Wednesday 29 December 2010

Spending in the sales

Well it is the end of the year and and today was my LYS sale. First I'll cover my achievements then go onto my spends.

My knitting projects.




First it the tiny sweater ornament I made for the swap on a forum I use.










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Second is a little beret using 95m Rowan Kid Classic





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Next it the Cape, knit using 965m of King Cole Magnum Chunky.It was named the cape from hell as I worried I'd never finish it and it is so heavy. Now its is a wonderful pattern and simple to knit but the gauge is wrong on the pattern as it requires a needle size not used. I'm very pleased with it and so is my mam who's Christmas gift it is. Now I thought I'd never finish this and ran out of yarn I needed at least 1 ball possibly 2 which I had to order but as it was a gift I will not deduct the £4.98 from my budget. I do have some of this yarn left so will make my mam a hat to match.

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I promised a little girl I know I would knit for her ages ago and did this hat last minute in King Cole Sundae it used 95m.














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The Christmas stocking now I'm guilty of not weighing this but it took nearly 2 whole balls of the red so if I say the leftovers are less than the cream we are looking at 250m. This is for my little boy, and this is the kit I ordered at the knitting and stitching show it took ages to arrive and there were lots of problems with the snow but it was finished the day before Christmas Eve. I altered the patterns slightly but I'm very pleased with it.







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Lastly is a lacy Baktus made for a special friend using just short of 2 skeins or Sirdar just Soy 210m.







So I have knit 1655m earning me £16.55


Spends


Hobby craft now a massive bargain 1 ball of Rowan Alpaca Cotton for £1.49

LYS spent £28
2 Rowan Pure Wool Aran £4
2 Rowan Pure Wool 4-ply £4
2 Patons Colour Works Aran £4
4 Mirasol Hacho £6
2 Mirasol Cotanani green £3
2 Mirasol Cotanani grey £3
3 Rico Organic Twist Aran grey £3
1 Araucania Patagonia blue £1 (have some of this stashed already)



So yarn fund stands at £66.87 carried over from last month £29.49 spent and £16.55 earned so £53.93

Thursday 2 December 2010

Please don't think I have forgotten you all, I have been busy knitting and looking after my children.


I visited Harrogate and easily managed to keep to budget in fact I have to say I wasn't impressed at all by the show too many people stalls too crowded and no great offers I'd rather browse the Internet.


I returned with a few items, 2 hanks of Rowan Colourscape chunky for a scarf, I've wanted this for a while, I ball of Zauberball to knit a coquille and I fell in love with a stocking kit on one stall but they had sold out put one is being posted, I just hope the snow doesn't delay it too long or it will not be knit by Christmas. So less than £37.


In addition I bought a notions case and mini sock blocker keyring.


Right on to stash busting since my last post I have knit

Elliot 178 mtrs of Lidl Fontana Scarf yarn



Janet 112 mtrs of Artesano Aran










Cable Hat 92 mtrs Sirdar Hug














I have also done a few tiny projects for Christmas swaps that I can't blog about yet and I have been working hard on a cape as a Christmas gift.

I will also admit I have photographed and listed most of my stash but that will have to wait till I have a few hours spare.

So yarn fund stands at £63.85 remaining and £3.82 earned so £66.87

Friday 12 November 2010

Hello I'm a yarnaholic

I have a big problem and up till now it was getting bigger so I have enlisted the help of some friend on http://www.knittingforums.org.uk/ to help me recover.

I like knitting and I love yarn a lot as a result I buy a lot now I have enough to keep me going for years I do not need to buy more I cannot store more, in the knitting world this is known as stash, so here is my journey it starts today with baby steps but come 01.01.11. I will take full control.

Here is my 7 point plan:
  1. if I knit then it must be from my stash unless it is a gift for someone (even then it should be stash if possible, I can claim the full cost any yarn bought to make a gift once it is knit)
  2. if some one asks me to knit for them they must buy the yarn (I don't often knit for others as a rule)
  3. I can ask for and receive gifts of yarn (or money for yarn)
  4. I can give gifts of yarn
  5. I can swap or sell yarn (the money made can go in my yarn fund)
  6. I can buy yarn but it must come out of my yarn fund.
  7. I can earn yarn fund by knitting 1 pence for every meter of yarn I knit ( This is per finished item UFOs do not count if I finish a WIP I can count this for my fund) 
Now this is not as daft as it sounds and here are some explanations:
UFO unfinished object - things you start to knit and never finish
WIP work in progress, anything on the needles that you are paying some attention to after a while it become a UFO
Now here is the big thing the FUND
I have already made the commitment to go to Harrogate with my mother so there is no way I can go and not buy yarn I also have some Knit Picks on order (this is not available in the UK so in being imported from the USA)
My fund is £100 now here is the scary part I have probably spent more than that in the last month on yarn and yarn related products.
I'm not sure how the fund will last a decent yarn is £6-£15 and around 100-350 depending on weight but I know if I stick to this I will reduce the amount I have by a lot and that is what I need to do.
So feel free to follow me and support me a few friends are going to join me on this journey.
I plan to post with updates on my makes and buys and I might if I'm brave enough share some stash photographs but as I can't physically store my yarn in one place it will have to wait.