Friday 21 February 2014

END OF ANOTHER WEEK ..... my weekly challenge and "Knit a Block a Week"
 
Another week has flown by but at least we have seen a little sun for the first time in a long time, even if it was mixed with more rain and wind.
 
I set myself a challenge this week of "Using up some started balls" and thought I would share with you what was achieved, not a lot I might hasten to add.
 
Moving from left to right is:- a pair of adult  waffle stitch fingerless gloves , a 6" square, baby hat, bootees and mittens and two cannula mitts (mitts that are placed over a special care baby's hand who sadly have the need for a cannula).
 
Its not much but has finished off two balls of ball and nearly finished off a third.
 
 
 
 
KNIT A BLOCK A WEEK
 
This weeks block was:-
 
No 5 - Mini Stripes
Using two colours, a block with a "one needle" rating (easy). A basic square of knit and purl (stocking stitch) alternating between two colours. 
This is the first time I have used two yarns by carrying them up the side of the work and I do have to say it wasn't as bad as I thought, having always shyed away from doing this type of striping.  Another new encounter for me!

 
Next weeks challenge
 
I'm setting myself the challenge of using chunky or aran yarn next week. Again I'm thinking warm child's hats, maybe my favourite neck warmer pattern or an adult hat, which will be part of my yearly donation to our local homeless shelter.
 
Off to set myself up with patterns and yarn, always looking for new patterns too so see what I can find
 
See you all soon
Jxxx


Friday 14 February 2014

KNITTING DISTRESS, KNIT-A-BLOCK-A-WEEK, CATCHING UP
AND OF COURSE
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY ........
 
 
 
 
Phew, the past month has been a whirlwind to say the least.  We have had hubby on a business trip overseas and then being admitted into hospital for emergency treatment and an operation, thankfully now with the help of a bag load of tablets he is well on the way to making a good recovery.
 
 
I spent many an hour worrying and upset but could not find it in me to pick up the needles, just went to and fro around the house living on PG Tips ! (other brands of tea bags are available) and of course looking after our son who showed so much maturity at this time,my heart swelled with pride.
 
This event has left me in KNITTING DISTRESS - I just cant find the momentum to get on, my brain has knitters block .......
 
SO ................................................
 
this is what I see in front of me
 

 

 
I still have many started balls so am on the second of a set of wrist warmers and have the yarn below that picture to work with (amongst others!)
 
I wracked my brain for a good two weeks thinking what shall I do I had projects to complete, the lap blanket made up of the Knit a Block a week Squares has had to be put to one side as Ive run out of one of the colours, I was heard to be saying "oh yes I have enough ..." famous last words.  I had a "great" idea to make a shoulder wrap from 6" mitred squares, am two blocks in but still it has not floated my boat!
Now have decided (whilst laying in the bath a place I find many of my bright ideas come to me), that I'm going to try and set myself some "Mini Weekly Challenges" to re-ignite my love for knitting, so this next week I'm knitting from started balls, it will be a real jumble of items I'm sure - from squares to baby hats, Innocent Hats maybe to wrist warmers.
 
Oh nearly forgot one item I did get finished which I have to brag about as I was really pleased with it was a blanket made for my wonderful knitty friends first Grandchild, a beautiful granddaughter.
 


knitted in cream aran, even though I had moments making it where my butterfly mind drifted, I was in the end really pleased with it and was thinking that "maybe" I would do another one at some stage
this is the pattern, Ju Ju wants to play baby blanket
 
KNIT A BLOCK A WEEK UPDATE
I was behind with my blocks, both knitting and blogging so I'm hoping Ive now caught up
 
 SQUARE NO 3 - DOUBLE EYELETS


 SQUARE NO 2 - OFFSET


SQUARE NO 22 - PLAIN LEAF

SQUARE NO 69 - TWIN TRIANGLES
 
These are not my best efforts and I'm not overly pleased with them, not because they were awful to knit, far from it I really enjoyed square no 22 and although it has a "three needle rating" which is challenging I thought it was relatively easy and would enjoy making more of those.  No, my problem was actually the yarn I had used on square 22 and 69 and also I think my heart was not in it when I knitted them.
 
Anyway this is the longest blog post I think Ive done so I wont bore you any more.  Just thought I would catch up and explain why Ive been missing and hope that this will spur me on to settling back into my passion of knitting.
 
Hope everyone is well and not caught up in all of this horrendous weather and flooding
J xxxxx