Well so much for my “I will not start another project until I finish some my other”. I was meeting a friend for a coffee, a chat and of course to do some knitting but all my current WIPs require either lots of yarn being taking or concentration. There really was no other option but to start something simple I could do without thinking about. With this in mind I cast on another pair of socks. This time they are trainer socks and just plain stocking stitch. A nice easy knit which I shall use as my travel/chat knitting.
On the plus side I have managed to finish another one of my WIPs. The Field of Dreams baby blanket for my friend. All I need to do is back it and it is finished. I managed to get some nursery fabric that is perfect for it from the UK Karma group on Ravelry.
Author Archives: Jenny Stilwell
New Project for Work
Well I have been working on Debbie Abrahams Four Seasons Blanket at work for over 4 years. It seems to have reached an impasse so I have packed it all up and brought it home. It has been replaced with The Knitter Magazines fourth Subscriber Mystery Cushion. This is another project that hasn’t been worked on for a while, but as it’s a smaller project it does stand a chance of getting finished this year if not within the next couple of months. I have also finished Vivienne
In the destashing target I recently gave a friend a large bag of yarn and box of knitting books. It helped me by having a bit of a sort out and doing something nice and helped her by enabling her to do a couple of projects she wanted to do for a while.I’m always happy to enable people to have more yarn!
Today she gave me a lovely surprise. She gave me a lovely wrapped gift and inside was a beautiful crocheted scarf/wrap in one of my favourite colours purple. It’s knitted in Rowan Alpaca Cotton and is lovely and warm. I am so very pleased as I rarely get something made for me and it is so very nice. The pattern used is Clarity from Cherished by Kim Hargreave . Here it is modelled by Chilly.
She also made me the most amazing needle case with some beautiful embroidery on it for christmas as well as a wrist pin cushion
Unwind Wrap
Im not very good with the titles lately. I don’t think I am going to reach my short term target straight away, however I have knitted the Unwind Wrap from Rowan Magazine 49. The pattern calls for 2 balls of Rowan Summer Tweed in one shade, one ball in four other shades and the same amount in Rowan Kidsilk Haze. I found I only used one ball of each shade and in all bar the first shade in KSH I used approximately half a ball so it’s a great pattern for using oddments up. It is the easiest pattern I have ever knitted. Even the fringing is easy, you just tie a knot every fourth row when you join a new shade in. I am almost up to the collar of the second side of Dominka and have knitted half of both sleeves of Vivienne
Short Term Targets
I am due back at work in 6 weeks and before I return I thought I should use this time to finish some bits so I have set myself a couple of goals.
Knitting wise I want to finish Dominika, Vivienne and The Knitter Subscription Cushion.
Sewing wise I want to sew a couple of the basic sewing bags for display. I also want to finish the christmas stockings and hem the sashes for the bridesmaid dresses.
If I get time I also want to sew the wedding message book cover. I’ve already designed it just need to do a test run then the real thing.
I shall update on here as as and when these targets are reached or should that be if?
One Step Nearer the Target
I am exhausted but rather pleased with myself as I have finished another WIP.
I have finished Damson by Ysolda . As I said before it’s a really simple pattern and I cannot believe the silly mistakes I made. Now I have finished it I can see where I and how I messed up. I need to block it then I shall post a picture
A realisation
>Today I have come to the realisation that normally I knit a lot more than other people. I came to this conclusion after a friend visited me and I gave her the hat I had knitted her. I also showed her a couple of bits I had finished. She said I thought you weren’t doing much knitting. That’s when I realsied I am now probably knitting as much as the average person does. Pre op a hat would have been knitted in an evening now it’s a minimum of two. Although now I do feel good that I have achieved quite a bit. The hat was a success. It looks better on than off but she was pleased. It is knitted in Rowan Pure Wool DK
I am currently drooling over Folk Shawls by Cheryl Oberle and checking my stash to see which I knit with what. Really I should get off the computer and do some knitting. I only have twenty rows to go before Damson is finished. I also need to get into the habit of loading into Ravelry the yarn Aryn sends me each month.
I’m a lucky girl
>Today I recieved a care package to help me enjoy my recovery from my hysterectomy . I cannot tell you how excited I was when it came. It really cheered me up no end. there was some scrumptious yarn, books and a funky tape measure. The colours were just so spot on too.
