WIP Wednesday edition of stress (yes, I know it’s Thursday)

Hi all, so I realised that there is less than three weeks till Christmas, which is something of a problem since I haven’t started the satsuma costumes yet. That’s this weekend plan…Work is also somewhat hectic right now (I got hit with a massive pile of ~400 scripts to mark…), so this is going to be a splurdge and go.

Firstly: wolf cross stitch! Another 4 hours added, bringing the total to 20.5 hours. This is quite a bit less than 1/4 of the whole design, so my last estimate of 80-100 hours might be slightly optmistic. But then most of the surrounding is half cross stitch, so that should be faster…I’ll leave that as my official estimate for now, I think.

Second: sleeves. Still going strong. I think I’ve pretty much got the hang of the cables now, so that’s good 🙂 I am still checking the charts, but much less than I was. So yay for that!

Third: mitred square blanket. This is so easy to pick up and put down, it now has 7 squares. Lovely garter stitch squishyness 🙂

Fourth: umm…yeah…so I saw the abandoned cockatoo brae, and decided that I had to sort that out there and then (I was procrastinating on doing the hoovering). So I re-swatched, and have decided I need to move to 2.75mm needles. Which is what the pattern calls for. Using the suggested needle size for a project feels really weird, but ok. (This is why you need to gauge swatch people. Even if you usually knit so loosely you have to go down a size, sometimes you don’t. Just go with the flow…) (Full disclaimer: I haven’t actually measured this yet. But pre-washing, I was hitting the 7 stitches an inch (I know, I really shouldn’t measured a larger part, but oh well)). Needles are 2.25 and then 2.75 (I think??? It’s either 2.5 or 2.75, whichever I have).

Fifth: the Christmas shawl. Well, I got last week’s 10 inches done, but not really this week…ok fine, I managed 6 of the required 10 inches. Which I’m trying to not stress over, because I have quite enough other things to stress over! And I should be able to easily make up the time (assuming I stop knitting on other things…)

6 inches is a lot!!!!! So now I have 10 inches and then 11 in the next two weeks…riiiiight. Completely believeable…

FO Friday- blanket edition

Yes, ladies, gentlemen and non-binary peeps. The epic blanket of scrappy awesomeness is officially done. (I say officially because I intend to keep adding random hexagons to it, it just isn’t going to be steadily worked on any more).

This blanket has been more than a year and a half in the making, and I am ridiculously proud of myself for finishing the thing. I’m not quite sure how much it weighs (the bathroom scales say ~400g, the kitchen scales say 450+g). It has 161 hexagons and I’m going to have to list all the yarns it uses…

purple (solid) (used up)

blue(solid)

steel

Lorian Quinn (used up)

Silvanis Wrenn (used up)

Roan

Lia (used up)

Aster

the other Hermione sock yarn

hand warmers (used up)

sea stripes (used up)

dark purple bright

orange and red bright

high viz (used up)

zombie(used up)

stripes (used up)

green cameo (used up)

sunshine (used up)

rainbow

the other purple one (used up)

light purple

red mixed

dark and bright (used up)

Ok, I think that’s all of them. 23 yarns used, 13 used up. Wow. I’m impressed with that. (Btw, if anyone wants more detail on any of the yarns I mentioned here, let me know and I can give you the proper info on them! Most are listed on my ravelry projects).

And my favourite hexagon? One from yarn that I haven’t actually mentioned here. I used Regia hand-spun effect for a single hexagon, and so didn’t really think that I should mention it as yarn used up.

I just love that gradient. The perfect little hexi 😀

More details about this blanket: I used 1.5mm needles (big mistake. Won’t do that again. Those things HURT!) I sat on the needles twice while making this, both times at KnitSoc. The needles I used are Karbonz, and tbh I won’t get them again. The idea behind karbonz, for those who don’t know, is that the main part of the needle is rough, so your stitches stick to it and don’t slide off, but the tip is metal so the stitches do slide easily and so you can knit faster with less effort. Great idea, but not so great in practice. The tips have a habit of coming loose (some of my needles I had to re-glue several times), and the carbon part splits and small flecks break away, resulting in a needle with a jump in size from the middle to the edge which is really awkward to slide the stitches to knit. But hey ho, lesson learnt I guess!

