Happy Friday - 16.01.15

Happiness is...........casting on...........

Nothing like a new project on the needles to make me smile (despite the fact the other* project is very much not finished).

Winding the wool to hopefully get some sort of match in the colours and now cracking on, with the toe done already.  Toe-up two at a time.

Why the sudden need for socks?  Well I happened to be looking at Planet Penny's homemade socks and before I knew it I was hunting for a ball of sock wall that I bought a few years ago.

Joining in with Planet Penny's Happy Friday....why don't you pop over there and take a look at everyone else's happy things too.

* if you are fooled that there is only one unfinished project I'm impressed

Year of projects (wk6)

Well, this is a bit of a flying visit as we have a busy day and I can hear the dulcet tones of my husband returning from checking the stock and now I will be discovered!!

First there was this one...........which made up pretty quickly.........and I was feeling quietly smug!  I wanted to make a pair of socks, partly because I hadn't done one (a pair!) before and partly because I wanted to order one of those swirly balls of wool.........I know, I am easily pleased!!

I didn't rush to put the second one on my hook as I was getting too carried away with striping ('in the time it took me to do that I could have done one whole stripe' ...........'washing? ......oh, no I didn't do any, I was too busy with my blanket'......... you get the picture?).

Anyway, it suddenly occurred to me that I couldn't really remember how I did the heel of the first sock and went into a bit of a panic!  I have experienced making one sock before, and it is not a good feeling.

So, you will be relieved to know that...............

No camera trickery, I now have two socks..........a whole pair!!



 I know that it appears that I have been sitting with my feet up this morning, but contrary to appearances, I have been a busy girl.  In fact as I was lounging trying to catch the perfect picture this morning I suddenly realised in my relaxed state that I had forgotten the scones in the oven, thankfully no harm done and I will be providing cream teas this afternoon.

Yesterday we were out at a local zoo and despite miserable weather much fun was had.

  My favourite part?

Good thing I am not rustling up some socks for these!

I must tell you all before I shoot off, that my husband actually showed mild concern last night, as to how I would update my blog today when we are out all day..........I am slowly convincing him! 

During my blogging, my littlest has picked up my socks and said 'mazing docks' and 'poss' (posh).......out of the mouths of babes. 

I like that my kids see me making things and almost take it for granted that I would certainly attempt to make something before buying it (although the tin and string telephones are not so good long distance!)

Now, I have lambs to separate, children to bath, dressing up to be done, family lunch to attend, scones to be served...............

I will return this evening, to catch up with your projects, hope you have had a successful week!

Check out fellow YoP blogs here.

Year of projects (wk5)

This week I have been mostly................chasing my tail!

As previously mentioned, crocheting-on-the-go has become my new best friend.

I am still to work out the finer details, discovering on my first venture into this new world that I was completely unprepared.

I need a bag.
I need some mini-scissors.
I need to make sure it is a light place....otherwise, I could try a head torch?

Do you reckon I could carry it off?

Oh Granny stripe, how I love thee...........

I have finished the second run of 17 colours and I am still loving every minute.  I am going to stop showing pictures now, for fear of boring you all, but do know that I am striping away and enjoying every moment.

My one-a-day pile is gradually growing

This project is perfect for mobile crocheting (mo-cro?) so will easily be finished for Christmas, as intended.

Ah, the socks........I've started to really stress that I am not going to be able to re-create a second one to match the first, so I have picked them back up and am determined to get them done and dusted.  Admittedly I didn't quite understand the pattern when I did the heel, so I made it up myself ........now you with lots of experience will be saying 'well, that's ok, as obviously you wrote down what you did.'...........hhhhmmmmm, herein lies the problem..............

So there we have it.  I have been thinking on extending my list, and will soon, but as it stands my feet hardly touch the ground during the day due to new school runs so it will have to wait a little longer.

I am really looking forward to sitting now with a cup of tea and reading what all you clever people have been up to.  For more 'Year of project' blogs, look here.

Have a great and productive week!

Year of projects (wk3)

This project has legs!

I'm not sure if the intention of this Year of Projects challenge is to make lots of WIPs, but in my case it definitely is.  In my defense, I made a flying start on my granny stripe, but was working with only 16 of the 17 colours, unfortunately, like watching paint dry, the last ball has still not arrived so I am being like a small impatient child.  I don't want to go onto the second phase of stripes without using the missing one first, especially as it is red and therefore will possibly cause an imbalance if missed.  I also started to work on the front of my cushion and have had a definite mind block over exactly how I made the small square last week........ridiculous I know, but I have made and frogged so many squares that I have also had a tantrum about that and stuck it back in the bag.

Onwards and upwards anyway...............this week I received my first ball of swirly wool (much excitement I can tell you!) and after a few swear words and a very patient hubbie, I managed to make it into a ball........I did toy with the idea of not making it into a ball and working from the hank...........hmmm, I know........boy, I'm glad I didn't do that!

Anyway..........I have one sock made!!

I also have the other in the making, so there is every chance they may become a pair!  This project has been a good one as I have learnt a few new skills (winding a ball of wool, being one of them) and  new stitches.  Despite being told that crochet socks are not always comfortable, these are really lovely (although I'm not sure the red-ish colours are a good look on my milky white legs!) and have a nice lace pattern to make the project a little less boring.

Alongside my socks I also started a sock monkey last night.  It has to be said that the cheap, scratchy acrylic I am using doesn't make for the best looking monkey, but then I have a feeling that it won't really matter to my littlest monkey.  I am going to use this as a bit of a trial actually, as I think I will make at least another two of these for Christmas presents.....although maybe not out of these carefully thrown together  picked out colours.

On the subject of Christmas, I have decided to put a few more things on my list with just that in mind.  I have started a one-a-day project as suggested by gingerbread girl and am going to make a sunnyspread throw.  This got me to thinking about what else I could make and I rather surprised myself by realising I could maybe get a few things done now and save the last minute spending/panicking that normally takes place in our house the week before Christmas.  So this week, I will start making my list and then tag it on the bottom of what I already have and hope that out of somewhere I will find some drive and sense of urgency to get the job done!

I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else is getting on with, I am feeling all 'glowy' inside at the encouragement from fellow crocheters.......thankyou!