The 2014 hexagon a day challenge - the prep...

After much deliberation I have decided upon using this for the block. There are so many others that I could have chosen and it has been really difficult narrowing it down, but I wanted something that was going to be relatively straight forward and the interest would come from using colour.


My aims for the challenge
I'm GOING to be more random with the colour combos I use. I tend to probably play it safe a bit when it comes to colour and this will hopefully be where some happy accidents will happen.
I am only going to do ONE per day (with the exception of going away on holiday/illness) where that may need relooking at.
To use as much yarn from my stash as possible, including small 'useful' amounts I have been hoarding saving for some time.
To blog on a regular basis about the progress that is being made.

What I hope to achieve
Apart from a stunning blanket?!!!!

I hope to achieve a sense of structure and discipline. Both can be lacking from the slightly crazy and unstable (at times) bipolar world I live in.

Review of 2013

This year has been weird and wonderful in so many ways. From a crafting perspective I have gone from being a hobbyist to actually starting to make a living from designing and creating all sorts of decorative items made from yarn.

I set myself a target of a number of things earlier in the year and some of them have been fulfilled. Probably the most notable being that I am in the top 5 selling artists in the gift shop that stocks my items.

I'm not one to set 'resolutions' for the start of a new year, but this year I have decided to set myself a year long project to create 1 crocheted hexagon a day. In amongst all the weird and wonderful things that have happened over the course of the year my health hasnt always been at its peak, so this project I am hoping will give some stability and develop a sense of commitment to a long term project in a way that I've never done before. I will also aim to blog frequently about the project and aiming for that on a weekly basis.

I am toying between 2 quite similar patterns at the moment to form the basis of my crocheted blocks.

This being the first one, and this being the alternate.

They are very similar and I may go for the former, but use the joining technique of the latter. I have a real problem when it comes to doing random colours as well. I think this stems from years at design college where we always had to specify colour palettes that we were working with. I am again going to try and leave comfort zones and start by using a comprehensive bag of 'scrap' yarn I have acquired (much of which is too short to do any one project with, but too long to throw away) and then from my main stash to randomly grab 4 colours rather than carefully choose what goes with what. I am excited about the possibilities that will emerge from this project.

Also because I quite like company, and will probably need a boot up my arse from time to time to keep me on track I have started a group on facebook and have many creative friends who are going to join me on this year long project. It's going to be fun to see where it takes everyone.

Another commitment I hope to achieve is to complete the half dozen or so personal projects I have on the go right now. I am loving that so many people want to order items I'm making, but I feel slightly guilty that the projects for my partner/myself and the children remain unfinished. This is all on the list of to-dos for the year.

Hopefully progress will be blogged on all the above, but that remains to be seen!!

Wishing everyone a peaceful 2014 x

Socks update!

The bit I was dreading most about making socks was the heel. And not so much the actual doing of it, but understanding the pattern.

However, last night, with a certain amount of trepidation I turned both heels. 

I would have left the 2nd sock until the first was finished but for the fact that my 10cm pins werent long enough to actually fit the heel flap stitches onto, so ordered a longer set and put the first sock to 'rest' on an interchangable cable with stoppers.

Extremely pleased that there are still no 'ladders'. So left to do now is the foot of the sock and then to learn kitchener stitch to finish the toes. I'm hoping it wont be too difficult.

 Now need to work out how to split the stitches in the right way over the needles as the pattern only uses 3 and I'm using 4

 2nd sock, yet to have the stitches picked up.

Socks and cowls

I finished my cowl, and it's so bright and warm and just what I needed while the weather remains bitterly cold. Clearly worn out with more than a vest t-shirt!!

Willow cowl

I decided to make a pair of socks as I've never been able to knit on dpns without creating 'ladders' and so far, so good. However the short sock needles I got for my birthday are too short for the amount of stitches I need on a single needle to turn the heel, so will buy some longer ones as well. That said I am a big fan of the short 10cm knitpro needles.

Also with this project I learned with the help of my new book 'Cast on, Bind off' how to do an Estonian cast on which gives a very stretchy edge suitable for socks, hats and sleeves. It's similar to a long tail cast on (using slingshot menthod), but every 2nd stitch you change the direction the yarn winds round the thumb. Not as difficult as it sounds and after a few attempts I seemed to have it completely sussed.

Estonian cast-on

The pattern in the book I'm using calls for Sirdar Country style yarn and I had the exact same colourway of the yarn in my stash. How often does that happen?!!

In non knitted things I have just started with a series of ideas for paintings/collages and this is one of a piece (still needs some additional work) that is currently on the drawing board right now

It's going to be part of something larger and as more work progresses I will show you more...

Been ages since I blogged...

....but that hasnt meant I've been with idle knitting needles.

I've several WIP at the moment. A jumper dress, a cowl, a patchwork blanket for my youngest daughter. I've made fingerless mitts (one pair crocheted) for several friends and have been asked to make several knitted chinooks of all things!!

These were my awesome Chrimbo pressie, a set of knitpro nova interchangeable circular needles.

Mitts

Cant really see the cable pattern on the sweater dress, but there's a really subtle pattern that is lovely.

Chinook!

Not entirely sure I like how the cowl is knitting up. Dont think it does the yarn justice, so it may get frogged yet, but waiting until I've done another few rounds on it.