Floozy Week

Two more days and then it's the weekend! I'm heading home to see my Mum as we haven't seen each other since I moved in July. I don't think she has found it easy and it will be lovely to catch up. I'm also going back for my favourite cousin's birthday, we're going for karaoke in London - can't wait! Before that however are two hectic days at work with long hours and sitting at home waiting for me is the newly arrived yarn for the Floozy cardigan.

The yarn was technically delivered last week but I was at work so it sat in the Post Office 200m from my house. I had to walk past the closed Post Office for three days in a row knowing my yarn was inside! The picture above is pretty close to the actual colours and I am looking forward to casting on. I had to order new 3mm circular needles to match my gauge which delayed cast on for another 4 days. Those arrived today and soon I can start the Floozy Cardigan. Floozy has been designed by Libby from Truly Myrtle Designs and podcast. She is based in New Zealand and has a great range of designs. She started a knit-along for the cardigan which started on the 17th. For more information she has a podcast episode about the knit-along and advice on fit. If you want to join in, she has a Ravelry group for it here.

Sunday Sunday

Evening lovely people!

How are you? After just under a month in my new job/ city, I'm slowly getting used to the new routine and trying to fit things around work. I went for my second run which is helping me get to know the area. There is a local park with lots of sneaky hills that certainly test my lack of fitness! The sea front is only a 15 minute walk away:

It has been a mix of blue and grey skies but either is great here. If it's sunny you can walk along the front and if it's grey there are plenty of places for hot chocolate with a sea view. Last weekend, I had breakfast not far from the photo above and watched a group of swimmers head out into the sea. I'm not a confident swimmer so it amazes me when people go out into open water.

I took a trip to Dartmouth on Friday but I will leave that for another post. All I will show for now is my train knitting:

So onto knitting - I have been working on the Jaycee cardigan as you can see. And then a bit more:

The boyfriend scarf only has 4 inches to go!

I have swatched for the Floozy Cardigan but I need to re-swatch to get gauge. The main body is the same colour as the Jaycee cardigan but with red and white yarn for the colourwork section.

August Goals

1. Finish the boyfriend scarf - nearly!
2. Start the Jaycee cardigan (due mid September) - started
3. Start the Floozy cardigan for the Truly Myrtle KAL (start date 17th August) - need to re-swatch

Finished Objects 2018

This year started slowly due to placements and final year exams but I have got 6 finished objects this year so far:
1. Tequila Sunrise Socks - January
2. Nepal Hat - 3rd March
3. Jodi Shawl - 22nd March
4. Flax Jumper - 17th April
5. Vanilla Stripy Socks - 30th May
6. Colourwork Hat - 15th June

Works in Progress (WIPs)

Crochet
Moorland blanket (Started December 2016)
Scrappy granny blanket - to use up scraps (June 2018)

Knitting
Bunny (July 2016)
Green socks (December 2016)
Boyfriend Scarf (December 2016)
Easy Cable Socks (February 2017)
Stephen West Speckle and Pop Shawl (October 2017)
Easy Lace Socks (January 2018)
Valentine Socks (February 2018)
Summer Flax Light (April 2018)
Nepal Hat 2 (April 2018)
Mum's Jaycee Cardigan (August 2018)
Boyfriend Socks (July 2018)
I forgot to add last week:
Cosy Memories blanket (no idea when I started it!)


What are you working on at the moment? Have you joined any knit-alongs/ make-alongs?

Charlotte and Harvey x

Stash, Mojo and Ongoing Projects

It's been a busy month or two with a new job, a move across the UK and settling into a new city. I've been at my new job for two and a half weeks now and I finally feel like I have a bit of time to sit down and chat you! While I was packing my things to move, I had to pack my yarn stash and it got me thinking how I can use all the balls, skeins and cakes I already own. I think everyone has their own idea of how a stash should look but having to move mine made me realize that I really want to start using up some of it to create lovely projects. While I was thinking about this, I came across a few blog posts that have inspired me to do just this. One blogger, Life and Yarn, is doing a weekly update on her project progress (link here). Nadia from the Cottage Notebook is doing a Frog or Finish knit-along which finishes soon on the 1st September (here). The Knit Girllls podcast is also doing a stash busting knit-along where you challenge yourself to knit however many metres by late August starting with 1000m or less to help finish projects.

As mentioned previously, the summer heat has affected my knitting mojo. That word always makes me think of Austin Powers - Oh no! I've lost my mojo! (Did you do the accent in your head? I know I did)  I started the Jaycee cardigan a few days ago as I want to finish it in time for my mum's birthday in mid-September. And it helped me re-discover my love of knitting in a big way. I have also been working on the never-ending boyfriend scarf which is nearly done! To keep this momentum going, I am going to follow Life and Yarns example and do a WIPs update post every week including goals for each month. So here it goes:

August Goals

1. Finish the boyfriend scarf
2. Start the Jaycee cardigan (due mid September)
3. Start the Floozee cardigan for the Truly Myrtle KAL (start date 17th August)

Finished Objects 2018

This year started slowly due to placements and final year exams but I have got 6 finished objects this year so far:
1. Tequila Sunrise Socks - January
2. Nepal Hat - 3rd March
3. Jodi Shawl - 22nd March
4. Flax Jumper - 17th April
5. Vanilla Stripy Socks - 30th May
6. Colourwork Hat - 15th June

Works in Progress (WIPs)

Crochet
Moorland blanket (Started December 2016)

Knitting
Bunny (July 2016)
Green socks (December 2016)
Boyfriend Scarf (December 2016)
Easy Cable Socks (February 2017)
Stephen West Speckle and Pop Shawl (October 2017)
Easy Lace Socks (January 2018)
Valentine Socks (February 2018)
Summer Flax Light (April 2018)
Nepal Hat 2 (April 2018)
Mum's Jaycee Cardigan (August 2018)
Boyfriend Socks (July 2018)

I think I need to start finishing some socks... Except for the Floozy cardigan Knit-along I'm going to try and avoid casting on anything else unless I finish a WIP. I hope I can avoid the temptation!

Have you got any languishing WIPs? How do you decide what you're going to knit next?

Charlotte and Harvey x