creatively...

as promised last week, i thought i'd share a little about what i've been up to creatively in recent times...

this month's socks are well and truly off the needles.



i cast them on on the first day of march, and finished them up in a little over two weeks.
another pair of vanilla socks, but this time, they're for me!

i also played around a little with some dyeing...



little droppers of food colouring, onto pre-soaked alpaca yarn, allowed to dry and then rinsed, before casting on...



the shawl project i was working on in this post, was ripped and cast on again. i wasn't loving the cream colouring at all, and i'd made a couple of mistakes in the edging when i wasn't concentrating properly...
i truly love it now, and it is finished and blocking as i type. hoping it will be dry tomorrow and the weather cool enough to give it a great first outing!

and because i couldn't possibly have the needles languishing...



i cast on a milo! it's been a while between knits of this ol' fave and i'm knitting it up in rowan wool cotton, picked up on sale from sunspun a couple of weeks ago now. it's very enjoyable to knit with but i've got quite the decision to make as to which cable pattern to choose!

i'm hoping to get the milo finished up by the end of the month, so i can get started on my april socks! now if only i could choose what they'll be...

do you have a favourite sock pattern? which milo cable pattern would you choose?

my creative space.

this week, i've been working on this little number.



it's the m.1. scarf from shibui knits and it is knitting up a treat.
i'm knitting it up in some of the wool i found last time i went to bendigo. i don't have a huge amount of it, potentially not enough to make a decent sized scarf...
but i should have enough for a lovely squishy cowl... the ends will definitely be sewn together.

even though this wasn't on my january list, i really want to get it finished by the end of the month, and maybe knit up another of these bad boys...



there's still time right? right?!?

i've got these two yarn cakes out too...



ready to knit up some projects in the new month ahead, as well as join in on the summer of the single skein.

what are you making at the moment? are you knitting anything for the single skein kal?

my creative space.

this week there hasn't been a whole lot going on creativity wise...

just a fairly large amount of this!



i was hoping to get this little gem FINISHED over the weekend. did. not. happen.

the balls i'm working for seem to be never ending, so this has been what i've been up to for the last week...
sometimes accompanied by a cider, or a movie, a big cup of tea or a tv show (i've just finished re-watching the west wing, and started on gilmore girls), or none of those things because i'm in the car!

lots of action for this blanket in any case!

here's hoping i'll have it finished by THIS weekend, as i am SUPER keen to work on something else for a bit!

what have you been working on this week? do you have any balls of wool that just go on forever?

my creative space.

this week, i've been working on a little commission project. i was sent a picture of some wee little baby booties from a school friend, asking if i could recreate them.
i've been working on them in little stretches, over the weekend, and bits and pieces after work too.

the hardest part, not working from a pattern, has been to get the shaping right...
this was my first attempt.



and the shaping is not right at all!
they look super odd, and this was after many attempts too! lots of frogging and re-stitching went into this little finished product and i was still not happy!

so i started over. completely different tact with the way i was putting everything together...



aaaaaaand much happier! it actually looks like a little boot, which was EXACTLY my intention! yahoo!

now to make another to match... and some cute little ties to pretty them up too!

and just as an fyi, i'm using bendigo woollen mills classic in cream and bendigo woollen mills colonial in grey. both held double and hooked up with a 4.5mm hook.

what are you working on at the moment? do you ever make up your own patterns when you're knitting or crocheting?

my creative space.

as always, i have a couple of things on the go this week...

i'm working around and around on this little granny square.



the balls of wool i've been using are definitely not as full as they were when i started, and well, it's grooooooowing!
it's nice to see the changes right before my eyes!

i also started a little something... that i was swatching for last week...



a pair of socks! i so LOVE this colour. so SO much!
i couldn't resist not casting on with the wool once i'd finished my swatch... particularly because i'd borrowed this book from my local library and i was desperate to give the technique a go!

it's going quite well, except for the whole not having sufficient time to knit them!

i also kind of wanted distraction from the blasted red sock... i splashed out and purchased a set of decent dpns, in lots of different sizes so that knitting the remainder of the red sock will be a dream. and well, i thought i could start something new while i waited!

however...



my new needles arrived earlier in the week! so now i have no excuses not to finish up that silly red sock quick sticks!

i also may have picked up a couple of extra things from the online store i purchased the dpns from. new supplies to keep knitting my socks two-at-a-time!

what are you creating at the moment? are you a dpn sock knitter? or a magic loop sock knitter?

my creative space.

this week, well, i'm working on much the same projects as i have been the last couple of weeks! oops!
they have come along a bit though!

