So lucky you, you get an update on my progress so far in our October WIP-down!
Finished Objects (FOs)
I'm pleased to report that the first 2 items on the list are now complete, and both have been delivered to their new owners.
I did show you a photo of the completed baby cardigan, but sadly, I was too busy catching up on gossip to take photos of the cushion covers after they had been put on their intended cushions, but I did get this quick snap of one rather over-stuffed with my own sofa cushions:
WIPs
Next on my list is the shawl I'm knitting in memory of my wonderful mam. This is the shawl with hundreds of stitches and added beads. When I first cast this on I hadn't decided to add the beads. If I had, then I think I would have pre-threaded them onto the yarn. It would have allowed for better placement in the lace-work, and it would have been much quicker than adding each bead individually with a tiny crochet hook. However, I do still like the way the beads are working:
As proof that I can't possibly just work on one thing at a time, I've also made a little progress on the tweed sweater that I'm making for myself. Just a couple of stripes, but I'm a woman of not inconsiderable size, so knitting a row of ribbing that will encompass my bust takes a little while!
The final project that I've made some progress on is Kelly's socks. These are a brilliant small, portable project, so I've been taking them on the tram into work. I only get a few rows done each working day, but that's enough to mean I'm now working the gusset on the first sock.
This yarn is brilliant, you don't need to knit any fancy patterns, this sock is just a simple rib, but the changing colours in the yarn make those fabulous patterns. The yarn itself is a good, sturdy, superwash wool with nylon, which is good, because it'll need to be fairly sturdy the way Kelly treats his socks!
So that's what I've been up to for the last 2 weeks. I think 2 finished projects, and noticeable progress on 3 more is not too bad for the first half of a month long challenge.
Impromptu Shopping
As I said at the start of this post, I've just been up north to visit my family. I'm not the only member of my family with a crafty streak. My sister bakes, and makes cards, my step-mum also knits, and my dad does wood carving. Mostly he carves decorative walking sticks and knife handles, and he's recently started volunteering at Ashington woods, teaching basic wood carving skills, such as how to carve a spoon, or make a clothes-peg.
My dad loves hearing about our crafting, and he will often suddenly present us with some little tool that he's carved for us to help with our hobbies. This weekend he had 2 things that he'd made for me - one is a cute french knitting bobbin that is so comfortable to hold, and it has a little face on it, because apparently a knot in the wood looked like a smiley face, so he picked out those details in the finished object. There's also a matching device for lifting the yarn over the pins. The other is a pendant for a necklace in the shape of a flower, carved out of stiff leather and set with a little crystal, but the best bit is that in the notches between the petals are tiny little blades, tucked away so they can't cut you by accident, but you can use them to cut your yarn.
On top of these gifts, he also took me shopping, because my step-mum told me about her new favourite wool shop, where you can buy 400g balls of yarn! 400g!!! So this is what I brought home with me today:
It's cut into my Bakewell budget a little bit, but all of that lovely aran will be perfect for my charity knitting this winter, and how could I resist the sock yarn and super-cute mini-skeins?
If you're wondering why I have a budget for a small town in Derbyshire, it's because next weekend that small town is hosting Bakewell Wool Gathering, but I'll tell you all about that next week!
Aaand... Penguins!
The yarn isn't the only shopping I've done this week. Winter suddenly arrived in force exactly 1 week ago, then apparently decided not to bother after all by Friday, but on Tuesday I didn't know that we weren't in fact about to face another biblical style flood, and my walk into work on Monday had informed me that last years winter boots would absolutely not be up to the task of keeping my feet dry. So I went shopping for boots and some new winter clothes.
I found the things I was looking for, and you're wondering what exactly this has to do with penguins, right? Well womens clothing stores are weird places, and as you approach the checkout you find mysterious little displays of useless little trinkets that you absolutely MUST HAVE. Usually they're things like nail polish, or lip-gloss. So as I went to pay for my new clothes, I found these little fellows:
Believe it or not, they are actually pots of lip-gloss. Clearly this is not why I bought them. I have no desire at all to wear pink lip-gloss, strawberry scented or not. But glittery penguins, now they are a thing that I need to own!
I'm not done though, there's more...
The glittery penguins being found near the checkout of a womens clothing store sort of makes sense when you realise that they contain lip-gloss, but I have no idea what-so-ever what this was doing there:
You wind it up and it waddles about. It is outstandingly cute. But how did this end up being bought along with a pair of skinny jeans and a lacey top?
And on that slightly baffling note I shall leave you.
Sweet dreams my dears.
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