Well goodness me!  It’s the end of the 3rd quarter of YOP Year 12…well for those of us using the original timeline of July to June.  I am looking at how much I haven’t done yet and how many of those unfinished items were also on last year’s list, and some the year(s) before that too!  Oops!  I’m going to need a concerted effort in these final 13 weeks to get some long term WIPs finished.

Acquisitions/Stash Management

This week I got another delivery from World of Wool with some more lampshade supplies, 2  x 150g merino/alpaca blend packs for a future spin & weave project and 250g bag of free goodies!  Well the majority of the free items were good anyway.

In the 250g it’s a little bit of “guess that fibre”, here’s what I think I got:

• 20g Faux cashmere or angora
• 54g dark blue bio-nylon or acrylic…its pretty squeaky to the touch so not natural
• 25g beige lovely very soft perhaps silk and superfine merino
• 14g Sparkly fibre with pink sari silk
• 19g red merino with either silk or maybe Seacell
• 16g yellow and green fibre, it could be llama and flax possibly
• 5g white with sparkles
• 13g black with sparkles
• 33g black and white with sparkles
• 46g of acid yellow flax

Felting

I felted 3 x 20cm lampshade Seascapes, here is a picture of 2 of them, the other is drying. I’ll hopefully get these constructed and dropped off at the gallery this week and can make a start on the 25cm ones I’ve laid out.

I also felted a brand new personal project on Saturday afternoon, that I’ll tell you about and photograph next week!

Knitting

Socks

I thought it was going to be a disaster, but I am flying along with the socks I started knitting from a sock blank a week ago.  I was knitting them on two separate needles a couple of rows on each and then swapping.  Now I’ve done the gusset decreases and onto the foot part I’ve switched to doing them two at a time on the two needles at the same time…oh goodness…for someone who doesn’t knit socks that’s maybe nonsense but hopefully you sock knitters will know what I mean.

Spinning

I’ve finished a 2nd full plied bobbin of the merino/alpaca/seacell blend and just have a small amount left to spin and ply.  Its ended up slightly thinner than the first batch and is looking slightly greener!  Its super soft though.

I also have finished a 2nd bobbin of the merino/silk/flax on my Ashford Traveller wheel.  I am not sure what I’m going to use this yarn for, its not very soft because of the flax and its a bit thin, so perhaps I’ll fill a 3rd bobbin and do a 3 ply with it….for some unknown use in future.  It isn’t very enjoyable to spin unfortunately.

Other News

I got some time in the greenhouse this week to plant some cucumber and courgette seeds which are now in the heated propagator in the house.  I also planted up 4 new potato bags with 2 seed potatoes per bag.  I’ve got some issues with flooding in the garden that I need to resolve.  Anyhoo, my garden blog has been dusted off and I’ll be trying to keep it updated through the year, as it is a handy reference for myself…and may be of interest to others  https://highlandheffalumpsgarden.wordpress.com/ 

Thanks to those of you who checked in on my holiday photos on my travel blog, I know its frustrating having 3 separate blogs, but space is becoming an issue again on this one so I am glad I split them off. 

I’m not sure there was much time left for much else…I did clean the bathroom but that’s about it!

As this is the end of the 3rd quarter I’m going to (as usual) put a snapshot of where I am on my list for this year.

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This is a Year of Projects post.  Officially the Group is in its 12th year, but this is my 5th year participating.  If you would like to find more about the Year of Projects Group on Ravelry. 

Year 12 list.

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Snapshot of list:

Key:
↪️ carried over from a previous YOP year
✳️ started 
✅ finished  
🆕 added to list after week 1
⁉️ fell at a hurdle but back on track
‼️ abandoned
🐸 frogged

NB. There are links to the Ravelry pattern, yarn or project page.

Acquisitions/Stash Management

• ↪️⁉️ No new superwash knitting yarns (My stash has enough to make socks for many years.) ⁉️ Q1 – I bought 2 skeins of sw DK BFL/Silk at Highland Meet the Makers and 1 skein of sw 4ply merino/silk to have a project to knit on in Wisconsin.  Q2 – I bought a Zauberball in Copenhagen, but it was for the Alaska hat but now I realise it’s not right yarn for that. 
• ↪️Contain my stash! (Limit stash to only what will fit in existing containers (2 x Kallax unit, rainbow drawers and weaving shelves) and have no overflow containers or bags, only exception to be hand processed Shetland X fleece.). ⁉️ By week 18 this was a big fail, I have easily another drawer I could fill with new yarn I bought from New Lanark and in Copenhagen oops! With some juggling, by week 30 all yarns fit (not all fibre though!)
• ↪️ ‼️ Buy yarn for a larger Havana only once I have made space for it!  This is hopefully going to keep me motivated to use existing stash for everything else. ‼️ I’m not buying any new yarn in 2023 so this will be on a future list possibly.
• 🆕 ✳️ Use loom waste and other random small skeins/leftovers or throw them away/donate.  Pom-poms made week 26, crocheted dish scrubbies with loom waste and a mat using random skein during week 26
• 🆕 ✳️ Put all yarns I am not sure I will ever use into one drawer and de-stash at the end of the year if no use or plan is found for them.  Drawer filled week 26, some given away to a requester from Ravelry.

