I caved…

I caved and started a new project. It’s not like I needed a new project, but somehow it seems shinier and betterer than any old project lying around in various stages of completion.

I started the Woodland Shawl, a free project from Ravelry. It’s my first attempt at lace, my first project that’s done with circular needles, my first project with something smaller than 8 ply, my first project with a chart and my first project done through a KAL on Ravelry (through the Beginning Lace Knitters group).

So far, I’ve managed to cast on, knit the edge row and the set up row. Now to the pattern… I’m crossing my fingers! Best thing about the KAL is I can ask a million questions (cos I sure have a million, and no real like knitting friend to help!)

I’ll keep you posted on my progress!

Alpine is finished! Woot!

I have mixed feelings about this project, and I’m not sure where to start.

Firstly though, I guess, I am so excited to have actually finished this project. It really has been a pretty quick knit, even for me. A couple of afternoons got the bulk of it finished, I just then left it sitting on the coffee table for a while before I picked it up again to knit.

I think one of the reasons it sat there for a while was because I don’t think the fit is terribly good. Whilst the sleeves fit, they are pretty snug, especially under the arms. The body also seems a little too wide.

Having said that I thought it would not fit as well as it does. Adding the neck edging has really brought things in tighter and neater than I thought it would. No doubt I will wear it a couple of times because I feel I should!

I am really excited to have completed the neck binding as it was written in the pattern too! It’s my first time doing a yarn over, and having to do them in a bind off row made it a bit tricky. My best knitting tutor, youtube, was pretty unhelpful here too, so it took me 15 minutes or so to work out what I had to do. Once I had it figured though, it was pretty easy and I wondered what the fuss was about!

The other thing I’m not sure about is the weight of the thing. It’s knit in 12 ply, and for a cropped, short sleeved cardigan, it’s pretty heavy!

I feel at this point I should do something fancy here like a little report on the pattern etc like other knitting bloggers do, but frankly I would have no idea what I am talking about. So instead, here’s a couple of pictures of the finished thing.

BTW, before someone else suggests it, I know that any decent knitter after finishing knitting a garment that doesn’t fit properly, would frog and reknit in a better size. But hey, I finished it! I’m not about to undo it all and start again!

Sorry about the dodgy photos too, but even though I had to take them of myself, inside at night, I wanted to get this posted so I could prove I finished something!

My work bag

Well since it’s taken me a while to finish any other projects to show you here, I thought I would dig up an older one that I haven’t blogged about yet.

Last summer I made myself a bag for work. I had been taking things to and from work in an ugly green enviro shopping bag but I was carrying so much stuff that I kept breaking them. So I found myself some reasonably heavy duty matching fabrics, along with some calico for the lining. I had no pattern whatsoever, just an idea of the rough size and design I wanted.

It was a two day-deal…. from start to finish, although both days were pretty much nothing other than sewing!

I am so thrilled with the finished product and I have had lots of lovely compliments from people at work about my bag!

The photos here are of it stuffed full of all my work stuff… this bag works overtime and it’s usually overstuffed! It probably needs a good iron, but you are lucky I washed it before taking photos!

A to do list and a wish list

OK. Confessional time. Here’s the list of things I have started. I’m hoping that by listing everything here I will make myself go back and tackle these projects some more. This list doesn’t include the things that I have materials for but haven’t started!

• Babette (or will I frog it and turn it into a ripple?) (10%, but the squares are wonky and have rusty pin marks)

• Knitted beaded bracelet (50%)

• Alpine (80%)

• Green tumbling blocks blanket (70%)

• Wrap with Love blanket (60%)

• Quilted Patchwork Christmas Ornaments (I have about a dozen made, could make tonnes of them!)

• Peacock Christmas Ornaments (I have 2 made, again I have no set amount of them to make)

Then we get to the other thing I would like to make, or have materials for:

• I want to make a chinese coin quilt for my bed

• I want to knit an Ishbel

• I want to make my sister and I a bag each

• I want to make myself a charging station

• I want to learn how to knit in the round and make some beanies (I have quite a bit of leftover 12 ply wool)

• I want to make beaded nets for plain christmas ornaments

• I want to make a Japanese temari

The scary thing is that this list is not exhaustive. I’m sure there are plenty of things I have forgotten about, and plenty more things I would like to knit or make if I really wanted to make a big list.

The first thing I want to cross off is Alpine. I’ve left it sitting for a while because I don’t think the fit will be great, but I want it finished none-the-less. Then I think I would like to finish the green tumbling blocks blanket. It’s been so long sitting there! I’m not sure at what point it is safe to get a new project started. How many things should I cross off before I allow myself to start something new?

Spring has sprung

Most of the blogs I read are based in the Northern Hemisphere. So lately, I’ve seen many posts about autumn colour and things getting a little chilly! Just to balance things, down under things are flowering and spring is most definately here.

Here’s some of the flowers in the garden at the moment.

Getting carried away

I always do it. I bite off more than I can chew. I have eyes bigger than my belly. It’s why I call myself “Halfway Crafter”. I pick projects that are so big that I lose interest partway through and never see them out.

So when I picked the nice easy little project of making knitting stitch markers for the afternoon, I thought for sure I had made a smart choice… something that could be accomplished quickly and easily.

Well, I was partly right. I have finished the project, but in typical me-style, I couldn’t just make one set for me to use. No, I had to use all of the tigertail and crimps I bought and just kept making them until I ran out of equipment! I now have several sets of stitch markers, all beautiful and much, much nicer than the knotted bit of yarn I was using up until now! So there went my entire afternoon… but at least I have several finished sets and not just another “halfway” project!

These two sets below are my favourites. I bought the cloisenne beads especially. One set will be for a friends birthday in January. If I forget, remind me I made them, ok?!

I’ve been busy…

I haven’t posted in a little while, as I took a trip with some friends to Melbourne.

We had a great time walking around the city. I hadn’t been in about 7 years! We were extremely lucky with the weather too. Although it’s spring and has been nearly 30 degrees of late, there has been a cold snap and hail was predicted for two of the days we were down there. Magically, every time we were in a building it rained, and as soon as we left the building it stopped!

It was nice to get away somewhere different. Hard as this is to admit, it was nice to be away from my computer for 3 days too. Every day that I’m home, it’s always connected and I check it frequently. I thought I would think about it more when I was away but I have to say that I forgot about the virtual world and enjoyed the real one for a while!

Saying thank you

My last post was about the graduation cupcakes I made for my Year 12 class.

To be completely honest, I have been a little miffed the last few days as on the day of their last lesson, when I gave them each a cake, whilst they all said thank you and thought they were cute, I was hardly overwhelmed with their appreciation (not for the cakes, but for all I have done as their teacher for the last year). Each year there is usually someon in the class who organises for everyone to chip in to get the teacher a gift, or you will usually end up with some chocolates and flowers, or some handwritten cards. However, all I got this year as they left the room was a “Thanks Miss”.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s not about “stuff”, but I guess as I said it’s about showing appreciation. Even if they had said “Thanks Miss, for everything you have done for us… we really appreciate it” I think I would have felt better.

So the last few days I have trying hard to not be too sour grapes. And then yesterday afternoon I had a lovely surprise when I got a beautiful bunch of flowers from one of my students and avoucher to go with it. It was a very generous gift, and the card that went with the flowers was lovely. I have gone from feeling a little miffed to now feeling guilty for having been miffed!

Here’s the beautiful flowers: