Ravellenic Games - Day 4

  

I had a little sick Pudding at home yesterday so we camped out on my bed and watched all the different Olympic sports being aired.

My highlight of course was Chad le Cros in his swimming heats and semi finals.  Today he is in the final and I'm holding thumbs for him.

I managed to do 32 rows yesterday but if I average 28 a day then I won't make it so I need to get a move on and do some serious knitting.


 

 

Ravellenic Games - Day 3

  

This weekend was HECTIC!!  My Ravellenic project went everywhere with me but not much progress was made.  I will have to pull my finger out if I want it to be halfway done by Friday. 

During the opening ceremony I cast on, made a mistake on the first row, frogged it and then cast on again.  But I knew I was far too tired to start again, so I put it down and just watched.

On Saturday in between all the madness I had doubts that I had chosen a project that I could actually finish before the closing ceremony.  But I pushed forward mainly because I didn't have another pattern with me!  Also I have loads of markers so I am now comfortable in the pattern repeat,  which is simple, but also simple to stuff up.

I decided to make Pudding the Zig Zag blanket by Debbie Orr.  I read loads of the notes made by other Ravelry members and decided on a cast on of 244.

As of this morning this is how much I have achieved, I need to put the motor on full throttle.  I have done 46 rows with many many more to come.

2nd Year of Projects - Week 4

After taking an extremely long break from blogging awhile ago, I have really gotten back into it and am loving it.  Yesterday however I wasn't able to blog, well we left home at 08:00 and got back home at 20:30 just in time to watch the swimming at the Olympics.  And I was shattered as soon as the South African's had swum I was in bed and asleep.

We went to Benoni to watch my niece dance, she does Scottish dancing and it was really nice to see them all as they live in Natal.  Boy they have grown up, it astounds me every time I see them, which is not as often as we would like. 

Then it was off to my Daddy who always has a Christmas is July party.  So we had Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings.  It is always good to eat that amount and not feel as sick because of the heat.  As Christmas here in South Africa is slap bang in the middle of Summer.  There was just under 30 of us and it was good.

I have had the feeling all morning while laying in bed, yes it's almost 10:30 and I'm still in bed.  Ha, ha, ha.  Love having kids that can feed themselves in the mornings.  I missed blogging yesterday and this is why you are getting a long winded one today.  Making up for lost time.

This will be my last contribution to YOP until after the Ravellenic Games, so see you then.

Teacher Year End Presents (Middle November 2012)
1. Dream Stripes (30 June - 05 July) FO Friday Post
2. Holden (04 July - 08 July) FO Friday Post
3. Shizuku (09 July - 10 July) FO Friday Post
4. Saroyan (11 July - 13 July) FO Friday Post
5. Amari (14 July - 16 July) FO Friday Post
6. Oaklet (18 July - 21 July) FO Friday Post
7.  Ugly Ripple (23 July -25 July) FO Friday Post
8-21

  

To take part in the fun of the YOP challenge and to see other bloggers lists and progress go the Come Blog-a-long group on Ravelry.

FO Friday - Week 16

TGIF.  But I have woken up with a headache from not sleeping well.  I have taken some paracetamol so hopefully it will go away.

Today is all about getting ready for MASS CAST ON tonight.  That's right the Ravellenic Games finally start tonight!!!  I am so excited.  The downside to having so much time to plan is that I have begun to doubt myself on getting my project finished so I have changed it numerous times and am still not convinced I am going to start the one I have planned.

I finished the Oaklet shawl and am not happy with it, for one reason the yarn doesn't show the lace edge.  I loved the pattern and it was so easy to complete and I will definitely make another in a less busy yarn.

I also finished the ugliest scarf ever just so I could get that yarn finished and done with.  Hooray all destashed.

  

Thank you for all the lovely comments that you leave, I love reading them all.  For more amazing FO Friday's pop over to Tami's Ami Blog.



End of Year Presents Thursday Update - Week 5

Total to be made: 27
Total made to date: 14
Total still to be completed: 13
Total gifted: 1

Total to make:
Lady Teachers: 15
Men Teachers: 10

I have made:
Lady Teachers: 12
Men Teachers: 3 (1 gifted)

I have completed two more LADY presents.  But good news is that after the Ravellenic Games my stash looks more masculine.

