January Knitting Stats

In January, I didn't knit as much as I would have liked. I think due to the big blanket project and cutting my finger all lead to a slow month.

This month I finished a blanket and a cowl. All in all I knit up 3.5 balls of yarn/ 714 yards. 

Even though February is a short month, I hope to have higher knitting numbers. 

FYA2 Clue 2B

 I finished  the second clue for my Follow Your Arrow 2 KAL. I chose to knit clue B because it involved a new technique I hadn't done before. I had never slipped bunches of stitches before. It turned out not to be too difficult after a few rows. I did have some trouble with keeping tension and making sure I didn't slip one too many stitches etc. I also had to keep checking my work to make sure I was slipping them correctly. All in all it has an interesting effect and I like the design of the shawl so far. This shawl seems to be more about texture and less about lace, but I'm still enjoying it all the same.

WIP Wednesday: Shawls and scarf

Lately, I love all the new projects I'm working on. I think this is just because my last project was so big and time consuming.

 Holbrook Shawl - This is my "H" for my lace A-Z challenge. So far it's going smoothly. It felt a bit fiddly at first, but once I got into a rhythm it became easier to see the pattern. I am enjoying knitting this quite a bit.

Follow Your Arrow 2 - (no picture) I'm still working on this, I'm about 1/3 through with Clue 2B. I'll post about it once I complete knitting the 2nd clue. 

My So Called Scarf -  I'm still plugging away on this scarf. This is my mindless travel knitting. It's getting worked on here and there. This is my oldest yarn from 2006.

Crystalline Cowl

Pattern: Crystalline Cowl

Yarn: Lamb & Wolf Bulky Bird Eye

Needles: US Size 11

Started and Finished on: Jan 25th

Comments/Modifications: I really wanted to make something quick. I realize that out of all the things I knit, I really enjoy wearing cowls. I don't like things to be tight around my neck, so not tight cowls. I like to wear them more like infinity scarves.

I pulled out some bulky yarn from stash and found a free pattern online. I love Lamb & Wolf yarn. The colors are vibrant and the yarn is soft and squishy to knit with. I just knit the two row repeat until I ran out of yarn. I didn't knit the ribbing in the pattern, because of that the cowl curls a lot. I don't really mind. I love how it turned out. (It's actually the same stitch that's in My So Called Scarf, which is the scarf that I'm currently knitting.)

Garter Rib Blanket

It took almost 2 months, but it's finally done! I'm so happy this is off the needles. This is my first finished object of 2015!

Pattern: Garter Rib Blanket by Orange Flower Yarn

Yarn: Neeley's Knits DK in Elsa's Ice Castle

Needles: US Size 7

Started on: Nov. 26, 2014

Finished on: Jan. 18, 2015

Comments/Modifications: I wanted this blanket to be large so I cast on 141 stitches to make it wider. I knit this pattern until I was close to running out of yarn. I used almost 5 skeins of yarn.

The recipient loves the blanket and in the second photo you can see how the recipient has decided to use her new blanket. The yarn was lovely to work with and the result is a warm and snuggly blanket.

I'm glad to have this one off the needles. It feels like a huge relief. It was getting heavy to knit with and this was a very big project for me. I can't wait to get some other smaller projects on the needles.

WIP Wednesday: Follow Your Arrow 2

I decided to participate in the Follow Your Arrow 2 Mystery Knit a long (MKAL). It's a mystery KAL which means no one aside from the designer knows how the shawl will look in advance. It's also a choose your own adventure type. There are five clues total and one clue is released per week. Each clue will contain two options and you pick one option and knit it. The first clue was released on Monday.

I actually found it surprising that this is my first Ysolda pattern, she is a pretty well known designer in the knitting community and I do appreciate her aesthetic. For this KAL, I chose to knit Clue 1B. I didn't understand her cast on instructions and was too lazy to look it up. So I decided to do something not in the pattern. I ended up doing the garter tab cast on. I looked at the pattern and noted that I need 11 stitches in order to start the first row. Using that information, I cast on 5 stitches and knit 6 rows. Then I turned my work sideways and picked up three stitches (in each ridge). I turned my work and knit across all 8 stitches and then I picked up another three stitches on the other side. So now I had 11 stitches and was ready to start the first row. This worked out well for me and seemed more straightforward than the instructions.

