It's Crochet, Knit & Natter 9: So Many Projects, So Little Time. (Oh well - I almost made it rhyme!)

[Fairislefandango]

A thread for woolly crafters of all types and levels.
Previous thread here

Ooh what are you learning on Duolingo, @SpinMeRightRoundBabyRightRound ? Or did you already say and I missed it?! I was learning Ukrainian for a short while, which was fun, but once I got my new job I realised I needed to focus on the 3 languages I'll actually be teaching

@MerylSqueak - I don't start until this coming Thursday. I have INSET days Thurs and Fri, then school starts properly on Monday 5th. I've been doing lots of planning!

Here's the beginning of the first sleeve part of my sleeve scarf! It's so soft, light and squishy!

Improving my school level French @Fairislefandango! We were staying in a b&b when we were climbing and it was embarrassing how bad my French was, I can understand up to a point but need to work up more courage to speak it. We’re planning to go back next year so I’m determined to be able to hold a conversation, so first I’m binging duolingo and then I’ll look for lessons.

Your scarf looks perfect! So light and warm!

Bon courage, @SpinMeRightRoundBabyRightRound ! Can I extol the virtues of doing absolutely looooaads of listening, once you've got your ear back a bit from doing Duolingo? I have become very evangelical about it since learning Spanish myself as an adult almost entirely by just listening. There are so many podcasts, videos, audiobooks etc at all levels. And the great thing is, you can do it while washing up etc. <restraining myself from giving detailed educational reasons why listening is the best way to learn>.

@Fairislefandango I’m planning to! I’ve subscribed to coffee break French for pronunciation practice which is good so far and I’m looking out for other ones, I was wondering about audio books but was thinking different voices might train my brain better!

Once upon a time, I spoke excellent French. I certainly don't anymore, but it is very significantly better since Duolingo - though not quickly! That's a good tip on listening - having so much written on screen means I subconsciously fall back on my (much better) reading. I will check out the podcasts - as long as I get my xp and my streak extended!

The scarf looks lovely @Fairislefandango I can’t join in the language talk though. I’ve got some rusty French and bits of German and Spanish but improving them is on the “one day” list!

I started my new job last week and managed to survive the commuting. I don’t need to be in the office particularly early so that helps. I’m not doing anything crafty for now other than generating granny squares. I’ll start a new project when I’ve settled into the job a bit more.

The thing about listening is that it improves everything all at once (except your spelling) - comprehension,vocab, grammar, pronunciation, accent, processing speed. My favourite thing to do was listen to foreign language versions of Harry Potter books I already knew well in English. And if you have Audible, you can slow it down (without any effect on the sound of the voice).

Glad you're surviving the commuting, @StillNiceCardigan and hopthe job is going well!

I've joined a knitting/spinning Facebook group in each of my 3 foreign languages, as I figured it would be fun and good for my vocab!

Yesterday I was adding a little 'about me' slide to my power points for my first lessons with my new classes and realised that saying 'I like spinning' in German is exactly the same as saying 'I like spiders' . This only occurred to me because I was saying I like spinning and I hate spiders, so it sounded like I was contradicting myself . I had to say 'spinning yarn' to avoid confusion!

Ha @Fairislefandango sneaky working a teaching point on words with two meanings in your intro I like it! I had an audible credit so I’ve just downloaded the first Harry Potter book in French, I know I’ll enjoy what I understand!

@QuantumWeatherButterfly I found I flew though modules I knew then slowed down as soon as I got to new stuff. I have to pay a lot of attention or I get careless…

@StillNiceCardigan glad the commuting wasn’t terrible! Hope your new job is going well!

So many new jobs!

I may have accidentally found myself in a hand dyed yarn stall at the festival. I may have even more accidentally spent all my birthday money (in advance) on hand dyed yarn!

Yay @SpinMeRightRoundBabyRightRound ! I've listened to all 7 in Spanish and I'm now listening to them all again but alternating languages currently on no.2 in German. I feel vaguely guilty, because I ought to be listening to something authentically German, but it's easy and fun and just gives me lots of language input! Anyway, I'm a big fan

Ooh @CrochetBug - what a lovely haul! That colourful one at the bottom is gorgeous!

Lovely yarn @CrochetBug!

The new job is going well - last week had all sorts of dramas with getting passes and the desk booking system but that all seems to be resolved now. No problems with the actual work just all the periphery stuff. I have found an unexpected yarn shop on my way to the office Flying Tiger Copenhagen I need to fully investigate.

Massive Flying Tiger fans here. Not for yarn though! I've rarely seen in it stock, and when it is its tiny balls!

There was loads of yarn in the window @CrochetBug but the shop was shut. I need to go for a proper look when I’m not rushing to get home!

I've lost more hours than I care to admit in Flying Tiger. It's great for good value home stuff and art/craft stuff for the kids and me. But it's not really a proper yarn shop. If they do have some in, it wont be regularly there, or any recognisable brand.

@QuantumWeatherButterfly The yarn I saw looked good for random crochet projects rather than any serious knitting!

I think I've only been in a Flying Tiger once. They don't seem to exist in my neck of the woods!

The cotton I got from flying tiger wasn’t bad but I impulse bought wool with sequins and it’s sat forlornly ever since 😄

I’ve got a jumpsuit for my cousins wedding in November but because it’s in Yorkshire I was thinking I might knit a jacket to wear with it. I saw this and while I’d normally back away slowly from Stephen West’s patterns I like this version of it Painting Honeycomb Project on Ravelry

I was trying out my keyboards voice recognition to save me typing earlier, here’s todays Duolingo efforts 😂I can only assume my phone hates me!

at the Duolingo with voice recognition!

I like that jacket too @SpinMeRightRoundBabyRightRound and I also share your feelings about Stephen West's patterns. They are a little too flamboyant for me!

Hope your first day went well @Fairislefandango!

i just saw this cardigan from this years Shetland wool week annual and it’s gorgeous! I’d really like to knit it
www.instagram.com/p/Ch-GJBHKPyW/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

That's a beautiful cardigan, @SpinMeRightRoundBabyRightRound !

My first couple of (student-free) days have gone really well, but my brain is absolutely fried! Massive information overload! I need to do some knitting - an hour of k1p1 rib on my sleeve should clear my head. And maybe a glass of wine... is the sun over the yard-arm yet?

Finally got around to plying and finishing my latest bit of handspun!

I thought I might try making some chunky, socks out of it, maybe with heels and toes in plain white/cream.

@Fairislefandango that is absolutely stunning!! Well done! Socks would be great with it!

That’s gorgeous @Fairislefandango! That sounds like a great idea, really cosy!
Glad the start went well, hope you had your relaxing knitting and wine last night

You can tell it’s autumn now, I’ve seen so many lovely patterns popping up on my social media