Seventh Year of Projects - Week 31

Week 31!  WOW I am still amazed I have been keeping up with this for so long!  I have not really followed my initial list, but I have been posting about my progress on other projects :)

I finished my SKA MOCKs a couple days ago and I love them!  I really didn't use the best yarn for socks, but it was a good yarn for color work.  The contrast is maybe a bit to subtle as well, but I am fine with that as well!  I really do enjoy a mystery knit!

Since I finished up my mystery socks a couple days ago I have had a bit of time to continue working on my Advent Cowl.  I am slowly getting closer to completion on this one too.  Last week I had finished the middle of the three darker pink bands.  In the past week I added the second gray, the third dark pink, and the pale pink.  I did about 18 rounds (each round is over 200 stitches) and I have 15 rounds left to do!!  I am really hoping to have it as a finish for next Sunday!

I have been seeing several people lately talking about their "Make Nine" projects.  Basically this is a personal challenge for people to make nine articles of clothing for themselves over 2018.  I think I am going to join this bandwagon and see what I can manage.  I suspect I will not make it to nine, but I will try.  My make nine will include both knitting and sewing.  I have not sewn a garment in a long time and it is about time to dust off my trusty old sewing machine and show it some love again. 

First up I plan to knit the Rowe Cardigan by Michele Wang.  It is a gorgeous worsted weight heavily cabled cardigan.  I am excited to cast it on!!  There is a KAL for knitting Wang garments over here that I am going to join.  I need to order some yarn for it and I plan to get that done later today.  I plan to order some undyed yarn and will decide if I want to dye the skeins before I knit it, or dye the cardigan once it is done - or leave it as an undyed yarn.  I am actually leaning towards leaving it undyed. 

Second up I plan to sew myself the Grandpa Cardi.  I have an old jersey sweater that I am wearing to death and I have not been able to find a replacement in the shops so I finally decided I may as well sew my own!  I need to go out and look at some fabric soon (maybe on Thursday?) and get started with that one!  I bought the pattern last night and need to figure out just how much fabric I need. I am excited to get back to sewing again!!

Tune in next week to see where I am!!  I hope you all have an amazing week! 

Seventh Year of Projects - Week 30

Back again!  I have had a fairly productive week!

I completed Clue #3 (added the heel flaps, heel turns, and gusset decreases) on my SKA MOCKs and am looking forward to seeing the final clue tomorrow!  Hopefully that last clue knits up quickly!

I spend some quality time with my Advent Cowl.  I am now working on the last round of Day 17 (of 24 days).  This cowl has long rounds (over 200 stitches!) and almost all color work so it is slow going...  I hope to have it done by the end of January, but we shall see!  I just checked and I have 35 rounds left to go and 12 of those rounds are solid colors with no color work!  Lots of color work to go!!

Have an amazing week everyone!!

Seventh Year of Projects - Week 29

Hello again for another weekly update!  This week has been less productive for me as University has started up again after our winter break and I have been busy with that.

I did manage to get a goodly amount done on my SKA MOCK (Sock Knitters Anonymous Mystery Sock).  The second clue was released on Monday and I have managed to complete one leg and about half of the second leg.  I hope to get the second leg complete today so that I am ready for the third clue on Monday.  We are told to cut the contrast color at the end of Clue #2 so the heel should be quicker going with only one color!

I still have not blocked my Advent Scarf...  I really hope to get that done this week coming up!  And I want to start sewing together my BAMKAL squares and I want to finish my BAMCAL squares so I can assemble that blanket as well!  I especially want to get these three things done in January so I can clear off most of my WIP list I organized at the beginning of the month!  We shall see how I progress!

Until next time - happy crafting!

Seventh Year of Projects - Week 27

Happy New Year everyone!!  I hope everyone had a nice 2017 and I wish everyone all the best for a wonderful 2018!!

I have a list of things to tackle in the new year!  I plan to finish up some things that should have been completed in 2017, but did not quite make it off the needles.

My list:
1) Block my Advent Scarf - the knitting is complete but the blocking needs doing

2) Finish my Advent Cowl

3) Finish my 2017 Temperature Scarf - I am complete to the end of December 13th...
4) Finish my December BAMKAL squares and assemble the afghan
5) Finish my December BAMCAL squares and assemble the afghan

I am hoping to get all of this crossed off the list by the end of January!

While travelling over the holidays I also cast on a pair of vanilla socks using some of my own hand dyed yarn. I am loving how it is knitting up!  I plan on getting back to those soon as well!

Happy New Year everyone!!  May 2018 be your best year yet!

Seventh Year of Projects - Week 25

Another week!  Can you believe we are almost half way through the year?  And even more amazing - can you believe I have posted every week do far this year?!  

I have spent some time this past week working on both of my Advent scarves and have made some progress.  

