I got a puppy! Brioche and mitt finishes and wips

 Not a lot of knitting has been done over the last few weeks as I got this cutie.

This is Gracie.   She is a cavoodle and I got her at 8 weeks,  she is now 11 weeks.  She is adorable but has so much energy I can barely keep up.  The photo above is when I picked her out of the litter and she was 7 weeks.  

This is her now, she has grown so  much 

Anyway on to knitting.  Before I got Gracie I finished a pair of mittens. 

These are Pieces of Home mitts, a free pattern on Ravelry. 

And finished this week is my brioche sweater.

This is Broadleaf by Wool and Pine.  It looks great, but was so slow to knit.  I think it's put me off brioche for a while.

Onto wips.  I frogged the Krumeluuri socks.  Again brioche just takes too long and I get bored.  So I cast on Morning Coffee from 52 weeks of socks 

These have 5 colours and are a great way to use up scraps. 

Also cast on are another pair of vanilla socks 

Another cast on is The Frank Shawl by Joji Locatelli 

The cozies memory blanket is seeing some progress

Hopefully  puppy will start quieting down soon and I can get more knitting in.

2021 advents and a finish

 I can't believe it's been a month since I posted.  Omicron is wreaking havoc around the world.  Fortunately we have so far been able to keep it out of the community, but experts say it is a matter of days, not weeks, before we too are affected.  In the meantime our Delta numbers have been very low, below 50, for a few weeks.  So for us life is continuing almost unaffected, apart from mask wearing being the new norm and vaccine passes being required for entry into cafes/ restaurants/cinemas/gyms/hairdressers/event, etc.

I had my booster shot on Friday so I hope that will give me some extra protection when  Omicron arrives.

On to knitting.  I haven't shared all my advents that I opened in December.  I have been very happy with all of these, unlike last year.

Louie and Lola, My Tassie Country Garden, was a 24 mini skein and 1 full skein set.  Along with treats like scented candle, fancy stitch markers and progress keepers.

I got the Summer Solstice Calendar from YarnTherapy.  This was a 20 mini skein and 1 full skein set, along with extras like labels, stitch markers, small project bag and tea.

Next was Mamawooling Cast On Calendar.  This was a parcel to be opened every week for 4 weeks and contained at least 1 skein of yarn.  There were also extras like progress keepers, chocolate, coffee, scissors.  My favourite is week 4.  A fingering and mohair in my favourite colour pairings of pale green and pale pink.  This will make a gorgeous shawl. I'm already knitting week 2 into The Collective Shawl for the mamawooling NYK.

Next was the West Yorkshire Spinners Xmas box that I got from Eskdale Yarns.  This came with this years Sparkly sock base and a choice of one of 2 colours for another skein.  There were also surprises in this.  A project bag, already being used for a sweater, a sock pattern, progress keepers and stitch markers in a candy cane theme, scissors and chocolate.  I opened this on Xmas Eve as I wanted to start the socks for a Xmas Eve cast on.

Last to be opened on Xmas day, was a Hygge box from Little Acorn Yarns.  There was a choice of tea or coffee, I chose tea.  Included in the box was the tea, a beautiful blend, 1 skein of yarn, a beautiful pottery mug, scented candle, book on Hygge, bookmark, 2 postcards and a project bag - being used for my Collective shawl.

So what have I been knitting with all these goodies?

I started and finished Stripes by Andrea Mowry.  This was with the Louie and Lola advent.

I've nearly finished Juxtaposition.  Made with the advent from YarnTherapy

I've started my first Brioche project, The Collective Shawl by Joji Locatelli.  This is knitted with Mamawooling caston calendar and Louie and Lola advent.

I've nearly finished the first sock with the WYS Xmas colours

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!.

Lockdown knitting

 After over 6 months of no community cases, we had a case of the Delta variant in the community on 17 August.  We had already been told that as soon as there was any Delta we would be in lockdown.  6 hours after the announcement we were in the hardest level of lockdown.  Only essential workers can go out to work, and trips out are limited to essentials - supermarkets, pharmacies, doctors, testing and vaccinations.  You can walk for an hour in your area but only with people in your bubble.  People living alone can only form a bubble with one other person who also lives alone.

