Year of Projects - Week 4

For the first time my list has shrunk and not grown at all!  In other words I have completed some projects and not modified my list.

I am debating my list, a few items I have put on it are for me, and I never keep what I make for myself so I am sure these will not be done and therefore I will probably land up subsituting them for other items.  I have vowed not to reduce my list in number of items.  I have made them blue, and as you can see they are numerous items.

1. Blues Jersey Completed
2. Neutral Jersey - Ribby Pullover from Sidar 338, Tiny Tots DK Book
3. Wrap Up Warm Cardigan from Simply Knitting Issue 72 October 2010
4. Cropped Hoodie from Designer Knitting Winter 2008/09
5. Ruby from Yarn Forward Issue 10 March
6. Butler from Yarn Forward Issue 9 February
7. Cropped Shrug/Hoodie from Rtgrrl
8. Rosebud Jacket from Yarn Forward Issue 32 January
9. Pinking Shears from Yarn Forward Issue 25 June
10. Shona from Yarn Forward Issue 18 October
11. Odd Sleeve Raglan Pullover Completed
12. Pullover for Monster
13. Granny Stripe Blanket from Attic24
14. Crochet Stash Bag from Attic 24
15. Fairly Easy Fairisle Cardigan from Stitch 'n Bitch Nation (6 of them!)
16. Rugby World Cup Blanket
17. Zig Zag Blanket from The Knitting Collection Volume 1
18. Hooded Jacket from The Knitting Collection Volume 1
19. Cardi Shrug from Jennifer Jones Completed
20. Diamond Blanket

I am in love with the Cardi Shrug pattern I am making, this is my third one this week, I tried on the two I have previously made and they are too small around the arms for me, so this one I am making larger, which means more increase rows, no biggie.  I have also decided that I want mine to be longer so I am going to splurge and use two balls of the beautiful Elle Escapade Mystic Tulip colourway I have.

I have gone mental and broke at my LYS sale this week.  I have purchased all the yarn to make two of the blankets on my list, the crochet bag (very nice Elle cotton) and then some other yarn which I don't know what I'm going to do with, but love it anyway.

Disappointment

It started with the Springboks getting a hiding from the All Blacks and just carried on.  Went to the plastic shop to get two more boxes for my new stash, got home via the LYS (again), packed it all in my new boxes, went to put them at the bottom of my cupboard to discover I have the smallest cupboard in the house!!!!!  They don't fit!

Then the Blue Bulls went down to Western Province in a blaze of total failure.  I haven't finished Tulip cause I have been sitting by the fire soaking it up.

All and all a dissappointing day.

BUT tomorrow is another day full of great expectations.

FO Friday - Week 4

It's the WEEKEND BABY!  Oh and FO Friday.

So this week we went back to school, it's been hard getting up in the morning.  And my punishment has resumed, making school lunches!

I have 3, yes 3 FO's today!!

Odd Sleeve which  finished on Saturday late but was determined that I wanted to start something new on Sunday.

My next FO's were purely yarn driven,  I have a love for the Elle Escapade colourways.  So Mystic was started and finished.

I love making this quick and really simple shrug so much I made another one!  Mulberry, I finished this yesturday and yes you guessed it cast on another one!



Today is very overcast and this was the brightest picture I could get!

I'm off to see other FO Fridays!  Have a fantastic weekend.

Black Swan

Bank Manager downloaded the movie Black Swan for me last night and I was so excited to watch it alone this morning, having done all my chores for the week.  I put a load in the washing machine and made myself some coffee, grabbed my blanket and snuggled down on the couch to watch.

The more I watched the more horrified I was, it wasn't what I expected, but it was alright.    I have to say the best part about it was that I got a load of washing washed and in the tumble drier and I finished the Mulberry! 

Yes you read right I finished the Mulberry it's a record for me.  Tomorrow I will be able to post 3 FO's!!!!!

WIP Wednesday - Week 3

I have 2 FO Friday's that I am dying to post but I will hold on to them!  I have started another

Cardi Shrug by Jennifer Jones.  It took me two days to make the first one!  I have another 3 skeins of the stunninf Elle Escapade so am going to make them as part of families christmas presents, if I can keep them that long!  I'm not good at keeping presents for long, I normally do shopping the day before!

This is the one I call Mulberry, I started last night while watching some mindless tv.

Thank you for all your wonderful comments and rest assured I read all of them and take them to heart.   Off to see your beautiful WIP Wednesdays.

Bye!  Happy knitting or crocheting.

