I'm All About The Numbers!

 2021 is time for a reset. It seems as though lots of people changed their habits in 2020 - and why wouldn’t we?! It was the craziest year I’ve ever experienced! And now is the time for some changes.

With us all at home so much, I think we may have reacquainted ourselves with our home spaces and what is in our home. And for many, this had led to some reevaluating. 

I certainly already knew I had a lot of craft stash but still I kept adding to it. Why was that? Some of it was the ‘I deserve a treat’ mentality; some of it was me not being able to resist a sale/bargain; some of it was watching YouTube and seeing all the things other people buy - yes, a bit of the ugly green monster of envy was definitely there! 

So I had already been thinking about this a lot when I came across Hand Me My Knitting’s YouTube video about her no-buy year and new Patreon group. I know it seems counterintuitive to pay to join a no-buy group 😬, but it has been a fabulous support and well worth it.

Anyway enough of that! Let’s get down to business! 

I do love a spreadsheet and some number crunching, so have borrowed a few ideas to help me quantify my no-buy, knit and stitch from stash year.

Let's clarify this from the start - a complete no-buy was not going to work! Total denial was just going to make me want to rebel!  

So I have set up a tracking system (told you I love number crunching!) which will keep track of how much yarn I knit and fabric I use, etc.

I also love having notebooks rather than it all being on the computer. I think it is a lovely visual reminder of the year as well as a valuable resource to look back at. I will not abandon Ravelry, of course, even though it is quite daunting to see just how much yarn is in my stash (and it isn’t all on there yet!)

So basically my idea is that I will ‘earn’ spending money depending on what I use up. 

For knitting, I have just set the rate of 35c per 10g knitted. I know this sounds like next to nothing but I wanted to make it about a quarter or less of the equivalent cost of yarn. Otherwise the stash would not decrease! 

For cross stitch, I have borrowed a costing idea from a Facebook group called Stitch From Stash. I won’t outline it here as it is not my idea to share but you earn different amounts based on the stitch count of the finished design. 

I have yet to work out a calculation for quilting. 

So I will do a monthly wrap up at the end of each month, detailing my ‘earnings’ and spending. 

Is anyone else doing a no or less buy year? Maybe you are drowning in stash, like I am, and it is time to fall back in love with what you already have? I’d love to hear your plans, goals and experiences! 

January Wrap Up

 About halfway through January, I discovered Hand Me My Knitting's Youtube channel and her no-buy year for 2021. 

Her decision to knit only from stash particularly resonated with me, as believe me, I have enough stash to last many lifetimes! 

It has already really helped me to be more mindful with my purchasing - just because something is on sale doesn't mean I need to rush to grab it! Sales come around fairly often! 

So I have completed five projects from stash yarn in January.

The Bee Hive Cowl used 328m / 82g of yarn, from stash purchased in June 2020.

 I made two tinsel garlands, per Arne and Carlos. These are so much fun and I cannot wait to add them to my tree in 2021. They are just knitted i-cords, using King Cole Tinsel yarn. These used 72m / 50g of yarn each, from stash purchased in December 2020.

I also finished my first Icelandic jumper. I made a child's size so I could practice the technique and I loved it! 

Kambur used 462.8m / 230g of Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Worsted, purchased in April/May 2019. 

And lastly, I made the Mercury Socks. These used 360.8m / 88g of Garnstudio Drops Fabel, purchased in February 2017.

They have been added to my very first box of socks, which true to the no-buy year, is a shoebox from my son's new school shoes! 

Thus, in January, I knitted 1295.6m / 500g of stash yarn. 

Yay!

But, I did slip off the wagon and purchase some yarn. I have been thinking about shopping triggers and what makes me feel that I need to purchase something. And this purchase was made because the shop sent me an email to say my rewards points were due to expire. So I had to use them, right?! I could have let them expire but sales and discounts are definitely my shopping triggers and I couldn't let those points go to waste. So I actually purchased 2080m / 500g yarn - more meterage as it is all sock yarn. This is less than I wanted to buy - definitely less than I would probably have purchased previously. 

 I did not purchase any patterns. All of the patterns I used were either free on Ravelry or already in my pattern stash. 

Do you have any particular goals or plans for 2021? 

