February...ing

Just a quick fly in today as we have just got back from holiday and things are all over the place. Have you enjoyed February? Sometimes I think it is the worst month because Winter feels so long but this year it has flown by with family, work, sewing, knitting and our ski holiday.

Travelling - to Austria for our first family ski holiday. Things are different from when Bloke and I used to ski every year, sometimes twice in our 30's. We all have to wear helmets and priorities are different. We wanted a location that we could take walks, mooch and visit when our legs were aching from ski boots. Gone are the days of skiing, getting drunk and skiing on repeat with a hangover all in a woolly hat.

Eating - street waffles with chocolate sauce in Zell am See and...

Copious amounts of ham and cheese.

Loving - the bright days, exercise and the feeling of freedom. It makes you feel really alive.

Knitting - some socks on holiday. It is my go to project for travelling. 

Wearing - my new sweater. I love it so...

Sewing - my second Marnie Blouse by Tilly and the Buttons. My first one has gone to a friend and I sized down and made this one with a smaller sleeve in double gauze. The right fabric choice is key to this pattern.

Admitting - that we all missed Beano immensely while we were away. He was so pleased to see us and lay on the huge pile of dirty washing when we got back for ages.

Arriving - back to a tidy house. Thanks mum. She even cleaned the fridge!

Getting - stilettos for my cutting table. Bloke made me these leg extensions for my table so that I can cut out without having a sore back. Genius eh?

Attending - an overlocker course at Guthri and Ghani in Birmingham. It was brilliant and I learnt so much. It was a bit of a busman's holiday - a day off sewing to learn about more sewing!

Marking - the first week of the flower vase challenge I set myself last year. How long can I have a vase of flowers continuously throughout the year from either hedgerow or garden? I think I am already a few weeks up on last year when I started in March. Today we have hellebores, daffs, and euphorbia.

Leaving - you with the view of course. It doesn't matter where I go in the world I am always ecstatic to get back to this, I think it is engrained on my retinas.

Chat soon. Jo xxx

Winter Knitting round up

 I have had some quite successful knitting projects of late. I find knitting kind of goes in waves for me; sometimes fantastic, sometimes farcical. 

Bloke bought me a lovely new book for Christmas called Ready Set Raglan. If you like knitting top down jumpers is a must have book. It acts as a kind of pick and mix book where you choose your neck finish, hem finish and size followed by the kind of raglan pattern you would like. I love these kind of books because I like a long sleeve and short body fit. 

I chose a split hem because I was trying to trick my jumper into NOT flipping up on the ribbed waistband. You might notice here I am holding it. It is to stop it flipping - it is flipping annoying! 

I blocked the edge which stopped it happening but I think I need to go down more than one needle size when I rib my knitting. It happens on everything I do.

Anyway, the raglan is joyous and so easy to achieve. When I knit another one out of the book, which I surely will, I will do the German short rows at the back neck to make the front neck a little lower but I am really 'knit-picking'

The yarn was a huge hank I bought in a bargain bin at WonderWool last year. My usual shenanigans - you know the drill - no ball band, no washing instructions, no yardage...no idea. But it felt enough for a sweater. It was quite a light mustard colour so I ran a strand of Isager Kid silk mohair from Ippikin (not a bargain!) with it and the resulting fabric was suberb. It fit the gauge requirements, is super soft and warm and took the tone of the yellow down a peg or two.

Next up to ease the budget a little after the Isager purchase I made a birthday present for a two year old with some bottom-of-the-basket left overs. It is one of my favourite tops to knit called Like Sleeves which you can find on ravelry here. It is two rectangles with a row of decreases at the empire line and the sleeves you see are purely an optical illusion! I striped it out to get the antique rose yarn to go the distance. All wrapped and ready to go.

OK, wait for it.....

I finished my tank top and bought a shirt to go underneath. I was due a new white shirt because the two I owned had turned the colour of old chewing gum. I decided now was the time to finally yay or nay the monster top from 2022. 

When I see it in the top photo, I really like it. When I see it below I don't like it because it is all uneven but you know what - I will wear it this spring and see, nobody knows the armholes are different depths. I simply couldn't leave the one armhole unfinished therefore I added a small row of rib. 

I mean weird shape or what?

Finally, I have crocheted a jumper. I am a little late on the show and tell for this little number. I made it over Christmas but it is really ready for Spring. I have a craft group and a few people wanted to make a jumper so we have been making them together. This is stylecraft bambino which is delightful against the skin. This jumper came in at under £20!

We are going skiing next week to Austria. I always like a little portable project for the airport and on holiday so I have cast on a new pair of socks. 

Any knitting/crochet success of late? Jo xxxx