Charity begins at home

Current WIP count: 8

It’s quite addictive, this making for charity thing. I’m onto a second pair of bears for Simba (small this time).

And a second hat to send to Knit for Peace.

Plus there’s been a call for knitted and crocheted items to help animals that have been injured in the fires in Australia. My boyfriend lived in Australia for a chunk of his life so the whole thing is hitting him pretty hard, and that makes it personal to me. I’m hoping to get a few things made up over the weekend so he can take them to the Post Office on Monday.

I just love the double joy of making something and knowing it will help someone (or an animal) to feel better.

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

Dragon no more

Current WIP count: 5

It’s a sad day for the amigurumi dragon. The poor thing hasn’t been worked on for months and months, and he’s been moved from pillar to post so often I’m not even sure where all the parts are.

He had reached UFO status and I’d rather lost interest, so I had a frogging session.

I still love dragons and amigurumi; he’s going to get made at some point, but not until I have a chunk of time to dedicate to him. Experience has finally taught me that I’m not organised enough to work on something with lots of parts over a long period of time without losing them.

Which, incidentally, is why Flax Light is perfect for me! Just one long piece on one set of circular needles that I can chuck in my bag any time. I’m actually really glad I frogged the first attempt now, as I switched to smaller needles and I’m much happier with it.

It’s funny how gauge can change so much from one project to the next.

Having lost a week somewhere in October (how are we only 8 days from Halloween already??) I very much doubt I’ll meet my goals for this month. Looking at them from this side, they seem wildly optimistic. Maybe my next goal should be to set more realistic goals…

Hannah

xXx

A mini make

Current WIP count: 6

I over-ordered the yarn for my Flax Light, so there was a whole skein and at least 1/3 of another left over. That wasn’t enough to make another one for myself (tempting as it may be) but I knew it would definitely be enough to make a mini version for my friend’s toddler.

So that’s happening. Her birthday is at the beginning of December so that’s my initial goal, but if I miss that then the aim is Christmas!

There’s been very little time at home over the last week so I haven’t made much progress on Morag. The loop stitch means it’s not quite mindless enough for working on at choir.

I have a train journey or two coming up at the weekend so I should be able to get a move on with her.

A question for everyone – what is your opinion on knitting or crocheting at a wedding and/or wedding reception? Yes? No? “You’re a terrible person for even thinking about it”? Asking for a friend….

Hannah

xXx

Changing Staircases

Current WIP count: 6

This thing is addictive.

I actually taught myself to knit continental just so I could keep going when my wrists got sore. There’s only this much of the skein left so it’s going to be finished pretty darn soon.

Thanks to my addiction, the only other thing I have to show is some miniscule progress on Morag.

That’s a body and one foot. Getting there, slowly. In my defence she would go quite slow even without another project distracting me; loop stitch is not a quick stitch and it’s on almost every single part. I might make the horns next just to get a wee break from it.

But for now, back to those staircases!

Hannah

xXx

Remembering how to amigurumi

Current WIP count: 5

Gosh it’s nice to be back to small projects after so many blankets.

Work has resumed on Morag the Highland Coo, and somehow after a long break the loop stitch feels much easier than it did all those months ago. Maybe my brain just needed time to process it before jumping in?

This is most of a body. I’m using my stash of ends and scraps as stuffing, which is great motivation to keep the stitches tight; I don’t want those Lego brick brights peeking through!

I also have a pretty Toft project bag to keep all the pieces in so they don’t end up spread all over my flat like the poor dragon I started forever ago.

Yesterday I found out it is possible to be too ill to crochet, but I’m feeling human again today and really enjoying getting back to amigurumi. I must remember this next time I’m tempted to start three massive projects all at the same time…

Hannah

xXx

WIP Wednesday 11.09.19

Current WIP count: 7

I think I might be able to cross another WIP off the list this week, as there’s now only a week and a half left to add to my Changing Tides blanket.So much lovely texture on these rounds.

Flax light is now my portable project again. It’s nice to get back to knitting, especially when that knitting is just stockinette for the next 7 inches. I only need to engage my brain to count the stitches for the garter panel every other round, so it’s been a perfect TV/choir/subway project.I’ve also got as far as taking the needle felt unicorn back out of the box, although I haven’t actually done anything with it yet. My thinking is that if it’s right in front of me and ready to go then I’m more likely to pick it up and make some progress when I have a spare 5 minutes. We’ll see how that works out!

Hannah

xXx

Nearly there!

Current WIP Count 8:

I pretty much didn’t move on Sunday; I just sat on the sofa, with Parks and Recreation on my laptop, and sewed bricks together.  So now I’m about 3/4 done with the blanket and ooooooh it’s looking good if I do say so myself!

The bottom right corner is all laid out to make sure I got the colours in the right places – it still needs joining. So close!

But I’m not sure I’ll meet the deadline now, as my friend is in hospital and I’ve been spending my evenings visiting them instead of joining bricks. The blanket recipient will understand though so I’m not worrying about it. It’ll be done when it’s done!

Hannah

xXx

WIP Wednesday 28.08.19

Current WIP count: 8

Remember earlier this year when I only had 2 WIPs on the go? That was a good time.

There was a slight snag with the Lego blanket when I realised I somehow had one skein of Rose Red and two of Tomato Red for it.

Of course I had already made bricks with the Rose and sewn them into the blanket so it wasn’t as easy as simply switching to Tomato. I very briefly considered using them both and mixing up the placement, but the perfectionist in me just can’t do it so brick-making is on pause until more yarn arrives!

This does mean there has been quite a bit of progress with the sewing together part.

One day I’ll take this thing outside and get a proper photo

I wanted to get a rough idea of size so I completed the top and left sides first, and now I’m filling in as and where I feel like it. This one will have a ring of bricks around the edge before the border, which I didn’t have time for with my Dad’s version, so it should end up a generous sized lap blanket.

Feels like I’m making good progress with this (despite the yarn setback) and I’m really enjoying it!

Hannah

xXx

WIP Wednesday 21.08.19

Current WIP count: 8

Lookit, I have the start of an actual blanket:

Granted it wouldn’t keep much more than a hamster warm at the moment, but you have to start somewhere.

It feels like they’re fitting together better than the last blanket, although it’s hard to say for definite having only joined a few of them, so hopefully the edges will stay straight and look more lego-like this time. I will report back when I’ve got a few more done.

I’m at that stage now where a project completely takes over your life; If I have a spare second you’ll find me either crocheting bricks or sewing them together, while studiously ignoring all my other WIPs. I might even be finished ahead of schedule at this rate!

Hannah

xXx