Second Year of Projects Round Up

I can't believe that two years are over already, and I thought I'd have a look back at my goals.

Last year, I managed 6/12 projects, so 50%. This year I've done 15/20 knitting projects and 1/3 sewing projects, plus managed to make 19 preemie baby items

Socks 

I wanted to make a pair a month, and I didn't quite manage that, but I have made 9 pairs, so I'm taking that as a big achievement. I definitely think my sock knitting skills have improved over the year, and I've posted the pictures in order of completion date

Basketweave Socks  - completed 21st July 2012

Ghostie Socks - completed 30th August 2012

Staked Socks - completed 4th October 2012

Confetti Socks - completed 11th November 2012

Socks for Connor - completed 15th December 2012

Octarine Socks - completed 17th January 2013

Watermelon Socks - completed 17th February 2013

Jera Socks - completed 17th March 2013

School Days Socks - completed 8th June 2013

Other

There were only two things on this list that I didn't manage to make, and they'll be first on the list for next year. I still love them, it's just time to knit is shorter than I would like it to be. I did finish a project that I started in 2010 though, so the UFOs have all been done, and I made three big projects, including a sweater and a giant shawl, Celestarium, which is still my favourite project of the year.

Annikin palmikkopipo Hat - completed 24th July 2012

Top Down Raglan Sweater for Mum - completed 10th August 2012

Hat for Dad - completed 17th December 2012

Celestarium - completed 11th February 2013

Hönkä Scarf - completed 10th April 2013

Rainycloud - completed 9th June 2013

Preemie Baby Items

Total: 10 cardigans, 6 hats, 3 blankets. There are a couple in here that you haven't seen yet, as they've been this weeks knitting. And I think I've fulfilled the hospital's request for teeny tiny blue cardigans quite effectively.

Sewing

I fell down on this. I did get one long term WIP completed, but I haven't done any work on the other two projects. But they're both very long term projects anyway, and I didn't expect to get them done this year. I do need to give them a weekend though.

Tatty Teddy bookmark - completed 1st September 2012 

So that's my list for the year, not a bad completion rate I think. I will be doing it again next year, though probably with a different knid of list, which is less specific patterns and more aims and skills I want to achieve. There'll still be a few patterns on there though!

Second Year of Projects Week 52

I have to say, I seem to have gone off list quite a lot recently, but I think that might be because it seems unlikely that I will get another big list project finished before the end of the year. I have been knitting some more preemie items, since they're so quick and easy, but no pictures at the moment.

But I've made a large amount of off list dishcloths. In fact, you could say I've been on a dishcloth spree.

These are all designed by Holynarf, and if you're a big Dr Who geek like me, I'm sure you'll recognise what's on them all. I can highly recommend all her designs, which are very easy to follow, and are only patterned on the right side, making them a very quick knit. I can make one of these in an hour or two.

The last of these is Exfoliate another easy to follow pattern. I couldn't resist the bobbles, which make it the perfect Darlek cloth, since it looks so like them.

I started placement again on Monday, doing a surgery placement, so I don't have a huge amount of time to knit, and mindless dishcloths have been perfect for when I come in of an evening and am tired out, since I'm still settling into the placement and the long drive there and back.

Second Year of Projects Week 50-51

I can't believe how close we are to the end of this year! (and somehow, I'm going to end up with 53 weeks in the year, not sure how that happened...)

I've finally got around to finishing a few long lasting projects, so this is a very picture heavy post. The biggest is my School Days socks.

For such an easy pattern, it has taken me a ridiculously long time to finish these. I'm really pleased with them, although the toes are a bit blocky, and I would start with less stitches if I were to make these again.

I've also finished a couple of preemie cardigans. I have enough of this yarn left to make another two cardigans before I donate them, so I'll probably knit those in the next week.

And finally, I finished my longest project ever. This has been on my list for the last two years, and it was started in May 2010. It's been waiting for raindrops for that long, and it only took me an hour to finish once I picked it up again, don't know why I didn't do it before!

