2021 in collages and my current queue

 Following on from my last post I thought it might be interesting to post a collage of my finishes in 2021.

Socks

Shawls and a cowl

Miscellaneous 

Sweaters, cardis, tops.

For 2022 I'm hoping to learn brioche so my queue at the moment is brioche heavy

Day 104 of Lockdown. Sock finish and haul. 2021 the year that was and 2022 plans

 We finally come out of lockdown on Friday 2nd December.  By this time we will have been in lockdown for 107 days.  We are nearly at 90% full vaccinated.  However now there is a new variant Omicron to worry about.  So 2022 may not be any better.

Onto fun things.

I finished a pair of shortie vanilla socks.

Love the colours.  Also on my needles, but too lazy to take photos, are Suokatu - should finish them tomorrow.  A Soldotna in fingering that I want to make long sleeves, and a Ranunculus, fingering held with mohair.

I am preparing for 1st December as I have 2 advents to open.  With one I am going to make a Juxtaposition from Strands of Joy, using a grey as the MC and the advent from Yarntherapy for the colourwork.  For the Louie and Lola advent I was going to make the bubble cardigan by Stephen West, but have changed my mind and will make the stripes jumper by Andrea Mowrey instead.

I've realised there are a couple of finishes I haven't shared.  This Eddie Beanie in bulky yarn from Nanacindy

And these socks, Dear Bjorn from 52 weeks of socks in yarn I dyed myself

And Cragside from 52 weeks of shawls.

Looking back over the last 12 months I have made:

Socks = 12 pairs, including 2 from 52 weeks of socks

Shawls = 4, including 2 from 52 weeks of shawls

Hats = 3, including 1 from Strands of Joy

Cowl = 1

Mitts = 1

Toy - 1

Cardi - 2, both from Strands of Joy

Short sleeve t's/jumpers = 4

Sweaters = 1

Throw = 1

Dishcloths = 2

That is 32 items, or 2 1/2 items per month.

Looking ahead to 2023, I'm not going to specify too much as new patterns come out all the time that I want to make more than what I have queued   However I do want to try a brioche garment.  First of I'll do a brioche hat that is in a Pompom magazine I have.  If that works out OK, I'd like to try the Broadleaf sweater.

So lockdown haul has continued to be made.  Since my last post the following have arrived

sock ruler, knitting gauge, kitchener stitch guide and shawl clip, and a nose clip for face masks.

Broadway yarns, for the MC in Juxtaposition

Strawberry patches.

Strawberry patches

Lochanside alapacas for the Frank Shawl

Prosper Yarn

Purple Sprouting.  I'm thinking of these 2 for a Musselbrough hat for a friend

Treated myself to a project bag.  Even though I'm perfectly capable of making my own!.

week 12 of Lockdown. MKAL Shawlography finished

We are now into week 12 of lockdown in Auckland.  Restrictions haven't changed since my last post, numbers continue to rise and there have been 2 deaths this week.

The Stephen West MKAL has taken my mind off things.  I really enjoyed knitting on this and finished it on Thursday.

I don't think it's something I'd wear out in public, the colours are a bit much.  Next year I must aim for a more muted palette.  But I really enjoyed knitting it and it sits really nicely so I will wear it heaps around the house as I do with the Slipstravaganza from last years knit along.

I spent most of the last 2 weeks knitting  on the shawl.  The small amount of time I had between clues I made a couple of dishcloths.

These were easy mindless knitting and just took 2 to 2 1/2 hours each to make.

I've also made some more purchases, online as retail shops are closed in the lockdown.

I bought a leather handbag.

Some cotton for dishcloths.

And a few purchases from Lochanside Alpacas

A great case from Ribbon Rose, by Knitpro for interchangeable needles.

This holds the needles really well.  Unlike the needle case I was using where the needles used to fall out.  There is another section on the other side for more needles and also a pocket for cables.

And some Purple sprouting and BC Garn from Yarnon.

These two are to go into my next shawl which will be The Frank Shawl by Joji Locatelli.  I probably wont start this until next year though.  As my next kntting plans are:

I want to clear the decks for December when my advent yarn arrives.  To do this I want to:

Finish both socks I'm currently working on.

When done I can start another pattern from 52 weeks of Socks.  However don't cast on a vanilla sock as I want to use the West Yorkshire Spinners Christmas sock club for my next vanilla socks.

Finish the current yarn that is going into my Habitation throw.

Once finished I can start the next lot of scrap yarn into the Seaglass Tee.

Start a mohair Ranunculus.

Start another Soldotna.  This time in fingering, using leftover yarn from Shawlography and last bit of Mitch.

Come December I want to :

Use an advent for the Stephen West Bubble cardigan

Use another advent for Juxtaposition from Strands of Joy.

Join the MKAL for Leave Gnome Stone unturned - Making a gnome.

Week 10 of Lockdown, MKAL

 Auckland is now into week 10 of lockdown.  A couple of weeks ago restrictions were relaxed slightly.  We can now meet outdoors, no more than 10 people and maximum 2 households.  This means I can only catch up with 1 friend at a time.  So far I've just been out once for a picnic with a friend.  It was lovely to see someone face to face, or rather mask to mask.

So knitting has continued uninterrupted.

I finished both socks that I had started last time, and have started the second on both.

I finished a pair of "toe up baby socks"  A free pattern on Ravelry.  These are for  a 3 -6 month old.  Christopher Lee was born on Saturday.  He is in Wellington, so I hope I see him before he outgrows these.

A little bit of progress on the Habitation throw.

And I finished both  clue 1 and clue 2 on the Stephen West MKAL 2021: Shawlography

Clue 1

Clue 2

I'm waiting for parcels to come. There are long delays with couriers in Auckland as they are the only way we can get things delivered.  I did manage to get 1 stash enhancement from Vintage Purls

week 8 of lockdown a finish and new starts

 Lockdown continues here in Auckland.  We had 5 weeks under level 4, and have now been in level 3 for 3 weeks.  From today restrictions have eased slightly and people can meet outdoors only in groups of up to 10 from a maximum of 2 households.   We can now also travel around Auckland for exercise - walks along beaches etc.  So really, for me sill nothing much changes from level 4.

I've been knitting quite a lot, not much else to do.

Since my last post I've started and finished the Dingley Dell tee by Isabelle Kraemer.

I enjoyed knitting it in a wool/cotton yarn by Garn Bio Balance.  I like the finished result, except the neckline is too low.  I will need to wear a singlet underneath.

I've started 2 new socks.

This is Suokatu from 52 weeks of socks.  It is knit in the colour Macaron by Marmalade Yarns.  I love the pattern and the colours of the yarn are gorgeous.  The 'cable' pattern is created by twisting the stitches.  I'm enjoying knitting these.

These are vanilla socks using a sock set from Mamawooling.  Again I love these colours.  These will be another pair of shorties.

I've started another Habitation throw.

I'm using scraps that are less than 20g in this project and holding double on 5mm needles.  Enjoying seeing how the marles are working out.

In purchases I've continued using lockdown savings to buy treats.

I never thought I'd buy sock blockers, something nice but not needed.   However using lockdown money to buy treats I decided these would be a great treat.  Love the llamas.

 Just because I need some neutral 4 ply, possibly for a colourwork jumper to use scraps, I go this from Skeinz.  Good value at 303m per ball for just $7.95 per ball.  This is called champagne.  Was worried from the photo on the website that it would be too yellowy, but it is a lovely cream.

The Stephen West MKAL starts this weekend (NZ time - Friday for most of the rest of the world).  I wound my yarn up and swatched.

Excited for the MKAL to start.