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YOP14 Week 26/52 – mid year snapshot

This week I cast on a pair of DK socks and finished my Minion band, which has its own blog post.  I also posted the 2nd half of my Advents together with a full shot of my yarn advent.

Its half way through the YOP year so a good time to look at how I’m doing generally and take a snapshot of progress on my list.

This will sound odd, since my blog posts to Instagram and Facebook, but in the last 3 months I have cured my Instagram addiction.

I no longer spend any time scrolling on it or watching reels. This has given me a lot more time and better mood. Facebook I still use for weaving advice and neighbourhood news. 

I’m in a better routine of reading every day.   There are other personal objectives that I continue to work on.

I made my list before I had a frozen shoulder so it has way more on it than I can achieve in this YOP year, but that’s okay. 

Look for the bold italic writing for my update comments.

Key:
↪️ carried over from a previous YOP year
*️⃣ started previous YOP year
✳️ started this YOP year

🧶 yarn/colour
✅ finished 🏁 week finished
🆕 added to list after week 1
‼️ abandoned (i.e. changed my mind and probably will never make it)
⏸️ on hold (i.e. not fully abandoned the idea but now not doing this YOP year)
🐸 frogged

NB. There are links to the Ravelry pattern, yarn or project page. The second links are to the relevant blog post,

Acquisitions/Collection Curation

  • NO new superwash knitting yarns! ↪️YOP12. I bought one ball of DK sock yarn for me and a ball of 4 ply sock yarn for my husband.
  • Contain my stash and have no overflow containers or bags!! ↪️YOP11

Crochet

  • A project…at the moment I can’t think of anything, but I like to crochet at least once a year.

Dyeing

  • Dye more locks for fairies’ hair ↪️YOP11

Felting

Felting is the craft most affected by my shoulder, time will tell if any more of these are doable. I’d definitely make more pumpkins.

  • ✅🆕️ Needle felted pumpkin for autumn decorations ✳️🏁wk15
  • Needle felted Ylva *️⃣YOP9!
  • Needle felted Highland Cow *️⃣YOP9!
  • Make a handbag using the felting ball *️⃣YOP11!
  • Waste paper bin for living room ↪️YOP13
  • Sewing bin for sunroom ↪️YOP13

Knitting

I’ve finished 2 jumpers, and a good way through a 3rd.  I’ve used my leg warmers once so far and they worked well.  My mum likes the cowl I made, but  I’m unhappy with the hat I made.  It doesn’t sit right, I didn’t block it so I may try that and if that doesn’t work I’ll frog it.

Jumpers/cardigans
  • Knit 3 garments, ideas below:
    • ✅ Quick Sand 🧶Drops Bomull-Lin/Dark Blue *️⃣YOP13 wk53 🏁wk3.
    • ✅ Avena 🧶New Lanark Aran/Verona & New Natural *️⃣YOP13 wk35 🏁wk 20
    • 🆕️ Winding Down #2 🧶 New Lanark Aran/Blue John ✳️wk21
    • Pretty in Pleats 🧶Ripples Crafts Kylesku/The Gentle Fire of Ruby
    • Project tbd 🧶Malabrigo Rios in Ankara Green
    • Golden Fern 🧶 Jamieson’s of Shetland/Maroon & tbd
    • Maestro 🧶Rowan Alpaca Merino DK/Thornton
Shawls
Socks
Accessories
  • Knit using existing stashed yarn or existing/new handspun only:
    • ✅Leg Warmers 🧶Isle of Auskerry Aran ✳️wk3 🏁wk5
    • ✅ The Shift 🧶handspun baby camel and silk advent ↪️YOP13 ✳️wk7 🏁wk12
    • ✅🆕️ Classic Ribbed Hat ✳️wk13 🏁wk15
    • Pinwheel Mittens 🧶Isager Highland lace/Sand & Denim. *️⃣YOP13 wk22, 1st 🏁YOP13 wk37
    • Singing Stones (mosaic mittens) 🧶RiverKnits kit ✳️wk5
    • Mostly Warmness cuffs 🧶Ripples Crafts Suilven/Oh My! ↪️YOP13
    • A colour-work project using Black Isle yarns Gotland wool ↪️YOP12
    • Make husband something with green New Lanark yarn ↪️YOP13
    • A pair of mittens from my Tantulltussmittens book
Other/household

