Monday, 5 January 2015

Aald Claes and Gruel

A New Year is very often a time for reflection, new beginnings and new ideas.  We have had a lovely festive  period spending time with family and friends and it is alway a bit sad that it's over.  

On the other hand there is something good about getting back into a routine, making new plans and thinking about new projects.  It's time to pack away the decorations, eat normal food and get into a better sleeping pattern.  As someone said this morning it's back to aald claes and gruel (old clothes and porridge)!  I.e. time to get back to normal.

I don't tend to make New Year resolutions but this year I have been planning new things in terms of my work and I was inspired by my friend Emma Varnham to look back at all the things I have made this past year, not including things I have made for sale.  Emma is a crochet and knit designer and made a huge number of things last year: you can see them here.

It was quite interesting making a list of the things I have made, there were several things I had forgotten about and I actually was quite surprised of the number of things I had finished, there were more than I thought.


Top L to R:
Felt knitting needle case - made one for a friend's birthday and one for myself to help solve the problem of an ever increasing needle supply.
Alice Starmore's Fair Isle Beret - blogged about here and ravelled here
Stasis Jumper - started in 2013 but finished in 2014 so I have included it in the list.  Blogged about here and ravelled here
 
Middle: L to R
Black and White Tunic: Blogged about here
Mouse with Jeans and Fair Isle jumper: Blogged about here
Vintage Denim Coat: Blogged about here
Glove: OK, so there's only one so I need to do the other this year! 
 
Bottom: L to R
Polar Star Tam, pattern by Outi Kater:  Ravelled here.  I have just finished mittens to match - I will blog about these soon.
Cushions: Blogged about here
 
 
Top L to R:
Kid Alpaca Fair Isle Star hat:  Ravelled here
Ursula Cardigan: pattern by Kate Davies: Ravelled here
Knitted vegetables: Ravelled here
 
Middle L to R:
Freefield Jacket: Blogged about here and ravelled here 
Denim Dress: Pattern by Sonia Phillips but sides taken in and some length added, and Aestlight shawl, pattern by Gudrun Johnson: blog post to follow soon!
A Circle of Lambs Cardigan: Blogged about here and ravelled here
Linen Dress: Dress A from Stylish Dress Book in light grey linen
 
Bottom L to R:
Aestlight Shawl, pattern by Gudrun Johnson: this is the second of two I made and ran out of yarn for the edging so completed it with a picot bind off.  Blog post to follow soon!
Christmas Baa-bles: Made for Shetland Wool Week Christmas project.  I blogged about the small one here
 
My Not On The High Street Shop is currently closed, I have scheduled it to open in February, but will review it at the time.  Currently I don't have a dedicated work space, I was working in the kitchen but I packed it all up before Christmas.  I am hoping to have a work room in the house soon, we are waiting on getting stairs installed in our house, then we can use the upstairs of our house - I can't wait to get more room!
 
Also, I have taken on a few more hours a week working as a science technician supporting the Shetland high schools, which means anytime during the day I could have had to myself I go out to work.
 
Much of my new work plans and ideas will involve wool, more specifically Shetland yarn and I am not going to make a strict monthly year plan, and basically see what happens.  But that's the beauty of being self employed.
 
Now, where are those aald claes.......
 
 
 
 
 

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