ATTENTION!!! SCAMMERS!!! It looks like I, like many others, have fallen victim to this RUclips scam where they clone your profile and try to get you to message them on telegram. THIS IS NOT ME. Please don't follow any links, or give any information to these people. I'm reporting all the comments but it seems I'm powerless to do anything else about it. Stay vigilant and I can only apologise 💚
Thankfully the comment is gone. As I've learned this is quite common now. Sadly someone is impersonating a famous youtuber announcing a gift, after you message them they make you to pay for delivery. Please, DO NOT ANSWER OR GIVE ANY OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA. Be safe, everyone. Wish you all safe and youfull days here on youtube 😉
Such lovely pieces. In quilting we have something called a ‘humility block’ where you deliberately make a mistake because ‘only God is perfect.’ I’ve seen lots of antique quilts and many of them have errors. I’ve been quilting for 40 years though and I’m convinced that most, if not all are accidental and they just used the humility block as a cover for not wanting to bother doing them over.
I’ve always interpreted the humility issue in textile arts in a different way. To me, the maker is not creating an intentional mistake. Instead, they’re admitting that nobody on this earth is perfect, and not torturing themselves over an inconsistency.
I’ve been putting all project info on an index card when I start so I can stick it in the project bag when I walk away from it. I find index cards large enough to leave myself little notes while working so I don’t lose the plot when I walk away from things for awhile. Hard of thinking means I don’t want to rely on remembering or figuring out what I was doing when I return to a project.
I think I need a system like this. I don't remember to update Ravelry or my knitting journal. I need something more immediate and that I am easily keep with the project. I might adopt this idea. Thanks for the suggestion!
I do this too, and keep a pen in the project bag with it so I don't have to go looking for one whenever I need to make a note. The very first thing I write on the card is yarn and needle size! I try and get the colourful index cards so they stand out against the pattern paper etc.
This is a great idea. I am trying to be good and keep a small note book with my project notes in it. I am quite a monogamous knitter so never have too many projects on the go, so keeping a notebook for me is easy in my bag/ basket. Good practice though is updating the notes at the end of every knitting session, so they are always up to date so when I add the project to Ravelry I have it all there to write up any alterations made. By the way, I am loving this destash series as it's inspiring me to tackle my yarn mountain, at least by cataloguing it on Ravelry for now. Therefore picking projects and matching yarn will be easier. Thank you Claude, you are amazing.
This is such a good idea! I currently have a notebook that I make notes in, but I love the idea of having a note in the project bag itself. I'm definitely going to start doing this.
Unsolicited advice: take a breath and cut yourself some slack. You're working really hard on this huge stash busting project and we can all see how much work it takes. It's alright to need a break when things stop being fun rather than push on through feeling miserable. Also, from my own yearly destashing experience, it truly is okay to pass on yarn you feel uninspired by. To someone else, it'll be fresh and exciting in a way it isn't to you anymore. You don't have to be unhappy to justify having acquired yarn in the first place. Crafting is, in my mind, meant to be more fun than not. Having made myself work on creative projects when I was sick of them just made me need a much longer break, in the end. There, that's my unsolicited advice. I love the lacy blue top you made. It's absolutely darling. I hope you'll show us what it looks like stitched together next month!
Yup twice yrly at church we rummage! We bring all our bits and bobs to trade in our craft group, leave our uninspiring bits and take home others to be reinspired by! Cheers
Wooow, you actually cut the crochet to add a missing row! THIS IS BIG! No one has tried this that I know of. It's brilliant! If you could video a bit to show how you do it would help somebody if not a lot of people. You think you're having a hard time but you don't realize how much you have encouraged us and gave us a gem of a tip! Again, just brilliant!
For your blue cone. You could separate some skeins worth and maybe try different levels of bleaching to get your different shades of blue that should stay cohesive with the one cone you bought for the shawl.
Aah, how cute, the bit at the end! Now I want to design a rounded triangle with a lace chevron in Tunisian crochet to match this one. I think getting cute yarn for the edging would be good, even if it's "putting yarn back in your stash". For me, the point of stash busting is to find the value of what I've been gathering over the years/months and transforming that, and if it needs a little extra help, that's all right.
Don't be dishearten Claude! I'm relistening to all the stash busting videos as I knit up my stash. It's very inspiring to see you tackle this stash and the blue lace blouse, because no else in my immediate circle understands why I cry out like a wounded animal when I had to frog 20cm of lace knitted on 2mm needles. That ball of frustration is too real. But we must remind ourselves, we like knitting. It was just an excuse to knit some more. Yup. Definitely.
I'm trying to work from stash and there is always the problem that I don't have the right amount or colours for what I actually want to knit. I've decided not to stress about those smaller amounts and will one day knit a huge marled scrap blanket instead! The shawl looks great even without a border and despite the trouble it caused you!
The perseverance with the lace blouse is inspiring! It can be frustrating but the extra effort to make something that really fits is so worth it, I think. Another wonderful video to watch while I knit as well ❤️
As someone who went on a stash busting adventure and a buy ban/no buy year. It sucks. And yea i experienced everything you did so far. Dont sweat. No point in knitting things for the sake of the stash if you arent really gonna like it or the design is being sacraficed for "using up"yarn. It ended up stalling my progress of stash busting quite a lot.
I very much feel the "why did I bother". You are not alone in the January/Febuary knitting woes. I knit a matching hat and mitts set(finished in early January) and had enough leftover for a scarf then lost one of the mittens, and have been doing weird surgery on my scarf to get enough of the various colours back to reknit the mitten. I have a sock I started that I need to frog back to halfway through the foot as it was too small and also colourwork and I want the colours to be lined up in a specific way. And I also have a finished pair of socks I want to frog to before the heels and reknit the heels to fit better.
I've been trying to destash heavily this year as well, though I've also ended up buying more yarn I don't need! Something I've struggled with is feeling like I have to use up old yarn that I don't like or don't suit me or my style any more. I was trying so hard to find uses for the 4,000 yards of bright pink acrylic and ended up stressing myself out making projects I hated just to justify it. This also applied to 'expensive' yarns I had that I had no use for and was struggling to justify the money spent. However, someone I spoke to actually recommended a local youth group that I had never heard of, that wanted to accept my old craft supplies for teaching classes! I know it's something you may not think of first, but It was something that really helped me move past spending guilt and environmental guilt over 'getting rid' of yarns that were causing me far more stress than they were worth. It's been really nice to follow you on this journey, and it's been great to see that stash number go down!
Yes! It should be used….does not mean it must be used by me. This is my hobby and my delight. Using up stash can make it a chore. I don’t need that in my free time.
I inherited a large stash of yarns when my grandmother passed, a lot of them fluffy, or fancy, or otherwise ‘interesting’. She was primarily a knitter, so not an issue for her, but she was also a genuine hoarder, so she would bulk buy eyelash yarn in mud and mucus colourways because it was on offer. I am fortunately a multi skilled yarn crafter so that stuff gets used as fringing on landscape tapestry weaves, because I honestly don’t think I could give it away and y conscience won’t let it go to landfill.
That Make Do and Mend pullover... my brain said Make Do And Intarsia. 😂 Bet that's an interesting construction on that one, would love a separate video if you do decide to make it!
