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



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



WEEK 2

KNIT A BLOCK A WEEK CHALLENGE

 

Its week 2 of the Knit a block a Week Challenge.

My block for this week was number 8 - Little Blocks.

 

 

This block will definitely be a firm favourite with me.

It was an easy block to knit and knitted up quickly.

Importantly too it keeps it's shape and had a lovely texture.

One downside to it was it did come up a little over the 6" but maybe you need to allow for different yarn - even though Double Knit different brands can come up thicker or thinner and then there is your own personal tension to allow for.

 

As I mentioned before I'm knitting my blocks into strips to be made into a blanket to be sent to SIBOL (hopefully!).

 

I've been able to complete my first strip by adding two garter squares in between my first block no 17 and this weeks no 8. (Garter squares are not included in the Knitted block book so Ive kind of cheated a little here!)

 

Last week after square no 17 I felt despondent and thought "oh no what have I let myself in for""  I'm not a confident knitter and this is coming out of my woolly comfort zone but this week after being able to knit the other 4 squares I'm feeling more uplifted - I'm sure my feelings for this will dip again over the coming weeks.

 

I'm looking forward to starting strip 2 over the weekend

 

Happy "Blocking" xx



KNIT A BLOCK A WEEK

 

My first block is finished.

 

 

Block Number 17 - REVERSED HEART

 

I have knitted similar blocks before in this style, where using a mixture of knit and purl you achieve an image that "pops" out.

 

 

This block was quick to do and also keeps its shape well, have often found that some squares curl etc.

 

 

 

My only criticism is that I find reading charts quite lengthy so did write the pattern out to follow rather than follow the chart as I knitted.

 

I'm keeping my blocks on the needle as I'm knitting a blanket in strips to save on sewing up.  Picking blocks with the same stitch count should in theory make this work.

 

You will see this block again over the coming weeks as I have used it more than once.

 

Cant wait to start week 2 block 2

which one will I choose next ?

 

If you would like to join in pop over to Linda's Crafty Corner





KNIT A BLOCK A WEEK

 

Plans have been whirling around my head for the "Knit a block a Week Challenge" Linda's blog. 

 

The book 200 Knitted blocks by Jan Eaton was delivered a little earlier than Christmas by Santa "Amazon" Claus hee hee. 

Last night it even came in the bath with me while I pondered the designs I would like to knit.

Having decided to produce my first blanket for SIBOL (unfortunately Sue can no longer accept squares but can receive made up blankets), using my first squares I produce I set to work on the pattern, I think Im just about there! That's as long as it turns out ok - I have visions of it turning out like a dogs dinner ............  I think SIBOL is a wonderful organisation, donating blankets to care homes for the elderly.  Im sure they get so much pleasure from the blankets that are delivered to them. 

 

Choosing the squares I went for squares with the same stitch count and what I think the thickness of the square will come out like - Im thinking that maybe some of the designs will give you a thicker/denser texture, I might be completely wrong in this thinking, time will tell.........

 

For SIBOL's blankets they like them to be 36" square - 25 squares plus a border.

 

 

Tonight I've chosen the yarn, stashbusting into the bargain.

 

 

I was thinking of adding a green in too but am undecided on that one, more thinking in the bath required for a decision on that one!

 

My design choices are repeated in my blanket so will count these towards my "Square per day" challenge that is running over on Loving Hands forum.

 

This blankets means Im stashbusting, block a week and square per day - all of these challenges covered.

As this is my first real attempt at a blanket it is stretching my knitting confidence so hope it turns out alright.

 

Im all ready so tonight I start!





Happy New Year x

 

IM BACK!

 

Ive had a couple of comments that Ive been missing from Blogland and that you wanted to see me back - well New Year and all that thought now was the time to return and make a real effort to be more "Bloggy" in the coming year.

 

Firstly I wanted to share some of my lovely presents I received this year

from my lovely dear woolly friend ....

all of these truly wonderful goodies - I love lots of goodies, can you see two balls of adorable squishiness ?

 

Next, one of the gifts from my mum and dad was a bag she had started quilting 20 years ago (yes I did say 20 years!) and she decided to finish it for me and fill it full with .......

more squishiness.

 

I also received some lovely books, I love books, I know many of you are Kindle (there are other makes of e-readers available tee hee) fans but I just love a book, the feel and the smell and how they look all on the bookshelf.

Here are my Christmas books, including one from my lovely woolly friend which is a knitting orientated novel so I really look forward to that.

 

Im looking forward to each and every one of these.

 

looking back over 2013 which has been eventful I just think a lot of the times I value have been via the internet and my virtual friends, there has been support, advice, a shoulder and laughs, hints and tips, some wonderful patterns to try.  Your friendship means such a lot.  If you are new to blogging and have stumbled across me have a look at the Blogs I follow, they are truly inspirational and a joy to follow.

 

And lastly I thank my wonderful woolly friend for her friendship which I value and putting up with me for another whole year, we have had hilarious laughs and at times a good moan.  I look forward to yet another yarny year wonder what mischief we can get up to this year? 

 

So to all of you in Blogland and my friends I wish you a happy healthy crafty new year

xxx

ps: keep an eye out on http://lindacraftycorner.blogspot.co.uk/ there will be a new stashbusting challenge again in 2014 which was so much fun this year and a new Knit a Square a week challenge (which meant purchasing a lovely book for oh dear the hardship!) - oooo cant wait



STASH-BUSTING OF A DIFFERENT KIND....

 

OR THERAPY OF A DIFFERENT KIND .........

 

 

Ive managed lots of little jobs today, nothing major, just things that needed doing that have been left - two boxes of knitted donations organised for sending, a call to BT (stressful!), a couple of loads of washing, order some food shopping and order Son's shirts ready for September (half-price on-line with BHS - bargain!)

 

Then as I sat down with a cuppa this afternoon I really felt that I ought to start de-cluttering my card-making drawers, had promised to sort some items for one of my lovely "virtual" friends who makes cards, as well as maybe a few bits and bobs on Ebay.  I will never use all the card-making items I have, all brought before I had my "lightbulb" moment last year and my "I want - dont need" way of life.  Now don't get me wrong, I have to admit to a few very small purchases over the past 18 months as well as having some items given as gifts but no-longer do I have a compulsion to spend, spend, spend as I did.

 

Anyway I realised before I started the mass clear-out that I needed to make my thank you cards for the lovely presents that I received for my birthday.  Thank you notes have become, due to the electronic age, I think a thing of the past.  Im guilty of it too.  Needing six thank you cards I set to work.

 

so here is what I ended up with........

 

The rubber stamp used was a gift for my birthday, Woodware Clear Magic Bubble Bloom "Clarissa".  Backing papers were from my Papermania Woodland Folk pad and the "bubbles" filled in with Card Candi and a little colouring using Promarkers.

 

I love my knitting but realised today spending a few hours listening to an Agatha Raisin Mrs Beaton audiobook and gently cutting, colouring and embellishing, that I had missed my card making and need to do a little more.

Watch this space .......

 





 

(I must point out though that I was so engrossed in this that I didn't realise the time, hubby came through the door with no sight of dinner even being started - whoops! - so this hobby does come with a bit of a warning - hours may slip by and jobs may not be done!)