TGIFF - Zig Zag Scarf Edition

Finally! I've finally finished the blue and grey zig zag for my sister. Never mind that it had a November 2013 birthday deadline, I'm just glad that it's done after nearly 11 months and ready for the approaching autumn weather.

Knitting began in October 2013 once I had quickly made up my own version in a thicker yarn to gain confidence in the pattern. Alas, the fingering weight yarn which the pattern called for drove me insane. Progress could hardly be seen even after sessions of several hours which was demotivating. Transitioning into work life and new responsibilities also took it's toll. I'm not a summer knitter and with gran's death and the pregnancy - I ended up not touching this WIP for at least six months if not eight, best not think about it, although it was only a few repeats from a finish.

Anyway, it's done! My own version was a bit longer than necessary so I'd decided to make the one for my sister shorter. This is how the loops compare in size.

And another close-up. It's a beautiful pattern, easy to memorise and easily manipulated for wonderful colour effects but if I make another one it'll definitely be in DK weight or thicker. Now, cue the celebration that I'm freed up for other guilt-free knitting projects as well as my quilting.

Happy sewing & knitting!

Sunday Stash

This weekend I've been feeling like a bear of sorts preparing for hibernation or a baby with a sleep eat repeat routine. A nasty cold knocked me out right after the work week was finished, sigh, but I'm confident that another herbal bath and early night will have me restored just in time tomorrow.

Since I've got no finished skirt to show you, much less pictures of me outside wearing said skirt, I thought I'd show off what I couldn't resist buying the other day when I went into the store for necessities only - it's always like that, isn't it? - two luscious fat quarters. No idea what they'll become but I had to have them.

Taking a peek at a different front, progress on my sister's scarf has been slow but I've knit up the first blue ball and am set to soldier on this coming week.

That's it folks, just a quick update. Now come on an join the Sunday Stash fun over at The Floral Suitcase.

Happy sewing!

You Guessed It - More Knitting

So, after my last post, you've come here expecting to see my shiny new skirt? Maybe even a picture of me actually twirling around in it? Meh, I thought so. Alas, I have to let you down, sewing wasn't on the cards this weekend.

Instead I took up knitting my sister's scarf. The yarn is doing its best to drive me crazy. Well, technically that's not true but I'd rather blame the yarn than my attention span for requiring five attempts to start this thing. I kept on twisting my work when joining it in the round and only realised this after at least two rounds each. Boo. Such a waste of perfectly good time! Anyway, now that my brain the yarn's decided to behave I'm making good progress and am a little stunned how different it looks in these colours.

It's been a while since I played with the grey and blue squares. Originally I'd meant to make a second quilt for my nephew (still cute a s a button, I can assure you) but then life happened - as it does - and I struggled finishing quilt number one so I put the squares aside. However, good friends of mine are expecting their firstborn in January and this imminent arrival of another wee little boy is a great opportunity to finally turn them into something special. So I'm back to playing with the layout.

In not totally unrelated news, my laptop's graphics board is playing up and keeping me offline a lot but I hope that the husband can fix it soon-ish and I'll probably catch up with you during a lunch break or two this week.

Happy sewing and knitting!

My Perfect Weekend...

...included hilarious attempts to make cake pops with my sister & Indian takeaway on Saturday, relaxing with the husband & homemade roast duck on Sunday, and this...

As planned I cut the pieces for my skirt. Success! Even though I didn't actually sew a stitch, I did iron interfacing to the yoke and am ready to start sewing any minute now. Well, I might assemble the yoke and the pockets on a good evening during the week but most of the work will be kept for the weekend. No need to rush and repeat stupid mistakes like this.

Intense knitting was also part of my perfect weeked. I still have to weave in the ends of all the balls of yarn inside but it's finally time to learn how to merge the ends and turn the whole thing into a loop. The pattern does link to a tutorial which I've not yet bothered to look up. Risky to start a pattern without having internalised all the know how? Maybe but I'm positive I'll be fine.

This means I can finally start with my sister's version. Fingering weight yarn and smaller needles should keep me busy for a while but I'm pretty confident to make the deadline of her birthday in late November. That's still a whopping six weeks from now. Eeeeaaasy, right?

I'm glad that my weekend included more crafty things than the last few. I think I'm slowly getting back into managing a proper dose of hobbies into the work and household chores routine as well as seeing friends and family. How was your weekend?

Happy sewing!

Zig Zag Update

I hope you're not yet sick of this scarf because I'm more in love by the day. These days it's my only creative outlet, too, filling at least an hour after work and dinner, helping me to unwind. (Work's still going swell and I'm feeling right at home, by the way.) Last night I got to glorious 116 cm! Only 46 cm until the162 cm the pattern calls for. Whoohoo. This close to actually wearing my pretty.

Knitty enthusiasm aside, though, I hope I get to get sewing this weekend. I'd prepped my latest skirt fabric haul Friday last but felt like I might have caught a cold so kept a low profile with lots of sleep and tea, hot baths and cuddles. Still, definitely longing to work with this, I miss the sound of my machine.

Happy sewing, well, and knitting, of course!