Year of Projects Update - 28th August 2011

Oooh, it is good to be home!



I've got lots done during the last week, two FO's and another well and truly on the way there.... So without further delay.... Drumroll please............................

Introducing Erik!!!! He's finally done!!! I managed to finish the knitting on Tuesday, ten when we got home on Tuesday night the zip was waiting for me, what fantastic service! So on Wednesday the zip was machine sewn in and he's blocking as I type ( I haven't managed to do it before because of those pesky kids), here are the unblocked pics....

Its looking much better blocked, and far less wonky, hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to get a shot of my brother wearing it, hangover depending! (It's Midnight on Saturday and he's just got back from Wembley after watching our team Wigan Warriors beat Leeds Rhinos in the Rugby League Challenge Cup Final) I really love the contrast of the bright orange zip against the natural wool, and most importantly Dan loves it too.

My second FO of the week was finished on Friday after only being started on Wednesday and is the first of two Modern Rib Hats for the boys. Here it is modelled by Alfie whilst watching the aforementioned match on the telly earlier today....

It was a lovely, easy knit which I didn't have to really think about, I'll probably cast on the other one this week so then they're out of the way ready for when the weather turns!

Last but not least I cast on the Owls jumper for Sarah, Daniel's girlfriend. She knows nothing about this so I want to get it finished by the next time they visit (they live 200 miles away near to where I grew up) in 3 weeks for Pewsey Carnival, that shouldn't be a problem! I cast this on on Tuesday before we left my Mum's so that I could knit in the car and managed 7 inches of the body in the dark on the motorway while hubby very kindly drove. I'm now knitting both sleeves at the same time in the round Magic Loop style which does take a fair amount of concentration so is strictly reserved for when the children are in bed!
This is as far as I've got......

I'll soon be done with the sleeve increases so they'll go much more quickly once I don't have to remember how many rows I've done!

I'll probably cast on a baby cardigan for my neighbour who gave birth to a beautiful little girly while we were away (Yes, I know I've got one on the needles on my list but that will be too big!) and I'll hopefully have a jumper to show you next week!

Happy knitting xx

Year of Projects Update - 21 August 2011

Hi guys!!!! Just a quick update this week, I've been on holiday camping in North Wales so don't have all of my usual banners etc to hand but wanted to let you know that Erik is coming along nicely!!!! After having to rip it out completely I'm now flying through it and have the body completed and 2/3 of the first sleeve, I just need to measure Dan's arms for the sleeve length and order the zip, hopefully it'll be all done ready to show you by next week :-)

Also this week I've ot a bit of my Mojo sock completed and it really has restored my mojo, those colours are amazing!!

Unfortunately being on my mum's laptop I have no pics to show you so next week's update will be very pic heavy!

Happy knitting!

Year of Projects Update - 14th August 2011

Well its been a busy few weeks here so its been a while since I updated. I've been working steadily on my Twenty-Ten Cardigan and Erik, although only one of those is a success story......

Ta-dah! Twenty-Ten is finished!! I really, really love it and can't wait to wear it properly!!! Here is a not so great pic of it....

You can't see the colour very well, or the lovely wooden buttons from my LYS so here is a better one, closer up....

....and one of the sleeves....

You may notice that there is a button missing at the bottom. The lovely Fiona only had 10 in stock with more on order so because I just couldn't wait I left that one off until her order comes in.

Then there was Erik...... Whilst I was at Knit & Natter on Tuesday evening one of the ladies realised that the back for a cardigan that she was knitting was enormous compared to what it should have been, despite having knitted a tension square, and it was going to have to be frogged. It suddenly dawned on me that when I started Erik I hadn't done a tension sqaure at all and then that awful sickly feeling began to spread over me until I got home and checked my tension..... I was using the recommended needle size and the right wool but  I was getting 18 stitches to 4" rather than the 15 stitches required. I very nearly cried. It is too far out to even just rip back to the arms and continue increasing for the larger size so is being completely frogged and I am going to swatch, swatch and swatch some more until I get the perfect gauge!!!
Here he is feeling sorry for himself and I will keep this picture to remind me what happens when you don't check your gauge!

{this moment} - 29 July 2011

{this moment}, a Friday ritual.

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

To find more moments, and add your own visit Soulemama.

Year of Projects Update - 24th July 2011

Well, another busy week, both boys finished pre-school for the summer and Alfie had his Graduation ceremony ready to go to 'big-school' in September.

Plenty knitting has been happenening, more work on Erik and Twenty-ten cardis and I started a non-YoP project, my Babette blanket. I just couldn't resist!!
I managed to finish my Jane hat too, what a fantastic, quick and easy knit! I think the best bit about the hat is that it looks cabled but isn't, because I really don't enjoy doing lots of cables!

I can't wait till its cold outside to wear it!!

Year of Projects Update - 17th July 2011

Well, what a busy week!
Lots more work has been done on my Twenty-ten Cardi and very little (read that as none) on Erik and the Guernsey Wrap. The cardi is now measuring 10 inches from the bottom hem and I'm really enjoying it. With the asymmetric hemline its just enough of a challenge to keep me interested without being too mentally taxing.

If you saw my FO Friday post you'll have seen that I have been well and truly mentally taxed by the Monteagle bag this week! Its beautiful and I love it now that its done, but I'm not sure that I'll be rushing to make another, then again, that all depends on whether I can find another pattern that I like as much....

I've also been working on my Fetching gloves, finishing them this morning before rushing off to a 3 year old's birthday party with the boys.......

They're lovely and snuggly and am hoping that the person they're for will like them. It was a lovely, easy and quick knit, I think I'll make myself some for the winter but possible making them a touch longer but I'm not adding to my list just yet!

And finally last night I cast on my Jane hat, I think some mind numbing ribbing will be in order if number 2 son continues his sleep strike! Its in a lovely Teal shade of Rico Essentials Soft Merino Aran but have no photos to show you just yet.

So two more FO's this week, albeit small ones, Mr T is away again this week so will probably get plenty more done before my next update!!

FO Friday - 15th July 2011 It's in the bag!

Well after my WIP Wednesday post I did indeed cast on a Monteagle bag.... I just couldn't resist that amazing Pink yarn!

The suggested yarn in the pattern is Aran weight but it has worked fine with the dk weight Rico Essential Cotton. I used one entire ball and even though the bag looks tiny when empty its pretty big once stretched and could fit a considerable amount of shopping in.

This pattern is not for the faint hearted though. The stitches are very complicated and it almost got thrown across the room a couple of times, and it is most definitely not something that I could do with the children about, or a husband for that matter.... its the kind of knitting that needs to be done in a locked room with plenty of hot tea and chocolate on tap (NOT wine, that really wouldn't be wise!)

I do really love it, but it was very hard work even though it did knit up quickly, I'll be quite glad to go back to some nice boring Stocking stitch or Moss stitch!

I also recieved my Sunflower Swift today, it really is beautiful!! Look....



That's showing it holding a full skein of Cascade Eco wool, all 437m of it!

Have a look over at Tami's Amis to see who else is taking part in FO Friday