May? Already?

I hadn't realised how badly out of date this was... The vast amount of sewing got in the way.

So all 3 small frocks finished, 2 out of 3 dressing gowns finished, 1 large frock finished, an apron and a gollar also done.


Still on the sewing to do list - 1 dressing gown, 1 winter work skirt, 1 summer top, more frocks etc...

The socks have been moving along, as they are small and portable, up to turning the heel on the second sock. I don't really like the heel structure in this pattern and I think I'll go back to the old version for any new sock projects.

The cotton summer top didn't get finished for summer, the green throw rug has recently been dragged out again for warm knitting in front of the TV and a small amount has been added to the length of the purple scarf. Some of the ongoing projects must be finished before I start anything new - though I really would like to start another beret.

The making of stuff...

The small dressing gown is finished, 2 to go...
Two small frocks are up to the banding around the hem (though some handsewing to finish will be required).
At least 4 small and 2 large chemises need to be made - they will be on the to-do list for a bit.
Another small frock is cut out and needs to be finished.
And the large frock plans need to be sorted, as well as some shirts & trews.

One summer top for work is done, the knitting is progressing very slowly and some small portable projects need to be started so there is less excuse for sitting idle in front of the TV. There are so many things that are just plans in my head which need to end up on the needles or on the machine, not to mention the languishing unfinished bits & pieces.

So off to do some more...

Jacaranda Bramble Beret Finished!

I finished the longer length jaracaranda bramble beret tonight, I'll block it tomorrow. It looks like it will be pretty cute. Now I need to find another portable project - maybe some more socks or back to the garter stitch scarf?

The front of the chaise top is finished, onto the back. I'm hoping I have enough yarn to finish it - I have a plan B, but loathe frogging back & picking up stitches.

Everything else is still on the to-do list with a few more bits added for good measure.

A couple of berets later...

I did get distracted again. The Brambles Beret from Knitty Fall 2010 was just too cute to go by. A couple of balls of inherited stash later and hey presto! A cute beret for me. And another one on the needles in the leftover jacaranda Biggan yarn. It's nice to have a smaller, more portable project to lug about - and stash being used up instead of more purchased - even better!

The summer top is coming along. The front is finished and the armhole decreases on the back are done. Hopefully only a week or three more before it's done.

3 frocks cut out, 1 bodice and 1 skirt sewn - now both need handwork before stitching them together. Definitely need some gold brocade as contrast for the purple frock, the pink will have black velveteen - just need to find enough in the stash (there'll be enough in there somewhere). One dressing gown all done bar the hand sewing, another cut out.

In my procrastination about what I was going to make with the Desert Aran cotton, I failed to notice until last week that there is a lovely lace jumper in the Jo Sharp book using that yarn. I had it in my head that it used the lighter weight yarn, nooooo - but lo and behold - the answer to what to knit as a navy jumper!

So I have a stack of stuff to keep me going for a bit...

Round and round we go...

So the jeans were mended, the blah, blah secret plan finished and a new project started (and yes there are a whole bunch of wips that still need finishing... back onto the black cloud list for them...).

The new project is a top for me. In dark red cotton from stash, I'm hoping I have enough - it's a sleeveless top, I should just make it, though the back up plan is leaving out the ribbing around the armholes (though I might do this anyway and just crochet the edge) and using 1 strand for the ruffle (I'm working the top with 2 strands to get the feel & tension correct).

It's the Chaise top from Jo Sharp's Summer holiday book and I'm knitting it in the round to avoid seaming up to the armholes. There are only 2 disadvantages to that:
1. working the new thread in is a cow, especially as the cotton seems to have a number of knots in it
2. You start off with 228 stitches, and though it decreases a bit, it still takes quite a bit of time to make it around 1 round of stitches. I probably should have used the 80cm long circular needle rather than the 60cm one too.

It's coming along though, fingers crossed it gets finished in time for summer!

So knitting still to finish:
purple garter stitch scarf
green throw rug
cotton jumper
sew up mittens

Sewing still to finish:
Blue & white cotton top
Teal shirt
Quilt

Stuff not yet started:
another work skirt for me
SCA frocks

I'm sure that there is more on the list... I can't remember - I'll have to add it in later.

Spring knitting

Socks finished and given away - see photo for completed pair.

The book week costume was sorted on time, still need to make dancing skirts, did more of the blah blah secret plan knitting which is now way overdue. The rug has a few more rows completed and I think it's time to start on the next pair of socks. Really should get some mending done this week as well... Then need to get my head around SCA sewing.

Snug as a bug

knitting a rug. Sock still needs turning, the mending pile is becoming ridiculous and a book week costume needs details finalised...

I may not purchase any more stash until significant usage of current stocks has occurred. Need to think about further projects for when I'm not happy to knit under a rug of an evening.

More woolly socks

Well the last pair was finished, and nabbed to wear almost hot off the needles! And the next pair has one sock finished and the other up to turning the heel. The Jitterbug yarn is nicer to work with than the Noir and just seems to have more elasticity. The Noir is much more affordable though... I also love the wooden needles - even easier to work with than the bamboo.

My knitting in the round has definitely improved - no more ugly ladders, seem to have the knack of it now. The socks have been progressing as they are so much easier to transport about. The rug is simply huge, but I may get back to it after this pair of socks simply to get it off the to-do list.

Everything else has been on hold for a while....

Almost a pair o'socks

Second heel turned, on the straight run to the end... shouldn't take too long, but I've only really got the occasional evening for a while now.

