WIP Wednesday 30.01.2013

Spending a couple of hours each day on different projects seems to have boosted my productivity a bit as I'm making plenty of progress on all my projects. Here are this week's pics.

Hoodie for me - Dawg by Drew Emborsky (The Crochet Dude)

 A bit more of the hood has been done this week and I'm getting a little worried that I won't have enough yarn to do the bands after buying an extra 2 balls. Maybe I should have bought 3.

Crochenit Cot Blanket

 Getting closer to calling the main part of this blanket 'done', then I'll move onto framing it with white.

Rose Clan Dress Tartan

A couple more weeks and I'll be ready to so the border and call this one finished.

AustralianaV2 - designed by me

 The dolphin is starting to take shape and I've also started on the numbat.

Alien Guy

 The legs are finished and attached to the lower part of the body, and then I found out the I was supposed to do the lower part of the body in Navy. There was no mention of this in the pattern until it gave the instructions for the belt loops.

Toddler's Jacket - Zoom by Ellen Gormley (GoCrochet)

 I've made visible progress on the first sleeve.

Box Stitch Baby Blanket

I've started on a few rows of white to frame this one. It shouldn't be long before I complete it.

There are a few items there that seem to be so much closer to completion now than they were at the beginning of the year. In 3 or 4 weeks time I may be looking for other projects to take their place in the queue. There are plenty of items on my to-do list so I'm sure to find something.

In the meantime, check out the links in the sidebar to see what everyone else has been making.

Richard.

WIP Wednesday 23.01.2013

I've been feeling a little slack this week, spending far too much time playing with the tablet I got for Christmas and not enough time on things that matter, like housework, study and crochet (the housework and the study are really suffering). I did manage to spend a bit of time each day on one or more of my projects so there is plenty of progress to see.

Hoodie for Me - Dawg by Drew Emborsky (The Crochet Dude)

 A few more rows have been added to the hood.

Rose Clan Dress Tartan

Some more chains have been made and thread through the mesh.

Crochenit Cot Blanket

 A couple more rows have been added.

Box Stitch Baby Blanket

 I even managed a fall row on this one.

Toddlers Jacket - Zoom by Ellen Gormley (GoCrochet)

 Started on the sleeve this week.

AustralianaV2 Designed by Me

 Finished the palm tree and started on the dolphin. Someone keeps making a comment about the "Ostrich" but the ostrich isn't native to Australia. I'm not sure that there's a lot of difference in the silhouettes of Emus and Ostriches but this one is an Emu.

Alien Guy

 I'm sure I could have done more on this guy if I hadn't been busy playing games. These are his feet, and they're quite large, which means that the finished toy could also be quite large. It's supposed to take two skeins of yarn to do the body so that gives some indication I suppose.

Baby's Sunhat

This is the sunhat to go with the bootees I made last week.

Somehow I don't think I will have anything finished this week. I don't think I did enough over the last couple of days to give myself a chance. I'm sure there will be plenty of other people with FOs though.

If you want to see what everyone else has been making just follow the links in the sidebar.

Richard.

FO Friday 18.01.2013

I'm a little later than normal with this post because Sue and I have been out visiting friends to get some help in planning our holiday. There is nothing like getting information off people that have been there and done that, especially when they used to live there. Anyhow, it's time to show off my finished object, so here are objects 4 & 5 for 2013.

1 pair white Baby's Booties

 This has been on my to-do list for a while. Next job is the sunhat to go with them.

Little Duck

I was thinking of taking the photo of this one in my hand but I thought the coin might give a better idea of size. I think I might double up the yarn and use a larger hook next time I make this just so it turn out a little bigger.

That's it from me for this week. Checkout the links in the sidebar if you want to see what everyone else has been making.

Richard.

Wip Wednesday 16.01.2013

I wasn't sure whether I would make progress on everything this week as I wasn't feeling particularly well on Sunday and didn't do any crochet at all that day. I wasn't too worried though as I had worked on two of the three projects I took with me to the market on Saturday. So, here, in no particular order (well, actually, it's the order in which blogger uploaded the photos) are all my current WIPs.

Hoodie for me - Dawg by Drew Emborsky (The Crochet Dude)

 I'm making good progress on the hood.

