Wednesday 10 August 2011

Change of Plan

I've decided to change my goals for August as I came across the SKA August Challenge to finish more SIP's (Socks in Progress) than Mapleweave, a SKA member who is renowned for sock orphans.
So my new goals are:

1. Finish my super secret project started in July.
2. Finish my I socks. Now on heel of second sock
3. Finish my J socks. Only cast on done for first sock.
4. Finish my N socks. Up to heel of first sock.
5. Start my P socks. I've decided on Polly Jean.
6. Start my Q socks.
7. Make progress on my Ripple Blanket.
8. Finish my Ruffles Are Red Scarf. It just needs the ribbon adding and pictures taken.
9. Possibly another cast on of a super secret project.

Now that's actually a lot of knitting, not sure I'll get it all done but I'll give it a good try xxxxxxx

Saturday 6 August 2011

August, What It's August Already!!

Where did July go......It just flew by, time seems to go by so quick now, blink and its gone!

I thought I'd recap my July knitting goals and set out 10 for August. Right let's see how successful I was.

1. Finish my Bois test knit. Done.
2. Finish my C socks. Done.
3. Finish my F socks. Done.
4. Finish the eighth repeat of the Yucca chart on my Aeolian.  Done.
5. Finish the first All Water Mitten.  Not Done.
6. Start my N socks.  Done twice.
7. Start my O socks. Done.
8. Start the Iris Mystery Shawl and finish clue 1.  Done.
9. Frog Tempting.  Done.
10. Cast on another project. Done.

Well I actually didn't think I would get as much of the list done as I did but it shows what can be achieved when you are organised. 9 out of 10 isn't bad. I can't see it lasting long though, I'm rubbish at being organised!

Now for my August goals, again I'll go for 10 and see how I go.

1. Knit the transition chart on my Aeolian. My plan is a little every month on this to get it finished. I love knitting it but not in one go.

2. Finish the project cast on in July.

3. Finish my I socks.

4. Start my P socks.

5. Start my Q socks.

6. Finish clue 2 and 3 on my Iris Mystery Shawl.

7. Finish my Ruffles are Red Scarf. It just needs the ribbon adding and pictures taken.

8. Finish one J sock.

9. Start the Westknits Mystery Shawl. Finish clue 1.

10. Make some more ripples on my Ripple Blanket.

I did start my O socks and they are down to the heel flap. I opted for Ookuru socks by Himawari. I love the pattern though it is proving slightly more demanding than I thought it would thanks to the double increases, when you are a tight knitter like me, increasing twice in a stitch is very tricksy!

O Socks - Ookuru

My last goal was to cast on another project. I've done this but it is a super secret project so I can't give any details until later in the year. I knew it would be happening and it's not anything by me but something I'm working on for another designer. Watch this space!

Time to love you and leave you and get cracking with the goals, it's going to be tough this month xxxxx

Friday 5 August 2011

And Nearing the Finish Line...

Just a quick catch up on my July goals.

One goal was to finish my F socks. They are done, diddly done done, even after seriously kicking my butt. I have a real issue with these socks, nothing to do with the pattern, just me! Firstly they were coming out too big so tinked back to the rib and went down a couple of needles sizes. After finishing the first sock I was concerned about the amount of yarn left and after weighing it realised I wouldn't have enough, so began the search for a second skein. Could I find a matching one, no!! I ordered some more in the same colour but it was nothing like my skein that I got from a Ravelry destash with no label. The colour it was meant to be was more green than yellow and much paler. So I ordered a darker colour, this was much too dark. In the end I used the darker one for the toes, after reknitting them 3 times!!

F socks

Next was to finish the eighth repeat of my Aeolian. This took about half an hour to sort and its now ready for the next stage.

I started my N socks a week ago but if you remember I didn't like the way it was pooling, so it went into time out. So I cast on a different pair, Nemesis, in a different yarn. This is up to the heel on the first sock though the picture only shows the cuff.

N Socks - Nemesis

One goal was to start my Iris Mystery Shawl and finish clue 1. Finished and so quick too, though I can see the next clues will take a little while longer to complete. I'll take pictures once I start clue 2.

Well quite a productive week really, I'm well on my way to completing the 10 goals I set out.

Until next time xxxxxxxx

Let Bedlam Commence!

Well its the start of the school holidays and time to keep the piggy's occupied (well it was when I originally wrote this post but then I forgot about it!!). DS is no problem he just gets on with his own thing, usually to do with his Xbox and sailing. But DD is a different matter all together. She cannot sit still and has to be doing something, usually with someone else. So a trip to The Works was called for to stock up on arty supplies.
First up is a scraperfoil picture of "Playful Spaniels". this is sooo cute and I knew it would appeal to DD, she loves cute!
Next was a watercolour card set of "Rue de Paris". She ended up starting one of these straight away, not bad for her first attempt at watercolours! And not too bad a price either.

Rue de Paris Watercolour Card Set

I also bought her a 6 pack of canvas boards, which she loves to decorate or transfer images to.

During the week DS was staying at a friends house so DD and I decided to go to The New Walk Museum in Leicester. DD loves this type of thing, though she is more into interactive exhibits or objects rather than actual paintings themselves. "Booooring" is normally the reaction I get when faced with a room full of paintings!

The main feature of this museum is The Dinosaur Gallery but this is closed at the moment for a refurb. Second on DD's list is The Ancient Egyptians where they have a real mummy. The reason for visiting this time was the Picasso Ceramics: the Attenborough Collection. What a fantastic display, plenty to feast your eyes on. The collection of 40 pieces has been entrusted to the City of Leicester to commemorate the loss of their daughter and granddaughter in the Asian tsunami that struck in December 2004.
The museum does hold activities during the holidays so while I sat and drank Costa Coffee and knit on my socks, why yes they have a Costa Coffee in the museum, now you can see the attraction, DD went to play with clay, or more specifically, Picasso Menagerie on a Plate. She loved it, she got to make her very own Picasso, and I have to say I am rather impressed. I did wonder what she would bring back, which she was very indignant at - "What do you mean you wondered what I would bring back, hmph".

Picasso Menagerie on a Plate

All in all we had a great afternoon, so much so DD wanted to go back the next day with her friend who was staying for the day. This time it was lizards. They had a couple of real lizards which they could hold and had a talk about and also make their own lizard mobile. This didn't go so well. There was a large queue to hold them as you would expect and the craft part wasn't as well manned as the previous day. Oh well! That's the way it goes.

Well bye for now until next time xxxxxxx