I won't be doing any more End of Year  presents until after the Ravellenic Games, and if truth be told I'm a little bummed.  I have considered changing my Ravellenic challenge from a blanket to more shawls, but with only three left to make for the Ladies I'm a bit hesitant as they are so awesome to work on.  There is something special a Cbout knitting a shawl.

ONE MORE DAY UNTIL THE RAVELLENIC GAMES START.  Can you tell I'm super excited it's finally here.

From Saturday I will not be doing my normal postings but updates on my challenge project which yes I have changed from the Tetris blanket to another project.  Come back on Saturday to see the first instalment.

I am off to meet a builder at the other house to enclose the patio.  It's coming along very nicely.

WIP Wednesday - Week 15

I have yarn in my stash that I bought for a specific project.  For some reason that project didn't happen.  Now that I am only using stash to make any project I am faced with a dilemma some of my stash doesn't inspire me.  Take this fiesta yarn, I have finished the Oaklet Shawl and am very disappointed with it.  But that's a story for FO Friday. 

I found myself with just under 200g left of this yarn and I was determined to get it out of my stash.  I cast on about five projects with it and wasn't happy with any of them.  The my friend asked me to teach her how to do the neat ripple blanket by Lucy at Attic24 so I thought I had better brush up on my ripple skills cause it's been awhile since I have done it.  So that is what this yarn has now become.  A ripple scarf.  I am not happy with it, but that's the yarn's fault. I know it's because of the colours more than anything else, they are not my colours.

    

I have done 8 rows and will see how much yarn I have left after 10 rows to see if I carry on or stop.

So go to Tami's Amis blog to see what other people are doing before the Ravellenic Games start in 2 DAYS TIME.

One a Day Project - Tuesday's Tallies Week 5

The weather man lied!  The sun is definitely not out today its overcast and cold.  Well I suppose he can't get it right everyday.  But thank you to the weather it's the perfect day to sit and knit my Super Wonder blanket.  I have to agree with everyone its addictive.

  

I am still loving my stripes and am sewing in the ends at the end of each day.  Rows and rows of garter stitch is such a pleasure to work on.

Today I am going to my Best Friend and am going to teach her the ripple blanket but this baby is coming with me as it's the perfect project to sit and knit while we chat.

Off you go to Gingerbread Girls blog to see more Tuesday Tallies.

Plan the Weeek - Week 5

This week is week 30 with the dates being 23 July - 29 July 2012

7 Day Forecast

Monday          3°C - 18°C

Tuesday          4°C - 16°C

Wednesday     4°C - 17°C

Thursday         4°C - 17°C

Friday              4°C - 17°C

Saturday          3°C - 16°C

Sunday            4°C - 15°C

We have our last OT hopefully forever on Friday!  We are all so excited, not only that Pudding has done so well that he can do without the additional help but also the extra money that we will have to put towards the other house.

The Ravellenic Games finally start on Friday!!  Hooray, it feels like forever that I have been planning for these.  I am still nervous about my choice in project but I am going ahead with it.  There might be some late night furious knitting taking place here to get it done by the end.  But that's all part of it, right, pushing yourself to the limit.

I am also going to destash 150g of yarn this week.  I am not going to cast on anything else after that as I don't want to a WIP lying around while I am busy with the games in case I prefer that project.  I am still busy with my Super Wonder Blanket that this week I want to do more than 2 rows a day on so that it grows during the games as well.

So that paragraph probably makes no sense to any of you but does to me.

Have a superb week! 

2nd Year of Projects - Week 3

I am loving stash busting and knowing that at the end of the school year I won't have a mad rush to buy teachers presents and land up spending way more than I wanted to.  I am sure I will get one more done this week before the Ravellenic Games start on Friday and hopefully another 200g stash busted.

Teacher Year End Presents (Middle November 2012)
1. Dream Stripes (30 June - 05 July) FO Friday Post
2. Holden (04 July - 08 July) FO Friday Post
3. Shizuku (09 July - 10 July) FO Friday Post
4. Saroyan (11 July - 13 July)  FO Friday Post
5. Amari (14 July - 16 July) FO Friday Post
6. Oaklet (18 July - 21 July)
7 - 21

    

  

Now that you have seen my progress, go to the Ravelry Group Come Blog Along and see how the rest of the crafters are getting along with their YOP2 lists.



