Crafting 2021: Update 4

This is a very late blog after a period of no blogging at all for quite a few months.  The truth is that I've been feeling pretty low recently and lacking in energy and decided that, instead of trying to force myself to carry on doing everything and making myself worse I would actually just give myself a break.  So I've done no blogging, had no real interaction on social media, and just concentrated on doing my job well, attempting to be a decent human being, and a few things that I really enjoy.

One of those things turned out to be crafting.  I only got into crafting properly again at the start of this pandemic but it has turned out to be something I love and a great stress reliever.  I may pick patterns and crafting that are difficult and real head-scratchers, but there's something about working them out and the final piece emerging that makes me feel better.  Probably just the satisfaction of working out a 'safe' challenge.  These are what I completed in this last quarter.

Clara Bow-Panel Sweater

This was meant to be just a side project I did now and then but ended up taking over everything else and I actually completed it pretty quickly.  It's from the Knit Vintage book by Madeline Weston and Rita Taylor that I had used for the cardigan previously and I used the Rowan Baby Cashsoft Merino yard they recommended but in the colour Turquoise.

I did slightly change the pattern as I wanted to knit it in the round instead of making separate panels I would then need to sew together as I really dislike that part of knitting.  You think you're finished, but no you now have to do a whole lot of sewing.  I love how it's turned out and I've actually worn it quite a lot over the last month.  It's actually a very warm jumper and the yarn is pretty soft on my skin so it's a perfect winter layer, though there have been quite a few times when it's been a little too warm.

Dottie Cardigan

Because apparently, I can't have a period where I don't have a knitting project on the go and because the cardigan I have already is a little bit too hot to wear sometimes and I wanted an alternative, I decided to start making Dottie by Martin Storey that's featured in the Rowan magazine 69.  You're meant to make it using Rowan's own Cotton Glace yarn, but I wanted to use a wool yarn instead so that it wouldn't just be a summer type cardigan.  I also wanted to try out Holst Garn that I'd heard a lot about it and you can get their yarn by the cone rather than just the skeine or ball.  In the end, I went for their Supersoft Wool in the colour maize and I really like the quality of it so far.  It knits really well and I swear the cone isn't actually getting any smaller.  I'm now worried I'll have lots of it left.  

The yarn is slightly thinner so I've had to slightly change the number of stitches that I use, but apart from that I've just kept the pattern as is and have knitted the panels separately.  This has actually come together pretty quickly as well and I really just have the two sleeves to do now.  I won't finish this by the end of 2021 but I hope to get it completed pretty early on in 2022.

The Lord of the Rings Cross-stitch: The Shire

I had basically put this to one side for the last quarter of the year as I just didn't feel like doing cross-stitch, but it is now finally finished.  I'm not going to lie, there was a moment when I wasn't 100% sure about it, but now that it's complete I'm really happy with it.  It was actually quite enjoyable at the end, filling in the last of the white sections and watching it finally come together.  It does need a frame now, but I can't decide if I want them all to have exactly the same frame or if I want them to have their own unique frame.  So, for now, it just sitting on my crafting bench waiting.

Christmas Cards

I finally did it.  I finally got myself to sit down and paint the Christmas cards in time to have them printed and sent off to everyone.  I'm not going to lie, they weren't great and then converted even worse to actual cards.  However, it is entirely my own fault as I didn't practise doing watercolour work like I was supposed to this year and I didn't really research how you need to do the painting so that it transfers well into card form.  Oh well, there's always next year and, now that I've finally bitten the bullet and started, I'll hopefully be able to convince myself to practise more in the coming months.  Next year's pictures might be amazing.  Unlikely, but you never know. 😂

The Fantail Skirt

I still haven't moved very far on this, but I have finally cut out the pattern and dyed some of the material I'll be using into this very beautiful light blue.  All I really need is one good weekend and I should get through it pretty quickly.  I do want to research adding a pocket as this will be useful to have and should be quite an easy addition.  Maybe this weekend coming as I'll be in the flat on my own.  No distractions, just a lot of sewing.  Though looking at the material just now I've realised I don't have the right colour thread, need to buy that first.  Hopefully, it'll appear in my next crafting update.

And that's it.  That's all the crafting I've done this last quarter.  It's not a large amount but I'm happy with it and the results I've gotten out of it.  I have a lot of things planned for next year, including another four jumpers, some tops, a dress, a skirt or two, and maybe another shawl.  If I do manage to get all those done my wardrobe will be exactly where I want it and then I'm not sure what I'll do in 2023.  I'm sure I'll find something.  There is all that leftover yarn and fabric..........