New year, old yarn

It's a whole week into the new year & I'm only getting around to the 'resolutions' post... doesn't bode well, does it? This January (and possibly February) I want to focus on using up or clearing out unappreciated items, & stick to the existing yarn & fabric stash.

First up, garments;

Plain and Simple pullover, in Nature Spun Fingering. 

I gave up knitting this while pregnant, figuring that it probably wouldn't fit me by the time I finished it. My tension seems to have changed in the last year, so I think I'll rip it & start again. 

Dark Pearl cardigan in alpaca select 4 ply.

I'm not happy with the way the front gathers & drapes - probably due to my selection of alpaca rather than a silk blend yarn. I think I will rip the front & knit it again, with less excess fabric for gathering. 

February Lady Sweater in Lambs' Pride Worsted.

The garter stitch yoke just makes this look chunky & unflattering. I intend to rip this out &  use the yarn to make the Golden Wheat cardigan. 

I have a couple of projects on the go that were specifically intended to use up leftovers. 

The Barn Raising Quilt uses up leftovers of sock yarn. I have made enough squares for a small blanket and have sewn together some of them, but still, no blanket!

I've also have a collection of hats made from scraps & partial balls (no pattern). I need to weave in about a million ends with these, and then rehome the finished hats.

I suspect that the small human may have her own ideas about these hats - she wouldn't get me get a clear photo of them!

Happy New Year! I hope the rest of you have set achievable goals, if any!

Not knitting

 I've been working away on a couple of projects over the last month or so with specific deadlines, and the last week or so has been spent sewing, grafting, weaving in ends. All the fiddly little things that are necessary to finish a knit properly. 

The final project looks much neater thanks to a photo tutorial recently posted on Ysolda's blog; Technique Thursday -weaving in ends.  It's one of those simple-but-brilliant tips that I didn't realise I needed to know, but has improved the look of my finished items since. I do love learning!

Finishing things; a progress report

My efforts to finish almost-there projects started well over the last fortnight. Some of these projects required just 5 minutes of weaving in ends & a quick bath to finish them.

These baby hats were knit over the festive period; I wanted a project that would travel easily & require little concentration while visiting relatives; with all the babies due next year, some hats seemed ideal.

3 versions of Woolly Wormhead's Tubey knit in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran.

Woolly Wormhead's Buzzbee also in Cashmerino Aran

Multiple Devils' Caps by Irene Birk - I've been knitting these over the last 4 or so months, whenever I wanted some no-think project. They are knit in leftovers of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK & Rialto DK. These just needed some weaving-in & an occasional iCord tie.

The most labour-intensive project I have finished this week was to try finish some amendments to my Marlay Park Hoodie. About a year ago, I pulled this out of my wardrobe & put it to one side, with the intention of adding pockets & reinforcing the button band.. The button band & button holes were so loose that the garment was in the habit of falling open & it just looked sloppy.
Pattern; Central Park Hoodie Pockets by Becki Schneider
I finished the pockets with a 3-stitch iCord for structure, instead of the suggested 2x2 ribbing.

I've stitched some cotton tape to the wrong side of the button bands (after closing up the button holes); and added snap fasteners. I find it hard to believe that I've missed out on wearing one of my cosiest garments for almost an entire winter season due to my bad finishing habits. I suppose I was procrastinating because I had never used tape to reinforce a button band before, but, like many knitting-related things, it's not difficult; just time consuming. And now I have my favourite knitted garment ready to wear again... just in time for Spring!

In spite of great progress over 4 evenings, I may have gotten a little distracted & started something new. It will be a big shawl, intended for a specific occasion in 4 weeks time. I'd better get knitting!