#258 ~ HAED Alpaca ~ 44.65% completed

 

I have been mostly working on page 13, but it’s been slow progress as there were shall we say creative alterations thar left me confused.  This seems to put me in a tail spin and I have to walk away from it, so that having been said I am pleased with the 406 stitch total today.  Especially as when I went back to it this evening I went at it from an alternative direction .  Fingers crossed I have worked through my previous creative amendment phase and can stitch (more or less for me) as charted.

I more day to finalise my stitch count for 2021 and get ready for 2022 challenges peeps.  Seriously hope that page 13 will be a gonner to round off the year.

Hugs

Kay

Xx

#257 ~ HAED Alpaca ~ 44.47% completed

 

Row 240 finished 29/12/2021

I was just about to start work on this chap today and realised that I had forgotten to take a photo of the progress, so thought I would also poop it on here too.

With another row finish last night, today’s goal is work on a small section of row 250 on the right and then move the focus to page page 13 to finish up for 2021 and get ready for the HAED Stitch Talk 2022 challenges.

I’m going to take part in two challenges ... Stitch Pals and Stitching Across the Galaxy using Alpaca and AN Other HAED, but I can’t make up my mind on which one.  It will probably be a Mini, and Napoleon Boneaparte by Christina Hess is a strong contender 

But I also like The Solo Collection Mini Mountain Landscape 

And just when I was going to decide between them when BAM Patron Saint of Green Chillie by Jeff Henie jumped out at me

... it is definitely not a Mini, but does remind me of my Grandparents’ cat when I was small, plus Nikki Crafts stitched Just Be and I loved that one when she was working on it.

Help me decide!

Hugs

Kay xx

#256 ~ HAED Alpaca ~ 44.11% completed

Watched the Office Christmas Party film tonight .. what a scream ... oh, and stitched 559 stitches.

Hugs

Kay xx

#255 ~ HAED Alpaca ~ 43.88% completed

 

... and another dishcloth completed too.

I don’t want to temp fate, but I also think I have got the lasso start 90% down as well!

It has been a super cozy, quiet Yule for us, much needed and highly enjoyable.  This is such a fun stitch, and the Monstrik is starting to really fit with me.

I hope hat you have also found peace and tranquillity?

Hugs

Kay xx

#254 ~ what a nit wit ...

 I had forgotten how to knit, and whilst I am not going to share the disastrous first piece of knitting, I will say that I could not stop laughing.

So, I pulled it apart? Or whatever you do to rip it out, and started again with.YouTube tutorial.  Several hous later he it be 

I did 42 rows I think, but will do about 50 next time.The yarn is Himalayan Home Cotton DK in turquoise.  Sorry about the poor photography skills.

De generally comes before a fall, but my little brain thinks I could  knit a shawl next.

HugsKay Xx

#253 ~ outstanding work and detective skills from the darling one

 ... which has meant that this chap (HAED Alpaca) is back out again.

Journal entry #247 touched on the reason why he went away, and that was the arrival on the Monstrik 2021 Frame.  I have to admit that whilst I was bummed that my decision to get (what is for some is a very considered purchase) the new frame immediately fell on Stoney ground as it could not fit the 40 inch scroll bar, even though I specifically wanted it.

The darling one is a first class engineer, and he had put it together for me following the @omanikfactory.com PDF instructions, and so we could not understand why it was just was not able tomtake the description size bars of 50 (may be 55) inches.  It wasn’t stressing me out, but shall we say it had taken the bloom off my expectations.  Now, please do not misunderstand me, I was super grateful that the Omanik Eleves had pulled out all the stops to get it to me, but deep, deep down, I had a simmering resentment against myself for following my ego self and buying in to the whole commodities make you happy narrative.

I haven’t moaned about it too much but I think my darling one could feel the down flow in frequency as I accepted that I had made a mistake whilst I worked on Aquarius.  So in the background without saying much to me the amazing man had gone through the instructions, and realised that in fact in their hurry to grant our wishes the Elves had in fact put something in the wrong way around.  Long story short he swapped it around Tomas it should be and bingo bango Alpaca fits on, and it should now expand to the advertised length scroll bar.  These things happen, and I expect those darling little elves are just about worn out bless them.

We also received an email from DHL notifying us of another Omanik parcel, which I think may be the accessory doodah ... we shall see as we were not quite sure if the flat plate but was one in the same and had not got around to contacting them to ask.

I still love the look of the Monstrik, and it is a more positive frequency to get that bug bear resolved.  Plus, the darling one has titled the frame in the opposite direction, so I don’t feel I am having stretch and hold my shoulder in an odd position - my fault entirely as I actually stitch in a crack handed fashion with my left hand on top and my dominant hand underneath.

Anyhoo, Alpaca is one the frame to finish off my goal of  five more rows, and I was in a fag paper of finishing a row when he was but away.  Aquarius is still on the bars, with the tension loosened off as she too is within a fag paper of a finished row, and as it is easy swap projects I can put her on at the weekend and finish off the row.  You never know, I may swap projects more often now!