Crochenit Cot Blanket

I've changed colours again. There wasn't much orange left on that last ball. Just a few more rows and then I'll work on the "frame".

Rose Dress Tartan Rug

 It's quite difficult to actually see the progress on this unless you compare the current picture with past pictures, which you can do if you check out the Ravelry Project Page.

AustralianaV2 Table Runner - designed by me

 The next two objects are almost complete. You probably cant tell yet but they are a palm tree and a royal blue bell flower (the floral emblem of the ACT).

Box Stitch Baby Blanket

 This one is even harder to see progress on, but progress has been made.

Toddler's Jacket - Zoom by Ellen Gormley (GoCrochet)

The body is now complete, including the edging and button hole. Now I need to start work on the sleeves.

Come back on Friday to see that items that I've finished this week. In the meantime, check out the links in the sidebar to see what everyone else has been making.

Richard.

The week that was 12.01.2013

After a long day which started at about 5am (it's now 10pm) it's hard to look back and remember everything that has happened this week, but, apart from getting back into my regular gym schedule and working out a crafting regime that will see most if not all my major projects see progress each week, there have only been a couple of significant events.

Last Sunday, we said farewell to our officers and their children as they move on to a new posting. While they were with the corps for 3 years we only met them a little over 2 years ago as we didn't come to Albury until the end of 2010.

Today was market day at Myrtleford. While it wasn't my most successful day at the markets it was still quite significant, especially with other markets being cancelled due to rain or heat.

One person I talked to this week reminded me about how different we all are, especially our tolerance to temperature. Where she grew up, school was cancelled if the temperature rose above 29°C. If they did that here kids would only have to attend school 2 or 3 days during summer. On the other scale, I've heard that people in Qld start reach for jumpers (sweaters) when the temperature drops below 30. While we're sweltering through one of our hottest summers on record, others are enjoying (or enduring) snow. Isn't it a wonderful world?

The next few weeks are going to get busier and busier, with Craft'n'Cuppa starting back this week, the installation of our new officers next Sunday and Crochet Class and Choir starting back at the community centre next month. Somewhere in the business I need to make time to continue my school work in the hope that I could have most of it done before I actually make it back to class. We also have a holiday to plan for and start paying for once we get the money from my Super. Busy, busy busy, but I will always find time to crochet.

Richard.

FO Friday 11.01.2013

Friday is here once more and we have three FOs to show off. I say "we" because, while two of these are made by me, I have another of Sue's FOs to show you. And here they are.

Pineapple Angel

This one was made to bring my stock levels back up again.

Big Feet The Cat 

 This little cutie only stands about 13cm (5") tall and didn't take long to make at all, although some bits were a little fiddly.

And now for Sue's FO for this week.

Baby's Beanie

Sue seems to be into making baby things at the moment. Don't read anything into that as she can't have any more and no one in the family is in the family way.

That make 3 FOs for me and 2 for Sue (not that we're in any sort of competition as it is well known that I will complete far more items than Sue, I'm just keeping count for the end of the year wrap up).

For more FOs, check out the links in the sidebar.

Richard.

WIP Wednesday 09/01/2013

I've had a slight change of tactics this week. I've decided to spend and hour or 2 each day working on one of my major projects, a different project each day, and then, if I have any more crochet time that day, work on either something to replace an item I've sold or a new toy. It has kinda worked this week as I have manage to make progress on all of my long term projects, finish as item that is a replacement for something soled and almost finish a new toy. The finished item will be shown on Friday, but here are the rest.

Crochenit Cot Blanket

I started by working on projects that didn't see any progress last week, so this blanket got a couple more rows added to it.

Rose Clan Dress Tartan Rug

The tartan got a few more chains woven though.

Hoodie for Me - Dawg by Drew Emborsky (The Crochet Dude)

The pocket has bee stitched on (although I'm not sure how straight my stitching was) and the hood has been started.

AustralianaV2 - designed by me

The platypus and the pineapple are finished and the next couple of items are started.

Toddler's Jacket - Zoom by Ellen Gormley (GoCrochet)

I've added the last 4 rows to the body and am almost up to the edging.

Box Stitch Baby Blanket

 I think I managed another full circuit on this but it's hard to tell. I'm sure I turned at least 4 corners but I have to reverse direction at on of them so I'm not sure how far around I got.