It was good that we went into lockdown early as the affected case had been to a lot of highly populated places, these people have become infected who have also been to a lot of places.  After 2 weeks the majority of cases are in Auckland with a few in Wellington.  From Wednesday the rest of the country goes to level 3 with Auckland and Northland remaining in level 4, probably for another 2 weeks.

I've been trying to maintain my fitness regime by joining a 6 week challenge through Les Mills on Demand.  Also the trainers at my own gym are running regular facebook training, done from their homes.  Nice to see familiar faces when you live on your own and aren't going to see anyone for weeks.

And of course, I've got lots of knitting done.

I have a HO.  

This is a shorty vanilla sock that I just had the toe in last time.  I've started the second sock, have done the toe and part way up the foot.

I have progress on my other Dear Bjorn sock

Misurina is coming along

As is Ranunculus

And Cragside

Stephen West's mystery shawl starts in October.  I wasn't going to do it this year as I have the 52 Weeks of Shawls and there are a lot in there I want to make.  However being in lockdown has given me the urge to join in the MKAL.  Though I hope we'll be at level 2 by October.  Another reason to do it, is I should finish Cragside by then so will be looking at another shawl to cast on.  

He starts releasing clues next week.  I'm hoping that even though I am in Level 4, if I order yarn from someone in Level 3 it can be delivered.  Not sure what the rules are around that.  I'll be keeping an eye out for NZ dyers that are doing kits.

Finishes, hos and new starts

 It's been a while since my last post and I've got quite a different rotation on my needles.

Off the needles is the Pirta cardigan

I shoud have made a size bigger.  However it is perfectly wearable. However I am disappointed in the Passioknits yarn as it is pilling terribly after just a few wears.  I am wearing it as an around the house cardi so it doesn't matter too much.

Also off the needles is a long term scrappy project, the Modular Inlay Wrap by Stephen West.

The colours are a bit crazy as it was made from leftovers, but this is for around the house. It is a large wrap so I can wrap up very warmly in this.

So with a few finishes, I could cast on some more

My main project is the Misurina top by Boyland knitworks aka Caitlin Hunter.

The golden yarn for this is Mitch in Legacy from Skeinz, the purply/red is Sangria by Ashford.

I did my first tubular cast on in this.  I'm loving that it has lace, cables and colourwork.  But done in fingering, I feel like this yoke is taking forever.  This is progress after 2 weeks.

Another sweater cast on is the ever popular Ranunculus.  I've seen so many beautiful makes of this and there seem to be so many knitalongs going on, I thought I really needed to try it.  It can be made short sleeve, long sleeve, in summer weight or winter weight, or fingering and mohair.  So many options.

I am again using Ashford 4 ply in Sangria for this.  This is progress after 2 weeks.

I cast on another shawl from 52 Weeks of Shawls.  This is Cragside.

Cragside is named after a country estate in Northumberland.  I lived in Newcastle until I was 18 and visited Cragside.  After emigrating my mother returned to the UK for a holiday and visited Cragside and bought me back a metal engraving from Cragside.  It still hangs in my home.  So other than the fact that I loved the shawl, I had a sentimental reason for wanting to knit it.  

This is knit in yarn from YeahYeah yarn.

I have a HO from 52 Weeks of Socks.  This is Dear Bjorn and second sock is started.

And another vanilla sock is started.

This is in the colourway Penzance by Kiwiyarna.  Something about her yarns that I love.

3 Finishes Shawl, socks and baby cardi

Its been a while since I last posted.  I've been pretty sick with a respiratory virus that took me out of action for a couple of weeks.

Since resuming knitting I have had a few finishes

Wild Flowers Shawl from 52 Weeks of Shawls.  Knitted in an undyed fawn merino/ white alpace DK from Roxy Fibres that I bought at Woolfest.  Beautifully soft.  Love it.

Vanilla socks made from "under the sea' from Kiwiyarn-a.  Think I have the methodology perfected finally.  I made the foot slightly shorter than I have been 7" rather than 7.25".  Used the wrap and turn heel.  This fits better than the afterthought, I find the afterthought too big, and the wrap and turn is easier than the fishlips kiss heel.  Leg was my usual 60 rows.  The cuff was 16 rows k1tbl, p1, with the stretchy bind off from Very Pink Knits.

Gidday Baby Cardi.  Knit in acrylic so the Mum can throw it in the wash.  I did not enjoy knitting with acrylic.