Look, stuff has happened!

I'm quite proud of myself that I'm actually having stuff to show at the moment, on a weekly basis you can see the difference, well, I can, but I'm not counting on the fact that you can. Either way, don't get used to it. However, I digress, and so early in the post. Here is the main body of the first baby blanket completed, I now just need to do a border on it, and decide what I want to do with that, I was thinking just a basic triple stitch (double for the US), but I can't decide whether I should do something else as well, I'm just not sure what. 

Secondly the wedding sampler continues, I know, it still doesn't look like much, but I am loving being back to my stitching, I've added a whole second colour now, and hopefully am on track, ideally I'm looking for it being finished by the end June, I think it's possible.

And finally I do have other news, I got engaged at the weekend. See how good I was, see how I posted about the crochet and stitching, the things that are meant to be about first before going all giddy about it! I am quite giddy I must admit. I tend not to post about my personal life on here, but I couldn't resist sharing that one.

Things are happening!

Just to prove that I have been doing things (of sorts) in my recent absence, I have tow things to show this week.

Firstly is the first on many baby gifts that I'm working on, a baby blanket. This is using the Blackberry Salad pattern, but I'm not changing colours just using variegated yarn. For those of you that want to know, this is Ice Yarns Magic light, and it has an almost fuzzy texture on the bobbles!  

Secondly, because it's been so missed, I've started a little stitching. This is a gift, so I'm still missing my own projects, but it's nice to be stitching again at any rate. I can't remember what this chart is called, judging by the kit it's a Russian company (although I bought it from Sew and So, so I'm happy that it's legit), and it's two sheep holding a lantern of sorts. It's very cute and will make a sweet little wedding present, which is the plan.

Bad blogger!

Very bad blogger, I've just looked and I didn't post at all in April... so firstly, hello, I'm still here and kicking.

Part of the reason I haven't been blogging is I haven't been cross stitching, and I don't like to post crochet too much because I mostly do blankets, and I'm aware that once you've seen a couple of stripes you've seen them all... however, I finished my first blanket this week,which is a present for my Grandad. It also survived the washing machine, which I'm incredibly releived about. Having been working on this on and off for about six months I think I would have cried if it hadn't.

I have other projects to work on so hopefully I'll be able to post some more updates and try to remember to post once a week again, it's mostly crochet, but there are a few things that aren't blankets, and there is a cross stitch project in my future... I'm definitely missing my own projects at the moment, but I reckon it's going to be a few months before I'm able to get back to that... although my reward is to completely blow off my 2016 plans and allow some new starts once I've got everything I need to done.

The other reason for not posting is I did go on holiday for a week (I got sunburnt in Wales, I'm still amazed by that), and we've been manic at work, having had a few people off sick, so I've been working longer hours and coming home knackered!

Anyway, he's my pretty colourful blankets, and hopefully I'll get back to posting more recently.

Told you I'd done more

I said when I posted earlier this week that I had already done more and here's the picture to prove it. I've finished the page, woohoo! There were only about three colours left when I posted last, so thankfully this was actually quite an easy page finish, there was just a lot of it. So, this has now gone away for a while :-( along with the majority of my own projects, and I'm now on gift duty for a while. Hopefully it won't be long before I can get back to my own projects again, I have lots of progress on existing projects and new starts planned so I need to get busy!

Happy Easter everyone, hope you have lots of time with friends and family and stitching/crafty time as well, sadly I'm working most of it so I probably won't have much to show.

A little late

I meant to post this about a week ago, and didn't quite get round to it, but there's actual progress to show for once, so I'm posting it, despite the fact that I'm now further on than this. Once this page is finished I'll be on quite a long gift run, so it'll be a while before I have anything of mine to post on.

I promised myself a new start after this page finish, which will still happen, but it'll be a wedding present now rather than one of mine. But that'll happen eventually (give me a couple of months to feel less over-whelmed by the gift crochet/stitching).

But anyway, here's Heroes and Heroines, this is page four and I can't believe that it still doesn't look like that much, I can't believe that I'm working on something so big that you can hardly work out what I'm working on.

And we continue...

 The blanket continues, and I've actually got progress to show, I still think I'm being a little optimistic with when I want to have it finished by, (late May), but at least I can see actual progress, but look at all the ends that need darning in, it's so depressing. I was being really good to begin with, but as you can see that's sort of died off a bit. Oh well.







And Heroes and Heroines is growing, I've finally finished the frame on this page, and I have done a little bit of cream on the peacock, but it doesn't show up very well on the picture. But next week I hope to have new colours included, it's all fun and exciting.
And I've got all those new starts planned, so I really need to finish this page off at some point.