Crochet

• Havana blanket (once I have enough room in Kallax to store the yarn!) ‼️ I’m not buying any new yarn in 2023 so this will be on a future list possibly.

Dyeing

• ↪️ Dye more locks for fairies’ hair
• Experiment with microwave dyeing

Felting

• ↪️ ✳️ Needle felted Ylva  (Started YOP9!)
• ↪️ ✳️ Needle felted Highland Cow  (Started YOP9!)
• ↪️ ✳️ Make a handbag using the felting ball (Started YOP11 week 24 fibres weighed and test felt)
• ↪️ Make plant pot covers
• ✳️ Pictures and products to sell/gift/keep.
  • Fairies – August x 1 (gift), October x 9, February x 4
  • Lampshades 20cm – November x 7, March x (tbc)
  • Lampshades 25cm – December x 4
  • Lampshades 35cm –
  • Lampshades 40cm – August x 1
  • Tomte – October x 2, November x 7
  • Baubles – November x 7, December x 1
  • Wreaths –
  • Waste paper bin – August x 1

Fibre Prep

• ↪️ ✳️ Finish washing BFL/Shetland X (from Katharine) started washing and using it YOP 9.
• ↪️ ✳️ Finish washing Shetland X (from Serena) started washing YOP11 week 1
• Practice combing wool fibre

Knitting

Jumpers/cardigans

• Knit 3 garments:
  • ↪️ ✅ Sunday Sweater by Petite Knits started YOP11 week 43, finished week 3, altered neck week 21.
  • ↪️ ✅ Such a Winter’s Day jumper #2 by Heidi Kirrmaier in New Lanark Aran Bramble started YOP11 week 42, finished week 18, lengthened arms week 21.
  • 🆕 ✅ Turtle Dove by Espace Tricot in Bliss (pink) WYS Re:Treat yarn. started week 28 finished week 32
  • Turtle Dove II by Espace Tricot in my handdyed Shetland Aran yarn or New Lanark Aran yarn! ‼️ I’m going to use this yarn for a colour-work jumper instead.
  • 🆕 Fern & Feather by Jennifer Steingass in hand-dyed Shetland Aran.

Shawls

• 🐸 Celtic Myths Shawl by Asita Krebs in Baa Ram Ewe Dovestone DK ‼️ started week 1 and frogged week 21. I’m going to weave with the yarn instead.
• ✅ Frog any sock yarn shawls I don’t wear. Frogged Lintilla and a Hitchhiker week 6
• 🆕 ✳️Easy Goes It DK shawl in handspun Baby Camel and Silk #4 week 40
• A summer weight shawl.

Socks

• Knit more pairs of these socks with stashed yarn (# indicates order they were started):
  • Rose City Rollers (RCR) by Mara Catherine Bryner.
  • Hermione’s Everyday Socks by Erica Lauder
    ✅2️⃣ adapted version using HoneyGold Acres merino/silk started week 11 finished week 13. I ruined the feel of these socks washing them in the washing machine, they still fit but it was not suitable for washing in the machine 😦
    ✳️4️⃣ using sock blank started week 38.
  • 🆕 ✅3️⃣How I make my socks by Susan B Anderson socks for husband using Regia yarn, cast on week 23, finished week 25.
• ✅ Knit Sweet and Tartan socks by Tracie Millar 1️⃣ started week 8 and finished week 9. I used Ripples Crafts blue, Cookston Crafts Crathie (incl. some alpaca) and heels in my hand-dyed turquoise BFL/nylon. Update: they shrunk in the wash week 30😭
• ↪️ ‼️ Knit at least one pair of socks with homespun yarn. ‼️ After I had the incident of my Sweet and Tartan socks shrinking, I’ve decided I won’t make socks with my handspun yarns.

