold on the colours for the second square, but then I wasn’t too sure about the first one and that turned out pretty in the end so I might just carry on. Orrrrr I might frog and start again. Who knows.

These squares are so fiddly that I haven’t had much chance to work on anything else. But I’m determined to finish the ribbing on Flax this week. It’s virtual knit night tomorrow, which always helps me focus, so it’s totally doable.

Hannah

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Blogville Knitters Challenge: My favourite make

This challenge is from Karen at Nothingbutknit – feel free to join in!

I’m pretty certain my favourites are going to change over time, as I (hopefully) have many years of makes to come, and I’m constantly improving and developing.

But as of right this very second, I am still most proud of my first Lego blanket.

That is definitely my crowning crochet achievement. I never get tired of showing people photos of it! I made it for my Dad’s birthday, because Lego always reminds me of him, I designed the bricks, the layout, and the border all by myself, and I used up a hell of a lot of stash to make it. I’m happy every time I see it again.

Another particular favourite of mine is the needle felted bunny rabbit I made at an I Sew 2 workshop last year.

I had never needle felted before and it surprised me how well it turned out – it actually looks how I pictured it in my head!

So they’re my favourites, what are yours?

Hannah

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A froggy finish for a Friday

Behold – a flattened froggy bookmark!

The boyfriend wanted the tongue and the arms to stay wiggly, but I blocked out the legs and body, as they’ll actually be in the books.

I made a few minor mistakes when putting froggy together, but I’m trying very hard to ignore them and focus on the fact that I made a thing! And he’s really pleased with it, and it’s exactly what he asked for, so yeah I’m calling that a win.

Hannah

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Ends and ribbing

Current WIP count: 8

I’m still working away at my Beachcombing CAL

I’m even being a grown up and working the ends in (almost) as I go, instead of leaving them all to the end. That’s my task for today.

Turns out the only thing I like less than sewing in ends is doing ribbing on 2mm needles. This is as far as I’ve got:

But in my defence, I did accidentally pull out a needle yesterday and had to start again.

I will get there eventually!

Hannah

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A sort-of finish

I finished my square!

So it is an FO, but obviously I haven’t finished the blanket what with the next part of the CAL not being released yet.

This is another stash busting exercise, still trying to use up the ridiculous amount of cotton yarn I bought however many years ago. I probably could have matched the pattern colours, but I have a looooot of blue shades so I started there and chose a few colours that worked with them.

I rather like it!

Hannah

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My annual birthday CAL

I mean it’s only the second year I’ve done a Coastal Crochet CAL for my birthday, but I would love it to become an actual tradition.

This year we’re working in squares, which I’m excited about.

This is as much as I’ve done because of course I got mixed up and read the UK terms, even after double checking that I was using the US ones, so my first attempt was twice the size it should’ve been. Ugh.

One day I’m going to get a project right first time. Maybe…

Hannah

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WIP Wednesdayyyyyy

Current WIP count: 8

Oh look, another WIP crept on there. It looks a bit creepy at the moment, but this is going to be a frog bookmark for the boyfriend.

It’s probably darker than it should be, but it was the closest yarn to me and he’s happy with it so on we go.

I’m still on the bottom ribbing of his Flax. Not too much left to go though, and then it’ll be sleeve island for me.

I now have a heel on my sock again, and I’m away down the foot.

It was soooo much easier the second time round – I’m almost looking forward to the next one. It is quite addictive, isn’t it?

Hannah

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A good old FO Friday post

Finally posting about the pattern test I did, whenever the heck it was.

It was the Baby Bear Bonnet pattern by A Yarny Robin, and I believe there’s a discount code on it until tomorrow (the 4th) if you fancy it.

I tested the newborn and age 6-9 months variations. First up – the newborn, which looks more like a monkey than a bear to me but still cute.

For the 6-9 months version I used some darker yarn, but after a while it started to look a bit too dark for a cute baby item so I edged it and made the ears with the same light brown used for the newborn bonnet.

I think that worked out pretty well, if I do say so myself.

So there’s my finishes for this week. It’s nice to cross things off the list again, but I really must focus on getting some of these old WIPs done too. Fingers crossed for some lockdown finishes.

Hannah

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March review 2020

Stash used this month: 4 skeins

Total stash used this year: 15.5 skeins

Stash remaining: 340 skeins

Not too much progress this month. The boyfriend got frustrated with purl stitch and took a break from knitting, so he hasn’t knocked any off the stash this time. But I know how addictive knitting is – I’m sure he’ll be back at it soon.

As for me, I’ve been working on some bigger/more complicated projects so there aren’t many FOs to go on the list.

 

Charity makes

I made two baby bonnets to test a pattern, and they’ll both be going to charity.

They’re not makes for this month, but I finally sewed in all the ends of a bunch of items that have been lying around for months (years?) that will also go to charity.

 

Makes for myself

A COVID-19 stress ball.

The beginning of a pair of socks. At least I think they’re for me. We’ll see if they fit.

 

Makes for others

It looks like this Flax will be for the boyfriend. Or charity if he doesn’t like it. But really, what’s not to like??  I’ve found that I really enjoy making things for him so this probably won’t be his only jumper from me.

 

It’s not been too bad a month, considering everything that’s going on at the moment.  My work is looking to furlough me (is that how to say it? Nobody seems to know) pretty soon, so I’ll have all the crafting time I could ever want. And then some. Let’s see how much I can get made next month!

Hannah

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All of the WIPs

Current WIP count: 9

Yes, actually nine, but I can explain!

I’m doing a wee test knit of some baby bonnets. They took less than an hour each and as soon as I stitch the ears on they’ll be done and off the list.

I do so love cute baby makes.

I’ve also been chugging along with Flax, and you can already tell it’s going to be a jumper.

Turns out miles of stockinette is still miles of stockinette, even with a thicker yarn, and I’m starting to get a bit twitchy with it (hence the pattern test). But just working on it a little bit at a time throughout the day will get me there eventually, and at least it won’t take me 9 months like the Flax Light!

How’s everyone doing? I hope your yarn is keeping you happy and less anxious 🙂

Hannah

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