It's Crochet, Knit & Natter 10: New Year, New Yarn, New Thread!

[QuantumWeatherButterfly]

Time for a new thread for all the lovely yarn crafters!

Old thread here: http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/artsandcrafts/4557189-its-crochet-knit-natter-9-so-many-projects-so-little-time-oh-well-i-almost-made-it-rhymee_

@AllProperTeaIsTheft I read something years ago which said most people in the UK are actually conditioned to look for new starts/make resolutions in September. This can be changing their relationship, their job, their house, their car. This is because every new school year since we were 4 or 5 we’ve been told that September is a fresh start, it doesn’t matter if you didn’t go as well as you’d hoped last year, this is a fresh start, new teachers, new books, you don’t need to be who you were last year. Obviously school holidays slows everything down but actually the idea that there are more jobs, more houses come up for sale in September because everyone is actually looking for change.

Which probably explains why I’m looking for new jobs, even though I’m quite happy with my not-so-new job as the house move hasn’t given me the fresh start yet!

My friend's new year's resolution was to spend money and gain weight so if she broke it (as usual) she'd be on to a winner.

@MerylSqueak I like your friend!

Hexi cardi is finished! Here's DD, anonymously modelling it.

Need to think of something quick and small I can do until the yarn for my gloves and scarf arrives. I can't face starting the raglan jumper yet.

Which probably explains why I’m looking for new jobs, even though I’m quite happy with my not-so-new job as the house move hasn’t given me the fresh start yet!

This sounds very like me! I love change and am a sucker for a new start at something! I've always loved September - the new stationery, new faces etc. And if course, the beginning of autumn feels like the time to make woolly things!

Amazing cardigan,@LancreWowhawk, and beautifully modelled!

@MerylSqueak I think maybe I should take a leaf out of your friend's book!

@LancreWowhawk wow, lovely cardigan! I'd love to make something like that eventually.

My 10 balls are coming today... husband doesn't know about this new hobby yet. Can picture him shaking his head 😂
I've done a few granny squares in my practice wool now so think I'm ready to get going.

Excellent, @LucyLoopyLu ! My husband watched me go from a bit of knitting to filling the house with massive wool stashes and a spinning wheel . He can't complain though, because he has tons of fishing gear and an increasing number of musical instruments! At least my hobbies don't involve worms, maggots or very loud noises!

@LucyLoopyLu this is actually super easy! If you can make granny squares, you could make this. It's basically two big granny hexagons (exactly like a granny square, but you put in 6 corner spaces instead of 4), sewn together with a bit of trimming.

There is a written pattern, but I used the free video tutorial, which you can find here:

The tutorial is excellent. Kelly breaks it all down and it is super clear and simple. It might be a bit daunting right now, but it is definitely one to bear in mind for the near future.

@AllAllProperTeaIsTheft haha, yes I think of the two of you he probably has the more inconvenient hobbies there! Tbh I think my husband could do with a hobby of his own, preferably one that gets him out of the house a couple of times a week (we both work from home). I've told him now and he didn't say anything, just looked slightly wary until I promised I wouldn't make him any hats and scarves he doesn't want! We have a knitter in the family and it's lovely to receive them but there's only so many hats and scarves needed in a lifetime.

@LancreWowhawk oh brilliant, thank you so much! I could make one for my neice, I'm sure my SIL would appreciate it. She's a bit tiny at the moment but by the time she fits into the smaller sizes I might be good enough to attempt one

@LucyLoopyLu your husband definitely needs a hobby. My husband shakes his head at my yarn stash… until he wants another guitar or more cycling stuff or another PlayStation game. Suddenly he’s suggesting colours for me and “don’t you need some yarn for Sarah’s baby?”

@WeCanLiveLikeJackAndSally haha, I know! Then it'll be tit for tat.

I've done a couple more granny squares today and a practise length of double crochet just to use up my practice wool. No idea what to do with those now as I hate the colour 🤣 but at least not too bothered about making mistakes with those ones

Right, a weird thing has happened. I worked out last night that I only need to do one more round on my scrappy basket before I put the handles in, and I suddenly realised that I'm going to... really miss making it!

