12 Things in 2019 - February Progress

Pleased to report that there has been some progress with my 12 Things in 2019 projects. 

The KISS shawl is finished, although not yet blocked (hopefully next weekend). It's been an enjoyable and quick knit once I'd got the initial set up done.

I've made an enthusiastic start to the CBTL. I've never crocheted anything before so am finding this a fun challenge. That being said it requires a lot of crocheting to finish it so my enthusiasm may wane a little!

And finally, but without any photographic evidence, I've done a small quantity of work on the Sparkle Punch quilt. Hopefully more will be done on that this month. There's a slim chance of a finished top by the end of March. 

Totally hooked!

A cheesy title for a brief post expressing my new found love of crochet (not as tricky or loopy as it seemed on previous attempts) and re found love of Scheepjes (is it odd my autocorrect has Scheepjes as one of its options?) whirls.

As you know I knitted the RBTL shawl last year and during making that I decided to do a crochet version as it seemed suitable for a beginner and would give me a chance to play with whirl combinations again.

I've had red velvet sunrise and rosewater cocktail ready and waiting for me to be able to start CBTL.

I haven't got very far yet but I'm enjoying making this, and there's the added fun of waiting for the fuzz buzzes to appear.

When one project finishes...

Actually the KISS shawl isn't quite finished but I've completed all the knitting.

It now needs a good blocking, but as I'm working away from home during the week now that will have to wait until 1) I'm at home and 2) have some spare time.

The drawing to a close of a project is obviously the perfect time to start another project or two!

I couldn't decide whether to start a hand sewing project or a crochet project, both of which will be slow growers, so I decided to start both.

I made some very initial steps on the Christmas Stars Quilt from Millefiori Quilts Book 1. I've been collecting fabric for it for a while so my now quieter evenings seem the ideal time to try and get to grips with it.

There are definitely a few techniques to get figured out and I mistakenly thought the small diamonds would see together quickly...I definitely made the right choice excluding this from my 12 Things challenge!

The crochet project is on my 12 Things list and as it has the reputation of taking a while to complete I wanted to start it early in the year...forgot to say the project is the CBTL shawl.

First steps with this was to check I could still do the necessary stitches (I think I can) and try and figure out which size hook to achieve the necessary gauge (I think I know). Hopefully I'll have more of this done by the end of the month (which is actually next week so maybe not).

At least I won't be struggling for things to fill my time in the evenings!

12 Things in 2019 - January Progress

I'm pleased to be able to report some progress on two of my 12 Things projects.

Firstly No. 8, the Keep It Simple Shawl, after a somewhat tricky start due to unfamiliar terms and fiddliness I am now over half way through this and definitely on the home straight. It has taken me this long to figure out the method of the little lace section which means I can now knit without having to check the instructions every row. No idea why it's taken me this long but there you go.

It's going to need a good blocking but I like the way it's going.

I've also managed to do a bit more on No. 12, the Sparkle Punch Quilt.

This post is an update on the 12 Things in 2019 challenge started by Judy and Denise, full details and my list of 12 can be found HERE.

Got my sew-jo back!

I quite often have a Friday evening to myself for crafting but for the last few months I have only been knitting as I haven't been able to feel awake enough or raise much enthusiasm for my sewing even though I have a variety of projects to work on. This Friday I decided to start sewing earlier in the day to see if I could beat this and I'm pleased to say it worked.

I finished piecing the top of a baby quilt. I tried pressing the seams in alternating directions to butt the seams together rather than pin them and it worked, or at least well enough to satisfy me.

Then I worked on the Sparkle Punch quilt for a bit. And finally I got on with some knitting.

It was a very productive evening and I enjoyed sewing again.

Pondering

During the post Xmas sales I got hooked on fabrics with bird prints.

I'm not sure why as real life birds mostly scare me. Anyway the reason for the pondering is that I would like to make these into something quilted, fussy cutting to focus on the images but I can't decide on the design. I'm leaning towards EPP but I do have another EPP project, a millefiori quilt, ready to start. But other than a vague preference towards EPP and trying for a single bird on any pieces with birds on I'm still a little stumped. All suggestions gratefully received.

And while I continue pondering I might just have a look to see if there are anymore bird prints I like!

The Sewing Cabinet

We've changed the room I sew in into more of a living room and therefore my white IKEA desk and table no longer go.

