FO Friday 27.07.18

I’ve got a bit of a different FO this week. The date is fast approaching when my friend will move to Germany, and I wanted to give her a leaving present. She loves stags so when I saw a pretty silver stag necklace I bought it without a second thought.

A couple of days ago that second thought came along; my friend doesn’t wear jewellery. Even on her wedding day she had to be talked into wearing some. What a rubbish present.

But I don’t give in that easily! I decided to take the stag off the chain and make it into something else, preferably something useful like a keyring. Just at that moment, I noticed a keyring hanging on one of my old bags, a large ring with a big star and a small star hanging on chains: perfect!

I took off the big star and used the chain to hang the stag from, kept the small star, and added a crochet heart. It’s me; there has to be crochet.

And this is the result.

Please excuse the photo quality – it took me 10 minutes to get it lying nicely in the box, there’s no way I was taking it out again!

I also finished up the ginger bootees this week and gifted them to my friend.

I made her cry, which wasn’t the reaction I expected! She said it’s the first ever present baby has received (I’m honoured!) and she loved the colours so much she could just eat them. If she’s going to keep reacting like that I’ll never stop making baby things 😉

And finally, the biggest news: my Tunisian jumper is finished, TA DA!

It’s still blocking right now so I don’t have any photos of me wearing it yet, but it fits and I’m sooooo pleased with it. I don’t want to make another one right now, but I can see it happening again at some point in the future. I just love that stitch pattern.

And that’s been my productive week. I’m off today to help out with a summer camp for a week, so there will be fewer posts from me and probably no likes or comments at all. I shall do my best to catch up with you all when I get back. Hopefully there will be at least a little bit of crochet so I don’t go completely mad, but we’ll have to see.

Has anyone else got some FOs to share? What do you think of my keyring (be honest)? Let me know in the comments!

Hannah

xXx

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WIP Wednesday 04.07.18

Current WIP count: 6

Ooooh I’m so close I can almost taste it!

There are decreases every few rounds now so it’s getting faster and faster as I go. Isn’t it great when that happens.

I’ve been trying it on periodically so I don’t have a replay of the crochet top, and so far I’m loving it. This is definitely going to get some serious wear once it’s finished (and the heat wave goes away).

And that’s all I’ve done this week. It’s too hot to work on the blanket, and my left hand is a little too sore for amigurumi so the dragon is still in bits waiting for some horns and a wing. They’ll get there eventually.

What’s everyone else working on this week? Have you managed to get your yarn out into the sunshine? Let me know in the comments!

Hannah

xXx

WIP Wednesday 27.06.18

After an easy Saturday and a ‘recovery’ Monday booked off work, I feel like I have some real progress to show this week.

Although I didn’t realise quite how many fiddly little parts my amigurumi dragon had. I’ve still got four horns and another wing shape to make yet, not to mention the dreaded sewing together.

The biggie for today is my Tunisian jumper. Thanks to everyone who encouraged me to just go for it and attach the sleeves, it was (of course) nowhere near as scary as I thought it would be.

I confess at first I had a complete brain fail and had to read the pattern at least 10 times before I understood what I was supposed to do (why are there no diagrams??), but I got there eventually and now my sleeves are attached and I’m working away at the yoke.

I’ve even tried it on! Which is when I noticed the increases in the sleeves have created these bumps.

It’s not a major issue really, I’m guessing nobody will be looking that closely once I’m wearing it, but I’m still hoping those bumps will ease out a bit with some blocking.

It seems unlikely that I’ll finish this week, but I can see me having my first handmade item ready to wear in the not too distant future. Ooh it’s exciting!

What’s everyone else working on? Or are you finding it too hot for fibre right now? Let me know in the comments!

Hannah

xXx

WIP Wednesday 20.06.18

Current WIP count: 6

First of all, how on earth is it the 20th already? I swear time started sprinting in April and hasn’t taken a walk break yet.

It’s been a busy, busy 7 days so I haven’t done very much this week. Last night I got some time to myself and made a proper start on my amigurumi dragon, somewhat hindered by having to start the tummy section 5 times. Curse those fiddly little stitches.

My knitted blanket is ticking along, I’m just about finished with the white section and I’m getting ready to introduce the blue.

I’ve also done a grand total of about 20 stitches on my Tunisian jumper. I miss the days when it was portable.

