Back in July, I finished this jumper for my Niece’s first Christmas – now that Christmas has been and gone I can actually share about it. For years I’ve had this pattern – French Macaroon Jumper on my “to knit at some point” list. When I decided that I’d make some of my Christmas presents, it was a perfect one for my niece.
French Macaroon Jumper
Pattern:French Macaroon Jumper by The Noble Thread (The Pattern is on Ravelry) Needles: 4mm Yarn: Stylecraft Special DK in Cream and Himalaya Everyday Bebe Rengarenk (This was a random score from the Genbrug/Charity Shop)
I’ve had this pattern saved in my Ravelry Library for years with the idea that one day I’d make it but I’d always put it off. I decided that I’d try and make some of my Christmas presents as they should travel back to the UK a bit easier.
First on the list was a jumper for B as it’s her first Christmas. Baby jumpers are easy to knit and quick – so this one has taken me about 2 weeks ish. I spent a lot of time knitting while at Summer Camp so that helped to get it done quicker.
Apart from the 3 needle bind off it’s a really simple pattern, especially for beginners. When it comes to the cast off – I love this video from VeryPink Knits as it’s so simple to follow (And she has a slower version too if needed).
You can see other projects I’ve completed here. Have you been working on anything recently?
I saw this on Instagram and decided it was the kind of challenge I could do. 2023 grams of yarn knitted or crocheted in 2023… not that hard right?
The idea is that you keep track or weigh your project when you’re finished (or the remainder and then do some maths if needed) and aim for 2023 grams. That’s just over 20 grams of Stylecraft Special DK for instance… (100g per ball give or take). Then again maybe gorgeous skeins of hand dyed loveliness is your thing…
Sometimes, seeing something physically rather than just imagining it, is helpful, so I went off to get out my Yuletide Blanket Yarn Pack (pattern is by Attic 24 and can be found here). That’s 15 balls (15 x 100g) to begin with. (One challenge for this year is to finishing the project… I started the original Yuletide Blanket last year, then undid it before start twice more and resorting to the Granny Stripe Blanket instead). So that could cross off 1500g ish in one go… it’s definitely going to be an at home project.
Well for the interest, I went to weigh my current project and including the needles and the remaining yarn (as it’s still in progress) that’s on 370g – I think yarn wise it’s about 350 (3 x 50g balls and 1 x 200g ball). I have finished half of one project so I have already crossed off 22g but I’m not counting that until I finish the second half of the project. Also I’ve been working on some Franken-Yarn balls (which might need it’s own post…. what is franken-yarn? I’m not sure it’s an official definition but if some one did coin it before I will happily point people in their direction. I sat with all the odds and ends that I had and tided them all together based on their colours. So now I have 3 cakes of pink (they are numbered so they roughly go from very light pale pink through to magenta almost purple) which could be 250-300g alone… That’s just the pink so once I get through the blues and greens, I could be on 600g+ (When I write a blog post about my franken-yarn I will be back with a post….)
My WIPs (Works in Progress), are being counted once they are finished. Some have had a weight already to see what 20g or 100g of yarn looks like once it’s in a physical project form instead of a ball/cake/skein but other wise it’s going to be great fun for sure! Project 2 (As it’s being called) is getting there but at 300+ stitches a row it is taking longer than I expect to finish a row. The cast off is going to be a chore but also a massive relief I’m sure!
While I’m trying not to buy yarn right away, I do have Christmas money burning a yarn shaped hole in my pocket. I’m tempted by a new set of interchangeable needles but I want to be able to test drive before I buy and I’m not sure how easy that will be… (The Infinity Hearts set by Rito is currently Number 1 but the Chiaogoos are calling to me – but they are both an investment so how can I get a test drive? I’d just need one set maybe 4 or 4.5mm on a medium size cable so that I can make something…)
The pictures on this post are all shared with permission from @rachelisknitting. You can follow her on Instagram, YouTube and read her blog here.
I don’t know about you but some months, I think this is the month that I’m going to get this blogging thing back on track and then I get brain freeze and can’t think of anything to write about so, while I’m sat here with time to spare, I’ve been writing a list of ideas and here I’m sharing it with you. (There’s the list and also a printable if you’d like to add it to your bullet journal or planner)
Prompts for January
Goals and intentions for the year. (What’s the difference take a look here)
Have you sent thank you cards for your Christmas presents? If like me you made yours on Canva, maybe you can share your design for others to you.