legwarmer number one is complete!



it fits! and i've even sewn in all the ends!
now, to get to number two...



well, there's not been a lot of action on that front ha ha!

and the sock?



well it's almost at the wonderous halfway, past the heel stage! i'm on the home stretch now!!

what are you working on at the moment?

my creative space.

this week, i've been working on a pair of legwarmers for myself, to wear to ballet classes. because, why not?



i'm knitting them up in a k2p2 rib pattern, to give them the necessary stretch to fit over my full calf, while still fitting my ankle. oh and to keep them up while i'm getting my dance on!
and the lovely tweedy wool is one that i picked up from the back room of bendigo woollen mills earlier in the year.



they're aaaaaalmost long enough to start the heel shaping. or lack of heel shaping... i still need to work out exactly what i'm doing in the foot section, but i'm imagining it will take a bit of ripping back and re-knitting to get it right ha ha!
i'm hoping to knock these guys out over my weekend away because i really want to get to wearing them, but i also really want to get started on my other plans!

what are you creating this week? have you ever made legwarmers? or worn them?

my creative space.

i have a sad tale to tell today...

the other day i was cleaning the shower, and had this idea come to me with a vengeance.
i'm getting inspiration from housework! bit sad, little scary too!

in any case, i was scrubbing away at the shower, and thinking i really should get one of those soft scourers to use in there...
but then i though, why don't i make one...



i grabbed out some twine and got to crocheting... i figured by making it myself, i KNOW what it's made of and i know that once i'm done with it, after i've scrubbed it to death... i can compost it!
less waste is always a good thing in my books!



what do you think? would you crochet a scourer?

my creative space.

lots of knitting happening this week, nothing new there...

i cast off the scarf i started last week.



it's ended up muuuuuch skinnier than i had originally imagined, i ran out of wool very quickly!
i still kind of like how it's come out though... here's hoping that bb's brother likes it as much as me!

i've also been knitting bits and pieces for the little project i was swatching for on the weekend.



some seaming and some stuffing still needs to happen, but i was pretty happy with how quickly these little bits knit up! i managed all three 'parts' last night at ncb. very good instant gratification knitting!

and the sock i cast on...?



well it's progressing slowly... very slowly...
maybe by christmas?

what are you creating this week? are you a sloooooow knitter? or a super quick knitter? or both like me ha ha!?!

my creative space.

i've had a couple of projects on the go for a little while now...

a bamboo blankie...



it's coming along nicely, and i'm kind of loving the random assortment of colours that are coming through. i'm using a random number generator to help me choose...
i think there'll be a LOT of pink leftover ha ha!

i've also been working away on these beauties...



they're getting quite close to being finished, and i'm super excited because the one that is done, FITS! well fitting socks are cause for celebration ha ha!

what's happening in your creative space this week?

my creative space.

as per usual, i've been doing lots of knitting in my space this week.

i finished off the ribby red socks for my cousin...



i love how they've finished up AND i'm happy to say, they fit as well!
maybe this swatching thing IS a good idea ha ha!

i'm hoping i'll get to hand deliver them on my day off next week.

i've also been working on putting the finishing touches on my cape. grafting the last few stitches, sewing in ends, contemplating blocking and buttons. all of the fun stuff.

and in the leftover times, i've been knitting back and forth baby blankie rows in a sweet little chevron pattern.



i love the way this is coming together, and especially the non-traditional baby colour. i do like non-traditional baby colours ha ha!

what are you creating this week? what are your favourite colours to knit baby things in?

my creative space.

this week, after deciding not to work on my socks for a bit, i thought i might spend my couple of days off working on my cape.



this cape is knitting up SO nicely! i LOVE it!

i'm really excited to keep doing each row, even though at over 450 stitches they take a while, because i want to SEE what those cables are up to next!



i think i might need to invest in a longer interchangeable cable though as it isn't sitting as nicely as i would like, it's a bit bunched up!

though not bunched up enough for me to stop throwing it around my shoulders every few rows...



i can't wait to get it finished, as i want to see what it will look like in this beautiful wool... but also because it will be so warm and cosy!

what are you creating at the moment?

my creative space.

this week, not surprisingly, i've been getting my knit on...



though not on the cape i posted about on tuesday... i've decided to keep that for days when i am at home, and can give it the full attention it needs and deserves!

so in the mean time, i've been swatching... and then washing and blocking said swatch... sounds completely unlike me no?

well i am having another crack at the socks for my lovely cousin...



