skein

February knitting, March knitting goals

I'm still here!  I just didn't have time to blog last week. I don't use the laptop at weekendsm just my Smartphone or Tablet, and Typepad have a positively archaic attitued to blogging from a mobile.  Email your post!  Really.  No Android app last time I looked.  So I tend to blog from work and when its hectic the blog suffers.

Enough whinging.  Let's talk about knitting goals!

Feburary was ravellenic games month...

1) Finish Babette (WIPs Wrestling)  Done!

 

2) A Stitchnerd shawl. Done!  TGA shawlette, but I need to locate the photos... It's very bright, quite child-bright colours.  I blame the Zauberball!

3) From Russia with Love cowl (Cross Cowling) Done! 

4) Another Stitchnerd cowl pattern (Cross Cowling) Fil!  I restarte TGV in a different yarn, which ate up my knitting time (that's my sxcuse)

5) A dishcloth (Alpine Abode Enhancement)  Done!  Oddly the photo has disappeared. I must have saved it in a funny file...

6) Finish Follwo my Arrow MKAL (WIPs Wrestling).Fail!  Abandoned. I just didn't like the two colour version that much (and wished that I'd started with the lihgter colour).   

7) In the rare event that I'll finish all of my Ravellenic projects, and have nothing on the needles AT ALL  on 24th February, this will be what I;ll be knitting heading for March!  Done!  Another cowl this time it's Swithcways, which I finished on the last day of February.  

So two goals not achieved, but I'm pleased to finish Babette!  It meant that I went int March with NOTHING ON THE NEEDLES.  I'm  not comfortable with that!  busy work means not much weekday knitting for me. I do pick up the needles, but find myself dropping off in the middle of a row. Holding the needles and having a five minute shut eye!  So it needs to be mindless too!

 

Anyway, now for March

Blog:

1) TGV shawlette

2) Switchways cowl

Start and finish:

3) Antoher cowl (DONE DONE DONE! Weekend knitting...)

4) Another cowl (I'm addicted)

Start

5) Plain socks (DONE, not finished, but OTN)

6) A baby crdigan. Someone at work has asked me if I'd knit another cardigan for her nearly 15 month old girl, Afraid ti'll have to be pink for her traditionalist mother,

7) A shawl or scarf, something smallish, and possilby beaded,  

8) Mitts?  To deviate from cowls?

I'm planning on simple stuff, and as I've already finished something I think I may have a successful knitting month!

February knitting plans

Ravellenic Games!  Yes, I'm participating again. A few months ago Yvonne mentioned a ravelry group, Stitchnerds, to me, a friendly group with easy carry-along cowl, scarf and shawl patterns.The  Ravellenic Games seems an ideal time to start knitting these designs, so Team Stichnerds it is!

This weekend I started the preparation.

Stash diving in the dk oddball stash, thankfully not a large stash! I've selected a small bag of possible yarns for cowls. 

Clearing the decks - I've frogged Kraka!  Love the finished design but the knitting mojo had gone. I found it nigh on impossible to summon up any enthusiasm for this project, so the needles have been pulled out and the Kauni returned to stash.

Babette time!  Another not much loved project. I find if it's hanging around for months I lose interest.  Not a person who has any old UFOs!  When I pulled this out though I was pleasantly surprised to see just how much work had already been done.  All of the squares were crocheted.  Eight of the ten strips were completed.  Just squares for the final two strips needed to be sewn together.  Did I say 'just'?  It took me nearly a whole weekend!  But they're all done. I've even joined nine strips together. One more long strip to sew to the rest of the blanket and the centre is done.  Just borders to do.  That's decision time, too.  I keep thinking that I ought to use all of the small balls up, doing a sort of multi-coloured round, but it might be too busy.  I do have enough of a few colours (I think!) to work complete rounds. That might be the way to go.

And now for the February knitting plans.

Anyone not familiar with the Ravellenic events just ignore that bit!

1) Finish Babette (WIPs Wrestling)

2) A Stitchnerd shawl. Probably TGV, or Hogwart's Express (Short-track Shawls)

3) From Russia with Love cowl (Cross Cowling)

4) Another Stitchnerd cowl pattern (Cross Cowling)

5) A dishcloth (Alpine Abode Enhancement)

6) Finish Follwo my Arrow MKAL (WIPs Wrestling).

