New Year Confession

It would seem I'm addicted top starting things at the moment. I haven't finished a project - like properly finished - in a very long time. There are some many of them, I've categorised them. So, my knitting resolution for the week: I Will Finish One Of These Things For FO Friday.

1. Going along nicely

My heart scarf is going along OK. It is large wool which is easy and satisfying, so this is the first piece and I'm three out of eleven repeats into the second. Then they just need grafting together. However, I would like some matching gloves that I cannot find a pattern for, so I'm going to desgin it - scary! But there is a first time for everything. And at least I have the wool:

2. Stopped due to lack of brainpower

First, my Spring Ishbel. It went up to Edinburgh, and I really enjoyed it all the way there and all the way back. But, when I got home, I'd started the lace pattern and the concentration and long rows do not fit very well with my knitting at home (do little bits between tidying / eating, while watching TV or listening to the radio). So this shall be deemed my Journey Project.

Then there is a Christmas card that didn't get finished. It's perfectly lovely, but I need some good light to tell the shades of brown apart and brainpower to put a branch in the right place, relative to the robin. So, this shall I shall finish in my lunchbreaks this week.

3. Stopped because it went wrong

I'm making myself some properly warm flip-top mitts, because Yorkshire is cold and so are my fingers. Especially when I start walking to work. But as I'm walking, my fingers warm up and so I pull off my gloves. Then they get cold, so I dig them out of my handbag and put them on again. And then the whole sorry saga starts again. And this is especially sad because this is the reason I started knitting, really. Someone got me some for Christmas some years back, and I loved them and wore them until they were mostly holes. I hoped someone would buy me some for the upcoming Christmas, but no-one did (despite hints). So, I went to my high street to get some for myself, and then I understood why no-one had taken the hint: Prohibitive Cost. But then I thought surely I can make some for myself for less than that!! Hence, I learned to knit. And I started them, and made the mitts bit. The flap I made was too small though, and while this is not the end of the world, the mitts do work at keeping my hands warm almost well enough that I can't be faffed making the flaps. I just need to bite the bullet.

And then there is the long-hibernating dalek. I have tried and failed to make the appendages several times, to no avail. And also, I have something that looks a lot like a dalek anyway. I need to bite this bullet too, but I might do it at a knitting night, since I can't run away from it there!!

4. Stopped due to lack of resources / knowledge

I have finished knitting the cranberry bolero, but it needs blocking. I have only ever blocked hats. There is a blocking party on this afternoon though, so I can use the skills of the excellet Steph.

Cross stitch kits I'm going to turn into cards, but I left my card-making stuff at my Mum's.

A kit I got for Christmas and am determined to finish (unlike so many of these things I've had in the past), but I cannot find my white thread. The shop awaits.

And then worst of all, I really need to do things about two birthdays. And not ones I can wriggle out of: my Mum and my housemate. I have the stuff for the projects (socks and mitts, respectively), except some of it is at my Mum's house (awkward when it's for her present!!) and I need to print off the patterns. And, should I really start anything new this week? I'll need to make a list of 'Current Knitting Projects' as well as that list of Future Knitting Projects in my head. I'd best not think about that too much though!!

Hope you've been enjoying your FOs!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Dear Reader, it has been too long! Since I last spoke there has been mug painting at Create, Ilkley where I made a bowl. Photos have sadly gone AWOL, promise to tell you when I find them... I do have a nice photo of Ilkley though.

And then there was the snow.

I make that 7 inches of snow, which meant that I worked from home for a day. I hope a messy desk is the sign of a productive day!

I do also have a bit of a project update too; I've made another Gehry because I love it, so easy! Here it is in an early stage, now efficiently given away so can't put any photos up just in case!

Then there are the Cafe au Lait in hyacinth as I call it; I have decided that they are too big which is handy as I've run out of wool, so they're being ripped back and I might use the wool to turn my mind to a bit of pattern design when I finally stop for Christmas!! I love the existing pattern though, I have plans for it *cackle*

There is the ever-present bolero, hopefully to be done by Christmas - I think graduation on Thursday is vastly optimistic! - but I do have enough to cover both my breasts...

... and the bottom half of my shoulder blades!

I have a cheeky FO too - nothing special, just a garter stitch cowl and headband (the latter just because I had wool left, not actually worn it yet!)