Painting & Drawing

  • Look for a painting group to join and if I don’t or don’t enjoy it declutter painting equipment. ↪️YOP13
  • Do a new watercolour painting ↪️YOP11
  • Do a new pastel drawing ↪️YOP12

Sewing

I will be making some more bunting. It’s so simple to make and so cheery to look at.

  • ✅ Bunting for tent at Belladrum ✳️🏁wk4
  • Make trousers with fabric in stash ↪️YOP12
  • Sew something with handwoven material ↪️YOP13
  • Make plant pot covers ↪️YOP11! (So strictly speaking this has been moved from the felting to the sewing section, as I’ve been inspired by Amo from Pawfect Pastimes to sew ones instead using cut up felt.)

Spinning

Most of my spinning seems to happen in January and July as there are social spin calls weekly those months. So not much change this quarter.

Weaving

Using my inkle loom has been the easiest other craft to do that doesn’t agitate my shoulder, since the warp is so narrow.  This quarter I finally tried tablet/card weaving and I am really enjoying it.  Its definitely my favourite method of weaving on my inkle loom and seeing what others have made is inspiring.  I even saw someone had used tablet weaving on either side of a regular project on their rigid heddle loom, thus giving a piece of woven cloth a beautiful border on each side of the fabric.  When my shoulder is better this is something I definitely will try.

Rigid heddle loom
  • Patterned shawl with WYS Exquisite in Belgravia/Rose merino/silk yarn ↪️YOP13
  • Make a selection of hand/dish towels ↪️YOP13
  • Weave a length of cotton or Harris wool to make a kimono type dressing gown
  • Try at least one 3 heddle project on my 10” Sampleit
Inkle loom
  • Make a Minion inkle tablet weaving band ↪️YOP12 ✳️wk25🏁wk26
  • ✅ Make an inkle band from the book my sister gave me. 🏁wk15 (technically I used my Rigid Heddle but it’s an inkle Baltic pattern from the book.)
  • ✅ Tablet card weaving projects.
    • Blue, grey and red ✳️wk16 🏁wk17
    • Red, black and grey ✳️wk22 🏁wk25
Tapestry
  • Wall hanging with handspun and fibres from stash
  • Tapestry weaving project

Wood

Have a 3rd lesson in wood turning. ↪️YOP12

Officially the Group is in its 14th year, but this is my 7th year participating. Click the link if you would like to find out more about the Year of Projects Group on Ravelry, as you’d be very welcome to join us.

12 comments

  2. WOW. I think it is so amazing that you have so many different craft hobbies. Painting does seem like a great hobby and very different from the fiber hobbies. I just got a “gaming/hobby” pillow for Christmas to support my arms while knitting. Wonder if that would help with your shoulder.

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  4. I have to say, the minion band is adorable. You have done well for being half way through. A frozen shoulder does not help with accomplishment. I was going to tell you about the Valari pillow for your arm. I see Maureen beat me to it.

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  7. Wow, all the things you have accomplished, you make me feel lazy, LOL.

    I never had a twitter (X) and I quit IG and Facebook a few years ago, too much caustic arguing going on, even in just the knitting and spinning groups and I don’t need that. Tho there are a couple of podcasts I follow on YouTube for knitting and spinning, but they usually just post once a week, so way less time! You are right so much more time and so much less stress!! Now if I could just quit looking in the yarn and fiber shops, LOL.

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    • I agree so much toxicity out there. I’m really trying to stop reading any comments on our towns community group, a seemingly harmless post can set everyone off and arguments galore with everyone wanting the last word. I help our Guild’s Facebook page and group so I can’t quit it totally and the tablet weaving groups seem very supportive so I’ll see how it goes dipping in rarely.

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