One A Day Tuesday Tallies (22 November 2011)

Had a busy and sort of topsy turvy week as I had to change my none working day which is always Friday to Wednesday.  However, I was still determined to go to Knit and Chat in Birmingham on Thursday afternoon (weekly) and Sticks and String in Stourbridge on Friday (every other week).  


I worked my usual 7 hours from Wednesday on Thursday and had a late lunch meaning all I did in my lunch break was go to Knit and Chat for an hour but an enjoyable hour it was, even considering I missed lunch.  Much better than sat eating my lunch during a half hour lunch break but still having to answer the phone, being asked work related things etc etc.  Sometimes I wish I could magically produce a little soundproof pod for me to sit in and have a break.  But sadly I can't and I put up with being interrupted day after day and not really getting a break apart from each bite of my sandwich!  


Friday morning I worked my 4 hours from Thursday and left just after 11.30, went to the warfarin clinic (less than 3 weeks to go now until I stop the DVT treatment yay!) and then went straight to Sticks & String with a second day of missing lunch!  I should be like a stick insect with the missed meals and all the running here there and every where I am doing at the moment.  But in reality we all know that is not going to happen.  For me, the mere thought of food makes me put weight on.


As usual I digress and must get back to the purpose of this post.....I have got a little bored with the repetitive crocheting of my Heather and Lucy Ripple Along and the pram blanket that I seemed to have worked on none stop for the past few weeks.  I like to mix things up as I lose interest in projects if I am constantly working on the same item all the time.  This goes some way to explain why I always have so many WIP's.  There is also the fact I like to hoard stash and am too impatient to not use some of it!  


I started the real work on Freya's Rowan Pure Wool 4ply Ripple.  It's made using a 3mm hook and at single bed size is taking considerable work to see any progress but as I explained at Sticks and String on Friday it is seeing more progress than the turquoise/gold version I am making for my king sized bed.  Now that project really is slow to increase in size!  I had done the chain for Freya's blanket about 6 weeks ago and then put it away with my other WIPs.  


This is how it looked on Sunday evening:

Seven stripes completed this week; 3 raspberry (that's what the pink is called but its a very muted, maybe even 'dirty' pink), 1 white and 3 framboise (purple). I am now starting the repeat of colour choices with three rows of the raspberry and framboise colours to give some impact which are separated by only 1 porcelain as it is a very slight off white and Freya and white just really don't mix.  I did start just using the framboise and raspberry but frogged the half row of framboise and added the porcelain.  It looks much better with the third colour.   Admittedly I have not crocheted one row a day but an average of one a day over the week.

I am happy with my progress on all crochet projects since I started joining in with the one a day group.  There are some days when I haven't completed a full square or whole stripe but I have crocheted everyday working on projects that need to get moving instead of just sitting there.

I am known for getting bored with the same project which is why I do have a large number on the go at once but I really do want to finish some, well get the WIPs down to single figures before I start anything else.  I have yarn put aside for another ripple, the exact yarn (Rowan Cashmerino DK) that Heather is using for her Ripple along.  I love the yarn Lucy is using just as much but this requires a 3mm hook and it really does make a difference in stitch size when you change from a 4mm to 3mm hook.  Using a 1mm smaller hook does make a huge difference in the size of a treble stitch which most of my projects are.  It really is quite more than you would image.  I have Lucy's yarn on my wish list but the final decision as to whether I purchase it will be made in the New Year when I get the final bill from Santa.  You know that Santa is a funny old chap promising kids all this lovely gifts then sending the bill to their parents.  He really does get in the way of my stash buying!


Then there is all the other yarn that I have purchased that does not have a specific project allocated to it.  I also inherited a huge pile of yarn when my Mom passed away nearly 5 years ago which has laid untouched apart from the few balls I knew I wouldn't use which were donated to school, brownies and some went to the charity shop.  I really didn't need 42 balls of bottle green which I had my primary school jumpers knitted from!

If you look at the top of this blog I have set the target of 30 stripes or squares this month i.e. one a day.  On the 22nd of the month I have completed 21 rows which I am really happy with.  I would like to say a big thank you to Heather, Lucy and Carole who have all got my crocheting again on a regular basis and I hope to get some of these projects finished in the next few months.  


I also state here that no more projects will be started before I get the WIPs down to under 10 and I'm not stashing any more yarn either.  I know you all believe me, don't you? lol

Pop on over to Gingerbread Girl's Blog to see lots more one a day projects all of which I am totally jealous off and want to copy and would do if I didn't have a new project/stash buying self imposed ban!