7) In the rare event that I'll finish all of my Ravellenic projects, and have nothing on the needles AT ALL  onn 24th February, this will be what I;ll be knitting heading for March!

In addition to these events, there are Purple events, sub categories of the main events.  I intend to enter these too!  So far it's Nordic Colorwork Combined, Single Skein Speed Skate, and Stash Skeleton.  I'm hoping that I can also enter (depending on the pattens) Lace  Luge, Cable Cross-country and possibly Beading Biathlon!

Tough call, but the great thing about not having too many things on the go is that every so often I can cast on lots more! 

November knitting and December knitting goals

November has sped by!  I didn't quite make my total, hardly surprising, when I had eleven goals!

November goals:

Blog:

1) Lush Baby cardigan  Done!

Finish:

2) Plain blue Opal socks. Xmas knitting.  FAIL!  Still on the  needles, thogh Ih ave managed to finish the first and knit a few inches of the second. 

Start and finish: 

(all for Christmas!)

3) Felted clogs 1  Done! 

4) Felted clogs 2  Done!  Just not blogged yet. THese ones are bluetops with pink soles and trim.

5) Hat 1  Done!  Wurm.  

6) Hat 2 Done!  FAIL!  It's another Wurm, but only just started.  

7) Hat 3 (for a toddler, who wants a bloody pompom!)  FAIL!  I think thepom pom put me off!

8) Another toddler cardigan for a second birthay,  FAIL!  

Start and finish (may not be for Christmas knitting, but Ill wiat and see!)

9) WoollyWormhead's Mystery hat KAL.  Done!  I need to blog it.

10) Inspiration knits ravelry group KAL  Dibe!  

11) You and I ravelry group mystery shawl KA  Done!  Well, I'm ikn the middle of knitting this, but I've kept up with all of the clues.

So, seven stars to me.

I usually spend the first half of December frantically finihsing off things for Christmas, and th second half knitting for me.  This year I wanted to finish all gifts by the end of November, but I still have socks and a hat to go,but no too bad. 

Blog:

1) Woolly Wormhead MKAL hat

2) Felted clogs

Finish:

3) Wurm hat for a gift.

4) Blue socks for  a gift.

5) You&I ravelry group Mystery KAL shawl.  I just have to keep up with the clues, and it's all downhill as the shawl is knitted bottom up.

Continue:

6) Babette crocheted blanket. I must not let this fall by the wayside!  I need to pick it up each week and do a little work on it. Not promising that I'll finish it though...

Start and finish:

7) Another ravelry KAL, this time from Boo-knits ravelry group, Boo Humbuh scarf. I actually started this yesterday, but may frog and reknit on smaller needles not sure yet.  

Start: 

8) restart, really. Kraka. I need to frog and reknit a smaller size. It's a bit gut-wrenching to do this.  It will be my Christmas project for me. 

So, eight goals,  Some small, some massive if I wnt them to be (Babette!) but a nice easy end to the year. I'm not even going to worry if nothing (except gifts) gets done, and I may also buy a kit or too as a treat!

October knitting and November knitting goals

Well.  October knitting plans ere a complete disaster!   I realised that I'd have a lot of knitting to do, but still, this close to Christmas and it was a massive FAIL!

October goals

Blog:

1) Lacy Baktus Done!

2) Ribbed hat Done!

Finish:

3) Kraka  Fail!  Sometime near the beginning of the month I realised that my row tension was out, and it wold be too wide.  I still intend to knit this, it's in the naughty corner.  

4) Felted Clogs  Done!

Continue:

5) Babette.  Slowly, doing.  I'm not as thrilled at this process, joining, sewing in ends and crocheting small squares.  

Start and finish:

6) A WW KAL Fail!  The yarn wasn't right, and I ran ou to ftime...

7) A cowl, another KAL from the ravelry Cowl group, New Bittersweet Cowl  Fail!  Again the yarn was wrong, it has a very slight variation in colour which of course pooled in a way which I didn't like. 

8) A baby cardigan for toddler(!) P,  Done!  I haven't had time to blog it yet though.

9) Socks for Christmas. These'll be plain, and dark grey. Fail!  I changed my mind on the colour (too tangled up) and went for a blue pair, but only managed an inch of knitting. 

10) Some mitts, I think, Done!  And I love them.

So, a fail for October, overall.  I've got to start knitting a few smallish Christmas gifts!