Armhole Joins

I love the Mystic I am making, the pattern is simple to understand and it is flying.  However as this is the first time I am doing top down I am not impressed with the hole under the arm.  I tried numerous ways of joining the sides to the back when knitting and can't get around a hole being formed. 

Bank Manager also pointed out last night that the armholes might not be big enough!  So when I am finished I will have to try it one and see, if it fits me then it will fit her!  If not then I have plenty of smaller girls I can give it to.  So it won't be a waste.

Mystic and Sale

I got there just before 9 and left just after 10!  Awesome and just under 1500 poorer!  But many, many hours richer!

I will post photos tomorrow, I got all the yarn for two blankets on my Year of Projects list and an African Flower tote.  I have to confess I am going back on Saturday with Dad's girlfriend so probably will come home with more!

In my stash I have 4 balls of Elle Escapade DK in Mystic Tulip and nothing really in mind to do with it.  Dad's girlfriend mentioned that she wanted some shrugs for summer, so I thought BONUS!  I checked my list and one of the new additions is Cardi Shrug by Jennifer Jones.  It's a top down short sleeve cardi.  Again BONUS, try something I have never done before and get another of my Year of Projects items on the go!

I cast on and WOW the pattern is so easy and totally simple.  Once you have done the first row of increases, it flies!

Love the Elle Escapade and the new colourways are much more grown up.  Unfortunately they didn't have any of the other grown up colourways left by the time I got around to that section at LYS.

Have a fantastic Monday!  I know I am!

Year of Projects - Week 3

I'm going to start in the same manner as last week.  I have morphed my list AGAIN!  I have decided on a pattern for Pudding's Neutral Pullover.  I have also added to my list!

I have finished Odd Sleeve but I'm not going to post picture of completed pullover today, I am going to attempt to save it for FO Friday.

Here are some tempting but not too revealing shots of it.

I am now again deciding on what to do next, my gut says get the boys pullovers finished so you can move onto my stuff.

I have decided on my Rugby World Cup project and cause it's going to be a big one have added a page to my blog for it.

BIG, HUGE EXCITEMENT, ARTHUR BALES, the best LYS in Johannesburg is starting it's SALE tomorrow!  Bank Manager has says I can go and get all needed yarn for the rest of 2011!  Love him too much!  He so rocks!  So before I start my next project, I have to make a shopping list!

10 EXTRA Stitches

I am almost at the point where the body of Odd Sleeve has to be divided into the front and the back.  I have 10 more rows to go, and the little devil sitting on my shoulder says "You have too many stitches, count them!" She was right I had 10 stitches too many on the front only!  Well I'm definitely not going to rip it all back!  I have 20 rows of ribbing, and 38cm of stocking stitch done.  So I come up with a plan, move 5 stitches to the back.  So now I have 5 extra stitches on the front and the back.  Here goes,  I decrease 1 stitch at each end (will be under the arm) on 1 row, stocking stitch the next row, decrease 1 stitch at each end on 3 row, stocking stitch the next row, decrease 1 stitch at only the beginning of each next row!  Hooray and cause I did it with rows to spare I still do 2 more rows of stocking stitch and hit my 42cm square on!

The decreases won't show as they are right up under the arm pit!!  So after I almost cried (I was very emotional as I was taking some strong anti histamines to counteract an unknown allergy that leaves my eye swollen, looking like Bank Manager gave me a good going over while I was asleep) at the thought of having 10 extra stitches.  Having a cup of coffee and a good think solved it no problem.

FO Friday - Week 3

FO Friday is here and the unbelievable need to post something is scary!  As I mentioned yesterday my best friend is going to the Masai Mara on Sunday and has been asking for an African Flower bag.  Without further ado here is the tote that I made for her.  I started it on Wednesday afternoon and finished it off yesterday.

I never realised the photos were so dark.  Apologies for that. 

I am now going to check out other FO Fridays.  Have a fantastic weekend crafting!

Masai Mara

Living in South Africa, I have to be the only one who really doesn't enjoy the game parks, I find them very boring.  However my best friend is game park MAD.  They are leaving on Sunday to the Masai Mara for a week.  She has been begging me to make her and African Flower Mamy bag, but to be honest no matter how much I try I can not bring myself to make 48 of them.

I have however made 42!  I know. I know what is 6 more, but then the flood gates will be open and I have 10 other people that want Mamy bags, which means 480 flowers and that is NOT going to happen in my life time.

As a surprise for her I am turning the 42 flowers I have done into two bags for her!  A tote and a clutch, both of which I have copied from blog pictures.  THANK YOU to the two bloggers, who I have to ashamedly admit can't remember where I got them from.