I have often felt this way about my knitting, including knitting up a whole ball of yarn in a 250-stitch round before realizing I'd put in a half-twist at the join. I was so disgusted! I hope February and March have gone better for you.
I don't really knit, but I crochet a lot. I have the same problem- over the years I have amassed many yarns. But since this is a hobby and it should bring you joy- I don't stress about it. When I start a project, I first check my stash and then if I don't have the yarn, then and only then I buy it. Little by little, I am starting to work through the stash. The main thing is- have fun! If you don't like the yarn or don't have enough for a project- maybe donate it? There are crafters that will do amazing things with 10grams of yarn.
My crafting went crazy after I retired and moved and had a dedicated craft room. I love having lots of materials but UFO's not so much. I bought eight flat plastic baskets from the Dollar store and put a project in each. I will admit to finding 17 when I started (I do many crafts) but every time I emptied a basket I added one until I was down to the eight. A few I decided I just didn't like and got rid of. Now I always keep it to a maximum of eight, sometimes a few are empty or only contain a pattern and I'm gathering materials. I have a note on each basket with the info about the project and date it so I don't keep it too long. If all eight baskets are full I can't start anything.
Wow Claude, I think it's totally amazing what you got accomplished, as always. I totally know what you mean by projects being cursed, my whole life (including sewing and knitting projects) seems to be haunted with "ohh, DAMN" moments. Good job for keeping on keeping on, I hope you will show us the blue sweater someday when it's sewn up, as the pattern and color is so pretty, and you certainly deserve to show it off after the fight it put up! :P Lots of luck and hugs from the USA.
@@RetroClaude Awesome and great job! I'm working on a knitted handbag at the moment, and while I probably won't finish it in the next 4 days of Feb (where does the time go), I actually just picked it up again today after not doing anything for a while. Side note, it is so nice, you are the only creator on RUclips that I've ever had actually reply to my comments, thanks Claude. :)
The blue lace jumper is so beautiful.,I am looking forward to seeing the finished make. All your stress seems to come from working out how much yarn your using and buying.Why not just enjoy knitting and only work out how much you need to complete a project. The Victorian shawl is lovely,it looks so authentic.
I just want to update, that after rewatching your destashing videos, I bought yarn dye this morning and to strike when the iron was hot, dyed it all in one afternoon. So keep on keeping Claude! I credit you as the inspiration 👍
The shawl is lovely, and looks so cozy and soft! Great idea about the baby jacket! And I can’t wait to see the pale blue sweater! I love all your videos, and am awed at your abilities. Thanks for keeping it real.
Sometimes I think stash busting is a state of mind. Just getting us to be mindful ofwhat we're buying and why, well it seems to have made a difference for me. Thank you for sharing your journey. Your pieces are so amazing and your talents are way beyond mine so it's fascinating sometimes to just watch you knit. It's still some sort of magic to me, but it's neat to see. Here's hoping for a wonderfully satisfying and rewarding 2023.
I’m not sure if this comment will come across exactly right in the midst of your discouragement, but I wanted to share how your stash busting project has encouraged me. I have a box of yarn. I don’t know whether I’d call it a stash, exactly, because I feel like it’s more random and less intentional than the beautiful collections I see other knitters call “stash.” Significantly, a huge chunk of it consists of yarn acquired in my early years of knitting that I do not want, do not like, and have no real use for. A problem! About four years ago, I began a project to start deliberately using up this unwanted yarn. Specifically, I was looking for projects I did want to knit, but that I could make work with the yarn I don’t want. And I was doing pretty well, if I do say so myself… until a well meaning person who didn’t understand why I was researching and planning instead of actively knitting went and collected other people’s unwanted yarn to gift to me. Unsurprisingly, it was five skeins of Red Heart Super Saver! After having just eliminated four skeins of the stuff, this was discouraging to me and I worked only two rows of a new project with the new unwanted yarn before I basically stopped knitting altogether for a period of time. Your stash busting project gave me the inspiration I needed to launch myself back into my own project of using up unwanted yarn. So far I’m down four full skeins of Red Heart Super Saver, including making substantial progress on a blanket project I “paused” back in middle school (2008!) when I had to return the book I was using. I also felt inspired to pick back up two other projects I abandoned when I got discouraged, and I’m making good progress on those too. Seeing your updates is really keeping me going on this. Just yesterday I was thinking that maybe I didn’t want to finish that blanket after all, maybe it should be one of those decorative foot-cover strip things instead… but now that I’ve seen your latest update, yes I do want it to be a blanket! A throw blanket, not a full size one, but a blanket nonetheless.
I’m very envious of your knitting ability! I love crochet but I cannot manage knitting. Apart from very basic stuff, knitting does my head in. Love your ability to use up yarn!
Hi, You are doing so well with depleting your stash as I know how hard it can be to reduce. I only seem to expand mine! I love the lacy blue blouse and look forward to seeing it when finished.
That oddments jumper is a dream of mine. I just never seem to have the right amounts of the right yarn in colours that I like. Really excited to live vicariously through you for that one!
I think the finished result is quite cute on you actually! It looks a little more casual but it’s not unflattering at all and maybe with some equally funky accessories it will be very fetching! I love that you show the process of all these vintage patterns, it’s so interesting to see how much knitting has evolved and I’m obsessed with your stash busting series because of how creative you’re getting in using up all the yarn. Happy knitting!
My daughter made me some little stitch markers with the letter (or number) of the hook used for the article in progress. I attach it at the beginning of a project and then I always know what hook to use. Now if I could find some way of keeping track of the instructions for each project. I like variety so I always have about 12 things going at any time. LOL
I kinda love unravelling projects. It's annoying when something goes wrong but the yarn moving back and forth as you unravel is weirdly satisfying to me! Also, I've never considered putting stitches like that on the neckline on hold and will definitely be trying that next time I see a similar instruction in a pattern!
When it comes to crochet, it really is easier not to mention faster just to rip out the mistake and redo it. But I commend you on trying a new technique to replace it. If it was me I simply would have just mod the pattern to something like this as an example for the solids areas; white 6, blue 4 (whatever it is, I don't remember), white 8, blue 4, white 6, blue 6, white 8, blue 6 and repeat so on. I also put my wips into large zip lock bags and write on them yarn info, hook/needles being used, pattern and sometimes a start date. Good luck and looking forward to what you do with the pretty blue cone.
This is my favorite video series! Not only are you lovely, but I really enjoy that we can follow your progress with you. I feel it shows what we all go through when knitting, that we are not alone. I'm also knitting from my stash, and these videos are a great inspiration for me. About the cursed times when crafting, don't worry, you are not alone 😅. Just a few hours ago, I found out that my beautiful hand dyed sock yarn that I'm knitting with got stuck into the zipper of my bag... I had to break it. It comes after a week where I had to sew 3 times one sleeve, and I lost the instructions of a cardigan I'm designing and knitting... Just breathe and keep trying 🤷🏻♀️ Greetings from South Korea
I try to create a ravelry entry when i start a project because pauzing and then not remembering the needle size really is a thing. You are not alone...
I’m loving the Victorian shawl. I found a ufo yesterday while looking for my 12mm needles. No idea when I started it , tried to pick it back up today but I’m not sure about it. I started a knitting journal this year to help me keep track of my knits.
