Cosy

Will wonders never cease? I've actually finished two projects that I was desperate to complete before Winter set in! The first is a crochet blanket that I started last Winter. I made a small lap size version of a pattern from this book. I went off plan and added a couple of rounds of double and treble crochet around the edge to finish it off. I definitely didn't have the stamina to make the queen size version!  

It's currently looking pretty on the back of the sofa :)

The second, probably more important finish is Jess' cardigan! This is another project that I started last Winter when I miraculously grasped the knack of knitting after many years of abject failure. Of course I had to go for a full on fancy, dancy cable cardigan for my first ever full size garment! The pattern is in this book by Anna Wilkinson. I used a lovely denim blue yarn by UK Alpaca which is really soft and should keep Jess nice and snuggly.

Here's a view of the back. Not too shabby :)

This close-up of the sleeve pattern shows what I was up against as a knitting rookie.

All-in-all I'm pretty pleased with how this turned out and it fits Jess which is a definite bonus! I'm going to attempt a cardigan for myself next...With all this lovely yarn I have hanging around I figured I ought to make some pretty storage for projects in progress. Until now they've been sitting in the ugly plastic mail bags that they arrived in and that's a bit daft. I couldn't wait to sneak some Priory Square in to a new project...

...and it was about time I used some precious Anna Maria Horner.

I'm sure you'll agree that it's considerably prettier than grey plastic! I'm in the process of making an alternative version of this bag and a pattern might be in the works ;) Catch you soon x

Reene's FAL list Q3 - keeping it real

I'm scraping under the wire this quarter! There's so much going on around here that I know I'm not likely to finish much other than my Quilt Now commitments but I still want to play along with Katy's FAL so I'm keeping the list short this quarter.
1. Jess's cardigan is back on the list!

2. HipBees village quilt - Hanging on the design wall ready for when I have some free time to play with it.This really must be finished this quarter!        

3. HipBees Denyse Schmidt Strings quilt - The top is finished but it's still waiting to be quilted. Maybe I'll get round to it this quarter :) I'm feeling hopeful about this one!

That's it for my list this quarter. I decided I would rather have a short list with more hope of getting them done than a great long list and lots of crosses by the side of them come October. It feels a bit like I'm cheating but I can live with that ;) Right, I'm off to check out what everyone else is hoping to achieve this quarter.

Catch you soon x

I was right! - Reene's FAL Q2 round-up

My FAL Q2 list was totally unrealistic! I started off well...
1. Hexiestars cushion - Tick

...then I got side-tracked by a new found love of EPP. Tessellated madness and cartwheels took over and everything else went to the dogs ;)
2. Jess's cardigan - I've made progress on this but haven't touched it for weeks much to Jess' disgust!
                               
3. HipBees village quilt - sadly untouched again! It has made it's way to the design wall, ready for when I have some free time to play with it.
                              
4. HipBees Denyse Schmidt Strings quilt - there has been progress on this! The top is finished but it's still waiting to be quilted. Maybe I'll get round to it next quarter :)

5. New York Beauty project - I finished this! Woohoo!

6. Amish with a twist BOM quilt - I've made progress but still got loads to do. Something like another 30 log cabins to make. I'll get round to it one day ;)

                               

Final score, 2 out of 6. Could do better! Oh well in reality I've got loads done this quarter it's just a shame that most of it wasn't on my list :) I'm off to check out how everybody else did with theirs. Catch you soon x