This morning I have spent my time cleaning and doing laundry, no needle apart from one lost in the fabric roll of Alpaca has crossed me hand.  Oh, actually that is a blatant lie, knitting needles have been picked up in anger, or at least that is what it looks like, but more on that to follow.

Hugs

Kay xx

#252 ~ HAED Mini Aquarius Rising ~ 21.65% completed

 

355 stitches, most of which were like pulling teeth because of the confetti, I am close to another row finish.  It’s late though, so I’m off to bed and will find time to do it tomorrow.

My stitch count is seriously depleted since I gave up work, I really, really hope that is because we are leading up to Christmas. Oh, and the change in frame and ancillary stuffs too!

Hugs

Kay xx

#251 ~ island Time Gift Pocket ~ 100% completed

 

Just a few more to go now, and I we will be set for Christmas.

These gift pockets are so super-easy to make for an occasion, you just need to mix up your fabric choice.

I think from memory his might be Janet Clare,but don’t officially quote me on that.

I have used a  heat method to line it, and then instead of a proper drawstring tube, I just sew on ribbon loops in the front and back, and then thread trimmings through and add a small charm or bell.

*** yes, I was right, it is a slightly older collection Janet did for Moda called Ebb and Flow***

Hugs 

Kay xx

#250 ~ HAED Mini Aquarius Rising ~ 20.93% completed and something a little different

 

Row 20 complete and 20% too.

Also, I have some knitting started ... well, re-started ... for the third time in all honesty.

I have not picked up a pair on needles in anger for about 34 years, so why I decided to not only try to knit socks, but also to kint on magic loops, I have no iddea.  Hold me down, I’ve run mad!

The first cast on attempt using something called a long tail cast on took three goes, and I managed to get the stitches divided on to front and back of what is essentially an infinity loop, but cocked up the rib and didn’t quite manage the whole in the round thing.  So, off it all came and I am casting on the way I was taught.  It looks better.

I have had to watch some YT videos, Asti seemed I had purchased a ticket for the struggle bus.  probably as a left handed person taught me, and I am at best right handed at best and probably crack handed generally.

Strangely, negotiating the actual loop thing is the least of my worries.

The wool is apparently fingering weight by Zandra Rhodes, not sure of the colour way.

Do you want to start the betting on whether I can actually knit a sock, or two, and how long it will take me.  You could have a I number the retake attempts in x number of times too.

Hugs

Kay xx

#249 ~ HAED Mini Aquarius Rising ~ 19,85% completed

 

I’ve been doing a tidy up on this piece, converting to finishing row by row.  In fact I did so well Row 10 is fully completed, and I’m about half way through Row 20.

Lots of pale colours see the start of more orchids, they are confetti but oh so lovely.

There is not too much on tomorrow, so fingers crossed for a decent stitching day.

Hugs

Kay xx

#248 ~ HAED Mini Aquarius ~ 18.55% completed

 

I have stitched all my parked threads, and made a start across the top row, as per my newish row completion methodology ... it’s looking nice and tidy.

Darling one has helped me attach my older clamping magnifying glass and light to the new Monstrik frame, and I am now easily able to swing it out of the way to flip the frame for reverse ending of threads.

The lasso start is a hit and miss affair, so I have reverted to a front start that does not have waste threads, but I will keep working on lassoing the bloody threads!

Hugs

Kay xx

#247 ~ HAED Alpaca ~ 42.92% completed

 

For previous progress on this see post #227 on 16 May 2021.

I managed to complete rows 170, 180, 190, 200 and 210, which was my 5 row target.  Then I pushed on for another 5 row target, but only managed row 220 completely and the majority of row 230.

However,the Omanik  Elves pulled out all of the stops and delivered my Monstrik stand (Moonlight White) for my big numbered birthday ... thank you so much guys for that it is beautiful!  Then my plans all fell apart as the scroll bars for Alpaca are too long to fit in the Monstrik.  It is a solvable issue as I have plenty ‘o fabric at the side but I just have to take it off the scroll rods, cut off and re blanket stitch the edge and install on shorter scroll bars.  Rather than do that, I swapped the WIP - much the easier solution - and brought out HAED Mini Aquarius.  She last appeared in post #230.

I will just pop Alpaca back on the Millennium frame before the end of the year though, as I was a fag paper away from finishing row 230.

I am loving the swivel feature on the Monstrik for ending threads on the back, but have to admit that the lasso start - as per Nikki Crafts and shazstitchcook is challenging me.  I will not be defeated, and so will keep trying until I get it as there was pretty much no point in getting the stand for that particular capability and then not taking full advantage of it.  There is one downside, which is the fault of my current magnifying set up ... I have to swing the floor-standing lamp/magnifier out of the way to swivel the frame each time and the swing it back into place, so I need to look into options for eliminating that problem.  If anyone has decent set ups for light and magnifying with the Monstrik, please share. Until we get gifted high tech Med beds to fix my poor eyesight I cannot deal with the tiny 25 count without my aid!

I forgot to take a photo of progress on HAED Mini Aquarius, so will pop back on with another post soon, along with plans for 2022 and next Wish List highlight.

Hugs

Kay xx