I do also have plans for future scrap work: my next project is going to be a garter stitch entrelac rectangle to sew to one side of a pillow case. I want to do it sideways so there aren’t any triangles, and it’s going to be on 2mm needles. Excellent excuse to buy another 2mm circ 🙂

Where is the helm and the hauberk?

Yes, as you may have guessed from the title, I am back and working on the Rohan scarf. The cross stitch was actually finished last Wednesday, but then I was crazy busy and so didn’t post about finishing it on Friday (or the post I had planned for the weekend about having multiple projects on the go…lets try again this weekend!) I think that I need to make this longer than it’s ‘supposed’ to be, so it’s going to be more than 40 hours…I’m planning on just extending the celtic knotwork thing in the middle as long as I need to, so it should be relatively easy to do 🙂 Now, if I could only decide which side I prefer…

I have also been working on the socks. These are fairly slow going, and I must admit that I sorta want them finished…I’m not having that much fun with them- it’s interspersed moss stitch and k2togs and SSK and even SK2tog, PSSO. And with a loosely spun single, making sure you get the whole stitch can be challenging But, I have gone past the heel on the first sock now, so yay for that 🙂 (Note for future self: put in the yarn for the heel after the 6th section of moss stitch)

And the blanket is of course being worked upon 🙂 I’m up to 7 hexagons for the month so far, so yay me(the stripy one with the speckled centre was #1) 🙂 I would also quite like this finished…I have plans for my next scrappy thing, which I really want to get started on, but I need this one finished, and my 2mm needles, unless I decide to use a larger size…hmm, that would be an idea really. I’m about 7/10 of the way through this strip, so getting there 🙂 I think I might need to choose one of the blanket/socks and just crack on. I just can’t decide which one it should be!!!

WIP Wednesday

So, why does Christmas only have 25 letters???

Becuse there’s no l!!!!!

Yeah, I know, I’m hilarious 😀 The stocking is coming along slowly- I keep finding excuses to not work on it, which is hardly ideal, but on Sunday I had a tidy up and reorganisation and then immediately picked it up to work on while I watched Les Miz. Excellent musical 🙂 This is 3hr 20mins of work, so I’m hoping that I can finish it this evening…wish me speedy fingers!

 

The sock is also continuing along apace 🙂 I measured it against the recipients foot on Friday, (which is the cause of this somehow amusing photo), and then it was 4.5 inches shorter than the foot, so I needed to do 2.5 inches more before doing something clever for the heel (I’m trying an afterthought heel this time, so that if it wears through rather than felting, it’s relatively easy to replace). The sock at that time was 4.5 inches, which makes it easier to keep track of (although I will measure again when I think I’m far along enough).

I now only need one more inch, so coming along well 🙂 The pattern is from socks a la carte 2, since I might as well use the patterns I’ve bought… I’ll hopefully be at the measuring stage again on Sunday, when I have a movie evening planned with the recipient!

And of course the scrap blanket is getting worked on 🙂 I’ve done 4 hexagons this week, so yay for that! And this last stripe is more than half done, so yay for that too! Nearly finished this blanket!!!!

Next up: either garter stitch entrelac or mitred squares…hmm…decisions decisions decisions…ahh well, I still have a while before I need to decide, I guess!

Where is the horn that was blowing?

This will actually be the last WIP Wednesday posts that I make for a while which includes the double knit scarf! It’s going away for a while, since today is the first of February, and that means I start another cross stitch stocking! So, for the last time for a few weeks, here is the scarf:

 

I think that I have finally decided that I prefer the look of white on brown, hmm, then again maybe not… This is now at 14.5 hours, for 149 rows (out of 430). 40 hours total is now looking slightly optimistic, but we’ll see… the top of the horse head is very fiddly!