Mmmm, orange

Only a little bit of progress this week, although since it's only about two hours work at least it's visible progress (oh how I love tenting). I've been spending more time on my crochet this week as suddenly there are a lot of projects in my future (hmm, where have I heard that before), but I try not to post my progress on crochet too often as I'm aware that it's not the most interesting thing to see, look, another stripe of colour. And I can't believe that there's still so much orange on this project, it's taking over the world. Sadly, I don't think I'll have much time for stitching this week either, couple of evening events at work, sigh, but I hope to at least be able to finish the frame off (best laid plans).

The reason my crochet is the the fore at the moment is I have the blanket I'm making for my grandad, the one for my mum, then three friends with babies in my future, and a friend who is also a (much more talented than me) crocheter asked me what I was doing. Erm, no idea, ooops. So there's a chance that I've spent more time today that I should have done mulling over ideas and colours.

Talking of which, she (the more talented one, henceforth known as Fluffy, has recently started her own blog which is full of lovely stuff, and can be found here! She's only just started out with her blog, so it would be lovely for a few more people to see it.

Progress!!! Actual progress!!!

 It feels like it's taken me a long time to get here, finally, a page finish on Dragon Rider, it seems like I've been promising this for ages, but I'm finally here. And it suddenly came together at the end. As is often the case when I was up close and stitching it I couldn't work out how all these blue and grey colours were going to look like anything other than a mess, but then I stepped back, took a picture and suddenly it's the shiny metal of his motorbike. He's gone away for a while but I'm sticking to (some) elements of my rotation (more on that later) faithfully this year, so it won't be long before he's back out to play again.

Next up, Heroes and Heroines has had some work as well, who knew there were so many shades of orange in the world. I had to go and do some of the green just for a bit of a change. It turns out that I don't really like orange, although that could just be when I've not my nose three inches from it, I haven't realised I had an aversion to it before this, but there's a white space where the peacock will one day be, and he's not orange, and there's green in there as well, and I am nearly done with the orange on this page now.

I could get used to having all this time off, it means that I actually have progress to show, don't get used to it, I'm back to work next week, so it'll be back to having nothing much to show.

And finally, the blanket reappears, I did promise that it would, and that it would have actually grown, which is has. It hasn't grown as much as I was planning for it to after my week off, but at least I've actually got some progress to show, and I will have more to show next week as well.

So rotation, cough cough. So, as I said, Dragon Rider will stand firm, every third page that I work on will be Dragon Rider, because I'm determined to finish it one of these days, but there may be some new starts sneaking into my future, in fact there may be quite a few, so much for no new starts, I'm so weak!

Slow and Steady

That's probably a good description of that page, slow and steady. I'm off this week, ad I will finish this page, and I will have actual progress to show. I do (as usual) have very ambitious plans for this week, and at the very least it includes finishing this.
I have also progressed my crochet this week, but I'm aware that that's not the most interesting thing to watch so I'll wait until I hopefully have more to show next week before I post that again!

Busy doing nothing...

The title says it all really, I seem to have achieved absolutely nothing this week. A combination of laziness and shifts mean that I seem to have spent practically no time stitching or crocheting. I'm not showing my crochet as it's really not worth it, and the only reason I really have something to show on my cross stitch is because it was filling in white gaps, so it looks like I've done more than I actually have. I can't believe how long this tiny page is taking me.
Oh well, shifts fall a bit better next week, so hopefully I'll get a bit of free time and have something to show. I was hoping to have this page and my page of Heroes and Heroines done before my week off, so I could spend me week off starting something new (sssh), but that's now only a week off, and there's no way I'll finish this, never mind something else as well. Oh well!

Plodding along

 The title says it all really! I'm plodding along with projects, but don't really have much to show for it. The blanket is growing, but I need to up my pace if I'm going to have this ready to gift in May. I am enjoying it though, I love blankets because it's a regular pattern and I can just go. I have so many blanket plans in my head!

Dragon Rider is growing, but very slowly. I can't believe this partial page has already taken about a month. My excuse is that moving house is really cutting into my stitching time, but I think it's time to get my head down and get working, especially as I have a ridiculous number of starts in my future!

January 2016 re-cap

So, the monthly recaps... this is how my crochet blanket started the month

 

This is the end of the month, 10 extra stripes, I'm quite proud of that, but need to up the speed to get this finished in time. I'm aiming for a May finish as a birthday present.

How Dragon Rider started the month

And how it finished, I feel like a partial page should have been achievable in a month, but it hasn't happened... I'm going to blame it on the fact that I've moved house, but that means that I can't use the same excuse next month, better get some stitching done!

I will be a better blogger

 I'm determined to be a better blogger this year than I was towards the end of last year, both here and on harrogate craftwork group, and so far I'm managing it, although I admit that it is still early in the year. Here's my crochet blanket, it's definitely growing, I've done quite a chunk since last week so I'm quite proud of that. This is intended as a gift so I'm working hard.