You will have to wait until tomorrow to see the pictures or I will have nothing to post for FO Friday.  Oh yes, these are not on my Year of Project list,whoops!

WIP Wednesday - Week 2

As much as I tried last night to get further the need to blow my nose every 2 mintes prevented me from doing much!  I know excuses, excuses, excuses.

The addiction to WIP Wednesday is awesome I feel like I have to post something.

Odd Sleeve as far as it is.

Don't forget to go and check out the other WIPW, I am off now!

Later on WIPW

Stuffy Tuesday

Again with my trusty box of tissues and tub of vicks, I set out eventually and cast on the body of the Odd Sleeve.  Monster said that it would be cool if the ribbing of the body would be the same colour as the sleeves.  Who am I to argue with the wearer of it.

Cast on and did the 20 rows of 2x2 ribbing.   Not going to post a picture of the body, you will have to wait until tomorrow for WIPW to see it!

Thanks everyone for the well wishes!  Just send my Sun back to the Southern Hempishere please we really miss it. LOL!

Here is a picture of the Odd Sleeve sleeves all finished, and did I mention I made them longer!  Can you believe it I was so intent on getting them finished I carried on knitting, when I did measure I had knitted an extra 3cm.  To compensate for my over eagnerness I am adding 3cm to the body!  I'm blaming it on the cold and my head being full of cotton wool.

Determination

With far too much mucas and head that felt like cotton wool.  I was absolutely determined to finish the Odd Sleeve sleeves today.

Which I DID!!!!

So happy but now sorry no photos as I must sucumb to sleep that my poor body needs to get rid of this cold. 

I promise to post pictures tomorrow.  Promise.

Year of Projects - Week 2

My list has morphed and grown since posting it.  Have changed Monster's two patterns as the yarn for those two I really loathe.  Also I have added to it! List Updated

With my goal of getting my stash depleted this year as I feel really guilty about how much space I have taken up with it.  I am busy with Odd Sleeve for Monster.

When I start a new project I always re-write the pattern, I know it takes extra time but I make it so that I can keep track of where I am.  Also because I generally only do patterns where I can knit the body of it in one piece therefore reducing the dreaded seaming!

Once I had finished re-writing the pattern I began to cast on Odd Sleeve with the sleeves first.  Which is the part I always do first as I find them the slowest part of the entire project.

I set myself a goal of doing all 20 rows of ribbing and half the amount of rows for the increases.  Sadly I didn't achieve that goal as I seem to be coming down with a cold and it make me drowsy.

I also worked out the percentage completion value of each stage, which motivates me to get it finished!

• Sleeves  20%
• Body  40%
• Back  55%
• Front  70 %
• Sew on Sleeves  75%
• Sew up Sleeves  80%
• Neckband  100%

The sleeves can be further broken down

• Ribbing 5%
• ½ Increases 5%
• ½ Increases 5%
• Shaping Top 5%

With this logic I broke down the body as well

• Ribbing 5%
• ⅓ Body 5%
• ⅓ Body 5%
• ⅓ Body 5%

So even with a mushy head I did some serious (for me) maths! LOL

Enough of all of that you came to see a WIP and here it is nothing amazing but he can't wait for it!

 

Off to see all your updates!  Have a fantastic productive week!

Year of Projects - Project 2

I grabbed the yarn that I purchased at the great Arthur Bales sale at the beginning of the year that was allocated to make Monster a pullover, however I have not discovered that I am so not a Stylecraft Life yarn at all!  I am convinced that it's thinner than DK.  I have made two hoodies with other colourways and just thought it was those but now that I have tried another two colourways and it still feels more like 4ply than DK.

I have put it aside which is so unfortunate as the colourway that I choose for Monster is stunning, it's called Mixtures Autumn.  I have tried everything to get it to photograph, but it looks completely different, but on the Stylecraft website is a picture.  As I have this beautiful colour and a beautiful green also allocated to him, I might find a blanket that only requires 6 balls of two colours to crochet for him.

Now onto my Project 2.  Monster is always on my case that he wants a pullover that has different coloured sleeves to the body!  Don't ask me why and it sounds terrible to me.  But  I have decided that in my stash I have just enough grey and maroon to make it for him.  So Project 2's name is going to be Odd Sleeves.

No pictures today as I haven't started.  Tomorrow is another day and will have an update on Odd Sleeves.

Enjoy your day, mine is going to be full of knitting and rugby, what an awesome Saturday!

FO Friday - Week 2

TGIF!  Today I have a problem, what to do next!  I finished Blues last night and the proud owner is already wearing it.  After much moaning this morning that he doesn't like me making him pullovers!  Pudding is strange.

