Works-in-Progress Linky - I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours...

Welcome to the very first works in progress linky post - aka WIPsLinky!

I am really excited to get this idea up and running - I really hope that now you are here and reading you'll want to join in too.  If this is your first visit to my blog here is the post I wrote last week as an introduction to the WIPsLinky idea. Go have a read if you like. I'll still be here when you get back...

Hello again!

So I am going to show you a couple of projects I am working on right now - both of them seem a little incongruous given the warm weather we have been having of late but, as most crafters (particularly those who knit or crochet) know there is no point in waiting until it's cold to create things to keep you warm...

crochet in the park...

First up - I have had some Hayfield Bonus Galaxy yarn floating around for some years. I think I bought it with the intention of making something cute and snuggly for Roo when he was tiny but didn't get around to it. It's been discontinued so I am unlikely to be able to get any more and I only have 2 balls each of blue and green. So I am using a 5mm crochet hook and making a pile of basic closed granny squares - I have absolutely no idea how many my yarn will make or what I'll do with them when they are done ( Lap blanket? Cushions?) but it feels kind of good to finally be using something that has been stashed away for best part of 5 years!  When I have used up all the yarn I will make the decision.

I love that granny square projects are so portable, all you need is your hook and some yarn. Even if you are bit rusty, like me, you only need to make a couple with a pattern in front of you before you can whip them up without the pattern wherever you are!




Next up is one of those projects I have been waiting to start for a long time. The pattern came from my mum's collection of 'The Knitter' magazines. We love 'The Knitter' because it is aimed at more experienced knitters than most mainstream knitting mags and has some wonderfully challenging projects.

This one is a cabled blanket made up in panels of different sizes with lovely, intricate cable patterns on each panel. I adore cable knits - there is something inherently snuggly about a chunky cable knit don't you think? I love them so much I have a whole Pinterest board devoted to them!



Anyway, the biggest hold up has always been getting the yarn - this throw uses a lot of yarn - as is the way with all these patterns the specified yarn, although beautiful (50% wool/50% lama!) is WAAAAYYYY out of my budget! Luckily for me my mother-in-law had some rather nice wool mix arran yarn from Stylecraft in a beautiful charcoal grey colour - enough to knit this whole blanket in the same colour instead of a rainbow patchwork (although that would be nice too!).

I have started on the first panel - a long, thin strip of cabling that basically an 8 row repeat. It's not too complicated and doesn't require much concentration so it's good to do while watching tv. I have a feeling the large Celtic knot panels might require a bit more focus though!

We're off on holiday tomorrow so I will be taking this one with me, just in case the weather does it's worst. After all what is a holiday but an excuse to knit for hours on end without feeling remotely guilty?

So there you have my current Works-in-Progress - now show me yours!

Link up your #WIPsLinky blog post below. If you want you can add a link to this post at the end of your post (I am working on a 'grab my button' code. Honest!)

Please use the #WIPsLinky hash tag on Twitter/Google+/Facebook if you want to shout about this linky to your friends too! I will also be setting up a WIPsLinky pinboard on Pinterest.

I am looking forward to seeing what you are up to!

ps: the Linky will be posted on the last Tuesday of each month, the current one will stay open until the day before new one comes up so you have plenty of time to link up and join in!