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.