Shrinking and Growing

You see those small balls of yarn.  I would love to tell you they are from my stash, the leftovers from projects but they're not.  They are from a project (shared here) that I thought was nearly finished, just a few finishing touches to go.  I tried it on and it didn't fit, the yoke was too tight in places a common problem for me.  It fitted perfectly at the neck and slightly lower but just above where the sleeves join was too tight.  I thought I had allowed for this in the pattern but obviously not enough.  Any fitted knitted clothing that I have bought over the years quickly develops holes in this area, just near the armpits.  I have unravelled it back to where I hope I need to, hence my small balls of yarn.  I will need to wash this yarn before knitting with it again as it has become a little wavy.

Thankfully my socks have been growing, not shrinking, the first sock is off the needles.  I am mighty pleased with my grafting at the toe.  The first few socks I ever made with this technique look awful and lumpy and I kept ending up with odd numbers of stitches at the end, too many distractions I expect.  I shut myself away in a quiet room to do this one, that may be the answer.  So here we come sock number two, already on the needles.  I don't suffer with second sock syndrome, and with this pattern I challenge anyone not to want to cast on another, I love it.

Talking of patterns I love, I can't always remember how patterns find their way into my Ravelry favourites especially when they have few projects, I can't have seen this in progress on a blog.  Anyway some of those skeins I bought last month are taking shape into a new project.  This is my first sweater, ever.  I haven't worn sweaters for years they didn't work for me when I was breastfeeding, cardigans worked much better so I have got out of the habit.  I only own one.  Joining the pattern under the arms took a few goes to get right, I am not complaining the pattern is free and it was good to work it out for myself.  I am loving how this pattern knits up it is complicated enough to interesting but not so that I can't do it whilst talking or watching something.

I have managed to find a way to plan a day at home into our rhythm and we have been enjoying some crafting time together. Cameron has decided they are crafternoons.  We have been making peg people, sewing a felt horse, painting a Russian doll set and making a tiny doll who has been named Rosie.

Rosie has been up to all sorts it would seem from the photos that have appeared on my camera!

The children seem to enjoy this time, we all sit together round the table working on our own different projects.  It has been a good time for me to get on with my mending pile which for once is now empty!

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Sweater Pattern here
Sock Pattern here
Peg Doll People here
Rosie Doll here

Joining Jennifer head on over to see what others are making and creating this Winter.

Displacement Activity

I have knitted and sewn many stitches this month just not on the one project I really should be focussing on.  The picture of the quilt is the same as earlier this month and not a stitch has been sewn in the meantime.  I am lucky that Cameron is patient.  Quilting is a new project for me and I have reached a stage where I need some time and headspace to sit and work out the next bit.  I don't always get much of either of these, so it is up to me to make sure I do so that I can get started, as I know that once that happens, I will be left wondering why I haven't made a start before!

The socks are slowly growing, I had progressed a fair way down the foot before I realised that I had made a mistake many rows back so I ripped all the stitches out, I am almost back to where I was before.  Frustrating but I least I noticed then and not even further on!

My cardigan is off the needles.  It needs blocking and then the ends, there are many, need weaving in.  I have bought buttons, so I am nearly there.  I am terrible for ignoring projects at this point and casting something else on but I have resisting, so far.............

.........difficult when this pile is looking at me longing.  My latest purchases.   I bought this yarn online, something I rarely do.  I visited my local yarn shops and couldn't find the colours I wanted.  I risked it online, you can never quite tell if the colours are right can you, and I do like to give the yarn a squish too.  I lucked out with this yarn, it is exactly what I wanted.  I am so looking forward to casting these on.  Two new projects!



I made a birthday present for my friend, I will enlighten you in another post and four of these for the children to store stuff in.

So February, you are the month I will get going on that quilt, a cardigan will get finished and hopefully shared, and just maybe something new on my needles.  I am a step down the road of making some clothes for myself, buying a pattern, next I need some time in the fabric shop, alone.  Maybe that might happen too?

Joining Jennifer for the Winter Project Linky Party, head on over and see what others are making and creating this Winter.