Big Feet the Cat by Chris D. Friend

So this is my toy for this week. He only stand about 13cm (5") tall. I expect this one to be finished in time for photos on Friday so I should have 2 item to show then.

One thing I'm not real sure about with this system is when I'm replacing a toy that I've sold, is whether I should still work on a new one also.

That's enough from me. Check out the links in the sidebar if you want to see what every one else has been making.

Richard.

Run the Race

The reading this morning came from Hebrew 12:1-3 which says :-

"1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

This was Lt Bindy's last message before she and Marco move on to their next posting and she related some of the subject matter of her previous messages which she didn't really expect anyone to remember. Even if I don't remember them I still have my notes in this blog to remind if I ever care to look over them.

While we're all going through changes with some people moving on and new people arriving, we're all still running the same race. Some of us will be doing it somewhere else while others will be at the same place under the guidance of new leaders.

It is easy to let the craziness of life hinder us in our worship. Change can be a hindrance for what God wants us to do.

The passage today calls for us to fix our eyes on Jesus. Where is your focus today?

May God bless you richly this week.

Richard.

The Week That Was 05.01.2013

Week one of 2013 has been a somewhat uneventful but hot one. Yesterday, the temperature here hit the 40°C mark for the first time this summer and today was even hotter. We're not expecting things to cool down until sometime next week, although we did get quite a storm this afternoon.

I managed to get back into the gym this week, after having the week and a bit off for Christmas and New Years. I also climbed on the scales and have decided that I don't like the scales at the gym, I think they lie. They show that I've put on another 6kg since I last saw the doctor, and I thought all this exercise was supposed to help me lose weight.

I headed out to the Beechworth Gaol for a market this afternoon only to find that the market had been cancelled due to the heat. It seemed that a number of stall holders that had said they would attend had been in Beechworth for a farmers market and they decided to pull out in favour of taking their wares (potted plants) home to give them some water. In the end there were only about 6 of us willing to brave the heat so the organisers decided it wasn't worth it. Because I showed a willingness to go ahead in the adverse conditions they decided also to give me free entry into their next market at Easter.

So, it's been another week without sales, but I'm sure next Saturday's flea market won't be cancelled. It's early enough in the day not to be effected too much by heat and, in spite of the storm this afternoon, we're not expecting any rain for a little while.

That's it from me for this week. I hope you all had a good one.

Richard.

FO Friday 04.01.2013

The first Friday of the year and both Sue and I have finished objects to show off. Technically these were finished last year but since they were both finished since last Friday they get to count as our first FOs for 2013.

Shopping Bag

The pattern actually calls for this to be made with cotton but I had loads of this wool lying around so I thought I would try using it instead. I don't think it will make a big difference except if someone wants to wash it.

Baby Booties

Sue took only a few days to knit these.

That's it for this week. We have markets at Beechworth Gaol tomorrow afternoon. I just hope it won't be too hot at that time of day.

Check out the links in the sidebar if you won't to see what everyone else has been making.

Richard.

WIP Wednesday 02.01.2013

Well, it's the first Wednesday of the year and I have made some progress on some of my major projects this week.

Rose Clan Dress Tartan Rug

 If I keep spending a couple of hours each week on this I should have it finished in a couple of months.

Hoodie - Dawg by Drew Emborsly (The Crochet Dude)

 I got most of it sewn together and ready for the hood and the cuffs. I still need to sew the pocket on. Just for interests sake I decided to try it on and found that the body is just about perfect but I have been a little generous in the sleeves. The sleeve are a little long even without the cuffs. I suppose that's one reason I ran out of wool. I did adjust the pattern because it was coming out too small for me but it looks like I may have over done it.

Box Stitch Baby Blanket.

As I was photographing this I noticed that the yarn I'm using now isn't the same dye lot as the first couple of balls. I don't think it will make a big difference to the finished article but I probably won't show this one.

Toddler's Jacket - Zoom by Ellen Gormley (GoCrochet)

A few more rows and it will be ready for the edge and then the sleeves.

That's it from me for this week. I will try to pick up where I left off and work on the other 2 projects before going back to any of these. I may even start a couple of other projects now that I'm not restricted by last year's resolution.

Check out the links in the sidebar if you want to see what everyone else has been making and come back on Friday to see what projects Sue and I have finished this week.

Richard.