I'm looking forward to seeing what I can achieve in February! 

Finally Some More Knitting!

Finally I am back with some knitting!

Joining today with As Kat Knits for Unraveled Wednesday.

Not my shelves - I just wish I had this organisational space! I am more the plastic crate kind of organiser! 

2021 seems to be the year of stash knitting, if the number of KALs related to using stash are any indication. This suits me just fine as I had already decided this would be the case for me personally this year. 

Believe me when I say that I have enough yarn to last more than just my lifetime - I think I could keep a few people in yarn for their lifetimes as well! My Ravelry stash says I have 664 items. What?! Admittedly, about 100 of those are 20 gram mini skeins, but still - that is a lot of yarn!

I am also hoping to stash away some savings for a change in home this year, so stash knitting would help in a few ways. Obviously I could save money by not purchasing yarn. But I could also save by making the majority of my gifts this year from stash yarn as well. Double saving, yay!

I will tell you up front that I will be purchasing a little yarn this year as I will lose my Deramores reward points if I don't use them. But I will not just impulse buy because I love the colours. I will purchase yarns that can be added to other stash yarns, for example if I need a specific colour for some colourwork. 

Added to this, I will also be using stash patterns and books. Same as the yarn, I have LOTS of these and they just do not get the love they deserve as I am easily drawn in by the next new, shiny thing! 

All that being said, let's move onto some actual knitting!

I have completed one project this year, which is a free pattern from Deramores called Oh Bee Hive Cowl. You do need to have signed up for an account to download the pattern but it is very easy to get their patterns and they have quite a lot of free ones. 

The yarn is West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4 ply in Turmeric and Poppy Seed which has been in my stash since June 2020. The project used 382 metres / 82 grams of yarn. Not much to have left my stash but it is a start! 

I am now working on my first Icelandic jumper from Lopi 28 pattern book. I thought I would start out with a child's jumper so this is the Kambur in size 4, using Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Worsted. So far, it is a lot of fun. I cannot believe how fast it is knitting up compared to the cowl, which seemed to take weeks to grow a few centimetres! I have a feeling this will not be my last Icelandic jumper! 

Reading wise, I have set up my 2021 reading challenges in my LibraryThing group and am excited to have kicked up the new reading year. 

I am currently reading The Yield by Tara June Winch, which is a book to really immerse yourself in. It is wonderfully told using three different voices which helps to relay so much more than just using one. 

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year, no matter how you had to spend it this year. And that 2021 is treating you kindly so far. 

Slowly Catching Up With 1932!

 

This jumper is definitely taking longer than I was expecting!

But I am now nearly finished the first sleeve and as long as the weather continues to cooperate (ie.stays cool!), I am hoping to be finished it this week and well on the way with the second sleeve.

I will be choosing a faster knit for the next Stitchcraft issue, that's for sure!

At least now we are in the same month as the issue was published, just 88 years later. 

I have not been able to source either a print or online version of December 1932 Stitchcraft, which is a shame. If anyone has access to one, I would greatly appreciate some photos. So I will plan to move onto January 1933 - hopefully in January 2021! That would please my organisational brain, if I could make a pattern a month in the same month as publication.

Anyway, here is the sleeve I am currently working on.

As I have not much to share (again!), I will share some free knitting patterns from 1932 that I have found online.

Starting with - the Scarlet and White Jumper from Stitchcraft November 1932! Maybe you would like to make your own. I am still the only person making this jumper on Ravelry, so come and join me!

A few of these patterns will send you to Trove, which is an Australian collabaration between the National Library of Australia and various contributors. 

Trove is an absolute treasure trove of delights, as there are hundreds of complete magazines and newspapers from the past. I just love searching through here for hours, so much history to read. 

Here is a blouse in lacy stripes, from the Australian Woman's Mirror, August 23rd 1932.

 

I have included this one, even though it is a little earlier. 

A Tennis Jumper from The Catholic Press, 12 November 1931.

A Lace Jumper for Summer, from Table Talk, 6 ctober 1932. This jumper actually has the same lace pattern as the jumper I made from Stitchcraft ctober 1932.  Maybe this Australian publication picked up the pattern from Stitchcraft? r it was just popular at the time. 