Months ago, I saw the Vianne cardigan in one of your videos and loved it, so I looked it up on Ravelry and was disappointed to find that the pattern was no longer available. I was going through my Ravelry library last night and found that I DO have the pattern? And have since 2015? Somehow? I might even have the yarn for it. So that's good news! Things that seem cursed are extra satisfying when they're done. You'll get there; don't be too hard on yourself.
God bless you for staying the course !!!! And thank you for sharing.... just getting into knitting now and I'll be very wary of adding to my stash prematurely. 😉
The shawl is absolutely gorgeous, you look so so beautiful with it in the garden😍 And the baby jacket is so damn cute. Lucky baby, haha. And thank you for sharing. Wish you a beautiful year full of exciting projects 👍
I'm glad you were able to finish knitting the centre of the shawl and the sweater, even if it felt like you were taking two steps forward and one step back at the time! Both are gorgeous. I agree with you, it is better to wait and decide what you want to do with the shawl, without a border it is a neutral, natural cream shade and goes with almost everything, once you add colour to the border, then it will go with certain clothing items more than others. I understand the frustration at setting a goal and not being able to complete it quite the way you intended, I was finishing off UFOs and trying to only buy what I needed to finish things, then fell and broke my elbow in November. I'm knitting again and doing a little bit of sewing and spinning, but I know I have to not over do it.
I'm a fan of the 1940's styles and I love both the color (colour for all you across the pond people) that I'm even excited to see you complete and wear that sweater!
Lovely shawl, Claude. I'm glad to see you found the will to redo the top part of your blue jumper. It's such a pretty pattern and I'm looking forward to seeing it finished. I just wish I was experienced enough to knit such a lovely jumper. I bet it will look stunning, worn.
I keep a knitter journal for my project notes. Cannot rely on my memory anymore. Have you thought of the Elizabeth Zimmerman baby surprise jacket? Also adult version. You use any bits of wool in your stash to create fun stripes. Just a thought. Great for all those small bits of yarns.
Hello Claude! I found your videos over Christmas and immediately binged your knitting videos. Just earlier today I had your Plans for the New year video on in the background and thought the January video should come out soon. I think the lacy jumper looks great and I hope you had some more luck finishing it during February, can’t wait to see the results
Hi, Claude! I must admit I binged most if not all your knitting videos. I've been crocheting for a year now, but I'm a baby knitter, just started in October, and I love watching you make stuff I've no chance of making (yet). Absolutely love how the lacy blue jumper turned out!! Sending you good vibes.
Awww, I really feel for you, sometimes everything I touch turns to poop! I think we've all been there 💜 I'm glad you got that lacy blue top finished, it's lovely, and that shawl looks beautifully cosy! The nice thing about knitting for babies is the instant gratification. If you need a quick win, whip out a baby cardi, highly recommend 👍
Oh! I forgot to say! I've been using your Good, Better, Best system to help me prioritise tasks in my daily life. ADHD brains aren't good at planning and organising lists of tasks. But I can gather them into groups of Good (needs to get done today), Better (would like to do today), and Best (my magical unicorn perfect day 🦄😂). It means I can see more clearly where to direct my energies, but still gives me choices so I can work with the body and brain I have at a given moment. This has radically changed how I think about my To Do list each day - I approach it with much less dread and overwhelm. Thank you, thank you, thank you! It has made SUCH a difference! 💜
You take my breath away Claude! Youre one of my FAVE costubers, but the knitting ones just deflate my brain...its my needlework holy grail. You just rock. I can plain and pearl, but ANY and EVERY time i have followed detailed online tutorials for even the most basic of knitted lace, somewhere i screw up. I am making (pain aside) a 15ft long girl version of the Dr Who scarfe, in MOSS stitch no less...its getting there. But I covet 1940's knitted lace tops in my size... I cant even find someone to pay to do it! How can i win prizes for my costuming yet fail so well at what is in essence a 'simple' process. Youre an inspiration
On the ripple crochet blanket, you should have just frogged it back 😅 I know the feeling of “no, my progress!” but honestly, if something bothers me in the slightest, it will still bother me at the end, and then there’s more work to frog and redo. The only piece I have never applied that rule to is a patchwork shawl I started 5 years ago, having newly learnt how to crochet, and in the years since, I have learnt new techniques.
It is so hard to resist buying more wool! Especially when there are sales of merino 4ply wool half price at Spotlight. My stash-busting is going backwards.
That blue wool is beautiful! I'm excited to see the jumper you make out if it. Also the baby jacket 😍 I love making baby items! They're so cute and surprisingly quick to finish. I've put all my littles in wool, but I don't mind the hand washing. However, for gifts, if I do make something in wool, I make sure it's super wash, and that care instructions are pinned to the item. That is also only on request. Looking forward to seeing the finished lacey top!
Oh no to all the things going wrong! Well done for persevering (and not swearing like a docker whilst talking about it, I think I would have done!) I love the blue shade of yarn you bought, even if you can’t use it for the Victorian shawl it will still be lovely! I LOVE the baby cardigan too, it’s so dang cute! They are very lucky! Also, inspired by all of your knitting of socks, I have finally finished my first pair (an achievement which has been on my bucket list for years but I’ve been too scared and confused by it!) Your videos have really inspired me to try learn new techniques and to have things to work towards, even if I can’t get my head round them at the moment! My next milestone will be a jumper I think! Looking forward to the next video as always!
Such a relatable issue of forgetting which size needles are being used from interchangeables! Well done for pushing through! I recently found that they also make little end stoppers (spheres) which I am finding wonderful! I have two pairs and am tempted to get more - no need to put on a different size needle as a placeholder when needing the needles elsewhere!
Hello! Thank you for sharing your January progress. Honestly, you were not alone riding the struggle bus last month. I also had some issues (darn math...wrong stitch counts) with my main project. Silver lining: I was able to finish the month with a satisfying little completed project! Knit on and carry on with finish it Feburary! P.S. My main project is still in a time out, I'll tackle it in March after a month of rest.
I love that shawl as it is - it will go with everything and will be lovely with your dainty pink sprigged fabric. Good job! I've only just found you on YT, and have been really enjoying your back catalogue. I love how clever & persistent you are. I won't tell you about the lacy baby cardigan I was knitting for a friend's first baby... he's now in his 20s! And I'm definitely adopting your Good, Better, Best philosophy. Genius!
So happy to see you Claude! Hope you’re doing well. That baby jacket is so cute and such a great use for the swimsuit leftovers. Love all the other projects as well ❤
Hello from Canada! I was very happy to see a new video from you! I'm a crocheter who is learning continental knitting. I feel I have knitted and frogged so many times I think I have knitted the sleeves for my sweater (jumper) twice! Nice to see even experts have to frog sometimes too.
Oh! So exited for the coming make, do and mend cardigan! So interesting to see closeups of you knitting as I find myself thinking "oh, you do it THAT way" or "I do it that way too!" and that's inspiring. It's comforting in a way to see things go wrong, but you persevering anyway. It's so relatable. I haven't knitted or sewed as much as I would have wanted to since the beginning of the year. But slowly, very slowly things are moving forward even though I have barely finished anything.