This Saturday should be an easy one and my plan is to make some real progress with my jumper. I think I’m dithering because it’s nearly time to attach the sleeves and I’m worried about messing it up, but the only way out is through so it’s time to just get on with it!

What’s everyone else working on this week? Got any tips for overcoming the crafting fear? Let me know in the comments!

Hannah

xXx

WIP Wednesday 30.05.18

Current WIP count: 6

This weekend I decided to have an overhaul of my stash, and it was a bank holiday so I went to my favourite island for a day, which are my two excuses for not having a great deal of progress to show this week!

I finished the ‘sleeves’ for my blue top and attached them, as well as sewing in all the ends.

I have to say I’m not pleased with the length at the moment so a lot is resting on the lacy border. If I still don’t like it once that’s added then I’ll just give it away.

Not much movement on my Tunisian jumper because I realised I’d added in an extra increase to one sleeve and not the other, so I had to frog a bit and redo it. Now they match and I can start attaching them to the body.

Aside from that all I have to show is a pile of yarn cakes. All wound by hand, I might add. It’s quite therapeutic when I get going.

So that’s my week so far. How is your week going? What you working on now? Let me know in the comments!

Hannah

xXx

WIP Wednesday 16.05.18

Current WIP count: 7

I think it’s time to accept that I will never completely clear my WIP list. As soon as I cast off my Whimsy Cowl I started on a crochet top, then after a lunchtime walk in the sunshine I decided I absolutely must make a sun hat. And of course I’ll need another knitting project to give my crocheting muscles a break…

It’s okay though, as long as I can keep my WIPs in single figures it doesn’t feel too overwhelming.

The Tunisian jumper is still rolling along. Just 3 more rounds and it’ll be time to join the sleeves on!

I did manage a wee bit of shaping at the back, but not a great deal so I don’t know how much of a difference it will make to the fit. I can’t be bothered frogging back to add more in so it’ll just have to do!

Here’s the beginning of my top:

The yarn is just a generic cake in shades of blue that I wanted to get used up and out of my stash, and the pattern is one from Ravelry that I can’t find right now. Of course I can’t just leave it alone and I’ve already made some adjustments, mainly making it longer and using hdc instead of dc for some of the bust section. I really don’t require a roomy bust (sadly).

My sunhat is also blue, just because I bought a lot of blue cotton in various shades last year and I need to start making a dent in it. I’m dithering between making it all in one colour, or with a stripe or two of turquoise.

This one is a Country Girl hat, which is turning out lovely and floppy at the moment. I love big, floppy sunhats 🙂

So that’s what I’m working on this week, in between basking in the sunshine while I can. How’s your week going? Working on something fun? Let me know in the comments!

Hannah

xXx

WIP Wednesday 09.05.18

Current WIP count: 5

There’s only my jumper to show off today.

I’m halfway through the next colour section and it’s actually starting to look like the beginning of an item of clothing. I’m getting excited!

But also trying to work out if I can get some shaping in there. There are no straight lines on my body and I’m a teensy bit worried that a straight up and down jumper with no stretch (it’s cotton) will look odd on me.

I’m sure I’ll work something out!

How’s everyone’s week going? Got any WIPs to share? Let me know in the comments!

Hannah

xXx

WIP Wednesday 02.05.18

Current WIP count: 6

Isn’t crafting magic? This week I’ve supported a friend dealing with depression, found out that the last nice person at my work will be emigrating to Germany this year, and that one of my best friends will be moving down South permanently. Possibly this weekend.  And I’m not curled up in a ball under my duvet right now because each time I went straight to my knitting and crochet and found my place of calm.

Of course I still cried, but I was able to slow down and focus on the good times I’ve had with my friends rather than going over and over how much I wish they could stay/be well again.

Plus I’ll always have my blogging family, right!

 

So this is where I’m up to with my Whimsy Cowl after all the sad-knitting, able to sort of see what the pattern looks like

I’m getting right into it now, and starting to recognise the structures that can tell me which round I’m on without having to constantly check my tally. I’ve also decided that just the one colour is too dull so I’m adding in the purple when the end of this ball starts approaching.

This has of course taken some of my attention away from the Tunisian jumper, so there’s not a great deal of progress to talk about on that one. I’ve done maybe three or four rounds since last time.

I’ve set myself a mini goal of doing at least 2 rounds per day just to keep it progressing, otherwise I’ll forever be distracted by more interesting projects and it’ll never be finished.

That’s what I’ve been doing this week. What’s everyone else been working on? Let me know in the comments!