November goals:

Blog:

1) Lush Baby cardigan

Finish:

2) Plain blue Opal socks. Xmas knitting.

Start and finish: 

(all for Christmas!)

3) Felted clogs 1 

4) Felted clogs 2

5) Hat 1 

6) Hat 2

7) Hat 3 (for a toddler, who wants a bloody pompom!)

8) Another toddler cardigan for a second birthay

Start and finish (may not be for Christmas knitting, but Ill wiat and see!)

9) WoollyWormhead's Mystery hat KAL.

10) Inspiration knits ravelry group KAL 

11) You and I ravelry group mystery shawl KAL

ELEVEN!  Well, we'll wait and see.  Lots are small, I just need to spend more time knitting and less time looking on ravelry for new patterns and KALs!

 

September knitting and October knitting goals

How did I do?

September

Blog:

1) Mr C's socks.  Done!

Carry on with:

2) Babette  Carrying on!  

Start and finish:

3) A hat.  Done!  Dad's ribbed hat. 

4) A pair of socks,  Done! 

Start:

5) Something .... in double knitting. Change of plan.  I've started some more Felted Clogs.  Mr C's are worn through, have been for months. I was hoping to hold off untill Decebmer but he has no heels!

6) A garment.  Done!  It's Kraka.  A sleeveless vest, with body knitted sideways and then the yoke picked up and knitted upwards.  I don't even think I've blogged it yet!

7) Lacy Baktus.  Done!  And finished. 

So, ALL OF MY GOALS MET!!  GET THE FLAGS OUT!

Now for October.  I really need to do some more accessories and Christmas/birthday knitting. 

Blog:

1) Lacy Baktus

2) Ribbed hat

Finish:

3) Kraka  

4) Felted Clogs

Continue:

5) Babette.  I'd love to finish this but the actual finishing might take me a while!

Start and finish:

6) A WW KAL - it's the October KAL and the pattern is Beelore. . 

7) A cowl, another KAL from the ravelry Cowl group, New Bittersweet Cowl

8) A baby cardigan for toddler(!) P,

9) Socks for Christmas. These'll be plain, and dark grey.

10) Some mitts, I think, though I may change my mind...

A few extra this month.  Do-able?

Let's see... 

July knitting and August knitting goals

Tempus fugit!

I've not had much time to knit this past month, we're short staffed at work and I'm too tired sometimes to do much knitting in the evenings. Annoying!

So, not quite a great July for the knitting goals, but I've done ok,

Blog:
1) Audrey in Unst Done!

Finish:

2) Green socks. One leg  Done! By the skin of my teeth, No photos yet though. 

3) Honeybee cardigan.  Done! 

Start and finiish:

4) Ravelry KAL Summer Storm,  Done!

5) Ravelry KAL Ohh Summer! Done!

Start:

6) Undecided  Fail!  Ran out of time!

7) Undecided  Fail!  Ran out of time!

Stash in for July: 1384 yards

Stash out for July: 2227 yards.

Stash movement in July: -843 yards

Stash movement for 2013: -399 yards, a decrease at last!

Now for August. I've decided to try to do small things this month. I still have 2 blankets, 2 shawls

and 2 garments to knit this year, that will be September's problem!

Now I've joined a challenge on the Stash Knit Down group on ravelry called Summer Sizzlerbasket. You have to fill your basket with up to 14 things - usually knitting or crocheting stuff, but also some other non knitting items, such as Summer Reading, or Weeding (give away or donate something). So mainly my list will be me trying to full up my Summer Sizzler basket!  You can double dip, and counts something as two on the list, but I will wait and see how I get on first. 

So now for AUGUST!

Blog:

1) Green socks 

Fill my Summer Sizzler basket (which means starting and finishing by the end of the month)

2) Fresh Strawberries (something red or pink)

3) Fireworks (beads or sparkly, I'm going for sparkly)

4) Sunburn (hat). I'm joining another kal on another ravelry group, PRM and it's coincidentally by the same designer as Ohh Summer! and Summer Storm. 

5) Walking Barefoot in the Grass (socks or slippers). I'm going to knit Mr C's birthday socks. Need to do these well in advance, so he forgets what they look like, come December!

6) Beach (something for the beach, such as a bag) NO idea what to do here, will have to look on the ravelry group to see what others did!