I so feel you with the cursed projects situation. Sometimes there are just times that I am so focused in one direction that I miss basically everything else and do this to myself. Absolutely love the Victorian Shawl. It is gorgeous. The blue sweater is really cute. The baby jacket is adorable and the blanket looks so cozy. So once you have worked through the rest of those projects and the others you are planning work/working on, you will have a lovely total. :) Hang in there! It will all come together. :)
The shawl is beautiful! I love that you can tie it in the back like a Sontag, too. Also, I'm obsessed with the tam you had on in the reveal and great job destashing last month! I hope your finish it February has been going well! Time zones being what they are, I think you're officially into March now, so congrats!
Wow, I am so so happy for you that you tackled the blue lace project and the white chevron shawl. They both look stunning!!! I just redid a pair of socks 3 times, so I know how you feel. I know how I felt and it was a way smaller project. So happy for you. Greetings from Belgium
I've found using pocket knitting to be really helpful keeping me in track with all my projects. I can't remember much so it's invaluable. I love that it has a line marker, place for notes, and you can import PDFs and patterns entirely into it. It's free! I like your pattern, thinking about it, maybe I could pretty easily adjust it for my size. Hmm 🤔. Your blanket 😂 in the time you took to rip it out, vs the amount of yarn you'd use up..I don't think ripping it out makes sense. Especially since crochet uses more yarn than knitting.
Fabulous job as always. I think January was just cursed in general? I was sick the entire month and every time I tried to pick up projects they had to get ripped back 🤦♀️ I'm excited you're getting through the blue blouse! It looks like it will be so special to wear. Where I live we have erratic weather through March but it's largely hot and humid already here. Like sweating into a puddle wearing shorts levels of heat. So I've started a lace work cotton/bamboo short sleeve cardigan thing for over tank tops for myself. I feel like this is a lace year for me maybe 🤔
One thing about working with yarn is if it doesn't work, unravel it and do something else. Someone gifted me a kit for a hood scarf combo and I was nearly finished when I gave up. I kept thinking "it will work out, it will work out" but no. I hated it. Now I am using the yarn to make a vest instead. Good luck on the blanket!
I think the solid blue would still make a lovely border for your Victorian shawl! I’m sure it’s still very appropriate for the era-I bet some people back then even made the same mistake you did !! I think you should embrace it and stick with the solid blue for the border : )
One of Roxanne Richardson's videos about finish it February (last year maybe?) she said, it's not just about finishing the entirety of a project, but about deciding how to move the project on - or indeed, if that project is worth moving on. That helped me think "Okay, I can break this project down and... finish this sleeve, do 15 minutes a day on this blanket, do the baby mittens I want to do for that baby..." rather than focus on "Oh dear, there's so much stuff I need to do! I can't get it all done! Panic!" I've got 2 jumpers made in the round from the same pattern, in aran yarn, and the first one I did as the pattern said and went straight into the ribbing for the neckband. It is a lot looser than I'd like for British winters, so when I did the 2nd jumper, I cast off (put a locking stitch marker on & checked I could fit it over my head) and then picked up the stitches straight away. A little bit more work, but a better neckline. But of course they're much heavier than your lace jumper, and as they're worked in the round, everything hangs from the neckband. So there are sometimes reasons to cast off and pick up for a neckband. That said, it would disturb the front of the lace jumper to do that! Putting the stitches on spare yarn and picking up again was a much better idea than casting off and picking up again. I like Marianna Mel on Ravelry for baby knits - lots of her patterns are free, which is always handy for finding out how the designer writes their patterns. I've got a jacket and mittens done for a church baby, and just need to cast on for the booties so I can get the set done...
@@janisi9262 Oh yes! I nearly did that the other day... But since the dog had chewed one of the needles (sturdy plastic children's knitting needles, dog is fine) and I found the yarn very unpleasant to use - I threw it all away instead! Definitely finished with it 😂!
Hey Claude, I wanted to see the gorgeous blue lace jumper on you or at least show us the finished blocked jumper. I want to knit myself a jumper but I need a larger size. I've never sized up to accommodate for my 40ish inch bust. It might take a lot of math, trial and error, and frogging. I'm determined to knit a jumper. I've knitted a lot of cardigans. Berets and baby sweaters. I just need to get yarn and get started.
There are definitely some projects that are just cursed lol. The baby sweater came out so cute! It's too bad about the pattern. The only book I have ever straight up thrown in the trash was a book of baby patterns. I couldn't pass it on to anther knitter in good conscience.
Not that it helps you, but you inspired me to stash bust! I made a cardigan and currently making another out of yarn I have had AT LEAST 17 years. So thank you!
I so know what it's like to mess up more than once on one or more projects in succession. In future, when working an afghan and you have to correct an error, rip out to the point of correction. It goes WAY faster than what you did. I've had to rip back many times over the years. Is the cone of lovely blue yarn enough for the circa 1940s knitted sweater you showed? The blue will be lovely on you. Congratulations for finishing the shawl. What a nice accessory for your real-life and costuming wardrobes!
Glad to see you back. It's been awhile and I was concerned if you were ok. I was wondering if you are going to continue the 1940s dresd you started late last year.
Hi from Anglesey in North Wales. I’ve just found your channel and am binge watching your videos. I have fibromyalgia and also Osteoarthritis, no know all about pain. Big hugs xx
ATTENTION!!! SCAMMERS!!! It looks like I, like many others, have fallen victim to this RUclips scam where they clone your profile and try to get you to message them on telegram. THIS IS NOT ME. Please don't follow any links, or give any information to these people. I'm reporting all the comments but it seems I'm powerless to do anything else about it. Stay vigilant and I can only apologise 💚
Thankfully the comment is gone. As I've learned this is quite common now. Sadly someone is impersonating a famous youtuber announcing a gift, after you message them they make you to pay for delivery. Please, DO NOT ANSWER OR GIVE ANY OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA. Be safe, everyone. Wish you all safe and youfull days here on youtube 😉
I reported the one I got! So annoying.
Saw this just in time. I am always a bit cautious when reading such announcements.
“I was having a funny five minutes…” I have adopted this as my latest reason for my mishaps 😊
Such lovely pieces. In quilting we have something called a ‘humility block’ where you deliberately make a mistake because ‘only God is perfect.’ I’ve seen lots of antique quilts and many of them have errors. I’ve been quilting for 40 years though and I’m convinced that most, if not all are accidental and they just used the humility block as a cover for not wanting to bother doing them over.
I’ve always interpreted the humility issue in textile arts in a different way. To me, the maker is not creating an intentional mistake. Instead, they’re admitting that nobody on this earth is perfect, and not torturing themselves over an inconsistency.
I love that
I know that Persian carpets have a mistake in the same reason.
I’ve been putting all project info on an index card when I start so I can stick it in the project bag when I walk away from it. I find index cards large enough to leave myself little notes while working so I don’t lose the plot when I walk away from things for awhile. Hard of thinking means I don’t want to rely on remembering or figuring out what I was doing when I return to a project.
I think I need a system like this. I don't remember to update Ravelry or my knitting journal. I need something more immediate and that I am easily keep with the project. I might adopt this idea. Thanks for the suggestion!