Accessories

• Knit using existing stashed yarn or handspun only ❗️*oops I bought some new yarns:
  • 🆕️ ✅ March Hat by Meghan Babin using Juniper Moon Herriot alpaca yarn* started week 12, finished week 14. Lovely soft hat yarns two colours held together, bobble is a little heavy, would have been better being bigger but less dense.
  • 🆕 ✅ The Shift by Andrea Mowry using handspun, Border Leicester and Cochrane leftovers started week 7, finished week 20.
  • 🆕 ✅ Urth to Major Tom by Michele Meadows using Rowan Big Wool and Rowan Big Wool Colour started and finished week 27 Super warm hat with two chunky yarns held together.
  • ‼️🐸Alaska hat (if I find a non-superwash kit I like at Wisconsin Wool Festival). Update: I couldn’t find non-superwash so I am going to use a zauberball* and existing stash. started week 21 frogged week 28. The yarns aren’t right and I’m not buying new, I may make some handspun for it one day.
  • 🆕 ‼️🐸Fair Isle Advent MKALendar by Susanna Winter using Jamieson’s of Shetland Spindrift started week week 23. I may come back to this pattern in the future.
  • ✅ Design (for my own use only) a new pair of colourwork mitts using Hastings Mitts by Tracie Millar as a template in New Lanark DK yarn from Alissa, started week 33 finished week 38, but with different yarn than planned. *I used Isager Yarn Jensen which I bought in Copenhagen. I’m not sure the adaptation to the design worked as well as hoped.
  • A colour-work project using Black Isle yarns Gotland wool

Other/household

• ↪️ ✳️ Habitation Throw by Helen Stewart using scrap 4 ply. (started YOP 10 week 45)
• ✅ Dolores van Hoofen by Franklin Habit in Valley Yarns Aran (started week 11, finished week 28).
• ✅ Dolores Transatlantic Travel Ensemble by Fiona Ellis in Valley Yarns 4 ply and Tahki Yarns Donegal Tweed started week 14 finished week 28.
• ‼️ Gansey Afghan by Lena Skvagerson using Isle of Auskerry/North Ronaldsay yarn I don’t think I’ll make this now, certainly not this YOP year.
• ‼️ Dish cloths as required. ‼️ I don’t need any more at the moment.

Painting & Drawing

• ↪️ Do a new watercolour painting
• Do a new pastel drawing

Sewing

• 🆕 ✅ Juniper Bucket project bag week 16
• ↪️ Make a project using denim from old jeans ‼️ I have plenty of project bags already, I donated the jeans or recycled them.
• Make trousers with fabric in stash
• Make play suit/jumpsuit with fabric in stash
• Make top (test version) with fabric in stash
• Make actual top with handwoven cotton fabric I make
• Make something else with handwoven wool fabric I make

Spinning

• ↪️ ✅ Baby camel and silk colour #4. ( started YOP11 week 14, finished YOP12 week 2)
• ↪️ ✅ BFL/Shetland Parma violets ( started YOP11 week 52, finished YOP12 week 2)
• 🆕️ ✅ US Rambouillet 1️⃣✅ started week 13, finished week 15. 2️⃣✅ started week 20, finished week 22.
• ↪️ ✅ Finish spinning John Arbon Harvest Hues fibre (Started YOP9! Finished YOP12 week 21!!)
• ↪️ ✳️ Finish spinning 25g breed project (Started YOP10) progressing well with Beltex, Soay, Masham, Manx Loaghtan, Herdwick, Norwegian, Cheviot, Texel, Corriedale, Southdown, Suffolk, Hill Radnor, Romney, Gotland spun in YOP12 so far)
• 🆕 ✅ Superfine merino hand dyed by me in YOP11 (autumn colours) started and finished week 30
• 🆕️ ✳️ Merino/silk/flax started week 3
• ✳️ Spin 2021 baby camel and silk advent fibres started week 28
• 🆕✳️ Shetland (hand dyed by me in 2022) started week 36
• 🆕✳️ BFL/Alpaca/Seacell fibre from Hilltop Cloud started week 37

Weaving

Rigid heddle loom

• ✅ Make a selection of wide hand/dish towels 1️⃣✅ started 2 green hand towels week 2, finished week 3.
• ↪️ Make a woven project using handspun yarns
• ↪️ Make fabric to sew at least one garments.
• Midnight Shawl by Kelly Casanova ‼️ I have bought this pattern but it’s not going to get done this YOP year.
• 🆕 Make a patterned shawl with WYS Exquisite merino/silk yarn.

Inkle loom

• ✳️ Make some inkle bands from the book my sister gave me for Christmas Monk’s belt sample started week 22
• Make a Minion inkle tablet weaving band
• Try another tablet card weaving pattern.

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