I'm amazed - I really disliked it for ages because of it making my hands sore, but now I've got into the habit of doing a round a night, it's become really therapeutic.

So I'm genuinely considering just starting another one as soon as I finish this one. I've never felt this way at the end of a project before, I'm usually glad to see the back of it and ready for a change! I'm so surprised how much it has turned out that I like this one!

In other news, I'm making a hat while I wait for the yarn for my gloves and scarf to arrive. It is riddled with errors, but it should be quite cosy😀

I loved making the scrappy basket too, @LancreWowhawk , also in spite of it being tough on the hands at first. I'd be making basket after basket if I didn't have other projects on the go!

Hi everyone, I’ve been awol for ages and I’ve so much catching up to do! Beautiful cardigan @LancreWowhawk, I love your colour choices!

I like how your shawl came out @CrochetBug, did you get to your festival?

Thats gorgeous @GlowWine! I love It, it looks so soft!

I’ve been getting more involved with my guild here and between that and job hunting I’ve not made a huge amount of progress on actual crafting I got a sample woven on my table loom and made alllll the mistakes at once so hopefully my second one goes more smoothly!

He everyone, thanks @SpinMeRightRoundBabyRightRound for pulling me back in and welcome @LucyLoopyLu

@LancreWowhawk nice cardi! I'm learning so much on here about what crochet can do and how nice and different it can look, it's never been on my radar previously.

I've been kind of awol from here myself - furiously knitting to finish a number of socks instead of playing/surfing on my tablet... Finished the cotton pair while on holiday (below), and then instantly cast on a new pair of "banana socks" which are knit without a heel. Nice super easy pattern - I'm doing mine toe up again.
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bananen-socken

They're about halfway done now, and of course I still have my deep green socks with cables to finish - I'm a fair way up the leg (second pic), but as the yarn is so 'splitty' and the project is definitely not "portable" they're still waiting to be finished.

I have meanwhile discovered a new online community on Mastodon (follow #knitting ), ordered a yarn advent calendar from Gamercrafting Yarns: https://gamercrafting.com/
And I just signed up to the new Westknits Mystery Shawl Knit Along (MKAL),
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/geogradient-westknits-mkal-2023
I've been eyeing up Stephen West designs (Aurora Cabin Sweater!) so this was the push I needed. Using my own yarn though, I just paid for the pattern.

I love a good sock @GlowWine! DD2 got me a cushion knitting kit for my birthday and I thought it would be an easy project. It has a simple leaf pattern on the front but it says to use the intarsia technique which I am not getting on with. I’ve already frogged it once and am not sure whether to start again from stratch. Give me fair isle knitting any day I know what I’m doing with that.

Very annoyingly I'm a train heading for my hols, have got out my knitting and realised I've forgotten the pattern! Garrrghhh. It's the Wool
And the Gang Woodstock tank. I've googled but no sign of the pattern online. Rats rats rats!

@GlowWine thanks for the welcome! I love the socks, especially the colour choices. They look lovely!

I've had a hectic work week so I rewarded myself with some crochet tonight. I did one classic granny square with my new wool, and then three of a different pattern I haven't tried before. First one is a bit wonky because I went wrong somewhere, but the second two look pretty good!
I was going to make a blanket with them but I've noticed there's instructions to make them into a large floor cushion instead. If I can find the inner part and it's not too expensive I might opt for that instead.

I'm getting a bit faster. I got a different book off kindle unlimited with 100 different crochet granny square patterns so I might try one or two over the weekend. Most of them are too advanced for me at the moment but I can make a start with the easier ones

Mission accomplished! My annoying socks are finished, ends woven and ready to wear. Phew, there was much swearing this weekend, even casting off became an effort requiring concentration.
Onto the next shiny thing 😀my skeins for the MKAL has arrived and I love it even more than the on-screen swatches. Now need to wind it by hand, that will take up an evening or two. Should I invest in a winder?