I do this too, and keep a pen in the project bag with it so I don't have to go looking for one whenever I need to make a note. The very first thing I write on the card is yarn and needle size! I try and get the colourful index cards so they stand out against the pattern paper etc.
This is a great idea. I am trying to be good and keep a small note book with my project notes in it. I am quite a monogamous knitter so never have too many projects on the go, so keeping a notebook for me is easy in my bag/ basket. Good practice though is updating the notes at the end of every knitting session, so they are always up to date so when I add the project to Ravelry I have it all there to write up any alterations made.
By the way, I am loving this destash series as it's inspiring me to tackle my yarn mountain, at least by cataloguing it on Ravelry for now. Therefore picking projects and matching yarn will be easier. Thank you Claude, you are amazing.
I tie a parcel tag with the hook size, yarn and any notes
This is such a good idea! I currently have a notebook that I make notes in, but I love the idea of having a note in the project bag itself. I'm definitely going to start doing this.
Unsolicited advice: take a breath and cut yourself some slack. You're working really hard on this huge stash busting project and we can all see how much work it takes. It's alright to need a break when things stop being fun rather than push on through feeling miserable.
Also, from my own yearly destashing experience, it truly is okay to pass on yarn you feel uninspired by. To someone else, it'll be fresh and exciting in a way it isn't to you anymore. You don't have to be unhappy to justify having acquired yarn in the first place. Crafting is, in my mind, meant to be more fun than not. Having made myself work on creative projects when I was sick of them just made me need a much longer break, in the end.
There, that's my unsolicited advice. I love the lacy blue top you made. It's absolutely darling. I hope you'll show us what it looks like stitched together next month!
Yup twice yrly at church we rummage! We bring all our bits and bobs to trade in our craft group, leave our uninspiring bits and take home others to be reinspired by! Cheers
Wooow, you actually cut the crochet to add a missing row! THIS IS BIG! No one has tried this that I know of. It's brilliant! If you could video a bit to show how you do it would help somebody if not a lot of people. You think you're having a hard time but you don't realize how much you have encouraged us and gave us a gem of a tip! Again, just brilliant!
For your blue cone. You could separate some skeins worth and maybe try different levels of bleaching to get your different shades of blue that should stay cohesive with the one cone you bought for the shawl.
Aah, how cute, the bit at the end! Now I want to design a rounded triangle with a lace chevron in Tunisian crochet to match this one. I think getting cute yarn for the edging would be good, even if it's "putting yarn back in your stash". For me, the point of stash busting is to find the value of what I've been gathering over the years/months and transforming that, and if it needs a little extra help, that's all right.
We were comrades in frogging, swifting, and steaming. :-) I just did the same thing with a misbehaving hat project!
Don't be dishearten Claude! I'm relistening to all the stash busting videos as I knit up my stash. It's very inspiring to see you tackle this stash and the blue lace blouse, because no else in my immediate circle understands why I cry out like a wounded animal when I had to frog 20cm of lace knitted on 2mm needles.
That ball of frustration is too real.
But we must remind ourselves, we like knitting. It was just an excuse to knit some more. Yup. Definitely.
I got them pom poms!!! They are so cute! thank you so much ♥
I'm trying to work from stash and there is always the problem that I don't have the right amount or colours for what I actually want to knit. I've decided not to stress about those smaller amounts and will one day knit a huge marled scrap blanket instead! The shawl looks great even without a border and despite the trouble it caused you!
I have the same issue lol x
The perseverance with the lace blouse is inspiring! It can be frustrating but the extra effort to make something that really fits is so worth it, I think. Another wonderful video to watch while I knit as well ❤️
As someone who went on a stash busting adventure and a buy ban/no buy year. It sucks. And yea i experienced everything you did so far. Dont sweat. No point in knitting things for the sake of the stash if you arent really gonna like it or the design is being sacraficed for "using up"yarn. It ended up stalling my progress of stash busting quite a lot.
Hello team! I've updated the description to include links to patterns for the knits I'm wearing in this video. Sorry I always forget to do it! Cx
Thank you for the tip about steaming the wool right on the swift! That just makes so much sense! ✌❤🇨🇦
I very much feel the "why did I bother". You are not alone in the January/Febuary knitting woes.
I knit a matching hat and mitts set(finished in early January) and had enough leftover for a scarf then lost one of the mittens, and have been doing weird surgery on my scarf to get enough of the various colours back to reknit the mitten. I have a sock I started that I need to frog back to halfway through the foot as it was too small and also colourwork and I want the colours to be lined up in a specific way. And I also have a finished pair of socks I want to frog to before the heels and reknit the heels to fit better.
You are so close with the ripple blanket! Sooooo Close!!! I don't know if you gave up since this is a couple of months later.
I've been trying to destash heavily this year as well, though I've also ended up buying more yarn I don't need! Something I've struggled with is feeling like I have to use up old yarn that I don't like or don't suit me or my style any more. I was trying so hard to find uses for the 4,000 yards of bright pink acrylic and ended up stressing myself out making projects I hated just to justify it. This also applied to 'expensive' yarns I had that I had no use for and was struggling to justify the money spent.
However, someone I spoke to actually recommended a local youth group that I had never heard of, that wanted to accept my old craft supplies for teaching classes!
I know it's something you may not think of first, but It was something that really helped me move past spending guilt and environmental guilt over 'getting rid' of yarns that were causing me far more stress than they were worth.
It's been really nice to follow you on this journey, and it's been great to see that stash number go down!
Yes! It should be used….does not mean it must be used by me.
This is my hobby and my delight. Using up stash can make it a chore. I don’t need that in my free time.
I have some sock yarn that is beautiful. I am using it by knitting up a few Stephen West shawls. Just a thought.
I inherited a large stash of yarns when my grandmother passed, a lot of them fluffy, or fancy, or otherwise ‘interesting’. She was primarily a knitter, so not an issue for her, but she was also a genuine hoarder, so she would bulk buy eyelash yarn in mud and mucus colourways because it was on offer. I am fortunately a multi skilled yarn crafter so that stuff gets used as fringing on landscape tapestry weaves, because I honestly don’t think I could give it away and y conscience won’t let it go to landfill.
That Make Do and Mend pullover... my brain said Make Do And Intarsia. 😂 Bet that's an interesting construction on that one, would love a separate video if you do decide to make it!
It's in the pipeline and I wish it had been Intarsia 🙈 I've been sewing up for days!
Also, that royal blue would look absolutely fetching as a cardigan! Especially on you, I think!
The shawl looks so cozy!
So sorry the blanket went kablooey, crochet is a rough one when mistakes aren’t caught right away!
I have often felt this way about my knitting, including knitting up a whole ball of yarn in a 250-stitch round before realizing I'd put in a half-twist at the join. I was so disgusted! I hope February and March have gone better for you.
I don't really knit, but I crochet a lot. I have the same problem- over the years I have amassed many yarns. But since this is a hobby and it should bring you joy- I don't stress about it. When I start a project, I first check my stash and then if I don't have the yarn, then and only then I buy it. Little by little, I am starting to work through the stash.
The main thing is- have fun! If you don't like the yarn or don't have enough for a project- maybe donate it? There are crafters that will do amazing things with 10grams of yarn.