Luckily this wasn't a spur of the moment change and thought was put into how my sewing stuff could still stay in the room.

Eventually we found a solid wood Horn cabinet on eBay close enough for us to collect.

Luckily it's fitted nicely into an alcove when not in use. The drawers give plenty of storage for all my WIPs including a knitting project.

And it opens out into a useful sewing station with all my notions to hand and space to spread out what I'm working on. All in all I think it's a good swap for the IKEA desk, all I have to do now is find a taller chair, or maybe invest in an insert so my machine is level with the table top, so my working height is correct.

Socks on a train - Complete

A little later than planned but the socks on a train (where they were knitted rather than the pattern name) are finished.

They were knitted in Fyberspates Coop Knits Sock Yeah DK following the afterthought heel technique by www.theknitgirllls.com with an honourable mention to Just One More Row for her YouTube video showing how to avoid a hole when knitting the heel.

12 Things in 2019

Judy of Patchwork Times and her friend Denise of Just Quiltin have come up with a plan to complete 12 items in 2019, they are aiming to complete 12 sweaters. I am going to join in with this attempt (challenge?) as the 12 Things don't have to be sweaters but any craft item and I definitely have 12 on my list.

My 12 Things (I like capitalising the word Things) are, in no particular order:

1. Highland cushions (sewing)
2. Xmas quilt 1 (sewing)
3. Xmas quilt 2 (sewing)
4. Hue Shift Afghan (knitting)
5. Colourwork stocking (knitting) 
6. CBTL (crochet)
7. Floozy cardigan (knitting)
8. Keep It Simple Shawl (knitting)
9. Hat (knitting)
10. Cat quilt (sewing)
11. Scheepjes Shrug (crochet)
12. Sparkle Punch Quilt (sewing)

I'm hoping this will help me get through my stash, maybe use it faster than I buy it! I will also be working on a hand pieced quilt, there will be more on that as I work on it, but it will definitely not be finished in 2019 so it's not on the list.

This is a relaxed challenge, there is no need to complete an item a month or to tackle the items in a particular order. If you like to join in the details and sign up can be found HERE. Although I have left this a little last minute and sign ups close on 30 Dec.

January Progress

Socks on a train

I've decided to knit a gift for my boyfriend, who I live with. As he's the kind of person who notices I can only knit them when we aren't spending time together, in the house this is when the Walking Dead is on and the odd Friday evening when he is gaming. Considering how long my last pair of socks took this is not enough time. So I've taken to knitting when out of the house...

... mainly during my commute to work...

...by train...

...seems to be working okay. They aren't growing that fast due to having to stand on the homebound train and not always being fully awake on the train to work.

FNSI Results - November

Third Friday of the month meant FNSI and I had definite plans for it (and for once they were actually followed!).

During the afternoon I got some work done on the secret socks...

I'm definitely a convert to Socks Yeah yarn, great colours and works up beautifully.

Then I bit the bullet and set up my new sewing machine, the Janome 1600PQC. It's mainly meant for use with my sewing frame but I can't put that up at the moment.

The machine is an absolute beast, took ages to thread up (still can't figure the auto needle threader) and even on slow it sees amazingly fast.

First up some practice and checking there was no residual oil.

If you look closely you might be able to see the stitching, I practiced some stars as I was to use them on a couple of upcoming quilts.

And then on to the main event...

Using the monster machine to free motion quilting the monster quilt. Hard to show but got a good chunk done.

If you missed this Friday's FNSI there is a bonus second FNSI next Friday.

Secret Socks

For the first time in ages I've decided to make Xmas presents for various people. So far I haven't been able to share anything on here in case a recipient sees them. My latest item, a pair of socks, I can share, my problem now is I'm having to knit themthe secret as it's for my boyfriend.

Socks on a train

Socks on a bus

Luckily there's also his work Xmas party night and I have a night away, along with a few other opportunities so they should get finished.

For information the yarn is Fyberspates Coop Knits Sock Yeah in DK, lovely to work with and makes a lovely fabric.

Dragon Quilt Finished

I have finally finished the dragon jelly roll race quilt.

And by basting more carefully and more thoroughly I seem to have avoided too many pleats on the back.

Not that you can or can't see them from this photo!

The quilt was made with a Lewis and Irene Dragons jelly roll. The binding is some random red spotted fabric that my friend spotted which goes well considering the tiny scraps of fabric I had to coordinate it with.

Now to get it in the post.