Table Talk: A Journal for Men and Women was a weekly magazine published in Melbourne, Australia, from 1885 to 1939. It was a racy mix of gossip, scandal, politics and, apparently, knitting patterns! Maurice Brodzky, who started the magazine, has been coined as Victoria's first muckraker. 

Women vied to be included in the fashion pages - if you made it into Table Talk, you were one of the 'it girls' of Melbourne! 

They also published special editions on various topics, such as this jumper pattern collection frm 1935. 

I would love to find one of these publications! 

Another Table Talk publication was Matrons'  Knitwear.

You can access the full copy of Matrons' Knitwear, published by Table Talk in 1932, here at the State Library of Victoria archives. 

The final pattern is from the early thirties - there are no specific dates.

A lovely short sleeved diamond patterned jumper from the Harlequin Knit At Home Series.

See you next week with more progress, I promise! 

My Favourite Free Baby Knitting Patterns

 

Looking for the perfect knitting pattern to create as a gift for a new baby? Look no further! 

I love knitting for babies as the patterns are so cute and it is the ultimate satisfaction to create a handmade gift fairly quickly. 

I have chosen patterns that are for newborn or 0-3 months. As these free patterns can almost be called a series now, I will aim to do a childrens' post as well soon.

Leaf Love Dress by Taiga Hilliard Designs

This sweet little dress is very versatile as it is knitted as a dress for 0-3 months but will continue to fit as a tunic for quite a while longer.

Be sure to take a look at the other patterns by this designer - there are many more free patterns available.

Ode To Doris by Kelly van Niekerk.

I can personally testify to the ease of knitting for this one. This is my go to pattern for a quick baby gift. It is knitted in DK/8ply so knits up very quickly and there is virtually no finishing as it is knitted in one piece and the sleeves are picked up in the round. 

Again, check out the designer's page on Ravelry as there are many other patterns to drool over.

Baby Uggs by Autumn Street

Such cute boots! These would be perfect if you need a little boy gift. And they would be super quick to knit up.

Baby Kimono by Elizabeth Jarvis.

A lovely basic newborn knit that you can customise. Some of the examples from other knitters on Ravelry including adding stripes or a lacy pattern, adding knitted flowers, embroidery (including one with a toadstool!) or using ribbon as a closure rather than buttons.

You could make this as a gift for every new baby and just change it up!

Baby Wood Nymph Hat by Faith A D

I do love a hat with a little top knot! I don't know why but they just look too adorable. A very quick and simple rib design.

This pattern link is just for the hat. But with any hat pattern, you can always make bootees to match and vice versa. 

Baby Brioche by Jen Hurley

As brioche is super stretchy, this garment says it will fit from infant to 12 months. This looks like the perfect knit if you want to try some brioche but do not feel up to committing to a huge garment. It also uses something called a Channel Island cast on which I have never heard of - has anyone used this technique before?

Probably a more challenging garment but it looks super cute and would be very comfy.

Intarsia Baby Sweater by Phildar Design Team

Now let's practice intarsia! This is so cute! I think it would also make a super adorable Christmas sweater - maybe you could even make the reindeer's nose red! 

You do have to sign up for free to LoveKnitting to download this pattern. 

Perfect Newborn Socks by Tabitha Gandee

Tiny socks are just the cutest! A pretty box of three, five or seven pairs of these in various colours would make a lovely gift. 

Danika Baby Jacket by Marianna Mel

For those of us (looking at myself here!) who like traditional styles, this is a cute little star stitch baby jacket. You can knit it either with or without a collar. At the end of the blog post for this pattern, you can find the link to the matching hat and mittens. 

Marianna is another blogger who is extremely generous and provides lots of free patterns, so do take a look at her blog at Marianna's Lazy Daisy Days.

Poppy Penguin Hat and Cocoon Set by Melody Rogers

I just had to leave the pattern with the most adorable photo for last! I cannot stand how cute this is!

It is showing as a paid pattern on Ravelry but if you scroll down the pattern page, you will see where Melody has kindly added a link to a free version on her blog. 

I hope you enjoyed visiting some adorable baby knits with me. 

Let me know in the comments if you have knitted any of these patterns or if you have any plans to make any.

Also let me know what you would like to explore next in the free knitting patterns series!