This has officially become the video that I put on in the background whenever I need to rip back in a project. Thanks for your company, Claude!
This series is one of my favourite yarn related on RUclips! Thank you for keeping it up even if it's frustrating at times
My crafting went crazy after I retired and moved and had a dedicated craft room. I love having lots of materials but UFO's not so much. I bought eight flat plastic baskets from the Dollar store and put a project in each. I will admit to finding 17 when I started (I do many crafts) but every time I emptied a basket I added one until I was down to the eight. A few I decided I just didn't like and got rid of. Now I always keep it to a maximum of eight, sometimes a few are empty or only contain a pattern and I'm gathering materials. I have a note on each basket with the info about the project and date it so I don't keep it too long. If all eight baskets are full I can't start anything.
Wow Claude, I think it's totally amazing what you got accomplished, as always. I totally know what you mean by projects being cursed, my whole life (including sewing and knitting projects) seems to be haunted with "ohh, DAMN" moments. Good job for keeping on keeping on, I hope you will show us the blue sweater someday when it's sewn up, as the pattern and color is so pretty, and you certainly deserve to show it off after the fight it put up! :P Lots of luck and hugs from the USA.
The blue sweater shall be coming next month 🎉 it's been one of the things I've managed to complete during Finish It February 💚
@@RetroClaude Awesome and great job! I'm working on a knitted handbag at the moment, and while I probably won't finish it in the next 4 days of Feb (where does the time go), I actually just picked it up again today after not doing anything for a while.
Side note, it is so nice, you are the only creator on RUclips that I've ever had actually reply to my comments, thanks Claude. :)
Wow, I've never seen someone knit directly off scrap yarn. Genius!
The blue lace jumper is so beautiful.,I am looking forward to seeing the finished make. All your stress seems to come from working out how much yarn your using and buying.Why not just enjoy knitting and only work out how much you need to complete a project. The Victorian shawl is lovely,it looks so authentic.
I just want to update, that after rewatching your destashing videos, I bought yarn dye this morning and to strike when the iron was hot, dyed it all in one afternoon. So keep on keeping Claude! I credit you as the inspiration 👍
The shawl is lovely, and looks so cozy and soft! Great idea about the baby jacket! And I can’t wait to see the pale blue sweater! I love all your videos, and am awed at your abilities. Thanks for keeping it real.
Sometimes I think stash busting is a state of mind. Just getting us to be mindful ofwhat we're buying and why, well it seems to have made a difference for me. Thank you for sharing your journey. Your pieces are so amazing and your talents are way beyond mine so it's fascinating sometimes to just watch you knit. It's still some sort of magic to me, but it's neat to see. Here's hoping for a wonderfully satisfying and rewarding 2023.
I’m not sure if this comment will come across exactly right in the midst of your discouragement, but I wanted to share how your stash busting project has encouraged me.
I have a box of yarn. I don’t know whether I’d call it a stash, exactly, because I feel like it’s more random and less intentional than the beautiful collections I see other knitters call “stash.” Significantly, a huge chunk of it consists of yarn acquired in my early years of knitting that I do not want, do not like, and have no real use for. A problem!
About four years ago, I began a project to start deliberately using up this unwanted yarn. Specifically, I was looking for projects I did want to knit, but that I could make work with the yarn I don’t want. And I was doing pretty well, if I do say so myself… until a well meaning person who didn’t understand why I was researching and planning instead of actively knitting went and collected other people’s unwanted yarn to gift to me. Unsurprisingly, it was five skeins of Red Heart Super Saver! After having just eliminated four skeins of the stuff, this was discouraging to me and I worked only two rows of a new project with the new unwanted yarn before I basically stopped knitting altogether for a period of time.
Your stash busting project gave me the inspiration I needed to launch myself back into my own project of using up unwanted yarn. So far I’m down four full skeins of Red Heart Super Saver, including making substantial progress on a blanket project I “paused” back in middle school (2008!) when I had to return the book I was using. I also felt inspired to pick back up two other projects I abandoned when I got discouraged, and I’m making good progress on those too.
Seeing your updates is really keeping me going on this. Just yesterday I was thinking that maybe I didn’t want to finish that blanket after all, maybe it should be one of those decorative foot-cover strip things instead… but now that I’ve seen your latest update, yes I do want it to be a blanket! A throw blanket, not a full size one, but a blanket nonetheless.
The shawl turned out beautifully!
I’m very envious of your knitting ability! I love crochet but I cannot manage knitting. Apart from very basic stuff, knitting does my head in.
Love your ability to use up yarn!
Hi, You are doing so well with depleting your stash as I know how hard it can be to reduce. I only seem to expand mine!
I love the lacy blue blouse and look forward to seeing it when finished.
That oddments jumper is a dream of mine. I just never seem to have the right amounts of the right yarn in colours that I like. Really excited to live vicariously through you for that one!
I think the finished result is quite cute on you actually! It looks a little more casual but it’s not unflattering at all and maybe with some equally funky accessories it will be very fetching! I love that you show the process of all these vintage patterns, it’s so interesting to see how much knitting has evolved and I’m obsessed with your stash busting series because of how creative you’re getting in using up all the yarn. Happy knitting!
My daughter made me some little stitch markers with the letter (or number) of the hook used for the article in progress. I attach it at the beginning of a project and then I always know what hook to use. Now if I could find some way of keeping track of the instructions for each project. I like variety so I always have about 12 things going at any time. LOL
I kinda love unravelling projects. It's annoying when something goes wrong but the yarn moving back and forth as you unravel is weirdly satisfying to me!
Also, I've never considered putting stitches like that on the neckline on hold and will definitely be trying that next time I see a similar instruction in a pattern!
I think a cat hacked your account. 🧶🐈😂😂
When it comes to crochet, it really is easier not to mention faster just to rip out the mistake and redo it. But I commend you on trying a new technique to replace it.
If it was me I simply would have just mod the pattern to something like this as an example for the solids areas; white 6, blue 4 (whatever it is, I don't remember), white 8, blue 4, white 6, blue 6, white 8, blue 6 and repeat so on.
I also put my wips into large zip lock bags and write on them yarn info, hook/needles being used, pattern and sometimes a start date. Good luck and looking forward to what you do with the pretty blue cone.
I don’t knit but enjoy your vlogs on sewing and your knitting vlogs are now added to the list. Looking forward to more 😃
This is my favorite video series! Not only are you lovely, but I really enjoy that we can follow your progress with you. I feel it shows what we all go through when knitting, that we are not alone. I'm also knitting from my stash, and these videos are a great inspiration for me.
About the cursed times when crafting, don't worry, you are not alone 😅. Just a few hours ago, I found out that my beautiful hand dyed sock yarn that I'm knitting with got stuck into the zipper of my bag... I had to break it. It comes after a week where I had to sew 3 times one sleeve, and I lost the instructions of a cardigan I'm designing and knitting...
Just breathe and keep trying 🤷🏻♀️
Greetings from South Korea
I try to create a ravelry entry when i start a project because pauzing and then not remembering the needle size really is a thing. You are not alone...