Secondly Dragon Rider is slowing growing, although slowly is the operative phrase. I'm on holiday the last week in February, and I'm determined to be working on A Stitch in Time that week, which means that I've got three weeks to finish this page, and also the page that I was working on Heroes and Heroines. I suspect that I'm being a little optimistic, I usually am, but it's always fun to have something to aim for. This is a bit of a boring page if I'm honest, which isn't really helping. It's all green and brown, and there isn't really anything happening in it.

Needle and hook

I hoped to get loads of stitching done this week, and I've managed precisely none. However, I'm hoping to finally get needle and thread out this week, house stuff does keep getting in the way though. In the mean time I have managed a few more rows on the blanket, although I'm aware that it doesn't make for the most exciting photo updates.

Welcome to 2016

So I started 2016 well, after saying that I was going to be a better blogger than I have been recently in 2016 this is then my first post of the year, Bad blogger! Bad Kim! Anyway, I have an excuse, we moved house last weekend, so we've been a bit busy, and the new house is in utter chaos, but after such a stitching drought I've been able to get my stitching out again in the last couple of days, and my ripple blanket is finally back out as well. I'm back on to this one having not worked on it in some time, this is now my priority crochet please as this is the next deadline that I have. But that deadline is May, so I think I should be fine for a while yet. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed working on it, it's been quite relaxing sat under a blanket working on this this afternoon. I have ridiculously ambitious crochet plans for this year, I've never really been one for starting off small. I have this and my neon blanket to finish, both as gifts, planning for my graphgan, plus my beautiful wool that I need to choose a pattern for, and as we've just moved I'm debating something for the colour scheme in our new living room as well, well, who needs sleep :-) 

And ten this beauty has finally made it out as well. Dragon Rider, my priority piece (haha) finally gets a bit of attention, and again, I've rather enjoyed working on it, it's stitched up faster than I thought it would, although I now find myself getting a little frustrated by my projects that are full crosses, it just seems so slow compared to tent. Everything that I start new is now tented, but everything that I started in full crosses I will finish off that way (of course).

Talking of everything I start, oh dear, A Stitch in Time was planned as a new start for me this year, and it still is, as was Harley Quinn, which will also happen. But, I'm sure many of you have seen over the last few days we've suffered the deaths of two of my earliest crushes, David Bowie and Alan Rickman, (although having re-watched the Three Amigos this week, I've remembered that he was my other earliest crush, judging by which he probably needs to look after himself over the next couple of weeks, but I digress...) I loved David Bowie in Labyrinth (still one of my favourite films ever) and was lucky enough to meet him many years ago, although so many years ago that I was quite young, maybe six or seven, possibly even slightly younger, and so unfortunately have very little memory of it, but I do remember that he held a door open and bowed to me, and was apparently (according to my mum anyway) quite charming to me, which makes me happy, I'd be heart broken to hear that he was any other way. And I have loved Alan Rickman in everything that I've ever seen him, yes her often plays a villain and someone a bit slimey and creepy, but I didn't love him any less, be he Obidiah Slope in Barchester Chronicles, to Jamie in Truly Madly Deeply, his fantastic turn as the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood and arguably his most famous role of Snape in Harry Potter. Anyway, as a lot of stitchers are also absolute geeks (as I'm sure many of you know) there has been talk of beautiful charts in commemoration of both. Daniel Kordek who is licensed to Tilton Crafts has released a lovely image of Jareth and Sarah and has been charted, it can be found here. There is also talk of a Snape chart being released as well. And Aimee Stewart is working on a Labyrinth inspired piece that will go to HAED when it's completed, so that is a possible three more new starts that weren't planned, as I would like to do something (possibly two) to both of them.

Anyway, this is a lot more rambly then my usual posts, as I've actually written and not just put up pictures.

Happy stitching all!

2015 review (pictue heavy)

So, what have I achieved this year? Always a fun question

Cloudsfactory Sampler at the end of 2014

And at the end of 2015

 Ripple Crochet Blanket started in 2015

 Neon crochet blanket, started in 2015

Cloudsfactory Wedding Sampler started and finished in 2015

 Star Wars from Cloudsfactory

We Are Geeks by Paine Free Crafts started and finished in 2015

Little crochet owl dude

Dragon Rider at the end of 2014

And at the end of 2015

Ex Machina - new start for 2015

Family Values - new start for 2015

 Heather at the end of 2014

Heather at the end of 2015

Heroes and Heroines - new start for 2015

Ice Queen - new start for 2015

Madame at the end of 2014

Madame at the end of 2015

A crochet scarf stated in 2015

  

One crochet sock

 Twiddle Muff

Twiddle Muff

(there is a third one, but apparently I didn't photograph it)

Winter Geisha - new start for 2015

Once again, far too many new starts, once again I will try to limit them in 2016 (hahaha)

2016 Ambitions

It's that time again, the time where I start writing ridiculously ambitious targets / resolutions for 2016, so let's have a laugh, what did I achieve from last year, and what do I want to achieve this year?

