I do a lot of crafting. Sometimes I make things that take a few hours, and some projects take years, but I am definitely guilty of finishing projects, then not thinking of them again, so I thought I'd put together a few finished object (FO) posts showcasing the projects I've finished so far this year. I'm going to focus on my yarn-related projects for the first couple of posts, but there might also be a sewing post if there is enough demand - the Covid lockdown inspired me to get that sewing machine out of the cupboard!
The FO-reel: January-March 2020
FestiveSockalong 2019 - stripey Christmas socks in January!
I have something of a knitting tradition: I cast on festive socks in
November, and finally finish them in January... I'm never sure how that
happens, but I am a repeat-offender! These are last year's Christmas
socks, knitted in sport-weight yarn (yes, they were heavier-weight socks
and I still didn't finish them in time for Christmas!). The yarn
(Wollgarnspinnerei Ferner Mally Socks III) was gifted to me by
@JinyKnits on Instagram as I saw hers and commented how much I loved
them!
Contorto socks - toe-up, cabled beauties!
Next in my pile of FOs is my Contorto socks sample. A lot of my knits are pattern samples, but they are often in my size, so they drift from the pattern pile into my sock drawer. These socks were knitted toe-up and feature lots of lovely cables. They're knitted in West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4-ply, which is my go-to sock yarn as it shows off a pattern well, and wears like iron. If you want to make your own Contorto socks, you can find the pattern here.*
Effie socks - Malory Towers vibes
My Effie socks were knitted as part of my Midnight Feasts Collection, which all feature a frill at the base of the cuff for a vintage-vibe. I've been watching the BBC's adaptation of Malory Towers recently, and it's inspired the next couple of designs in the collection, so if frilly socks are your thing, keep your eyes peeled!
These socks are also knitted in West Yorkshire Spinners Siganture 4-ply, with Drops Fabel for the cream frill.
If you want to knit your own frilly socks, you can find the ebook and individual patterns here.*
Fluffy White Clouds for a new baby
It's been a while since I knitted a Fluffy White Clouds Blanket. The pattern is one of my best-sellers, and it was lovely to be able to revisit it to knit for my new nephew. I tweaked the clouds a little (mostly through laziness - I only wanted to work on one set of clouds at a time, so I didn't start a new row of colouds until I had finished the last). I still love this pattern as much as when I designed it.
Want to knit your own? You can find the pattern page here.* If you prefer crochet, there's also a crochet version available here.*
Liquorice allsort socks
I was gifted some sock yarn by Paintbox Yarns a while ago, including this fabulous zebra-striping colourway (available here**). I made the socks as a long tube, then added the heels, cuffs and toes at the end. It's not my favourite way of knitting socks, as knitting a really long tube is incredibly boring, so I probably won't be knitting socks that way again, but the finished socks are fabulous. I used scraps for the heels, toes and cuffs, and chose colours that reminded me of liquorice allsorts, which are my favourite sweets. I love these socks now they're finished.
Porteau mitts - everybody needs a pair of mitts
When I went to Yorkshire Yarn Fest in November last year, I cam across Castleview Yarns for the first time. The stall was an absolute treat, with so many amazing rich colourways. I chose DK in Evil Queen to make myself some mitts and I'm so glad I did as I love them, and they have made an excellent replacement for my old mitts that finally disintegrated at the end of last year. The pattern is Porteau by Megan Nodecker.*
Stripe a Pose - for those that like their stripes neon
Here we have the first magazine sample from my FO pile: Stripe a Pose.* This jumper was inspired by all my favourite shop-bought jumpers, which tend to be striped. The jumper was a response to a neons and neutrals call for submission, and while Parchment and Fiesta are not my go-to colours, I love them together (the sample is knitted in Stylecraft Special DK)! The sample is unfortunately not in my size, but I'm hoping to get round to knitting a bigger version for myself soon, probably in a classic Breton colourway. The pattern is published in I Like Knitting magazine; you can find the full details on the Ravelry pattern page.*
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The pattern links I have included in this blog post all lead to Ravelry. If you cannot use Ravelry, or would prefer not to, all my patterns can be found on LoveCrafts.**
* Ravelry link. Caution: readers with photosensitivity may be triggered by these pages.
**Affiliate link.