Stash Down Saturday - Week 5

After completing the Amari Shawl, I had loads of small amounts of the stash down yarn I had chosen.  They were not really inspiring me to make anything, not even a baby hat for charity.  I put them into a bag and sent them to school with Pudding to give to his art teacher.  She was over the moon. 

Now I want to give myself something to do while I was waiting for the Ravellenic Games to start but I didn't want to over commit myself and then have a WIP sitting around.  I have already chosen the next 350g of stash and have started to knit the Oaklet shawl with it.  I admit defeat to this yarn, I love it knitted.  I have made crochet items with it and really didn't like the way it pooled, but it really works knitted. (well for me that is)

So here is my container this week (less 150g of 'fiesta' yarn)

Here is what I have chosen to stash down this week as we head into the final days before the Ravellenic games where I will put this container on hold to make a dent in another container.

Here is the Oaklet Shawl at the point where I am just about to start the lace so that means the stocking stitch section is complete.

Total to be stash down week ending 28 July 2012: 350g

Total stash downed week ending 21 July 2012: 1250g

Come back next week Saturday to see what I will be stash busting!

FO Friday - Week 15

HOORAY its FRIDAY!!  After what has felt like a very long first week back at school, we are all looking forward to this weekend.  We are going to be doing things at the other house, but it's alright, no getting up when its still dark!

The first FO I have for you is my Saroyan scarf, which I ran out of yarn for and had to go stash diving at my friend to complete.  It definitely needs blocking but  again it will have to wait.

The second FO is the Amari Shawl, now I'm not very happy with this as I was stash busting and ran out of yarn so the lace is not as wide as I would have liked.

   

I am still busy with the Oaklet shawl and haven't made didn't do much yesterday, karma wasn't kind and I had a day from well hell and by the time I could get to knitting all I really wanted to do was climb into bed and sleep, so I did.  But have no fear I will knuckle down today and make up for it.

You know that you want to go and see the other FO's that are linked to Tami's Amis blog.  Off you go.

End of Year Presents Thursday Update - Week 4

Total to be made: 27
Total made to date: 12
Total still to be completed: 15
Total gifted: 1

I have finished two more since last week and have an Oaklet on my needles at the moment.  It seems to be flying off, not sure if that is a good thing or a bad omen as I have yet to tackle the lace edge.

I thought I would take stock this week and make sure that I am on track with the amount of presents I have to make.  What I mean is I think I need a tally of Ladies presents and Men's presents.  I have been happily knitting Ladies presents and suddenly realised last night that I haven't checked to see how many I have made.

Total to make:
Lady Teachers:  15
Men Teachers:  10

I have made:
Lady Teachers:  10
Men Teachers:  3 (1 gifted)

Oops I need to get my needles clicking on some more Men Teacher gifts.  My biggest problem is my stash is not exactly geared to males.  As the males in my family are not really keen on knitted wear.  But I will sort it out and see what I can scrounge together.

On Sunday I need to check my original Year of Projects list and make sure none of the other projects I have put on it are due soon or I could be in for some late night fast speed knitting.

WIP Wednesday - Week 14

I wasn't going to start anything new and this is why my post is later than normal today.  I was going to work only on my Super Wonder Stash blanket that is my One A Day project but as we still have 9 more days until the Ravellenic Games start, I thought what the heck I can squeeze in at least one more shawl before then.

So here it is, the small start of an Oaklet Shawl.

So go to Tami's Amis blog to see what other people are doing before the Ravellenic Games start.

One a Day Project - Tuesday's Tallies Week 4

The squares blanket that I have been doing for my one a day project has been frogged, I really didn't like it.

I have started a Wonder Stash Blanket and joined the Project: Stash KAL group.

The pattern says cast on 170 stitches but because I am never happy with the size of blankets that I make I cast on 300.

I am going to be striping my blanket as I can also not handle random stripes as the pattern suggests.  So every day I will be knitting between 2 rows and 4 rows just depends on where in the striping pattern I am.

  

Off you go to Gingerbread Girls blog to see more Tuesday Tallies.