Hooray, I’ve just completed the knitting of my first clue in the mystery knit-along. I’m super happy with it so far. It does lead me to wonder just how the next 2 possible options will work in with the first 2 options seeing as though they are vastly different constructions.
Now for some ‘recreational’ knitting until the next clue is released…
I got to spend some quality time with my new nephew yesterday, just one week and one day old. At one point he opened his eyes wide and looked straight into mine and my heart melted.
Some photos to show off my nephew and my lovely husband’s photography (and the blanket):
With the temperature rising outside, I’m finding it a real challenge to knit him a jumper right now. But some socks I think would come in handy, he gets cold feet just like his aunty.
If you haven’t heard, I’ve succumbed to joining the Follow Your Arrow mystery KAL by Ysolda. More on that after the first clue is released tomorrow or the next day (oz time).
You know it was inevitable. I don’t think any of you would be surprised. But it is the start of the year, where silly things like diets and such begin.
If you’ve looked at my stash over on Ravelry, you will know that this is not any great sacrifice. Yarn diet sounds a little too harsh and not quite as apt as ‘Shopping the Stash’. I think my problems issues with yarn stem from the high I get from whenever I buy the stuff and I can’t knit it fast enough. That is the only way I can explain it.
Of course, there will be provisions for the Bendigo Show, and if I don’t happen to have yarn that I need to buy for a project for nephew or a niece, well then I’m going to do it.
And I also joined Stranded in Oz’s yarn club this year (I’m so excited!), with 6 installments…
So you see, it really isn’t a yarn diet at all…
I’m going to stay away from online yarn updates and visit yarn stores without absolute requirement (I might need needles you know). I’m not giving myself a timeframe, I’m just starting now. But I’m expecting late Christmas yarn to be sitting on my desk when I get back to work.
Starting now!
You know how I was worried about not getting my sister’s baby crochet blanket finished in time for the arrival of her first baby?
Well, I need not have worried. He arrived yesterday, 1 week and 1 day late.
I’ve held off knitting him any other garments and things, I’m inspired to knit for babies by spending time with them (hello Marilyn) rather than the concept of just knitting for a baby, if that makes sense. It is also Summer you know.
I’m thinking Baby Sophisticate, Milo, Baby Vertebrae, Latte Hoody…
Pretty cute huh? Gratuitous crochet blanket/baby photos next weekend 🙂
I do try to start New Years off on the right foot. But I fail miserably at resolutions, so I like to give myself ‘guidelines’ at the beginning of every year instead.
Last year I discovered I’m terribly bad at playing along with KALs or Knit-alongs… Cookie A Sock club… Still Light…. Call it weak, but I just hate feeling left behind in a challenge. So I said to myself, NO MORE KALs, I’m staying strong despite the fact that EVERY Knitter I know is participating in the yet to begin Ysolda Arrow KAL.
There’s also an element of risk involved in the challenge, what if I just don’t like the shawl? I guess that’s supposed to be the fun of it. That and you get to make choices and decisions along the way, so much so there’s 32 different shawl combinations possible at the end of the clues. It’s like a ‘choose your own adventure’ story that I once loved to read as a kid. I’m afraid I’ll end up with a shawl called Frankenstein… If Ysolda can pull it off, I’ll be in awe.
But I’m still not giving in… or am I?
No, definitely not. It’s going to be fun to watch from the sidelines for once. And… if I change my mind later… I can still knit the shawl in one of it’s 32 possibilities.
I knit 15 things in 2013… that’s 2 projects down from last year (this is competitive Sonia coming out). I attribute my downturn to particularly intense projects like Still Light and Plain and Simple. I think if I counted the yardage I’ve knit, I would have knit more in 2013 than 2012, but that’s just a guesstimate!
Here’s a snapshot of all the things:
That’s:
6 pairs of socks
2 jumpers
2 pairs of monster pants
3 other baby garments
1 cowl
and 1 crochet baby blanket
I think I can improve on this tally in 2014. Looky here, my first FO for the year:
A Jayne Hat for Damian, based on a piece of knitwear from his beloved Firefly series. He says he’s going to wear it to the football. We’ll see.
I cast this one on, no less than 5 times due to underestimation of stitches. It seems it’s been a while since I knit for Damian, a bit of niece infatuation happened last year.
Wishing you all a productive knitting year!
… this is what I would design!
Don’t get me wrong I have no illusions about becoming a knitting designer, I love knitting as a passion not a job. Lee Meredith is a woman after my heart. Combining my 2 favourite things, ‘Colouring’ and ‘Knitting’, so bloody clever.
I love, love, love, what she has put together. The collection is fun and did I mention I love colouring in? There are blank charts for you to print out and get your colouring pencils on. I imagine it will be great to use up leftover yarns, and we all have those. I don’t know what I’ll make first, I’m spending some time marvelling at how lovely the presentation is and how I’m kicking myself for not thinking of doing it first!
I had a lovely Christmas Day, I hope you did as well.
Purl was spoiled by Santa (hint: I wasn’t Santa), and my 2 younger sisters (I was very touched they’d thought of her). Anyone would have thought 4 connecting tunnels in the hallway would be enough for any one cat, but clearly Santa thought differently and she now has 2 more in the living room. Purl also received mice, balls and this sweet personalised collar. For the record I didn’t purchase any of these things.
I gave Purl a hand at opening her gifts (it only took a rustle of some paper for her to come over)
I also got some cat themed gifts…
And some Cat pj’s from Peter Alexander. Looks like I’m beginning to be ‘easier’ to buy for, I even got yarn from my in-laws for KK!
The biggest surprise of all day was a gift from my youngest sister…
{scroll down}
{scroll down}
{scroll down}
{scroll down}
{scroll down}
{scroll down}
{scroll down}
{scroll down}
{scroll down}
{scroll down}
I got a new wheel!!! By the looks of it (and I’ve had a tinker already), it just needs a drive and brake band, a couple more bobbins and I’m in business! I was truly shocked and a little scared… this is my third wheel, could this be the beginning of my wheel collection? It wasn’t a collection until yesterday.
Under the tree was also some Twin Wollmeise in WD colour ways, because it’s not Christmas without Wollmeise…
Happy Holidays all 🙂
This will be Purl’s first Christmas with us. She is a little intrigued by all the paper wrapping and the boxes and all the new things to sniff out. I tried, oh how I tried to get the perfect ‘Christmas Cat photo’ and then have it printed onto cards and sent out this year. But I failed at the blocks, trying to stick a santa hat or some reindeer ears on Purl was a lot harder than I originally anticipated. Luckily Purl’s aunt (yes she has a real cat aunt) came to the rescue with this fabulous ‘Christmas’ collar. I think it sets off her whiskers quite nicely, don’t you? Butter wouldn’t melt in this cat’s mouth. She’s been naughty Santa, don’t believe that innocent, sweet face!
I had finished knitting my Romi ‘Jeanne’s cowl’ and my 15 stripe rainbow socks (need to take some photos) last week, and I was left without any knitting on my needles for almost 24 hours, it’s not often that happens. I remedied that by casting on ‘Featherweight’ by Hannah Fettig. I’m using Patonyle 4ply in Charcoal, I can only imagine just how much wear I’m going to get out of this cardigan. The gauge is 24 sts to 10cm, so it couldn’t possibly take me too long, right?
Wishing you all the very best for your Christmas Day, I hope it’s relaxing and joyous and Santa brings you lots of wool.
Sonia Knits 