I decided to join the A Year of Projects Blog-Along on Ravelry >> - you can find details here >>So here is my update on what I achieved this week and the week before (as I did not post an update last week).
Happy New Year to all my readers!
First and foremost:
I wish you a very good start into a healthy, successful and totally wonderful new year 2019!
I hope you had a relaxing holiday period and a good and productive start into the fresh new year of 2019!
First finished objects of the year: My Cria Cardigan
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| Finished knitting on January 1st: My Cria cardigan |
I finished knitting on my Cria cardigan >> on January 1st exactly. Unfortunately, when I washed it, it grew quite a lot, app. 5 cm, in length. Now it is not as cropped as I want it to be. And it could also be a little smaller, it is less fitted as I wanted it to be, especially around the arms.
Nevertheless, I would call this a success: I like the colour, I like the construction a lot and it is definitely wearable, just different than I planned it to be.
I also very much like the buttons which I got from my LYS Wollparadies >>
I really like the seamless saddle-shoulder construction and I can well imagine to make another one, more cropped and less wide then.
Finished my Opal Monet socks and love them!
In my last update >>, I told you that I invested my gift voucher into 5 balls of Opal Monet yarn * >> and how much I love it.
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| Finished my socks from Opal Claude Monet (colourway Venice) |
Well: I finished these socks on December 29 >> and I really love them!
I learned that I am currently in a "plain vanilla sockknitting" mode, I do not want to do any additional pattern to these gorgeous self-striping yarns. It really is a pity that these are too big for me as they are meant to be a gift.
But I will definitely make at least one pair for me as well. I might even be able to use this colourway, I may have to add contrasting heels and toes, but this is fine with me.
Another pair of plain vanilla socks in the making
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| A fresh pair of socks started at Silvesterstrick in Karstadt Karlsruhe 2018 |
As I said: It is plain vanilla sockknitting all the way here! When going to our annual "Silvesterstrick" >> knitting meetup, I bought another ball of self-striping sockyarn, i.e. Regia Design Line Kaffe Fasset *>>
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| My Regia vanilla sock |
I was too lazy to search for one of my 2,25 mm needles * >> which is what I usually use for sock knitting. The 2,5 mm were still in my project bag, so I took that. However, I like the fabric I get with 2,25 mm much better, so I will definitely use these with my next pair again.
I meanwhile finished my first sock >> and the cuff of the second, so this works quite well so far.
UFO-Finishing Plans:
Re-working on my Breathing Space
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| Back from hibernation: My Breathing Space Sweater |
I decided to join this idea of the Wolliges Geplauder Youtube-Channel >> Jenny rolled the dice for the first time by Dec. 29, and it was number one - which is my "Breathing Space" >> , the only real UFO I have currently.
I casted this on at Easter 2018 and had it abandoned during summer. I am quite confident I will finish this soon, I started the bottom ribbing of the body yesterday. So I hope to be able to finish it by the end of January at the latest
Some yarn purchase - but sock yarn does not count, right?
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| More sockyarn from my Buttinette voucher |
Yes, I still keep up my resolution to not buy yarn, but first use what I have in my stash. Nevertheless, I am a weak human knitter... I got a gift voucher for my birthday from the Buttinette online store which I invested in some Opal yarn >>
It is the "Safari" range * >> and one ball of the "Illusion" range * >>
So, this was it for me for today!
How was your knitting / crafting start into 2019?
Any goals achieved yet?
Please let me know in the comments below!
* = Affiliate-Link to Amazon.de
I love Opal yarns. Your cardigan looks amazing - the design is intriguing so I am gonna look that up. My plans in the immediate future is to find a yarn shop or two while I am in Croatia and buy some lovely skeins to bring home.
AntwortenLöschenThanks for the compliment! Did you already do some research on yarn shops in Croatia on Ravelry? Can't wait to see what you will bring back!
