Projects and Springtime

It’s been a while since I’ve done a round up of what I’m working on. A lot in my life has changed and I’ve been dealing with it as best as I can. Luckily, crafting can be an excellent coping mechanism and I have been busy.

First things first, my temperature blanket is back in play! I had to put it down because it was just too hot, but the spring weather here has been…. One day it was twenty-two and ridiculously sunny, then we went out a few nights later and it snowed. The city has already turned off the heating so it’s been quite cold and this has definitely become my favourite thing to snuggle under and work on.

This temperature blanket is for 2023, and I want to make a 2024 one. I’m thinking I’m going to use the same pattern- Temperature Blanket by Leonie Morgan- but using her spring colour suggestions as a guide. I’m even thinking I’ll stick to the same yarn and do next year’s in Drop’s Karisma as well.

I’ve always wanted to learn how to make two socks at a time. I found a Craftsy class aptly named Knit Socks: Two at a Time!*

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I made him the first set in some stash yarn for Christmas and didn’t get a picture before he wore them and immediately stepped in chocolate. Fab. Those were a worsted weight cuff down, heel flap and gusset pair that I will be cleaning and photographing on my next handwash cycle. Pictured are the top down in fingering weight. I made these in Schoppel Wolle Zaeurball 100. I don’t know if these are the best for socks as the merino is really fine, but I added in extra length and I’m prepared to darn if needed.

I tried very hard to make them match but I suppose if you buy something called crazy wool you should just expect crazy socks. I’m trying to make my peace with it. Adam absolutely loves them and thinks they’re the coolest things ever so I suppose that’s all that matters.

This one was finished a while ago. Winters here are a bit more intense than either of us had ever experienced and my poor Australian husband was struggling. I looked through my stash and found a skein of Morris and Son’s yarn that we got on our honeymoon. I think they might have discontinued it. I also found a skein of random unlabelled wool that I definitely got in Cork but can’t find it so it must be discontinued as well. I ended up doing one stitch of each and made a very thick, super warm mitt that he loved wearing all winter. I had made a few pairs of mitts before but wanted a bit of guidance so I found a class on Craftsy- My First Mittens and Gloves. I really enjoyed it and the mitts turned out well. I found some stash DK and think I might make the gloves for myself because, well, I deserve it, don’t I?

The next sock I’ve been working on, because there always needs to be a sock, is the first pattern in Laine’s 52 Weeks of Socks, Intersections by Marceline Smith. I’m making it in Opal 4-ply.

The first thing is the colour. I’m absolutely in love with it. The pattern is interesting. I’ve seen a lot of discourse on Laine and their 52 weeks of series in general. This sock has a really interesting construction that I’d never done before. You’re almost doing the heel flap and gusset but doing it in reverse. I’m not sure how I feel about it; it was interesting to knit but I’ll have to see how it wears. I saw it was a 64 stitch count which usually fits me perfectly. The fit on the foot is amazing, but the first time I tried it on the leg was a bit tight and it stretched the cables out a bit weirdly. I tried it on to illustrate this to Adam later that night and it was a lot easier to put on but still a bit stretched out.

I officially have a niece, so naturally there’s been some baby knitting. I’m making another of the Heirloom Set by Paintbox Yarns but this time I’m going the full shebang. I’ve finished the bonnet and blanket, so now I’m just finishing up the sweater and then the booties. This one is turning out so cute but the baby knitting has become a bit schlepp-y. That said, I love picturing my niece in a cute little set that she knows Auntie Sandy made just for her. I’m making it in Lanasalpaca Baby Organic and I full-on cannot say enough good things about this yarn. It’s 50% Merino, 50% organic cotton and I just want it. I want to make myself a sweater in it. I am obsessed.

I also did a non clothing craft and turned some wine bottles into self watering herb planters. I’ve been meaning to try this for ages now and I’m super excited about how these turned out. The mint is from a grocery store plant that I split and the basil has grown from seed. I want to do more of these but I wanted to test if the concept would even work before I went too far into it. So far so good, I’ve had to refill the water so the plants are definitely sucking up the moisture.

As for acquisitions I haven’t bought too much. I’m trying to unpack everything from the move and I think I’m discovering just how much less space I have. Aside from the things I’ve needed to do the projects I’ve mentioned, I also bought the rest of the stuff to do the other socks in the two-at-a-time class. The Van Gogh Opal is for the toe-up fingering weight, and I got two of the Grundl hot socks to try to make a pair not from the class patterns to see if I could adapt other patterns to the two-at-a-time method. I don’t know if they 100% count as an acquisition because I wrapped them up and gave them to myself for Christmas.

As for the blue skein of 4-ply, well… I just liked the colour.

The takeaway? Treat yourself to something just because you like it.