The socks have been worked on some now!!! I have finally started taking my socks with me when I went on my lunch break, so they get worked on, and I get a little dose of knitting in the middle of my day 🙂 Win-win! (Side note: isn’t it amazing how knitting grows if you actually work on it! Mind bending!)

And of course the scrappy blanket 🙂 This comes with me to KnitSoc, and also if I want to be knitting, but don’t have the mental capacity for the scarf. Which has happened a few times- mostly while watching Death in Pardise. Great show!

I’m going to try and count how many I make each month, which I’ve never done before, so I could well forget! Feel free to remind me if you’re interested! Lots of yarn ends have been used up in this project, I’m looking forward to finishing it so I can work out how many ends I’ve used up 🙂

Where now are the horse and the rider?

This is a fly-bu WIP Wednesday post, I really should be researching for job applications (anyone want to hire a maths PhD with a love of yarn and crafting???).

Firstly, the Rohan scarf continues apace:

I still can’t decide which one I prefer! Usually, it’s whichever side is facing me!!! I’m also really loving this yarn (DK Life), and I’m tempted to buy enough in natural colours for a yoked sweater. It’s 75/25 acrylic/wool, but feels really wooly 🙂 This is now at 9.5 hours, with a total of 102 rows done, out of 430. So, if I stay at this speed, I need another 30.5 hours work left. Let’s see if I manage to speed up any with this as we go…

I also (surprise surprise) have a pair of socks on the needles. Well, I have the toe of the first sock on the needle. This yarn is loosly spun single, so it’s going to felt something terrible. But, the socks aren’t for me, and I didn’t choose the yarn, so hey ho. On the other hand, it is absolutely gorgeous to work with! If I didn’t know the fibre content, I’d’ve guessed it contained silk! But it’s ‘just’ 75/25 wool/viscose. Gorgeous stuff! I’m having to resist the very strong urge to buy enough of this yarn for a sweater…but I know I’d never use it, so I’m resisting 🙂

And of course my scrappy blanket is still going strong. This isn’t getting much love these days- it;s my usual ‘out and about project, so it mostly just gets worked on on Friday nights at KnitSoc. I already have plans for a garter stitch entrelac pillow cover when this one is finished, so there’s no need to panic about the state of my sock yarn scraps! And besides, even when this is officially finished, I’ll still add the odd hexagon here and there!

Right, I’m off to research more jobs…there will be another post about process/product knitting this weekend 🙂

At dawn, on the third day, we ride!

So the Rohan scarf has begun! This is it about one and a half hours into the third attempt (we will not discuss the first two…)

And the back

I have recently started recording how long projects take me. Mostly for curiousity, but I expect that I’ll find a way to analyse it! Which is how I know that this is 1.5 hours work. I have an app on my smartphone (I can’t believe I actually just typed those words…), which can have multiple stopwatches on the go, and name each of them (very useful!). So all new projects from here on out will be recorded. (If I remember!) Fingers crossed that I remember to start/stop each time!

The scrappy blanket continues. This will be the last row of hexagons to be attached (finally!), so I’m trying to get through them. This is my take-around project, as the colourwork on the Rohan scarf is very complicated, and I can;t take it anywhere!

Eek! I can’t belive this thing is nearly finished!!! And then I’ll start a new one! Gotta use up all those scraps!

Stocking the first et al

So I finished this month’s cross stitch 🙂 I kinda cheated, since it was already half finsished, but I also didn’t have the full month to work on it (I came back to York on the 4th), so I’m calling it quits 🙂

(Ok, I just realised that I forgot the star which is supposed to go just to the right of the baby’s head. I’ll add that in later when I can find my gold sparky thread…)

I also finished the first sock, which I put a rush on because I needed the needles to…gauge swatch!

The gauge swatch is also done, washed and dried. I get gauge of 28 stitches to 4 inches on 2.5mm needles. More on this on Saturday, when I’m going to do a post about modifying the pattern I’m using.

And finally, I’ve done a few more hexagons on my scrappy blanket. One more stripe and I’m going to call it done, although I’ll still add hexagons from time to time. I will however, come up with another blanket. And I think I change dmy mind about designing my own pattern, it just seems very complicated right now, when I need to be concentrating on other things. Maybe later. Does anyone have any good free scrappy blanket patterns?