Hannah

xXx

WIP Wednesday 25.04.18

Current WIP count: 7

I cast on something new at the weekend, even though I hadn’t finished any of my current WIPs, but I don’t feel the least bit guilty. Everything I’m working on at the moment is either too big to travel or involves several yarn balls at once, so they’re just not portable. I have an hour-long lunch break at work; I need something to occupy myself for the 40 minutes left after I’ve eaten!

So I’ve cast on a Whimsy Cowl because this pattern has been sitting in my Ravelry queue for months.

Artsy Instagram photo

 

The yarn is from Knitting In France, in the colour Sirene. I also have a gorgeous skein of purple, which I may or may not add on as a contrast colour, it depends how long the cowl is once I’ve used all three skeins of Sirene.

They’re all 100% alpaca and I am loving how soft and squishy the skeins feel, I’ve never used alpaca before so it’s pretty exciting for me.

Also, after a weekend of solid focus the Tunisian jumper is now just a bit longer than it was before I frogged it. Nothing but progress from here onward (hopefully)!

One good thing about this restart is that now each colour section is made of 13 rounds. 13 is my favourite number and I always try to work it into my makes somehow, so I’m happy it worked out naturally that way.

That’s what I’m working on this week, in between running outside every time the sun shines. Got to get that Vitamin D while I can. How is everyone’s week going? What are you working on right now? Let me know in the comments!

Hannah

xXx

WIP Wednesday 18.04.18

Current WIP count: 6

I hit a bit of a snag with my Tunisian jumper, which serves me right for not reading the pattern fully before I started. I thought the section I’m working on now was the whole body piece, and I calculated the number of rows of each colour accordingly. Turns out this section only goes up to joining the sleeves and there’s a whole other section for the yoke.

So I had to frog aaaaaaall the way back to the first colour combo, leaving me with this.

Oh well, next time I will definitely remember to read the whole pattern first!

I’ve also been playing around with cables on a super duper simple cowl, using my favourite Lion Brand Landscapes colourway.

It looks like a skirt right now because my circulars are so small, but trust me it’s a cowl!

I could really do with a row counter for this so I don’t have to keep going back and counting them manually every time I lose track, but hey, first world problems! It’s just a bit of fun for myself to practise my cabling, so I’m not terribly bothered if I go a bit wrong.

So that’s my WIPs for this week. What’s everyone else working on? Having a good week now the cold has finally naffed off? Let me know in the comments!

Hannah

xXx

 

 

WIP Wednesday 11.04.18

Current WIP count: 5

I finished the second sleeve of my Tunisian jumper (it’s remarkable what a weekend of nothing but crochet and Outlander can achieve) and now I’m onto the main body section.

This is going to take much longer than the sleeves! I mean, I knew that. Obviously my torso is quite a bit bigger than my arms and will take more covering, but I never really registered just how much more. That wee strip is the result of several hours work.

But I still have loads of Outlander to watch, and I’m still loving the process, so it’s only a matter of time!

What’s everyone else working on? Let me know in the comments!

Hannah

xXx

New stitches: Tunisian crochet in the round

I finally learned why Tunisian hooks are double ended! You can get that wonderful texture Tunisian crochet is known for, in the round.

Here’s my mini tutorial, with photos because I really struggled with the tutorial in a magazine which was written instructions only.

Start off chaining as many as you need and join with a slip stitch, as usual when crocheting in the round.

Pull up a few loops, but make sure not to load too many onto the hook

When you’ve pulled up some loops, slide the piece down to the opposite end of the hook

Then flip it horizontally so you’re ready to work with the hook by the stitches

This is for my jumper so I’m using a different coloured yarn on the return, but obviously you can use the same colour if you like.

Attach a new skein/ball at this end and start a return pass, making sure to only pull the working yarn through one loop for the first stitch and then two for all subsequent stitches

When you finish the return pass and have one loop left on the hook, slide it to the far end again.

Turn the hook, pick up the first working yarn (pink in this case) and start the process again.

And then repeat until the piece is long enough!

If you need to keep track of rounds like I do for my jumper, you’ll need to place a marker in the first stitch and move it up as you go

It took me a while to get the tenson consistent all the way around, but like most things it just takes practice. I found it helps to hold the non-active yarn in my right hand rather than just leaving it hanging.

So there you have it. Has anyone else tried Tunisian in the round? Got any more tips to share? Let me know in the comments!

Hannah

xXx