i decided the previous one was far too small, after my cousin sent me her foot measurements. it was what i had suspected all along!
i'm not going to lie, i'm a bit scared i might be going in the other direction with this one, and that it might be too big... but i'll finish it i guess and see what happens...

better to be too big than too small right?

how do you go getting knitted socks to fit? what are you creating this week?

my creative space.

since finishing this beanie earlier in the week, i've been working on a little scarf project.



similar to this one, but a little different!

and last night, i cast on another little something...



a cotton washcloth, to pop in the post to cath for her community's days for girls project.

what are you creating at the moment? are you making a dishcloth for cath too? have you checked out the other stuff in cam's fundraising shop?
share what you're making too with kirsty!

my creative space.

oops, it's a bit of a late one today... but i've been busy working on a couple of projects!

after finishing up this project earlier in the week, i've picked up the heart scarf again!



though i got tired of hearts, so i'm working on a big swathe of grey in between the two heart-y sections!

oh, and i've also been working on another little project...



inspired by clare, i'm following this tutorial to whip up some labels for my finished objects... if you hear someone swearing and carry-ing on in victoria tomorrow morning, it's me trying to wrangle my printer into working! we don't always get along ha ha!

what are you creating this week? are you joining in with koo too?

my creative space.

i've been a bit quieter around these parts than usual so far this month...
this is partly due to working hard on my new routine, a few extra hours at work to get things done AND i've been working on this little beauty...



this is destined to be a little blankie for my soon to be niece or nephew and i am LOVING how it's coming together!



i'm knitting it up out of the leftovers from this blankie, but wanted to make this one all together different...



so i decided to knit it on the diagonal! and am choosing my stripe colours using a random number generator!
i assigned each of the five colours a number, and then before i start every row, i hit "generate" to choose my colour. it's led to colour stripes that i definitely would never have chosen... four stripes of the same colour in a row? not with me in charge! i so love the effect it's given though!

what are you creating at the moment? are you joining in with koo this week too?

my creative space.

this week, for the last time in hopefully a little while, i'm working on hexies!
i counted out the number of hexies i had cut out, ready to be basted, and realised i was 20 papers short!



so this morning, out came some card stock, the scissors, a pencil and a ruler.
and now...



everything is set out, and ready to go!
i've got 120 hexies left to baste by the end of the month, which is TOMORROW! eep!

i'm not going to lie, i'll be happy to have a break from them for a while, and get back to some knitting and crochet ha ha!

what are you creating this week? are you joining in with koo too?

my creative space.

yesterday, i finished off the slightly larger beanie i was working on earlier in the week AND i went for a drive to a patchwork shop and acquired some more hexagon papers...
one guess what i'm up to today...



more hexies!
i'm getting through them... i've just got that stack there to go!

well i did just have that stack there...



what can i say, i was in a patchwork shop!
i think the challenge of getting through all of the fabric i had by the end of february might be a little out of reach now... oh well! we'll see how i go!

what are you creating this week? are you joining in with kirsty too?

my creative space.

this week, i think you could probably guess what i've been working on...



more hexies!

my total for the month is up to 252! and i'm ALMOST out of the fabric that i cut out at the start of the month...



i feel another day of cutting coming up this weekend... and maybe a trip to the patchwork shop to pick up some more hexie papers! i opened my 5th packet of papers last night, which means i almost have 500 sewn up!
i also did a quick calculation last night (which i'm sure i've done in the past) and realised i'd need over 3000 to get the size i want! eeeeeeeeep!

in other news...



i cast some knitting on too! i was getting itchy fingers sitting at traffic lights (bad nicole!) and on the walk from my car to work and vice versa.
this is a request from a friend of a friend to re-create a much loved beanie. i got my hands on it, and took a bunch of photos and reverse engineered the pattern a bit... hopefully it comes together how she imagined it would!

what are you creating this week?

my creative space.

this week, has been ALL about the hexies this week!
well since the start of the month anyway...

i've been posting about my progress over on instagram, using the hashtag #gettinghexyinfebsy
it's a little lame, but i also kind of love it!

here was my photo from the first...



total for the day - 23.

the second's progress...



287 hexies cut out.

the photo from the third...



total for the day - 16.

the fourth...



total for the day - 34.

and the fifth, last night...



total - 31.
that's a total of 104 for the last 5 days! i'm pretty happy with that!
hopefully i can keep up the momentum for the rest of the month! and i'm hoping to get the rest of the fabric i've been stockpiling cut up and sewn up too!

it should be a productive month!

what's happening in your creative space this week? hoping to link up with kirsty today too?