And then there is my inbox, particularly poorly lit:

I should really stop adding photos to this, hope everyone's internets are still in one piece. In other news, work is going well though I am somewhat not really trying, Christmas prep is sending everything a little too close to chaos but it is all fun really. There are cards and presents and food but I'm obviously not showing any of that!! I do sadly have a sore back so I'm spending the evening hugging a hot water bottle.... mmmmm.... and tea....

Harrogate Knitting and Stitching Fair

Oh my gosh, it has been a long time since I wrote this! Things at work have been picking up pace, things at home are still a little mad, but all has ceased this weekend. For today, I am ill. And it may be just a cold with some not fun achy aspects, the snow is just the prefect excuse to stay in.

There is much news on the crafty front. On Friday, I played hookey from work and went to Harrogate Knitting and Stitching Fair, with the lovely Steph. There was so much I wanted, but I miraculously kept to budget and got some lovely things in the process.

1. Some little cross-stitch kits, because cross-stitching got me into craft, they are quick and easy, and I am a sucker for cute little things.

2. Zauberball, in the colours admired by my former housemate. Will almost certainly become an Ishbel for her birthday in March. I'm really looking forward to it, but I feared making my first shawl for someone else. Hence....

3. Lang Jawoll Magic Superwash in green, which I saw and thought 'Simple City'; though the pattern was intended for a Zauberball, I've been wanting to do it for ages but thinking the colours can go a little dark and rainbow is a little mad for me. So I might do it with this, or I might go to my LYS and think about getting another Zauberball for it. While still in this quandry, I encountered...


4. Artisan Yarns, while their website is lacking stock at the moment, had a lovely stall full of sock yarn, including the fab lavendar's dilly. The winter light coming through my window doesn't really do it justice. I told myself, 'I'll make a practice Ishbel for myself, before cracking on with the one for March...'. Total Deviation From The Plan. But then, we went downstairs...

5. A full-length needle roll, just like I'd been dreaming about all these months! I feel so sorry for my poor well-loved straight needles, wrapped in elastic bands and shoved in a carrier bag, in the depths of my knitting bag. Now they have a lovely new home!! The shop can be found here, and all the fabrics make me drool a little...

So none too shabby! Also, this was the weekend of the mug-painting trip to Create in Ilkley, and of course I should tell you what's actually on my needles, but I will save those for another day!

Roll up for the magical mystery tour...

So, this post may be a little late. It has been a horrifically busy week, if a little Piglety (Lots of 'so much to do, so little time!' and 'I'm late! I'm late!'). I have managed to take some halfway decent knitting photos, though depressingly mainly at work. A couple of presents I will put on soon enough, but a proper photo of Gherty,

some mittlets for my Mum, using a pattern I made for myself:

some mittlets for me which may turn into flip-top mitts as the weather gets colder

So far, so normal. Generally a blue phase I'll admit, and this made me think: perhaps in a little more than knitting? However, languishing in such things is not allowed, so I decided to turn the corner, took hold of my knitting needles and dove headfirst into a pile of yarn:

to make my very first garment - a bolero from Let's Knit - September called Falling Leaves. Not got hugely far but given that I only decided to make it on Wednesday I thought it wasn't too bad. I love the colour too, it's just what I need to get me out of my funk. I may have made a couple of bits for a friend with the same yarn, and fallen for it! My shoddy lighting does not do it justice:

And what brought about the Carpe Diem moment? The final turn in the road: my exciting acquisition from my Auntie Maggie, formerly owned by my Auntie Min, and very much beloved by all my [female] relatives.

And boy, do I not know what I'm doing with it! However, it is lovingly set up on [the surface formerly known as] my desk, and I keep taking the lid off for peaks. I can almost hear it aching to be used, but it's so pretty and has so much history that at the moment, I am happy just to look at it.

I remember when I lost my mind...

Things have been a little quiet on the blogging front, haven't they? I've been hard trying to turn my life into organised chaos (rather than the standard chaos it's in at the moment), and after a philosophical evening (possibly induced by red wine...) decided that life = chaos, and I should stop. In theory. I may have pulled a loooong day at work today, but it's so I can leave early tomorrow. And I mean early - girly lunch and a maintee at the theatre :)

I think I did go a bit bonkers last month, so thanks for reading the Blog of a Crazy Lady, things much better now. I am my own in charge of my work, not the other way around. I'm managing to have a social life (and meet lovely new people, too!). I've got a housemate. I've got an income. Life is good.