LöschenSock yarn does not count, although it is the majority of what I own! Your Breathing Space is looking great! I am addicted to self stripe yarn, so I mostly do different vanilla pattersn...I really like Vanilla Latte a lot, as it fits my better than a plan Vanilla pattern....Opal yarns are great as they are hardy!
AntwortenLöschenThanks! I also did the Vanilla Latte pattern for a change, but my favourite ribbed pattern is the "Schicke Stino" pattern (which is a free pattern on Ravelry) - it is in German, but there is a chart (it is actually a simple 8 stitch repeat).
LöschenSock yarn does not count! Love all the socks and love your breathing space. I love mine, in fact I'm wearing it right now - it is one of my favourites.
AntwortenLöschenThanks Lucy! Good to hear you wear your Breathing Space a lot. I actually finished one already, but I never wore it so far as it is from a thin cotton yarn and more a summer garment.
LöschenOf course sock yarn doesn't count! It knits up so fast it's gone before you even get to the counting part. ;-) I love your choice, btw, just the colours I would have picked. I also love the cardigan, well done!
AntwortenLöschenThanks Ella! Yes, it knits up fast, doesn't it? Especially the self-striping variety!
LöschenSock yarn NEVER counts and if bought with a voucher it is even better! Those Monet socks are gorgeous. No need for a fiddly pattern when the yarn itself is so pretty. Plain old vanilla socks is the way to go with self striping yarn. The Breathing Space is wonderful. I love the way the stripes angle on the body yet the bodice is straight. Funny how we all have a favorite sock needle size. I love my 2.5 but depending on the sock yarn, there are times I need to go down to a 2.25. Thicker yarn gets the 2.25 and thinner gets 2.5. It is the only way I can get the perfect fit with my 64 stitch cast on.
AntwortenLöschenThanks! I used to only have 2,5 mm. A friend in my knitting group only knits with 2 mm, so I tried that once, but found that this fabric was too stiff for my taste. The inbetween size is just ideal for me.
LöschenI think if you bought it with a voucher it is basically free, and therefore not a yarn purchase :o) The Monet socks look great, and I look forward to seeing the other colourways you bought in that range. I like vanilla socks and with self striping think they best show the stripes. Your cardigan looks great. My Chimney Fire cardigan grew a lot when I first blocked it but on wearing it a couple of times it started to shrink back and the arms no longer needed to be folded over, so you may find it gets a bit smaller with wear. Either way I think it looks lovely.
AntwortenLöschenThanks - and interesting that it might "shrink back into shape" - we will see. I will definitely wear it, it is just not exactly the shape I was after.
LöschenYour Cria Cardigan is beautiful. I can appreciate if it doesn't fit the way you want, but in the photographs (here and on Ravelry) it looks lovely. And I love your socks! I agree... that beautiful striping yarn needs no fancy stitch pattern. And your Breathing Space - so pretty!
AntwortenLöschenThanks Becky! Yes, I think I will definitely wear the Cria cardigan and I am confident I will finish the Breathing Space soon.
LöschenI love your Cria! It is gorgeous and I have 'faved' it as I am wanting to make another sweater sometime soon! I still want to put my WIP's in bags and roll my own dice....what fun! Your Breathing Space is really coming along and how lovely! Love all your great yarn and the beautiful colors. I am like you...vanilla socks when it comes to the variegated yarns....you've got me wanting to pick up my socks again! Have a great week and thank you for inspiring me!
AntwortenLöschenWow, your cardigan is absolutely beautiful. It looks very comfy. And it’s a lovely colour too! Ditto for the socks. It definitely feels very Claude Monet.
AntwortenLöschenI am a beginner knitter, I have yet to attempt making socks. Your post makes me excited to make my first sock.
For my resolution I also want to not buy yarn. However, I might have to because my cousin is having a baby soon and wants me to knit a baby blanket. She wants to pick a colour and I definitely don’t have enough yarn of one colour to make a blanket. Otherwise… No buying yarn for me!
As for myself, I casted on and hooked a lot of projects at the start of the year. I have one FO already, thankfully. No goals achieved yet, it will definitely take the entire year before that happens. :)