My Advent Cowl is complete up to the end of Day 13 - and I have reached the half way point!

My Advent Scarf is also seeing some love and I am up to half way through Day 6 - not quite half way but getting close!  This is not a very good picture - I'll be sure to get some better pictures once it is all finished and blocked!

Seventh Year of Projects - Week 24

Another week!  I have spent some time this past week working on both of my Advent scarves and have made some progress.

My Advent Cowl has seen some work since last week, although I am falling behind...  I have one round of Day 6 complete and have the clues up to Day 10 waiting for me to knit...  I hope to get some time to work on that this upcoming week!

My Advent scarf has also seen some love this week and I am almost ready to start Clue 5 of the 6 that have been released. It is all scrunchy and bunchy right now and will certainly need a serious blocking once it is done!  The widest part is the center and each clue (released every second day) adds a bit more to each side. 

I had planned on doing a Mystery Sock but I have not had time to even cast that on so I suspect I wont be keeping up with that!!  Two clues are already out.  I think I will take it with me when I go home for Christmas and will work on it then (once my two Advent scarves are complete - which should hopefully be by Christmas day!)

Until next week!!

WIP-it Wednesday

I have been busy trying to keep up with my Advent knitting and have made some decent progress (although I am falling a bit behind...)

I am caught up to the end of Day 5 on my Advent 2017 scarf.  I am enjoying this knit and I have expanded my colours a little bit.  I have added in a gray and some pink (one shade is in and one shade is left to join the party later).  Here is what it looks like up to the end of Day 5 (I'll work on Day 6 this evening):

I have also spent some time on my Advent Scarf too.  I am a bit behind with this one but will catch up over time.  This design began with the cable piece to the top.  Then the second clue involves picking up stitches along both sides of the first piece and working the clues once per side down the length of the scarf.  I am part way through the second clue (of three released so far):

I am still hoping to cast on the Mystery Socks but have not done so yet.  Maybe I will find some time on Thursday to cast on!  The second clue will be released on Friday so I would like to be done for then, but we shall see.

I hope everyone is staying warm and is enjoying this time leading up to the holidays!!

Seventh Year of Projects - Week 23

Week 23!!  I am amazed I have consistently posted every week for 23 weeks now!  WOW!!

I went a little overboard casting on new things the past few days, but I cannot resist an Advent knit or a mystery sock!

First up is the Advent Scarf 2017.  This is something that has become an annual tradition that I have participated in for four or five years now.  Each day a new clue is released from December 1st through December 24th.  Each day is four or five rounds of knitting.  I have the first two days complete and am part way through Day three.  This year we are creating a colour work cowl - I opted for the smaller one as I knew that my month was going to be busy!  Here are my colours (although I may add some along the way - we shall see as the month progresses!

Second is the Chrismukkah scarf.  I dyed my own yarn for this and am thinking I will likely give it to my Mom for Christmas.  It has a lot of cabley goodness and will have clues released every other day (roughly) throughout Advent.  I have completed Clue #1 and have started Clue #2.  Clue #3 has also been released...  I am falling behind, but hope to catch up soon!

And third is a pair of Mystery Socks.  I have my yarn set aside and have freed up two pair of needles so I can knit these in tandem, but I have not had the time to cast them on yet.  Hopefully on Tuesday!

It has been a busy weekend and I am just now finding time to upload my post for today (at about 10:30pm)  I plan to take and post some progress pictures before next Sunday rolls around!

NaBloPoMo 2017 Day 30!!

Today is the final day of NaBloPoMo and I have managed to post each and every day this month!  I have amazed myself by doing this!  It has been a great experience and one I look forward to doing again next November!

Yesterday I finished one of my mystery socks and today I need to finish the second sock.  Today I also need to dye some yarn to have ready for casting on one of the mystery Advent scarves!  I think I have decided on a nice green shade and once it is complete I will give it to my Mom for a Christmas gift.  She loves green!  And I also need to pick out yarn for the second Advent scarf I plan to knit along with.  I already have the yarn for the December Mystery Socks chosen :)

Here is where my mystery socks are at now:

NaBloPoMo 2017 Day 29

Today is NaBloPoMo Day 29!!  Only one more day to post and I will have posted every day in November!  I am so impressed with myself!  Last year I missed two days so I have done better this year!  

Yesterday I spent my spare time working on my Mystery Socks and I am getting closer to having them all done!!  I suspect I will be able to finish them tonight or tomorrow!  Here is what they look like now:

After work today I need to get onto dying some yarn for one of the mystery Advent scarves I will be casting on Friday.  This way the yarn should be nice and dry and ready to cast on Friday morning!  I am excited to start some new projects!  I have been quite disciplined this past month or so and have only worked on WIPs without caving in to the temptation to cast on something new!  Well on Friday I am going to blow that out of the water by casting on three new things!