The only problem now is: There's No Knitting! Seriously, I have made one pair of gloves in the last month. And they're a present so no photos yet. So the knitting plan is being formulated, now. Things on it include:

• Interesting crimson and mustard mittlets, to match the mustard hat of some months ago. Sadly not enough of the mustard, cannot get hold of more. Fortunately helped out by Chantel and Steph in Ilkley.
• Finishing off my uber-warm wrist warmers - knitted but not lined.
• Coming up with something to knit for the boyf that's not a scarf, hat or gloves.
• Coming up with something to knit my boy housemate.
• Ishbel for my former housemate.
• Simple City for me.
• The dalek, which has totally ground to a halt lately.

I think it's in that order too. Awesome, there is a plan! Now to crack on with it - bring me my needles!!

PS. Well, indulge me: just one photo of the Brilliant Barcelona Break. Loved it, everyone should go. Especially in September for a week of lovely warm weather and beautiful blue sky.

Turn and Face the Strain

It would seem I have been dealing with thesis/ presentation/ living arrangement/ money stress by knitting rather a lot. I've made several presents which are not on here because you never know who may find this, but here are the best bits of what I've made for me.

So my favourite projects that I've finished lately are my Gehry hat, made with Sirdar Escape Chunky, bought for me by my lovely former housemate. I adapted the pattern a bit, as I have a small head but like floppy hats, so instead of doing the initial rib in 5.5mm and the rest in 6.5mm, I swapped to 5mm and 7mm. And I think it turned out rather well (though it was mainly the lovely lovely yarn!), and it's really easy, only took me a weekend (when I was also writing that presentation).

I've also done my matching-ish wavy mits - the pattern was also free on Ravelry, and it's called Hands of Blue. I used Sirdar Snuggly DK as I'm having a phase of eczema between my fingers :( It was a bit of a mission but I'm really pleased with the result. I have a great need for such things, as I spend a lot of my days sitting at a computer at work and I find my hands get a little chilly, and at home of an evening I'm usually on the computer of knitting, which have the same problems. I've done a few similar things but these were a challenge for me so I'm a little bit proud of myself.

And now for the one you've all been waiting for....

(Apologies for the desk mess, this was taken very near the end of the Masters...)

I've been having a break from it as I was on a bit of a mission with it, but had another session this week. I need to do the appendages, stuff it and do the base, but I'm getting into all sorts of mess doing the i-cord for the `eye', so I'm hoping for some help soon :S

I'll probably blog about presents soon, there are a spate of birthdays coming up including some of my little cousins so hopefully I can take photos then (I feel a bit weird wearing other people's presents, even if it is just for a photo). And the next project? Glittens! For me - because I'm designing the pattern myself and my friend wants some, I thought it best to have a dry run first. Honest!!

All These Things That I've Done

So, it has been a good long while since my last post. I have been busy with work, sadly, but now things are in a definite lull. I am deeply loving relaxing, and am back into knitting. And getting on with Life Admin, which is getting a bit desperate!

Apart from horrid work, I have also had some fun. I have been buying things, 'cos it makes me feel better. Especially things in the Cath Kidson sale like this spotty knitting bag - half price! - and I'm definitely keeping this one for me. On the grounds that it's waterproof.

I have also bought a couple of bits for one of my friends, who is in need of some knitting guidance. A knitting bag that was reduced, and the piggy stitch markers are courtesy of Steph.

I also got some for my birthday, I thought the apples were soooo cute! They have already proved themselves really really useful. They also cheer me up and inspire me to carry on, as well as reminding me about my progress. Thanks Steph!

I did also get the main birthday present from my parents; my lovely metal KnitPro interchangeables, which I LOVE!! They've already been put to much good use. Though the case they come in is a little cheap and nasty, and I would like to make one for myself, though I think my mum is still recovering from making the project bags!

And that's just the knitting stuff! There have also been some purchases of other sorts, though my favourite two have been my Stress Half Pint (like a stress ball) and Sheep Bag, both from Dublin over the weekend. I got away properly and now feel well rested and fed - the cake & Guinness diet definitely agrees with me!

I will give a bit more of an update about what's on my needles at some point...