So I have my list of items I want to make for the year of projects, but I don't know which one I want to make first!  Maybe with my case of OCD, not officially diagnosed, I should start at the top and work my way down!

But Monsters pullovers are much bigger and the thought of doing two of those directly after each other is not appealing so I will do his next one and then one for Pudding and then the last one for Monster.

So Monster has changed his mind about one of the pullovers.  But that is a topic I will carry over til next week.

CURRIE CUP starts today.  So after a week without Rugby, the oldest tournament in South Africa starts today.  And even though the Blue Bulls are only playing tomorrow, my excitement level is sky high!!!

To see other fantastic FO Friday's don't forget to go to Tamis Amis

Drama Thursday!

The petrol tankers are on strike!  Bank Manager has been telling me since Monday, go fill up even if you don't need to fill up!  And I'm sorry when I get into the Beast I just have one thing on my mind, destination and then home.

So today with time to spare after fecthing glasses and before swimmin I thought let me fill up with diesel.  Well after 5 petrol stations and them all being empty of everything I started to panic.

We got to swimming and I must point out that the Beast had just over half a tank which will last me another week but then the boys go back to school and that in itself is alot of extra driving and I won't make it.  While sitting at swimming and finishing the front of Blues I was working out with other petrol stations I have on my way home.

I then stopped at a further 3 stations and nothing.  Now panic is really setting in and I feel like I need a safe room. LOL.  At my local they tell me of a shipment that the one at the end of the road had, so we headed there.  The queue was horrendous, but they assured me that they had enough diesel, so we waited 15min and then the Beast was filled up.

Now I heard on the radio that food shops are running very low as they haven't been able to get their stocks topped up!  So tomorrow is grocery shopping day and we will have to see what I can get, in the meantime everyone in the house has to ration the amount of milk and bread they consume!  Now I know what it must have felt like to be on rations in the war.

Anyway enough about that, now that I feel calmer just by putting it down in words.  I managed to finish the back of the Blues this morning and at swimming get one half of the front done.  The rest of the front done while waiting for supper to be done.

So what happened was I finished Blues while waiting for supper to be done, a very productive 2 hours.  But because today is not FO Friday no pictures, you will have to wait until tomorrow!

See ya!

WIP Wednesday - Week 1

Well hello there!  It's WIP Wednesday and Hump Day!
I'm frantically trying to finish Blues before FO Friday and Update Sunday!  I'm convinced that I should have been further with Blues. 

I loathe sewing up, really no matter how I sew items up I am in a foul mood until its done.  So I have been thinking about doing sleeves in a round.  I already do my back and fronts in a round and then divide it at the armholes.

BUT

That would mean I couldn't do two at a time, unless I learn the magic loop trick.  So please vote on my poll and also let me know if you have any other short cuts that I haven't thought of to get around sewing!

I DID IT!!  I finished the required amount of cm (37) for the body of the Blues!!!!!

Sandton City

This morning saw us off to Sandton City Mall (AGAIN) in search of a few items.  And in true Sandton City style we managed to find all of them.  We are keeping our fingers crossed that the Bank Manager likes his tracksuit for pulling over his gym clothes to keep warm.

Of course we had to make purchases that were not on the list a trip to Sandton City would not be complete without that!

I came away with a copy of The Crochet Collection.  It's not what I really wanted but it will do.  I wanted a new Knitting Book but the Book shops have almost zero or extremely limited books on knitting and crocheting.

We made it home just before lunch and after reading way, way, way too many blogs I knuckled down and cast on for the body of Blues.  Then I worked out how many rounds I need to get to the required 37cm which I thought was 3 rounds per 1cm.  However 10 rounds is 4cm!  So now I am working on that logic as it seems to be working.

I have completed 35 rounds and it's almost 16 cm so need to keep going to get it just over double that.

I have set myself a goal for tonight and that is to have done 20cm.  So off I go.....

Oh dear!

Bank Manager (Hubby) came home from Man Shop (hardware store) yesturday all forlorn and upset.  It didn't have anything he wanted or needed.  So I dragged my sorry bum out of bed, got bathed and dressed and we all piled into the car and went hunting for the items with him.

In our travels as we do, we bought other items,  I have been yearning for a new sewing machine, nothing fancy, just something that will sew the linings for my bags, so I don't have to do it manually.  Also just to do hems on the boys pants.  So I saw a perfect one on sale at one of our department stores, and put it in the trolley, very proud of myself as I'm not broke and I can afford the middle of the range machine.  Bank Manager walks up, takes it out and put's what I call a fancy computerised machine in the trolley and announces he's paying for it!  BONUS!!  Gotta love the Bank Manager he rocks! 