Oh no @faffadoodledo did you find a solution? Go out and buy a ball of yarn to make something else as a quick interim thing?

@StillNiceCardigan hmm yes I think I'd avoid intarsia. Fairisle and Icelandic type patterns yes but handling lots of different balls of wool is probably beyond my capability. Can you switch the materials to a different (Fairisle leaves?) pattern?

@GlowWine I can probably adapt the pattern and make it suitable for fair isle style knitting. I seem to have holes in the bits I've done so it needs redoing anyway.

@GlowWine yes! I got my friend to break in (well, with the hidden key) and photograph and WhatsApp the pics of the pattern. Plus Wool and the Gang kindly sent a pdf. So all
Sorted!

@faffadoodledo Success! Enjoy your holiday including the knitting 😀

Hi all. Sorry I've been absent. Things have been... stressful.

I did get to my festival thank you for asking @SpinMeRightRoundBabyRightRound .I almost thought i wouldn't as my friend (who was taking me) was having car trouble. But we got there. We had an amazing time. I came home with my heart and soul restored. I wore my shawl. I loved it, although the fit needs a bit of adjustment because it fell off my shoulders a lot.

The indie dyer who dyed the yarn set was there so it was nice to show her, and pick up my custom yarn that I'd ordered. I was very restrained and didn't buy any more though! I would post a pic, but MN is being shit as always. I've shrunk the photo to 2mb and it still won't upload.

Sadly my Nannie died 2 days before we went, on her 90th birthday. We hadn't been close for a long time and I'll forever feel guilty about that. Her sister then died on Sunday. The day before the funeral. Their poor brother has already flown over from Sweden twice in 2 weeks (for Nannies party and then funeral) he doesn't think he can afford to come again.

Welcome to the newcomers. And such lovely work from everyone as always. I've got so many wips it's embarrassing. I've also got 4 books on the go and decided to pick up 2 more languages on duolingo so am now learning 3!

DS2 (EBSA, only sat 4 GCSEs) has enrolled at a local college who specialise in children like him. He's a bit worried it's going to be too easy work wise, but unfortunately for him his exam results don't match his actual intellectual level. Fucking mh issues can get in the sea. But he started today, hasn't refused to go back, although he didn't talk to anyone and didn't look up from the desk.

Anyway. That's my long and mainly miserable update.

Hi all, I've totally lurked on these threads as I can never keep up (I cross-stitch, crochet, try to teach myself to knit, do colouring books etc. so progress in any one area is slow!).

Anyway, I'm thinking about using up excess holiday to go to the Knitting & Stitching Show at Ally Pally in a few weeks. Has anyone been? Would be interested in any pointers - hoping to buy enough treats to fill my own Christmas stocking!

Oh crap, that'll teach me to read before posting. I'm so sorry for all your challenges CrochetBug. On the plus side, that sounds really positive from DS - to go somewhere completely new, deal with it, and agree to go back must be a huge win, no?

@CrochetBug sorry to hear you’re having a stressful time. Your Nannie would have known you had a lot going over the last few years but guilt is a part of grieving. I still feel a lot of guilt for not seeing my aunt when she had a stomach bug, it would have been the last time I saw her outside a hospital bed. It’s been 7 years, so I can’t even say time will make it better but just know it’s part of the process and part of the feeling of love you have for them. Well done to DS2 for going back gland managing a full day. Baby steps and hopefully as he feels more comfortable there he might start to talk to people.

We are still not close to moving. I’m hoping everyone can get their arse in gear by the end of the month. Estate agents have me pegged as a pain in the arse but quite frankly I’m a bit pissed off being the only person in a chain of 4 (3 couples, 1 single person), over 3 estate agents and 4 lots of solicitors that actually seems to give a shit about following up with things. So crojo is still right down at the minute but the ever growing list of things to make is growing. In lighter news, my latest toft subscription should be arriving in about an hour, which was my Christmas Present from DH. I’ve not made any of the previous 3 patterns yet! But at least I’ve got 3 lovely skeins of hand dyed yarn, soon to be 4!