Sunday 26 February 2017

Reset Weekend



Do you ever get to the end of a week and feel so tired that you just want to hide in your bed all weekend? Its been a tough few weeks and my duvet was calling to me more and more. With an exam looming in two weeks I don't have much time to sit back and relax but I realised that it was important now more than ever to do so rather than cramming even more knowledge into my already overfilled brain! 

I'm calling this weekend a 'reset' weekend as I've stepped back from everything and really looked at how I spend my time. I had started feeling guilty about doing anything non-degree related including exercise and anything creative. Two things which are key to avoiding stress and feeling overwhelmed by studying. I had also stopped planning my weeks which had been a huge help in balancing work and play. 

So,

I am using this time to catch up on sleep, make a better revision plan and block time out for running and crafty things in my calendar. And do a bit of knitting!

I have finally finished the Spindrift Shawl by Helen Stuart. Its a great shawl for beginners to get used to two types of increase, making eyelets and working on circular needles without feeling overwhelmed. 



The weather is very grey here in England so apologies for the poor lighting! 



The lace work and picot bind off gives a more complex look to what is actually a very straightforward pattern.




There are mistakes visible in the photos and I could have ripped back but actually I like how as the pattern progressed you can see an obvious improvement in the knitting standard. So in my head this is called my Improver Shawl. This was knit in West Yorkshire Spinners 4ply in Peacock.

This pattern is available for free when you sign up for Helen Stuart's Curious Handmade newsletter. 

I have also made progress on my rainbow socks using the Easy Cable Socks pattern by Winwick Mum. Its a free pattern available on her website here




The instructions are both written with photos and in video form. Its a detailed and easy pattern to follow. 




It also has a slightly different heel using a crossed rib stitch. I found it fiddly at first but you soon get into a steady rhythm with the three stitch repeat and it looks pretty at the end.



Looking forward to finishing the first sock and starting the second one!

What are you working on? 

Have a great week!

Charlotte and Harvey x

Thursday 16 February 2017

First socks for 2017




From ball of yarn:




To swatch (first ever!):



To the first cuff:



I am loving the multi-colour changes as I knit. The yarn is West Yorkshire Spinners 4 ply Cocktails range in Rum Paradise which I bought from The Loveliest Yarn Company. Great name! I'm going to use the Winwick Mum Easy Cables Socks tutorial and pattern (here). These will hopefully be my first socks for the Yarngasm Box of Socks 2017 KAL!

Also I have been doing the Yarn Love Challenge on Instagram which you can find here

Monday 6 February 2017




ITS ARRIVED! This is the companion booklet for the Edinburgh Yarn Festival 2017. For those, like me, who can't make it to the festival this year it helps alleviate the big feeling of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). Its called Wool Tribe and is filled with beautiful patterns from a host of familiar designers such as RenĂ©e Callahan and Clare Devine. The booklet patterns include two shawls, a cowl (on the cover), a hat and mittens, a pair of socks and a cushion. For £10, this is an absolute bargain! The patterns are above my skill level at the moment which gives me an incentive to keep learning new skills so I can try them out. 

My Moorland CAL blanket has reached a bit of a stand still. The colours are beautiful and I have really enjoyed it so far. I'm really looking forward to continuing it after I've finished a few of the projects sitting around my room.



One of these is the Spindrift Shawl by Helen Stuart of the Curious Handmade podcast. It was my first proper knitting project when I started to knit regularly last October using 4 ply yarn from West Yorkshire Spinners. I got halfway through the pattern and put it down. 





Its surprisingly difficult to photograph a shawl on circular needles! 

The next project in the 'need to finish' list is a scarf originally meant to be a Christmas present. Oops... Definitely a rookie error in planning Christmas presents... Its a simple but effective pattern from Handwoven Christmas edition. I got halfway through the pattern two days after Christmas and put it down. See a pattern emerging? 



So to stop halfway-itis I am going to have a rule of one project started for one project finished. The only exclusion for this is my Cosy Memory blanket! I've given into the trend and started the first square:



Its a little bit wonky as it hasn't been blocked but it was really easy to make. This is a 4ply yarn from Owl About Yarn, it didn't have a name. It was one of the mini skeins I received in my goody bag from the Great London Yarn Crawl. The second one from Owl About Yarn is this one:



It came with a cute owl stitch marker. The best bit is the pops of multicoloured streaks every so often. It would make a great pair of socks. 


January stitch count: 8000
Goal for February: 9000