Show us your TBR for January (Have you set a goal of how many books to read this year? This was 2021 and 2022 is coming)
Do you knit, crochet or sew? Do you have something on the go or just finished? Be sure to share.
Maybe make up or skincare is your thing – share some tips or maybe your favourite products
What are your favourite winter must haves?
What are your current binge worthy TV shows or YouTube channels? (Vlogmas has just finished – maybe you’re still catching up).
Bullet journal ideas for January
Have you got some projects planned for this year? Why don’t you share them?
Review your favourite planner.
Conduct a reader survey or a social media poll. Blog based on the findings.
Reading List for the Year – any you’re planning to read this year? Maybe it’s journals or blogs rather than books.
Favourite Planning Tool – I am a pen and paper type of person but maybe there’s an online tool you prefer.
Show us where you blog. At a desk? On the sofa? Maybe not at home?
January activities with little kids – what things can you do at for free or low cost maybe?
What about writing a how-to-guide for something you like doing?
Top 10 Hints/Tips for….. maybe you’ve got some you can share.
Revisit your very first blog post and reflect on how you’ve grown or how life has changed.
A Sunday night routine for a great start to the week (or maybe your Sunday Reset list)
Ten things you’d tell your 20-year old self.
Date night ideas
Frugal date ideas (If post Christmas budgets are getting you down, how about sharing your ideas for a cheap date night?)
Tonight is Burns Nights – if you celebrate, what do you get up to? Do you have a proper haggis – or maybe you have an alternative? What have you got up to at previous celebrations?
Five things you need to know how to fix (e.g. change car tire etc.)
Essentials you can’t live without (You could stretch this by sharing by different rooms. What essentials do you have to have in your kitchen)
How to be a great friend
Share 10 Instagram accounts that inspire you
Monday is always a bit stressful in our house, so how do you start Monday morning the right way.
One month down, how are those goals coming along? Have you changed them? Have you given up already?
If you share them on social media – please tag me and I’ll share/RT etc.
After following the progress of Boston Jen and Jasmine from the Knitmore Girls during their destash challenge, I sat down and wrote a list of all the things that I had made this year. A lot of it involved going back through my Instagram feed and seeing what was on there. So it’s always possible that I’ve missed things along the way. I attempted to try and create it in some kind of date order but that didn’t really happen – so it’s just a list but 2023 is going to be different!
*Aurora Cabin Shawl by West Knits/Stephen West (Pattern)
*As I write this post, these are still to be finished but hopefully by the time the post goes live they will be finished or closer to being finished… or the start of my list for 2023!
Here’s to starting the project list for 2023….
Aurora Cabin Shawl by West Knits/Stephen West (Pattern – and then I frogged it – you can read about that here)
Hello friends! Well it’s been a while – welcome back for Episode 3 of In A Tangle. There was a plan and then I had sick kids and it all went to pieces. So I’m back by myself for this episode but I’m hoping that come the next episode I will have a special guest! Exciting!
Rebecca at The Pigeon’s Nest (she’s great! Follow her on Social Media or take a look at her website). She’s talked about using the tails from previous projects or scraps of fabric in as stuffing for things.
Two Finished Projects – both projects were the Tweedy Junior from Hedgehog Fibres just in different yarn combinations.
Aurora Cabin Shawl by Stephen West – WestKnits Website (Midnight Walks and Duck Egg from Truly Hooked Yarns, there’s a third skein of something yummy from her too but I don’t know the name and a fourth skein of yarn I have for the project was a birthday present back in 2020 and came from Demelza’s Delights – I’d love to be able to identify the colourway but haven’t managed to so far – it looks a lot like Rebecca but I’m not sure. (You can find her on Instagram and Etsy).
Mentioned in passing Knitmore Girls and Fibre East/Summer Wool Festival (29th and 30th July 2023 at Redbourne Upper School, Ampthill)
09:50 Finishing Outstanding Projects – Clearing the Decks