I’m loving the Victorian shawl. I found a ufo yesterday while looking for my 12mm needles. No idea when I started it , tried to pick it back up today but I’m not sure about it. I started a knitting journal this year to help me keep track of my knits.
Months ago, I saw the Vianne cardigan in one of your videos and loved it, so I looked it up on Ravelry and was disappointed to find that the pattern was no longer available. I was going through my Ravelry library last night and found that I DO have the pattern? And have since 2015? Somehow? I might even have the yarn for it. So that's good news!
Things that seem cursed are extra satisfying when they're done. You'll get there; don't be too hard on yourself.
God bless you for staying the course !!!! And thank you for sharing.... just getting into knitting now and I'll be very wary of adding to my stash prematurely. 😉
That shawl is so beautiful! Makes me want to throw away all my WIPs and cast one on 🙈
Don't throw them away just yet! Make it through February first 💪
The shawl is absolutely gorgeous, you look so so beautiful with it in the garden😍 And the baby jacket is so damn cute. Lucky baby, haha. And thank you for sharing. Wish you a beautiful year full of exciting projects 👍
I'm glad you were able to finish knitting the centre of the shawl and the sweater, even if it felt like you were taking two steps forward and one step back at the time! Both are gorgeous. I agree with you, it is better to wait and decide what you want to do with the shawl, without a border it is a neutral, natural cream shade and goes with almost everything, once you add colour to the border, then it will go with certain clothing items more than others.
I understand the frustration at setting a goal and not being able to complete it quite the way you intended, I was finishing off UFOs and trying to only buy what I needed to finish things, then fell and broke my elbow in November. I'm knitting again and doing a little bit of sewing and spinning, but I know I have to not over do it.
I love this series 😊 I can't even knit a hat, YET!
I'm a fan of the 1940's styles and I love both the color (colour for all you across the pond people) that I'm even excited to see you complete and wear that sweater!
Lovely shawl, Claude.
I'm glad to see you found the will to redo the top part of your blue jumper. It's such a pretty pattern and I'm looking forward to seeing it finished.
I just wish I was experienced enough to knit such a lovely jumper. I bet it will look stunning, worn.
I keep a knitter journal for my project notes. Cannot rely on my memory anymore.
Have you thought of the Elizabeth Zimmerman baby surprise jacket? Also adult version. You use any bits of wool in your stash to create fun stripes. Just a thought. Great for all those small bits of yarns.
Hello Claude! I found your videos over Christmas and immediately binged your knitting videos. Just earlier today I had your Plans for the New year video on in the background and thought the January video should come out soon. I think the lacy jumper looks great and I hope you had some more luck finishing it during February, can’t wait to see the results
Hi, Claude! I must admit I binged most if not all your knitting videos. I've been crocheting for a year now, but I'm a baby knitter, just started in October, and I love watching you make stuff I've no chance of making (yet). Absolutely love how the lacy blue jumper turned out!! Sending you good vibes.
Such beautiful and inspirational knitting! I’m an avid knitter but have only ever done baby knits so loved seeing your little jumper 🤍
Awww, I really feel for you, sometimes everything I touch turns to poop! I think we've all been there 💜 I'm glad you got that lacy blue top finished, it's lovely, and that shawl looks beautifully cosy! The nice thing about knitting for babies is the instant gratification. If you need a quick win, whip out a baby cardi, highly recommend 👍
Oh! I forgot to say! I've been using your Good, Better, Best system to help me prioritise tasks in my daily life. ADHD brains aren't good at planning and organising lists of tasks. But I can gather them into groups of Good (needs to get done today), Better (would like to do today), and Best (my magical unicorn perfect day 🦄😂). It means I can see more clearly where to direct my energies, but still gives me choices so I can work with the body and brain I have at a given moment.
This has radically changed how I think about my To Do list each day - I approach it with much less dread and overwhelm. Thank you, thank you, thank you! It has made SUCH a difference! 💜
I love that colour blue, and the pattern is so pretty. I'm sure it'll be a beautiful sweater when it's finished
You take my breath away Claude! Youre one of my FAVE costubers, but the knitting ones just deflate my brain...its my needlework holy grail. You just rock. I can plain and pearl, but ANY and EVERY time i have followed detailed online tutorials for even the most basic of knitted lace, somewhere i screw up. I am making (pain aside) a 15ft long girl version of the Dr Who scarfe, in MOSS stitch no less...its getting there. But I covet 1940's knitted lace tops in my size... I cant even find someone to pay to do it! How can i win prizes for my costuming yet fail so well at what is in essence a 'simple' process. Youre an inspiration
That shawl is beautiful!! I’m doing a “finish 2 wips and you can start a new project” this year, here’s to hoping it actually helps with my problem 😂
On the ripple crochet blanket, you should have just frogged it back 😅 I know the feeling of “no, my progress!” but honestly, if something bothers me in the slightest, it will still bother me at the end, and then there’s more work to frog and redo. The only piece I have never applied that rule to is a patchwork shawl I started 5 years ago, having newly learnt how to crochet, and in the years since, I have learnt new techniques.
Your methodology is so helpful for stashbusting, tiktok makes it look easier than it actually is 💓
It is so hard to resist buying more wool! Especially when there are sales of merino 4ply wool half price at Spotlight. My stash-busting is going backwards.
That blue wool is beautiful! I'm excited to see the jumper you make out if it. Also the baby jacket 😍 I love making baby items! They're so cute and surprisingly quick to finish. I've put all my littles in wool, but I don't mind the hand washing. However, for gifts, if I do make something in wool, I make sure it's super wash, and that care instructions are pinned to the item. That is also only on request. Looking forward to seeing the finished lacey top!
Oh no to all the things going wrong! Well done for persevering (and not swearing like a docker whilst talking about it, I think I would have done!) I love the blue shade of yarn you bought, even if you can’t use it for the Victorian shawl it will still be lovely! I LOVE the baby cardigan too, it’s so dang cute! They are very lucky! Also, inspired by all of your knitting of socks, I have finally finished my first pair (an achievement which has been on my bucket list for years but I’ve been too scared and confused by it!) Your videos have really inspired me to try learn new techniques and to have things to work towards, even if I can’t get my head round them at the moment! My next milestone will be a jumper I think! Looking forward to the next video as always!
Yay congratulations on the socks!! I'm so proud of you for pushing yourself and achieving your goal 🎉
Thank you for another lovely video!
Such a relatable issue of forgetting which size needles are being used from interchangeables! Well done for pushing through!
I recently found that they also make little end stoppers (spheres) which I am finding wonderful! I have two pairs and am tempted to get more - no need to put on a different size needle as a placeholder when needing the needles elsewhere!
Hello! Thank you for sharing your January progress. Honestly, you were not alone riding the struggle bus last month. I also had some issues (darn math...wrong stitch counts) with my main project.
Silver lining: I was able to finish the month with a satisfying little completed project!
Knit on and carry on with finish it Feburary!
P.S. My main project is still in a time out, I'll tackle it in March after a month of rest.
I love that shawl as it is - it will go with everything and will be lovely with your dainty pink sprigged fabric. Good job!
I've only just found you on YT, and have been really enjoying your back catalogue. I love how clever & persistent you are. I won't tell you about the lacy baby cardigan I was knitting for a friend's first baby... he's now in his 20s!
