Tag Archives: naknitmo

An Update

I haven’t forgotten this blog, I’ve just had very little time. However now I have lots of things I want to write about so I’m hoping that I’ll be able to keep up with this a bit more!

I only have one main finished project, and that’s the cardigan from NaKnitMo. I love it, it’s warm and cosy and I’ve basically been using it as a coat. The pattern is Velvet Morning and I used Wendy Traditional Aran (which I believe is British). Sorry about the bad picture quality.

Velvet Morning Cardigan

I didn’t knit much in December, just started a pair of thick socks from the leftovers of my cardigan. I’ve almost finished them now, and once I have it’s time to get back into proper knitting again.

In December, Nick from UdellGames and I got engaged. I’m planning to knit a shawl for me, and shawls for my bridesmaids. The pattern I picked for my shawl is Sheherazadeshetla and I’m using Jamieson & Smith’s Shetland Supreme 1ply, which has 1600m per 100g. It’s really thin, but the small bit I’ve knitted so far is coming out really well. It was important to me to use British wool, and I wanted a natural but pure white, and this was the closest I could find.

Finally, as a birthday present for me, and an engagement present for the both of us, Nick and I bought a Kenwood Chef Titanium. So far we’ve made ice cream, short crust pastry, soda bread and some bread using ground almonds instead of flour, and have been impressed by it all. We only got it on Tuesday. Now that I’m used to it, I plan on making up some of my own recipes, so look out for them in the future.

In 2015 I have some big plans. Not only am I knitting my wedding shawl and bridesmaids’ shawls, I’m also going to try and knit a pair of socks per month (I managed 11 1/2 pairs of socks last year!), plus I want to knit at least one cardigan, a scarf/shawl or two for me and probably various other small things. I’m also going to finish sewing my big fancy project bag, and learn how to sew clothes properly. That should give me plenty of material to post at least once a week for the foreseeable future. Oh, and we also plan on getting a dog, as soon as we can find one that’s suitable.

In December my working hours got doubled. This has made me value my free time a bit more though so I’m actually managing to get more done than before.

So, that’s the plan, let’s see if I can actually stick to it this time!

NaKnitMo

It’s that time of year again. While lots of people are taking part in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, where they try to write 50,000 words), some of us over on Ravelry are taking part in NaKnitMo (National Knitting Month) We set our own goals (usually 30,000 stitches or more). This year my goal is 30,000 (although I managed about 75,000 last year, but I have a job now…) although I’ll probably end up knitting more, as my secondary goal is to knit this. The yarn is on its way and I’m hoping that it’ll arrive today, but if not on Monday when I’m actually here to receive it.

Since my last post I’ve knitted a lot. I shall update with that soon, when the final scarf has finished blocking. I’m also testing a pattern I’ve designed, and starting two others.

In non-knitting news I’ve managed to create the perfect recipe for the base of gravy and soups, have made quince jelly, picked a LOT of blackberries and bought lots of bulbs to plant in the garden when I get round to it. I also got a job as well as my web design stuff.

In amongst all that, I shall attempt to get, and keep, everything up to date around here.

 

Work in Progress Wednesday 27th Oct

I’ve done lots of knitting this week so plenty to show for Work in Progress Wednesday as I’ve been watching Desert Bus, and also working on NaKnitMo. As of yesterday I’ve knitted 69,300 stitches so I’m definitely on goal to hit my 70,000 target, probably by the end of today!

This week I finished Nick’s Split Reed socks. They aren’t quite as matching as I was hoping for, but they’re close, and he’s happy which is the main thing.Split Reed

I’ve also reached the shaping on my Thermal. It feels so warm while I’m knitting it so I can’t wait to wear it.Thermal

And I’ve started another pair of socks. I wanted to start my gloves, but I realised I don’t have DPNs in the right size and magic loop would annoy me on the fingers. So more socks. This time for me. I’m trying Mirrored Fair Isle again, but with a completely different construction. I’m doing them toe up so I can try on as I go, and I’m also changing the heel to try out the Fish Lips Kiss Heel. I’ll do a review about that when I’ve used it, but so far even the rest of the information in the pattern is incredibly useful.Mirrored Fair Isle

I haven’t done any more on my crochet blanket because I can’t work out how to put it together. I’ve tried several methods. Each square is meant to be the same size, but I think I messed up my tension or something so they aren’t. I may have to re-crochet some to make them fit better.

To see more Work in Progress Wednesday posts, visit Tami’s Amis.

Work in Progress Wednesday 20th Oct

This week I’ve been working on three things.

Nick’s Split Reed socks have grown and I’m working on the heel of the second one. It’s slow going as I’m doing it to try and mirror the spiral so am purling it rather than knitting it so the spiral goes the other way.Split Reed

I’ve also been working on Thermal, which is growing, if slowly. I’m almost finished with the main part of the body so I’m hoping it’ll look a bit more interesting next week.

Thermal

Finally, is something you haven’t yet seen. A couple of years ago I started crocheting granny squares. This week I’ve finished off the last few and am working on joining them together to make a blanket. They’re all slightly different sizes which is making it awkward, and I’m not sure on any of the methods I’ve used to join them yet.Granny Squares

I was going to put a different shade of blue in between each square to make it bigger, but that’s not working so I may just have to crochet around the outside a lot.

NaKnitMo is still going well. I’m on 47,604 stitches so far. I haven’t decided what to up my goal to, but I’m pretty sure I’ll reach 50,000 by the end of today, or maybe tomorrow.

Also, I shall mention that I’ve been watching Desert Bus for Hope since Saturday. A group of people play the most boring game in existence to raise money for the Child’s Play charity. They also have lots of hand made things up for auction so go and take a look.

To see more Work in Progress Wednesday posts, visit Tami’s Amis.

Work In Progress Wednesday 13th Nov

I’ve only been working on two things this week. Nick’s Split Reed socks:Work In Progress Wednesday

And Thermal, which I won’t post yet another picture of as it’s not really grown much since last week.

As the first sock came out with a kind of spiral going down it, I’m knitting the second sock in the right way (purling) rather than inside out, which is how I usually knit in the round (as explained below). I had to unpick quite a few rows as I got the tension wrong, but I think I’m on track now.

I did find out this week that the way I knit in the round is ‘wrong’. I knit inside out, with the work close to me and the needles I’m working with furthest away. I know it’s considered wrong, but it’s how I do it, and I haven’t had a problem yet.

NaKnitMo is going well. I’ve upped my goal to 50,000 stitches, of which, as of yesterday, I have completed 29,296. I’m considering upping my goal again to 75,000 but that depends on how well the next few days go as I’ve haven’t done so much in the last few days.

To see more Work in Progress Wednesday posts, visit Tami’s Amis.

Work in Progress Wednesday 6th Nov

I’ve got two things to show you this Work in Progress Wednesday. They’re both knitting, as per usual.

The first is a pair of socks for Nick. They are Split Reed from Think Outside the Sox. They’re coming on fairly well, although I’m knitting then with 4ply rather than DK as written. I’m using King Cole Zig Zag (as usual) in the Granite colourway.

Split Reed Socks

The second is Thermal. It’s slow going, but it’s getting there as you can see when you compare it to last week.Thermal

This month is NaKnitMo (National Knitting Month, inspired by National Novel Writing Month). My goal was 40,000 stitches, but having done 13,298 stitches already, I’m seriously considering raising the limit.

Work in Progress Wednesday at Tami’s Amis