I also didn't understand her increase "make 1" instructions. I tried to do it the way that she recommended in the pattern, but I ended up with a hot mess. I somehow ended up with crazy gaping holes and it did not look right in any way. So I re-started and tried to re-do them a few times. In the end, I decided to just do my increases the way I know how to. So I'm doing knit into front and back of the same stitch for all my increases. So far it's working out and looking good.

My last complaint is I'm having to check my work often because she made the wrong side rows odd and the right side rows even. This keeps throwing me off. I'm used to having my odd rows be right side and my even rows be wrong side.

Aside from all my confusion and complaints, I am very much enjoying the yarn I picked out for this project and I'm liking how the pattern looks so far. I think beginnings of shawls can just be fiddly at times, so I'm hoping that once it's more established it will be easier to see what I'm doing and the pattern will be more intuitive.

10 Things I am Happy About Right Now

Today's Ten on Tuesday topic is Ten Things I am Happy About Right Now

1) Spending time with my family.

2) Working out every day - I love feeling my sore muscles and feeling the burn. It feels good after working out too. I can't wait to start feeling like I'm getting stronger.

3) Finished knitting blanket a couple days ago - It feels good to finally have a finished project especially such a big project that has consumed so much of my time the past few months.

4) My finger - It's finally healed after two weeks! I can actually knit again!

5) Knitting - So excited that I can start knitting again now that my finger has healed!

6) Follow Your Arrow 2 KAL - I'm excited about doing this KAL! It started yesterday!

7) Professor Layton Azran Legacy - It's been a few years since I played this game. I'm really enjoying this one.

8) Work - I am lucky enough to enjoy what I do and the people I work with.

I can't think of 10 so only 8 today! This was a good exercise in reminding myself to be grateful and thankful for all the things that make me happy!

WIP Wednesday

Stupid cut on the finger and coming down with a cold means no knitting at all this past week.

Instead I've spent my time playing a DS game. I rarely play any type of video game, but I do love Prof. Layton. I really enjoy the story lines and find these games to be entertaining. I think I'm a little more than halfway through with the game.

I think my finger has healed enough that I can start knitting again today. I can't wait to get back to it!

WIP Wednesday

This past weekend I cut my finger, so there'll be no knitting for a couple of weeks.

I can show you my progress on the projects before the incident.

Cluaranach - I  just started this. I was just getting momentum on this project. I'm using Bare Naked Wools in Breakfast Blend in Cream N Sugar.

Garter Stitch Blanket - I'm a little over 60% done with this blanket. It's gonna be huge! Just the way I want it to be! I'm using 5 skeins of yarn in two different dye lots. I started the first two balls alternating skeins every few rows. It made the progress very slow and I started putting this project in time out because it was annoying to keep untangling the balls of yarn. I would work on other projects instead.

Also because I have 5 balls of yarn, I wouldn't be able to alternate skeins the entire way through. I decided I didn't care anymore to alternate them. I started to just knit with one ball of yarn all the way through. You can clearly see the mark where I changed to a new ball, but it doesn't bother me.

The intended recipient has already exclaimed how much she loves the blanket and has on multiple occasions asked if she could use it already. This is motivating me to finish it faster. I'm also determined to use every drop of this yarn that I can because I love the squishy softness of this Neeley's Knits in Elsa's Ice Castle color way.

Stupid cut...heal faster... I've got knitting to do!

Ten On Tuesday: Resolutions

Today's ten on Tuesday topic is what are your ten intentions/resolutions for 2015. (Every time I hear the word Resolution - I hear that Aaliyah song in my head.) I love making resolutions and almost do so every year. I've been thinking about this for awhile.

1) Try to go running/walking at least 2 times a week

2) Try to eat healthier

3) Being more appreciative of family and those around me

4) Spending more time with family and making more efforts with them

5) Making more of an effort and keep in better touch with friends

6) Try to keep up with blogging at least a few times a week

7) Knit up 50 balls of yarn

8) Knit up 15,000 yards of yarn

9) Try not to buy any new yarn for myself/ try not to add to my yarn stash

10) Spend more time organizing things in the house

I think these ten things will keep me plenty busy this year!