But now I have nothing to sew.

I digress, all the shopping yesterday afternoon meant that I didn't do ANYTHING on the Blues.  When we got home I did a total of 12 rows!  I know how ridiculous is that!  I didn't even get to watch the F1!

Today is going to see some serious knitting which hasn't gotten off to a flying start as I have been checking out of the Year of Projects updates, while doing the laundry and haven't even gotten in the bath yet!

I need to get the chores done and the boys organised (still on holiday) and then sit and knit until swimming, where I know I will sit and knit some more!

I will update this post later before going to sleep with a progress of Blues.

Update:
Today I knitted up a storm and finished the sleeves!  Now to cast on for the body.

A Year of Projects - Week 1

Can you believe I stayed in bed until well after lunch time today!  I think the last time I did that I was in my teens!  So really I didn't do much on my list today!

But I have cast on both sleeves for the Blues and have almost finished the required amount of increases!  So I have progressed.  Blues is going to be a combination of two patterns.  I love the look of the Knits 4 Kids (Striped Pullover) in the Woman's Weekly Knittng and Crochet Autum 2009 but don't like the way it's written, so I am using my trusted Sirdar - Simple Easy Knits pattern for the Design A Round Neck Pullover (This is the most amazing and well used booklet I own and highly recommend it to all knitters)and am modifying it to look like it.  Make sense?

Also the yarn I am using is not condusive to striping so am just making it solid.  I got the yarn at my trusty LYS Arthur Bales, in Linden.  In the last Sale they had and honestly can't remember how much it cost.  It's an acyrlic but that's fantastic for boys and me as it can be washed in the washing machine!  Hayfield Bonus Flash DK.

But have no fears the Silverstone (British) F1 is on this afternoon, which always gets me knitting as fast as they drive around the circuit!  

Can't wait to see all your updates tomorrow!

My List for A Year of Projects

So as normal I'm late in getting this done!  What's new?  The weird thing is I have a real issue with being late and always am early!  I plan everything to the minute and am irritatingly on time.  So why oh why can't I get myself on time when it comes to my blog?

My List for July 2011 - June 2012

1. Blues Jersey 
2. Neutral Jersey
3. Wrap Up Warm Cardigan from Simply Knitting Issue 72 October 2010
4. Cropped Hoodie from Designer Knitting Winter 2008/09
5. Ruby from Yarn Forward Issue 10 March
6. Butler from Yarn Forward Issue 9 February
7. Bramble Jelly from Yarn Forward Issue 19 November
8. Rosebud Jacket from Yarn Forward Issue 32 January
9. Pinking Shears from Yarn Forward Issue 25 June
10. Shona from Yarn Forward Issue 18 October
11. Casual Classic from Simply Knitting Issue 48 December
12. Check Mate from Simply Knitting Issue 53 Spring

So this is the list so far and I know myself many, many more will be added to this as the year goes on.
The First update is due tomorrow and in the meantime I will go to Ravelry and queue all these projects!

FO Friday - Week 1

I did finish this on Friday but very late!  The Green Promise!

Freezing!

First day of school holidays and it was freezing today!  But no rest for the wicked an early doctors appointment booked three months ago saw us getting up early and ready.

I had time while waiting for the boys to work on the body of the Green Promise and managed to get in at least 5 rows before it was my time.  Then a quick stop to get the girls food and some cute collars, then home where I put in extra time on the body.

I measured before we flew out the house again for swimming and have only managed to do 27cm of the required 38cm.  Why does it always look more?  During the 2 hours we had a home I also lined my beautiful African Flower bag, as while we were at the doctor my needles kept wanting to escape through the holes.  So got loads done!

Came home from swimming and while catching up on CSI Miami I knitted.  I am determined to finish the Green Promise by the end of the week!  I am too scared to measure until I have finished the ball that I am busy with.  So tomorrow my goal is to finish the body and then hopefully the back.

Wish me luck!

African Flower Swap

They finally arrived.  And wow they are beautiful!  The African Flower motifs from some really awesome Ravelers!  I LOVE THEM.  The question was what do I do with them to make sure that I see them everyday and use them.

A bag!  A girl can never have too many!

Once I had finished this absolutely beautiful tote I still had 4 left over.  This posed a challenge, what can I do with 4. 
I have been battling to find something to put all my circular needles into.  I made this and am very happy about the outcome.

A huge thank you to all the ladies who made these flowers for me.  And a huge thank you to Stoneybrooke for organising the swap!