Sunday 4 March 2012

Year of projects 04.03.12

I've just spent a minute or so deliberating the date, if it's wrong, I apologise, but gosh aren't the weeks whizzing by?

Sometime mid-week, I thought to myself, 'hope the weather is good on the weekend, as I will be able to wear my new jumper and take some pictures of it.' 

Well, you'll be pleased to know the weather has been glorious today.....only problem.....I haven't finished my jumper!


I've done a little more since taking the picture, and only have the cap of both sleeves to do and then sew it up.  It feels really soft and warm and I'm soooo looking forward to trying it on (and hopefully it fitting!).  The yarn is Life Chunky by Stylecraft.  It is a wool acrylic mix and is called Nutmeg Marl, a kind of grey/blue/mushroom colour......are you picturing it?   This yarn is super soft and really reasonable.  There is also something to be said for the fact it is machine washable so won't spend months sitting at the bottom of the wash basket waiting to be hand washed.

This has been a great project, just the right amount of sitting on the edge of my seat, learning new skills, 3 needle bind off, picking up new stitches, wrap and turn....and even the knitting itself, as I have done the whole thing continental style.  I have the sewing to go and will use mattress stitch as everyone rates it so highly.

I take it I should join the sleeves to the body and then sew the sides and the sleeves up.....is there an order to do things? 

Anyway, despite not having a jumper to wear, we have been to the beach this afternoon for a blow around.  It was extremely cold and windy.  Just look at this clever bloke on his surfy-kite thing.


I am looking forward to supper, bathed and sleeping children and sitting down with my cup of tea to check out all the other projects.  If you want to see other Year of Project work, check the ravelry page here.

Thanks as ever for all your helpful advice.  I have blocked the body of my jumper and it is behaving a lot better now.........just have to get on with the last stretch and the sewing up!

18 comments:

  1. I know exactly what you mean about the time flying by Faith...I make my plans each week but never manage to complete my list!
    Your jumper is looking wonderful and well done...so many new techniques learnt along the way...I am a real fan of mattress stitch and use it almost always and unless the pattern has any other directions that has always been the order I would sew up too...
    Ooh, that's a very brave man on his surfy-kite thing there...Very adventurous!
    Hope you have a great week,
    Susan x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your jumper is looking lovely and I can't wait to see it finished and a photo of you wearing it.
    A trip to the beach...now that sounds wonderful. All that lovely fresh sea air. I remember that feeling when the kids were little, tucked up in bed and you could sit down and relax...lovely. My girls now 21 and 18 go to bed after me. :)
    Have a wonderful week,
    Anne xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your jumper is looking great and you won't find until you are wearing it and I'm still betting if fits. It must have been fairly windy for that guy lol, brrrrr I don't fancy it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Fabulous picture of the beach, enjoy yourself, maybe next time we'll get to see you styling in your sweater.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Looks like you're almost there - hopefully your good weather holds for another few days so that you can still get some pics in your cardi in the sunshine :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. That jumper looks great - I'm in awe of your knitting prowess!
    Emily x

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your jumper looks amazing!!!
    And I love the windsurfing photo

    ReplyDelete
  8. Now, I'm just crap when it comes to picturing knitty-things-finished so to me, it is a mystery.
    Good sized hood, I reckon!!
    Xx

    ReplyDelete
  9. You are so close with the jumper! I cannot imagine the time that goes into that!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I can't wait to see the jumper finished faith! I think that would be the right order...but then I am no knitting expert.. How lovely to be able to pop to the beach to blow the cobwebs away.. it was a lovely day too. Just to let you know I have just posted about your squares... Thanks so much for sending the extra little ones... you are such a star... ad thanks too for the choccy eggs... which were duely eaten - 1 after every 10 squares sewn in for as long as they lasted! Sewing up went faster with a mouth full of chocolate! Have a good week Faith.. hugs, Jillx

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your jumper is looking so great, can't wait to see it modeled. Well done with the continental style knitting, I can knit like that if I make myself but always end up going back to my normal way.
    Thats the order I have used when sewing up knitting but I don't know if it is the correct way!! Great beach photo. Hope you have a great week.

    ReplyDelete
  12. It's looking great, and I think it is really cool that you are learning and practicing so many techniques with this project!

    ReplyDelete
  13. The sweater is looking great so far! A jumper is going to be my next big thing I think - there's so much to learn doing one. I don't fancy all the seaming though, so I'm going to try a seamless one, lol. Congrats on continental style - it's the way I knit too - I started with crochet and it just always made more sense to me to hold the yarn in my left hand. :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. The jumper always looks so curvaceous in your photos. It looks as though it will hug you in all the right spots! I've never set sleeves in a knitted garment, but I've sewn t-shirts, and it's definitely easier to set the sleeve before sewing the side seams. Mattress stitch is much the best choice - it's like magic to pull on the yarn and watch the two pieces become one.

    Gorgeous, gorgeous ocean and very brave surfy-kite dude! The water must be icy.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Terrific progress! You are so brave to take on a seaming project.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Well done you!
    I have never seamed anything yet--so no advice from me. But did you not love that 3 needle bind off? I am always excited to get to use it! (I am nerdy like that!) :) Your day at the beach picture does look a bit blowy--we are expecting quite warm spring time temperatures tomorrow-but then back to chilly and rainy for the weekend. Our weather has a way of teasing us like this for months!
    *smiles*

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi Faith, Your giveaway prize is on its way to you. I hope you like it! x

    ReplyDelete

I'd love to hear what you think, and I won't be asking you to jump through hoops (or fill in a captcha) to do it.............