Second Year of Projects Week 44

A very brief update this week. I've been knitting on preemie cardigans again when I've had time, and I've got two on the (same pair) of needles

I decided to knt two before stitching them together because the dark blue with white sleeves looked silly and this way I have one that is dark and light blue and one that is light blue and white without wasting any of my yarn. I actually really like this yarn, Teddy Bella Bambina, the colour changes would be really nice for a bigger garment, and it's really soft, which isn't bad for £2 from the market.

So that's my update, since exam work is taking up so much time! I will be reading everyone else's when I have time, and hope you've all had more interesting knitting weeks than me!

Second Year of Projects Week 43

So I have got a bit of knitting done this week. I actually worked on my socks, since I spent 4 hours on a train last Thursday.

It's a really easy pattern to memorise, and I think it makes a nice effect out of the semi-solid yarn, because it adds a bit of interest without detracting too much from the lovely colours in the yarn. The pattern is also really well written, both charted and written out for people who don't like charts. The only thing I've found is that being a tight knitter strikes again, but since I know I'm a tight knitter, I know what needle size and number of stitches I need to make a sock fit me, so I'm making the large size, and I went up a needle size from what the pattern called for, and they seem to be fitting really well.

However, I'm in the grip of exam work (3 weeks left, eek!), and I needed something even simpler to knit in breaks, so I cast on a preemie cardigan, since I know the pattern off by heart by now

The yarn I'm using has big colour changes, so it looks a bit silly right now, with the one white arm. I'm planning to knit two more sleeves and another body, but in the opposite order to the way I knitted this one, so I can mix and match to have one cardigan in light blue and white, and the other in light and dark blue.

We got a new washer/drier on Friday, which is very exciting as a) I haven't been able to wash for two weeks, and had to take two loads of laundry to my friends last weekend so I had something to wear for placement and b) I have a drier for the first time! I decided to wash and dry my Honka scarf, as I had heard that it softens acrylic slightly, and it came out silky soft, which is amazing as I have quite a sensitive face, and it was a bit itchy before.

We've been enjoying the sun here, and decided to go wonder round a little town centre near us, as I had found out there was a LYS. It was very nice, and Connor was flicking through pattern books, and found a book with not one, not two, but three jumpers he wanted. Since he's never expressed any interest in a hand knit jumper, and they were all made in bulky wool, so it won't be too big an undertaking for a 6'3" guy, we bought it, so one of them will probably feature on my list next year.

Not sure much list knitting will happen until after my exams, but I should have quite a collection to donate to the NICU by then!

Second Year of Projects Week 41 and 42

I actually have another finish this week, my Honka scarf.

Please excuse the facial expression, I had the sun in my eyes, and it was very windy! The scarf is 70 inches long, so just less than 6 foot, and very warm, which is just what I need since it looks like spring has finally come to the UK! It's been pretty warm here, and we've actually had sun!

I've also been working on my socks.

They don't look very different from last time you saw them, because I seem to have lost my knitting mojo. I've been working hard towards my exams, which are in 4 weeks, and when I'm not working I somehow don't feel like knitting, which is really rare for me. I don't know what's been happening!

I also haven't had much knitting time because I went on holiday! I went to Ireland with my club for the Irish Students Trampoline Open, a four day competition of bouncing, partying and generally being silly. I did alright in the actual competition, but it was so much fun to just go on holiday with my friends and spend some time with them. But since we were restricted to hand luggage only, I couldn't take any knitting with me!

My team, if you look closely, that spells out ISTO 2013 (I'm the one holding a hula hoop for an O since we were one person short to do the whole thing). There were full days of bouncing and also helping out with the competition, which is student run, so everybody has to get involved in helping out, and then dressing up and dancing all night. There were also silly challenges, like getting into a fountain (which, yes, I did do), and a full inflatable obstacle course on the last day.

As a club, we only won one medal, but since there were well over 1000 people competing, I think we did pretty well!