7) Bonfire (warmest yarn). No idea again, as I don't know what my warmest yarn is!  I might just look for a warm blend...

8) Lemonade (something yellow). No idea, again, Of coruse, if I run out of time I can double dip and knit soemthing yellow for the beach!

9) Allergies (non wool). Might have to think of the Summer Storm I've just done as a double dip here. I surely can't have time to knit all this stuff, can I???

Fingers crossed!

June knitting and July knitting goals

Second attempt, just managed to lose a whole bloody blog post!

June

Finish

1) Audrey in Unst cardigan. Done!  Need to blog.

2) C's socks. Done!

3) Olearia toddler cardigan. Done!

4) Summer Day shrug  Done!

Start and finish

5) Another baby cardigan. Done!  Sideways Babe

6) Another garment. Done!  Honeybee cardigan in Rowan 4ply wool cotton.

7) Undecided.   Dishcloths - done!

I've managed to complete ALL of my knitting goals!  First time this year

Helped by the fact that some are small and I fitted in a long weekend visiting my parents. Sometimes I don't get much knitting done, but this time i did.  Very pleased. 

As for stash this month, in 220, out a massive 3045 yards (I only count finished stuff) meaning my June total is out 2825 yards.  The cumulative yardage for the year is + 444 yards.  Looks like I am not diminishing the stash that much but I am keeping it under control!

Now for July

Blog:
1) Audrey in Unst

Finish:

2) Green socks. One leg done.

3) Honeybee cardigan. Body to the armholes and both sleeves done, and joined. Working my way to the shoulders!  I do like this rowan 4ply wool cotton. Prefer it to the dk weight one.

Start and finiish:

4) Ravelry KAL Summer Storm, a unisex vest (I think) for a baby/child.

5) Ravelry KAL Ohh Summer!, another kal by the same designer as Summer Storm.  

Start:

6) Undecided

7) Undecided

I have no idea what I want to knit. I'm fickle, depends on the weather!  One part of me wants to knit another cardigan, but maybe I should think about a shawl, or a blanket?  I'll see how it goes.

Happy knitting!  

May knitting and June knitting goals

Seriously.  I thought I'd manage all of my goals this month, and it turns out that I have managed only four of seven!  What went wrong?

May:

Finish:

1) Audrey in Unst cardigan. Fail, sort of.  I'm waiting for buttons which seem to be lost in the post. Cardigan is blocked and ends darned in (except a few which I didn't notice until washing).  Amazing how dirty the water was!  I presume it's just that the stashed yarn has been hanging around since the Liberty period. 

2) The Troubadour's gauntlets.Success! 

3) Mr C's socks. Fail. Got bored. One sock to go.

Start:

4) Garment #2. Fail!  I ordered new needles thinking that they might arrive fro the bank holiday weekend, but they didn't. I could have started something in the evening, but there's a chance that I get too excited about new knitting and stay up far too late. 

5) A baby cardigan for a one year old. Success!  It's nearly done, jsut sleeves to go.  I've made the 2yo size, so that Polena can wear it this winter. 

6) More mitts for the Christmas list. Success!

7) Something from my sigma13 list for the home.  Fail!  No inclination to knit anything for the home. I can only think of two things anyway, a teacosy and dishcloths!

Instead I started a toddler shrug, very cute and n

Now for June

Four things are already on the list!

Finish

1) Audrey in Unst cardigan. Jut buttons..

2) C's socks. One to go. Must grit my teeth.

3) Olearia toddler cardigan.

4) Summer Day shrug

Start and finish

5) Another baby cardigan. Probably for a baby or toddler.

Start

6) Another garment. * Fingers crossed * that the Honeynee cardigan is the one!

7) Undecided.  I haven't given much thought to a KAL on ravelry for June yet, so might wait and see what's about.

SURELY I can manage seven goals in June??

 

 

April knitting and May knitting goals

A fairly successful April knitting, though I didn't finish everything and had a frogged ((but goal met!) project.  

Blog:

1) Groovyghan  Done!

2) Chivalry Mitts Done!

3) Present Cowl Done!

4) Trekking socks Done!

Start and finish:

5) Ravelry KAL #4.  Not sure yet which one to do, nothing is grabbing me. I think it may possibly be a Mystery kal!  Done!  But sadly in the frog corner. Too wide and too short.

6) Socks for me. I pulled out some Lorna's Laces sock yarn in Envy at the b eginning of the year, and it's still untouched.  Done!