It was a really nice surprise and I have been hankering after the Folk Shawls book for a while so that was an even better added bonus.
The body of Vivienne is finally finished but I still have the sleeves to do. Long stocking stitch sleeves in 4ply. Not really looking forward to them but at least it’s a small size.
A WIP which I had long since forgotten about was unearthed this week. Damson by Ysolda Teague. It’s a nice simple shawl pattern but for some reason despite trying it five different times I could not get my head around the pattern. It was me not the pattern, as it is a very simple one. I think I overthought it. I still made a couple of mistakes on this one but have left the mistakes in as I may do another and this can be my training shawl. I knitted it in Handmade Luxe Lace by Dyed in The Wool and was sent to me by Canadian friend Aryn as party of one of our monthly swaps.
I am still not doing as much knitting as I would have liked, having all this time to do nothing but knit. Unfortunately although the willingness is there ,the body and inclination are not always in agreement. Most of my knitting is currently done in the small wee hours when I can’t sleep or if I’m lucky enough to get the urge,in the day whilst watching some trashy TV.
Finally the hat is finished
>I have finally finished my friends hat. It was supposed to be a christmas present but I ran out of time. I have tried five different patterns and kept going wrong and was beginning to despair of ever knitting her one when I discovered the Edge of Lace Hat from 101 Designer One Skein Wonders.
I used Rowan Pure Wool DK and normally I would have knitted this in an evening but due to the hysterectomy I’m not up to full speed yet.
I shall post a photo once I’ve given it to the friend in question.
I have a lot of WIPs 10 to be exact and am in a bit of a dilemma. Three of these are blankets. I have a bad case of startitus but really feel I should finish at least one of the WIPs. So do I cast on a small project like socks or mittens and do these inbetween the larger projects or do I just get on with it and finish one of the garments.
I was doing really well with Vivienne the cover knit from Precious . I finally finished the body and was looking forward to knitting the sleeves and finishing it, but for some reason I had it in my head that they were short sleeves. They’re not they’re long stocking stitch sleeves in 4ply . This means I have kind of stalled on this project. I am in the mood for starting the second side of Dominika so I think I may start this.
I have also partially decided to destash some of my Rowan Cocoon because as much as I love this yarn it moults for the first few times you wear it and it drives me and OH potty. I may of course use it all and knit lots of scarves and hats ready for christmas and I still want to knit Mabel from Rowan Winter Kids for each of my nieces so We shall see. Decisive as usual!
Progress has been made.
>I have nearly finsihed the main body of Vivienne. It would have been done today but I knitted the back then realised that I had missed off ten stitches so I had to rip it back. I have absolutely no idea how it happenned but then my brains not one hundred percent at the minute. Currently most of my knitting is done in the early hours of the morning when I can’t sleep.
Daughter loved her socks and wants more as these are the only ones that keep her feet warm. This is a double edged sword as I now have a willing recipient but I’m not a huge fan of knitting socks. I am going to try and knit some patterned ones.
I have also finally managed to finish the left front of Dominika from Rowan Magazine 48. I am undecided as to whether I should knit a sleeve next or the other front.
When I’m not up to knitting I’ve been doing some embellishing on the christmas stockings I bought to make for christmas just gone. I msilaid them so am sewing them now ready for this year. A bit early but hey
5th February 2011
>Well not a lot has been done on the knitting front. I am still not sleeping prorperly and have bouts of energy but not enough to knit a lot.
I am persevering with Vivienne and if I had been knitting it flat I would have knitted the back and be a third up the front as it is being knitted in the round I am almost up to shoulder shaping.
Threaded the beads onto my yarn for Debbie Abrahams Mystery Blanket 2011 so may start knitting a few of those squares soon. Although I thinky my head is ironically too woolly to concentrate. I do find knitting blanket squares gives one an almost instant fix as you start and finish something quickly.
The jazz socks are coming along nicely and am on the home stretch.
I also attempted a few rows of the Dominika Collar. It’s nice to knit with the different yarns and the Felted Tweed Aran is gorgeous yarn to knit with. It helps with the startitus. I probably won’t start the Mystery Blanket until my head is a bit more focused. I started my HRT today so fingers crossed I start to sleep and my head becomes a but more focused. Maybe not HRT is good but it’s not a miracle worker!
Jen Sews and Knits 