In other news I may have accidentally wandered into Spotlight when they had 50% off all their wool. It truly was an accident, if I'd known, there was no way I would have actually managed to organise myself to get there during the appropriate time period. More stash was purchased, but really, truly I was restrained - some sock wool, baby wool for knitting pressies and that's it!

Desperately need to clean up the mess in my room in order to get to the sewing table... and re-think some of the storage so that more of the stuff is easier to access.

Rug knitting

It's been so cold I've been knitting the green throw rug, more for warmth than anything else... It's probably about half-way through now and it does knit up quickly. Everything else is still on the to-do list. I finished the purple Italian frock & the green German. Have done no other SCA sewing and just boring mending & so on when necessary.

And yet more sewing...

The small Ital ren is looking very cute, just need to finish the bodice(1 seam & bodice edge), cartridge pleat the skirt & hem.

The boy german outfit has a skirt which needs cartridge pleating and the top that needs sewing. But it's all cut out & ready to go, skirt is together even...

I have a new italian bodice pattern (thanks to Mz S) which I haven't moved much further on at this stage. The other bits are a higher priority at the moment. So will I get a new frock or am I going to run out of time?

The sewing plans...

All the sewing did get done in time, including a few extra bits. Now, of course, I have come home all inspired and want to do more. So in between housework & grocery shopping I catalogued the fabric stash. It definitely needs using! And that way I get more storage space (theoretically). So the current plan for the rest of April and early May is another small Ital ren frock in velveteen, with bits & bobs to match, one boy German slashed & puffed outfit and something for me (as yet undecided).

Then the knitting can take over again. Having said that, I did get one side front of the blah, blah secret knitting plan finished while waiting for the car to be fixed, and have finished one ball of wool in the purple garter stitch scarf. I have even done some work on one of my ancient cross stitch UFOs....

Still a stack of things on the to do list - though the mending is up to date now!

Progressing slowly

but need to speed up. The green Ital ren is mostly together, just need to cartridge pleat the skirt and attach it to the bodice, do the final handsewing on the bodice and hem it.

My German ren is as finished as it is going to get for now. Sleeves are for later...

Still need another small chemise cut & sewn, though that shouldn't take too long.

So not really any time for knitting lately...

Sewing update

One of the German Ren frocks has most of the dress decoration done - a bit of handsewing to go. Still need to sort out the sleeves though. Still haven't found where I was up to with the hat. Nothing done on other frock.
Green Ital Ren brocade not yet started... this is slightly worrying - maybe next weekend.
Chemise and other bits & pieces still not yet on agenda.
Not much knitting done either...
hmmm

Will finish at least the frock that is mostly decorated - arbitrary deadline next Sat night.

Picking up where I left off...

So I didn't quite manage to sew up the mittens before stuffing the knitting back into the cupboard. I found them again when rediscovering where I was up to on a number of projects.

The green blankie: not happy with the pattern, frogged it back to the basketweave edge, continuing (slowly) in garter stitch when brain not capable of more complex projects.

The purple scarf: the only thing that remained on the go in the few brief moments or occasional evening's knitting in the last 4 months. Nearly finished one ball of wool, I like the subtle colour variation in this one.

The cotton charity jumper: sewed the shoulder seams in preparation for the pick-up around the neck. Need to have brain in gear for that one.

Mittens (various): need sewing up or finishing off in some way...

On the sewing front - finally finished the gold neck trim for the scarlet silk SCA tunic and made a sundress (just need to figure out a neck closure, currently leaning towards hook and eye or fake buttons & hem).

There are plenty of sewing plans afoot, but the next big knitting project hasn't leapt out at me yet.

Must... put... needles... away....

Really. Too much other stuff is now on the go. I'll have to pick up where I left off in about Nov...

Have managed another pair of little mittens - must sew them up before it all goes back to the cupboard.

Heel turned on 2nd sock

So it looks like I might even have a pair before the end of winter... That would be nice, but it needs to happen in the next week or so or it's not going to happen til Xmas.

There has been some sewing of costumes & a knitting bag, but that's about all...

One toasty warm sock

Just finished the first bedsock tonight! The fit is just right (having tried on the half made sock last night to check how long it needed to be). The Dutch/German heel turn is fine for wearing-round-the-house socks or bedsocks, but might not be so comfy for wear in shoes. The yarn is lovely and looks beautiful knitted up - it's nice to work with as well. Photos to follow.

I even managed to untangle the skein and roll the rest of it in a ball - and then did the same to the other skein before I started knitting with it. Given that the cuff of the sock isn't that long, I'll be able to get fingerless gloves out of the remnants of the 2 skeins. I'll cast on the next sock tomorrow.

Needless to say that no other projects have really had a look in over the last few days...

bedsocks for me

Have cast on bedsocks with the lovely sock wool purchased at the craft show last weekend. The pinks and purples combine beautifully and the wool is lovely to work with. Once again I'm vaguely following the pattern purchased previously and making up the rest as I go along.

I've finished the sleeves of the cotton charity jumper - now there needs to be some sewing up, the collar knitted and then more sewing up and it's done.

Still need to get a plan together for a wrap/cardi/jumper for me. I have found a great pattern - but don't really have the right kind of wool for it, so I might need to make something to use up some of the ever expanding stash. I slipped again this weekend and bought some purply-green tweedy type yarn for an earflap beanie with plaits.

And really I need to pull apart the throw blanket and start again in plain garter stitch....

Moving forwards

• Jigsaw socks finished last night!


• Craft fair attended & more stash purchased - yummy sock wool & some lovely knit picks dpns


• Front of charity jumper finished tonight

Must finish the mittens on the needles and the jacaranda baby jacket before I start anything else!