7) Troubadour gauntlets. Fail! But started.. 

Start 

8) Start some socks for Mr C. Done!  No photos yes as I really haven't done much knitting on these. 

9) A biggie, this one. Start a garment. Done!  Body finished, just sleeves and border to go. 

 

So overall very pleased.  Not so great on the stash front though!
In 1819 yards (oops), out 436 yards, balance for the year is a whopping out 49yards!

 

Now for May goals.

Starting with the three wips on the needels,

Finish:

1) Audrey in Unst cardigan. Two sleeves and a border,

2) The Troubadour's gauntlets.

3) Mr C's socks. He ha PLENTY of socks, but still wears his favourites and therefore they are wearing thin. One pair wore out (at the side of the heel) last week,

Start:

4) Garment #2. Not sure what it will be, but I have this Butter cotton wool 4ply....

5) A baby cardigan for a one year old. Think it will be a summery, lightweight cardigan.

6) More mitts for the Christmas list. I think I may use the frogged Mystery cowl yarn.

7) Something from my sigma13 list for the home - probably a dishcloth! Should be able to finish one of those, surely!

 

 

March knitting and April knitting goals

3rd of April already and I haven't done my monthly goals yet, and that with four days off for Easter, doing nothing but lazing around!

March was fairly productive, with just one goal not met, and that was abandoned.

1) Continue with the CAL Groovyghan. I have one more strip, plus borders and a million ends.  Not sure if I can say FINISH it but, oh well, let's say FINISH IT!   And I did!  I just haven't blogged about it yet. Need photos! Very chuffed to get it done. 

2) Continue with the double knit Bubbles scarf,. I have 120 rows or so plus the 3" end to do. Shall I say FINISH.  In for a penny ... so I'll say FINISH IT!  Yippee! Done!  

3) Finish the socks I'm currently knitting in Trekking XXL.  Done! That second sock was only a quarter done until Good Friday..  need to blog them now. 

4) Join another ravelry kal #3 of my Sigma13. Done!  Recluse Slippers, a very quick nit, easy and a stashbuster.

5) knit another five mittens for my Smitten ornament This was the failure.  I'm afraid that I got bored!

6) Knit either a hat.cowl, or baby/child.  Done!  It was the Present Cowl, in aran weight yarn.  Started over the weekend, so it's not even been mentioned on the blog yet. 

7) More  mitts.  Done!  The Chivalry  Mitts, finished over the weekend. 

So, March was pretty successful!  I finished three things over Easter, so need to get those blogged about, and need to see if I can get better photos of the Groovyghan too.  I went outside on Easter Monday to take photos (with Mr C's help, haven't managed to get photos of mitts or cowls being worn), but it was bitterly cold, the wind was whipping up my hair, the blanket was being blown off the ground!  I took very quick photos, but C had to stand on the blanket to keep it flat!  I will try again, fingers crossed the it's a calm weekend with no rain!

And the stash is in the negative!

Stash in for March:  1420 yards

Stash out for March: 3790 yards

Stash totals for 2013 -1632 yards. 

 

So for April knitting. 

Blog:

1) Groovyghan

2) Chivalry Mitts

3) Present Cowl

4) Trekking socks

Start and finish:

5) Ravelry KAL #4.  Not sure yet which one to do, nothing is grabbing me. I think it may possibly be a Mystery kal!

6) Socks for me. I pulled out some Lorna's Laces sock yarn in Envy at the beginning of the year, and it's still untouched. 

7) Troubadour gauntlets. I bought this kit a while ago, time to get it knitted up!

Start (no promises to finish though)

8) Start some socks for Mr C. Although he has quite a few, he wants more. he reckons that some are not play socks (bright) and they are divided between the boat and flat, so his choice is 'limited' (ha!)

9) A biggie, this one. Start a garment. I've been obsessing over the weekend, with the thought of summer and warmer weather. I don't want to knit a thick, woolly jumper. I fancy a Spring jumper. Still thinking about it - the yarn, the pattern.  My summer yarns are packed away, but I do have some 4ply and some wool cotton and even dk weight yarn, not too wintery.   I bet I spend three weeks deliberating and cast on at the end of April!
I am trying to resist reknitting patterns which I like!

 

That's it.  Nine goals but four ar just blog posts.   Should keep me busy though!