Thursday, January 15, 2015

WIPs and the New Year

I posted earlier on my MorganAside blog that I don't do New Year's resolutions but try to set a goal instead. If you've read my other blog then you know that my goal this year includes a crafting "diet". This means that I'm trying to clear the WIPs and UFOs off my sewing/crafting table. So far it's been working. I've cleared 5 sewing UFOs and 5 knitting UFOs.  I should tell you that just before Christmas I had 19 WIPs listed in Ravelry. These are started projects not ones that are in there as "place holders".

The first WIP that I finished (for the second time) was a hat for a friend. She didn't like the first one so I frogged it. It took me several months to discover that I couldn't find a pattern that I liked for her. I ended up in the end creating one. The yarn for this project was Lino Plus from Wolle Rödel and was knitted on US #4 needles. My friend picked up two balls of it while on vacation in Germany. It wasn't horrible to work with and I was very happy with the results. I also made her two flowers, which have barrettes attached to the back of them. They can be attached through the lace.





The second finished WIP was the olive green Tunisian crocheted sontag trimmed with eggplant & salmon. It olive yarn is alpaca. The eggplant & salmon are wool. This sontag is suitable for Civil War reenacting. However, I have not seen anything knitted from alpaca in my research. Alpaca fabric yes, alpaca yarn no. It is a good alternative for those that can't wear wool. You can find the sontag & the pattern for sale at www.shop.originals-by-kay.com. 


Next was the knitted garters. These were knitted from an original pattern published in Godey's Lady's Book in 1862. I originally started these back around 2010, so it was definitely time to finish them. They're not difficult to make they just get a bit boring. Yarn used is Dale Garn's Heilo in Lilac & Lime Green. These will be for sale on the website listed above. 



The cowl below originally started as a scarf. More specifically it started as the Eyelet Scarf (#30 from 60 Quick Knits). The book was written for Cascade 220 yarn, I used Peace Fleece Worsted in Violet Vyehchyeerom. This is one of those where I can't remember when I bought the yarn,  I had about 21 inches knit when I decided I should've bought another skein. So it decided it was going to be a cowl. Now, it is waiting for me to go buy some cool buttons. BTW, I love this yarn. 


And finally, the last of the finished WIPs (for now!). This indigo dyed yarn was hand dyed with natural dyes back in 2007 by a fellow reenacting friend. I finally started knitting the socks (soldier's socks for DH) back in 2012 and set them aside with one sock done and the second one with only the cuff done. This past Sunday I decided it was time to finish them. I finished the second sock at 1am this morning (they could still use being blocked).  I'm happy they are finally done!


This takes me down from 19 to 14 WIPs. What's still on the list?

Knitting WIPs

2 pair of Chester County Soldier's Socks 
1 pair of little boys reenacting socks
1 infant petticoat 
1 lady's claret polka in brioche
1 men's brioche sweater
1 men's night cap
1 Sailor's Sock (modern sock pattern)
1 1840's scarf
1 Spring Forward Sock (modern sock pattern for DD)
1 Fleur de Lis felted project

Crochet WIPs

1 men's scarf in Tunisian crochet
1 Celtic weave baby blanket
1 Tunisian crochet sontag (working on a new pattern)

Now, I'm on to the next WIP - the first of the two pair of Chester County Soldier's Socks. I have the cuffs and legs done on both and the heel turned on one. 

Have a good one everyone.