So, there were the targets I get myself for 2015, this should be a laugh!

Madame: 1 page - DONE

Dragon Rider: 3 and 1 half page - FAIL - 1.5

Heather: full row - 5.5 pages - FAIL - 2

Cloudsfactory: Border and Jan - April - FAIL - haven't even finished the border

Our Seasons: 1 page - FAIL - haven't touched it

In Her Room: 1 page - FAIL - haven't touched it

Le Pas du Sucre: 1 page - FAIL - haven't touched it

Rendezvous: 1 page - FAIL - haven't touched it

Winter's Majesty: 1 page - FAIL - haven't touched it

Elsa: 1 page - FAIL - haven't touched it

Joan Elliott: 1 page - FAIL - haven't touched it

Dark Hope: 1 page - FAIL - haven't touched it

World Collection: 1.5 girls - FAIL - haven't touched it

Lancelot and Guinevere: 0.5 page - FAIL - haven't touched it

Pride and Prejudice: 1 page - FAIL - haven't touched it

Tale of the Red Swans: 1 page - FAIL - haven't touched it 

Promise To Heart: 1 page - FAIL - haven't touched it

Clara: 1 page - FAIL - haven't touched it

Dwarven Leader: 1 page - FAIL - haven't touched it

Apocalypse: 1 page - FAIL - haven't touched it

 Wow, didn't realise just how many projects I hadn't touched this year, might be time to start working on some of them, and actually getting some progress, but there are other projects that weren't on the list (mostly because they've all been new starts - oops) that have had work on them.
I've finished two wedding samples, We Are Geeks from Paine Free Crafts and one using Cloudsfactory motifs

A page of Ex-Machina

Two pages of Family Values
Three pages of Heroes and Heroines

One page of Ice Queen

Half a age of Winter Geisha

I've also started two crochet blankets

Made three twiddle muffs

One shark sock

Half a scarf

and made an entire cosplay from scratch

My non-stitching targets were:

10,000 words a month (again - I'm getting closer)

Work on stitchers retreat!

I had good months on the writing, but I also had really bad months, I managed 65843 words altogether this year, which is over half, and not all that bad.
I haven't touched the stitchers retreat, again!

So, 2016 targets:
Stitching:
Dragon Rider: 9 pages
Heroes and Heroines: 4 pages
Harley Quinn: 2 pages
Ex Machina: 1 page
Coudsfactory: Border and January
A Stitch in Time: 2 pages
Family Values: 2 pages
Ice Queen: 1 page
Our Seasons: 1 page

This is not all my projects (as many followers will know) but I'm at the stage where it isn't possible to work on each project every year and still show a decent amount or progress, so I've been (nominally) realistic. This is still two pages a month, and is still quite unlikely, but it prioritises some pieces and sticks to my existing rotation
I will try to limit new starts, this includes 2 new starts, Harley Quinn and A Stitch in Time, the only other new starts I intend to have are my usual exclusion of gifts, weddings, christenings etc.

Crochet:
Finish 2 blankets (both are intended as gifts so I sort of have to)
Make Ben's second sock
Start my colourful blanket (basic repeating pattern in beautiful wool)
Design my Ghibli graphgan, it doesn't have to be started, just designed

The rest of my life:
Write at least 200 words a day
Stitchers retreat (hahaha)
Improve my fitness, I was doing well, but ending my gym membership put a stop to that, so I need to start working on it again.

I know this posts aren't necessarily that interesting for other people, but if have to put it out there somewhere in the hope that I'll publicly shame myself into working on them

Such a bad blogger

I'm such a bad blogger, I know, I say that every time at the moment, but that's mostly because it's true. I've lost my stitching bug a bit recently (although I think it's just starting to come back, just as I pack to move house, of course), and I don't update on crochet that often because it doesn't look as interesting, here's the start of a blanket, here's a slightly larger blanket, look it's growing... and so on, but just so I've got something to post, look, the blanket is growing, I've just started my third ball of wool, I reckon I'm looking at at least six to get this to the size that I'm aiming for.

Secondly, I sort of have a finish, this is finished, but it's a sock, so it technically only counts as a finish when I have two of them. This was an Xmas present for my other half, so I gave him one for Christmas because I wasn't completely convinced that it was the right size, now that he's tried it I need to make a second one!