This has to be my favourite hexagon. The yarn is regia hand-spun effect, and the colour runs are longer than this, I just started at the best spot ever! I’m not putting another hexagon in with this yarn, it’s that perfect!!!

2 weeks to Christmas…

…so let’s get on with the presents, shall we? The scarf has now been blocked, so looks rather more appetizing than the pile of knitting it was last week!!! The bit which is pulled in is because there are some cables in it, so it’s a lot tighter than the other section. I think that if I do it again (and I’m very tempted), I’ll skip that section.

The hat has also been proceeding apace. The twisted rib was surprisingly alright (I suspect the size of the needles might have played a part with that!) and the body of the hat has now been started, and is racing along. Which I am slightly alarmed by as I was rather hoping to be knitting it on the train on Thursday…it may not last that long. Alternative ideas, anyone??? (Something other than socks???)(and not the other Christmas present) (Or the scrappy blanket for that matter)hmm, maybe a double sided blanket…(knit in squares, don’t worry, I’m not that insane…)

I currently have three projects on the needles right now. Firstly that lace hat, with 3mm needles. I also have a pair of socks on the needles(2mm), and my scrappy blanket(1.5mm). I am rather amused that the thinnest yarn gets the largest needles!

I’ve also been steaming along on my scrappy blanket. I’m loving it, although it is getting a little heavy these days 🙂 That’s what comes of knitting it on 1.5mm needles, I guess!

I finally figured something out the other day, which I thought was worth sharing with you all (aren’t I lovely? ). This pattern involves picking up stitches, which is all well and good until you realise that picking up the second stitch (which is nice and easy to see before you start picking stitches up…) becomes rather difficult as it tries to hide (it’s involved in a k2tog on the first row, so you can’t really blame it, I guess!). BUT, if you stick your darning needle in the stitch before you start picking stitches up, it can’t hide anywhere! I figured I was a genius when I realised this!

I’m planning on doing one more stripe to add to the blanket, then calling it done (it’s not as though I won’t keep adding random hexagons at odd times just because 🙂 ). I’m also thinking about my next scrappy blanket, which may or may not involve me dipping my proverbial toe into pattern creating waters… Wish me luck!(But is going to need my 2mm needles, so I’m going to have to finish my socks before I can start, and then not start more socks…maybe I just need more 2mm knitting needles…)

I’ll be home by Christmas

Well, given how quickly the presents are coming along, I’ll be home and dry long before Christmas! As of today, there are exactly three weeks until Christmas, and I have two Christmas presents still to go. Yarn and patterns have been chosen, all that is left is to actually start making them!

My pen-pal’s cushion has been finished and posted off to her! Woot! I finished just in time(it was sewn up on Thursday just before getting wrapped and posted!)

The pattern for the flowers(free on ravelry) was really clearly written, but I’m never doing it again! It was very tricky, and involved crocheting into the loops left behind from crocheting in the front loop of 5 stitches for one round… But I am glad that I tried it, and the effect really is worth it! I also learnt that I dislike large granny squares! So I’m never going to crochet a large granny square blanket, even if I like the final effect of it.

The scarf for my aunt has also been finished, but as is the way with lace knitting, currently looks rather unappealing! Although I did try it on, and decided that I may make one for myself next year! I love it, even though I dislike scarves in general. This is small enough that I think I like it anyway! The fact that it’s made from lace weight might have something to do with that!

I have also chosen the patterns for the last two presents: catbutt coasters and a hat. In fact, I’m so on top of my Christmas knitting, I’ve gone back to working on my scrappy blanket! I had forgotten how much fun it is to knit this thing, although I’m sure soon enough that I’ll be bored of it! (It should perhaps be noted here that the final two presents are not a surprise, and therefore do not need to be finished by the time I go home for Christmas!)

So how is your Christmas crafting coming along? Happily, or are you starting to think that you should maybe have started sooner?