And I'm definitely adopting your Good, Better, Best philosophy. Genius!
The shawl looks absolutely lovely
So happy to see you Claude! Hope you’re doing well. That baby jacket is so cute and such a great use for the swimsuit leftovers. Love all the other projects as well ❤
Congratulations on finishing the shawl! The baby sweater looks amazing! Good luck with Finish It February.
I am trying to finish old things and use stash. Qujite a bit of baby knitting here to use the odd bits. I love your shawl x
Hello from Canada! I was very happy to see a new video from you! I'm a crocheter who is learning continental knitting. I feel I have knitted and frogged so many times I think I have knitted the sleeves for my sweater (jumper) twice! Nice to see even experts have to frog sometimes too.
Great job and video.
Oh! So exited for the coming make, do and mend cardigan!
So interesting to see closeups of you knitting as I find myself thinking "oh, you do it THAT way" or "I do it that way too!" and that's inspiring.
It's comforting in a way to see things go wrong, but you persevering anyway. It's so relatable.
I haven't knitted or sewed as much as I would have wanted to since the beginning of the year. But slowly, very slowly things are moving forward even though I have barely finished anything.
The shawl is gorgeous. So delicate and looks very cozy!
I love your videos they are relaxing for me, thank you for sharing looking forward to February 😊😊😊
I so feel you with the cursed projects situation. Sometimes there are just times that I am so focused in one direction that I miss basically everything else and do this to myself. Absolutely love the Victorian Shawl. It is gorgeous. The blue sweater is really cute. The baby jacket is adorable and the blanket looks so cozy. So once you have worked through the rest of those projects and the others you are planning work/working on, you will have a lovely total. :) Hang in there! It will all come together. :)
Hi for what it’s worth I think you have done amazingly well with your projects considering the hurdles you’ve had to cross!
Beautiful shawl. ❤. Sell the new blue wool cone! The lace knit is so pretty 😍 And the baby jacket is so freaking cute!
The shawl is beautiful! I love that you can tie it in the back like a Sontag, too. Also, I'm obsessed with the tam you had on in the reveal and great job destashing last month! I hope your finish it February has been going well! Time zones being what they are, I think you're officially into March now, so congrats!
Wow, I am so so happy for you that you tackled the blue lace project and the white chevron shawl. They both look stunning!!! I just redid a pair of socks 3 times, so I know how you feel. I know how I felt and it was a way smaller project. So happy for you. Greetings from Belgium
I've found using pocket knitting to be really helpful keeping me in track with all my projects. I can't remember much so it's invaluable. I love that it has a line marker, place for notes, and you can import PDFs and patterns entirely into it. It's free!
I like your pattern, thinking about it, maybe I could pretty easily adjust it for my size. Hmm 🤔.
Your blanket 😂 in the time you took to rip it out, vs the amount of yarn you'd use up..I don't think ripping it out makes sense. Especially since crochet uses more yarn than knitting.
The blue is gorgeous!🤩 Perhaps you could use it for the jerkin, since you said you weren't sure you had enough yarn for that project.
❤ it looks so soft and warm!
Fabulous job as always. I think January was just cursed in general? I was sick the entire month and every time I tried to pick up projects they had to get ripped back 🤦♀️ I'm excited you're getting through the blue blouse! It looks like it will be so special to wear. Where I live we have erratic weather through March but it's largely hot and humid already here. Like sweating into a puddle wearing shorts levels of heat. So I've started a lace work cotton/bamboo short sleeve cardigan thing for over tank tops for myself. I feel like this is a lace year for me maybe 🤔
The shawl is beautiful and looks so warm.
One thing about working with yarn is if it doesn't work, unravel it and do something else. Someone gifted me a kit for a hood scarf combo and I was nearly finished when I gave up. I kept thinking "it will work out, it will work out" but no. I hated it. Now I am using the yarn to make a vest instead. Good luck on the blanket!
I think the solid blue would still make a lovely border for your Victorian shawl! I’m sure it’s still very appropriate for the era-I bet some people back then even made the same mistake you did !! I think you should embrace it and stick with the solid blue for the border : )
One of Roxanne Richardson's videos about finish it February (last year maybe?) she said, it's not just about finishing the entirety of a project, but about deciding how to move the project on - or indeed, if that project is worth moving on. That helped me think "Okay, I can break this project down and... finish this sleeve, do 15 minutes a day on this blanket, do the baby mittens I want to do for that baby..." rather than focus on "Oh dear, there's so much stuff I need to do! I can't get it all done! Panic!"
I've got 2 jumpers made in the round from the same pattern, in aran yarn, and the first one I did as the pattern said and went straight into the ribbing for the neckband. It is a lot looser than I'd like for British winters, so when I did the 2nd jumper, I cast off (put a locking stitch marker on & checked I could fit it over my head) and then picked up the stitches straight away. A little bit more work, but a better neckline. But of course they're much heavier than your lace jumper, and as they're worked in the round, everything hangs from the neckband. So there are sometimes reasons to cast off and pick up for a neckband. That said, it would disturb the front of the lace jumper to do that! Putting the stitches on spare yarn and picking up again was a much better idea than casting off and picking up again.
I like Marianna Mel on Ravelry for baby knits - lots of her patterns are free, which is always handy for finding out how the designer writes their patterns. I've got a jacket and mittens done for a church baby, and just need to cast on for the booties so I can get the set done...
And sometimes, "finishing" a project means frogging it.
@@janisi9262 Oh yes! I nearly did that the other day... But since the dog had chewed one of the needles (sturdy plastic children's knitting needles, dog is fine) and I found the yarn very unpleasant to use - I threw it all away instead! Definitely finished with it 😂!
Hey Claude, I wanted to see the gorgeous blue lace jumper on you or at least show us the finished blocked jumper. I want to knit myself a jumper but I need a larger size. I've never sized up to accommodate for my 40ish inch bust. It might take a lot of math, trial and error, and frogging. I'm determined to knit a jumper. I've knitted a lot of cardigans. Berets and baby sweaters. I just need to get yarn and get started.
There are definitely some projects that are just cursed lol. The baby sweater came out so cute! It's too bad about the pattern. The only book I have ever straight up thrown in the trash was a book of baby patterns. I couldn't pass it on to anther knitter in good conscience.
It’s a wonderful shawl. I can just picture it thrown over the back of a rocking chair.
Not that it helps you, but you inspired me to stash bust! I made a cardigan and currently making another out of yarn I have had AT LEAST 17 years. So thank you!
I so know what it's like to mess up more than once on one or more projects in succession. In future, when working an afghan and you have to correct an error, rip out to the point of correction. It goes WAY faster than what you did. I've had to rip back many times over the years. Is the cone of lovely blue yarn enough for the circa 1940s knitted sweater you showed? The blue will be lovely on you. Congratulations for finishing the shawl. What a nice accessory for your real-life and costuming wardrobes!
Glad to see you back. It's been awhile and I was concerned if you were ok. I was wondering if you are going to continue the 1940s dresd you started late last year.
Hi from Anglesey in North Wales. I’ve just found your channel and am binge watching your videos. I have fibromyalgia and also Osteoarthritis, no know all about pain. Big hugs xx