evening everyone!
it’s been a quiet blog week from me – work stuff, craft stuff, birthday parties and finally seeing (and crying at) harry potter haven’t left me with much free time really. the good thing though is that i have quite a bit to show off in my 2nd yop update 🙂
first things first……….i finished my shawl on tuesday!!!! after 3 hours binding off and finally cutting off the yarn it was finished at 11:57pm and i swear i still woke up with a big grin on my face at actually having finished it. given that i only started knitting properly a couple of months ago this project has given me a lot of “firsts”:
- knitting something wearable
- using circular needles
- tiny bit of lace knitting with the eyelets (although you can’t really see them with the yarn i used but i’m ok with that as i love how it looks anyway)
- sewn bind off
- blocking (although i was very tentative with this so don’t know that i really did it properly!)
so then, in the late evening sun, here is my lovely first ever shawl in all it’s finished glory…..
and then the final one with one happy owner who is looking forward to some colder weather…..
finishing my first yop project has spurred my on with my others and i have a little more progress on my back room blanket to share…..well one extra sqaure to be exact – only 34 to go 🙂
finally i’ve started a 3rd project from my list……my first pair of socks! this is the one project i’ve really been itching to get started on – the idea of cosying up wearing warm fluffy socks that i’ve made myself is just heavenly. sadly my first attempt at sock number one was not! double pointed needles are tricky little things that for the first hour or so just magically kept pinging out of my hands heading in every direction imaginable.
i eventually managed to get a first row ribbed without dropping any of them so kept going slowly – there was though a nagging thought for the next inch of ribbing or so though – the cast on had been for 72 stitches – for the “shaplier” ankle 🙂 – and the ribbing was K2P2, yet at the end of every round i was knitting 2. every time i’d get there i’d think “i’m sure this isn’t quite right – the number of stitches should divide by 4 so i end on P2”. but i was just so pleased at having figured out the dpns that i ignored it and kept going.
that is until i properly dropped a stitch without realising, had a big gaping hole and had to frog back and noticed i had 74 stitches not 72 😦 don’t know if i created a couple on the first row dpn hoo-haa or just can’t count to begin with but couldn’t face frogging and starting again so a couple of K2tog have sufficed – didn’t think i’d be able to face my first heel flap and turn with a different number of stitches from the pattern!
so here it is…..slightly dodgy first sock…..
just need to decide what to do about the 2nd one now – do i give it dodgy ribbing as well so they match or actually do it properly! will hopefully have decided by next week’s update.
off to have a nosy and see how everyone else has been getting on this week.
thanks for reading and hope everyone’s had a lovely weekend.
lesley x
Shateen said:
beautiful shawl. and good luck with the socks. i have my first pair of socks on my YOP list too…but have strategically but them at the bottom bc i am so scared to try… 🙂
itstartedwithruby said:
once you get over that first little bit it’s fine – quite enjoying it now! 🙂
babygreens said:
Lovely, lovely shawl. With the weather as it is you won’t be waiting long for the cooler days.
I adore your sock yarn, what is it please? I’m glad I’m not the only person who tries to ignore small errors until they get to the point where they can’t be ignored.
By my maths, a square a week on the blanket should still leave you with ample time to sew up and do the ends!
Great blog, thank you.
itstartedwithruby said:
it’s rico superba poems – not sure on the colourway though as my cats ate the ball band! thanks so much for the lovely comments 🙂
sandy said:
Congrats on your shawl, love the colors I’m seeing in your socks….very pretty.
Kim said:
Hooray! The shawl is gorgeous and will be wonderful come this winter. Hope you have a successful sock week…
*smiles*
RugbyMad said:
Your shawl is perfectly beautiful! Wear it with pride!
I would go for dodgy ribbing on the second sock, and good on you for sticking wth the DPNS!
Annie Chen said:
Your shawl is beautiful! I hate the binding off process too it always takes way too long! your socks looks great too. Isn’t minimochi just so nice and soft?
craftyclare said:
I love the sock yarn too – is it mini mochi? There are many a k2tog in my projects due to my rubbish counting at the beginning! Congratulations on finishing your shawl before midnight as there is nothing worse than being left with only a tiny bit left for the morning xx
itstartedwithruby said:
not using mini mochi for my socks – it’s rico superba poems. although after reading your and annie’s comments i now have some mini mochi ordered and on the way 🙂
Jennifer Crutchfield said:
Love the sock yarn, the shawl looks fantastic, and I, too was very emotional at the Harry Potter film. I wanted to cheer a couple of times but the but the theater was so quiet!
I’m looking forward to seeing those socks progress.
Alittlebitsheepish said:
Your shawl looks lovely, congratulatyions on your first finshed YOP project. Don’t worry about the first socks difficulties, everyone has some good stories about their early socks- I managed to make mine entirely inside out!