I've also finished a few non-list projects. I decided to learn to crochet, as a summer project, and I've made a couple of "squares" (which aren't very square), to practise my stitches. Not sure what to do with them now, but they don't look too bad.

It's a good job I decided to learn, because I got a gift of Creepy Cute Crochet from my best friend for my birthday, and I will have to make a Ninja at some point soon.

I needed to learn to crochet, to make the eyes for my Owly cushion, which I've also finished. It was a massive success with my friend, who did comment that I wasn't supposed to give her a present on my birthday! I've already had several requests from other people for one of these.

I had fun when I came to stuff it. I had a little bag of stuffing, and I commented that I wasn't sure I would have enough. Then I opened the packet, and there was a stuffing explosion! I was sitting on the sofa with stuffing covering me from head to toe, not sure how they crammed it all into that little package.

Since I did a bit of travelling, I've also made about five Doctor Who themed dishcloths (so far), but I don't have pictures of those yet. So, all in all, a lot of knitting, which has been good for the summer. I'm back to University tomorrow, so I think that the rate of projects will slow down a bit again now though.

The rest of this post is not knitting related, you have been warned!

I did have a bit of a disappointment last weekend though. We were meant to be going to Spain for a few days, and originally we were delayed for six hours, due to the French air traffic controllers' strike, then we got onto the plane, and after an hour's waiting, the flight was cancelled, and we had to get off and go home.

There were no more flights for the next two days, due to the strike, so we were out one holiday and quite a bit of money, as well as the holiday being my birthday present for my entire family. Since I don't really get any time off now for the next year, I was really upset about it, and my Mum (who is a star), stepped in to put money towards a spa day and a night in a hotel for me and Connor.

(Click to enlarge, you can see the whole spa)

It was gorgeous, with a swimming pool and whirlpool, sauna, steam room, and outdoor hot tub that we sat in in the rain.

And I got a free mini pedicure, so I have pretty pink toes.

So it wasn't a complete wash out of a holiday, and then yesterday we went to Download Festival 2013, a rock festival, with my Dad, and had a really great day, seeing some amazing bands.

So in the end, it was a great end to the holiday!

Second Year of Projects Week 45-49

So, I am still here and still knitting, honestly!

I've had exams and all knitting went on hold for almost a month while I worked as hard as I could for them. Now that I'm on holiday, I'm enjoying sitting in the sun and knitting my heart out (as well as catching up on all the housework and washing that needed doing!)

It seems like most of the knitting has been on non-list projects though. One of the things I've been working on off my list is my School Days Socks

So far I've finished one sock and started another, and I'm pretty happy with them. The yarn is a gorgeous colour, and the pattern lets the yarn shine through without being boring. The pattern is really well written too, with the choice of fully written instructions, or a chart.

I've also started a Beekeeper's Quilt, using blue sock yarn remnants. I've had this plan for a while, and now seemed like a perfect time to start it, as it's easily portable and doesn't take much concentration, for when I'm going places.

I have about 12 puffs so far, and they're so cute. Not sure I've got enough blue scraps to make the whole thing, but I really don't want to mix colours, so I'll just have to keep my eye out for more! I have to say, when knitting this, I keep singing "Everyday I'm Hexipuffling" to the tune of "Everyday I'm Shuffling," so I do get some weird looks...

I'm also making a project to challenge myself. Owly Cushion is going to be a new room warming (instead of housewarming) gift for my best friend, who's coming to stay for my birthday next weekend

This is my first time doing both intarsia and fairisle knitting, and I have to say I prefer the former. I'm finding it very hard to keep tension on my floats properly on the fairisle side.

The cushion also involves learning to crochet, to make the eyes, so that's the next challenge, and three new skills in one project! It's also good to use up yarn scraps, which is good, because after my exams, I treated myself to not one, but two job lots of yarn off ebay. It's all really good stuff, but I'm not going to use it all, so I've listed the stuff I'm not going to use on my destash page on Ravelry. It's mainly vintage 4ply and undyed DK/sport weight wool, but please have a look if you're interested (shameless plug)...