Knitting - Challenging myself by making something that scares me

Is there anything you've not done, not because its super complicated or really outwith your skill set, just because it scares you? 

I knit and crochet, it's what I do. I love it. I can knit socks from memory without needing to check anything, I've completed complex amigurimi and shawls. There was one thing that really scared me though and I don't know why. 

Flat knitting a hat...

I don't know why they freaked me out so much. I've knitted a few in the round and found them really easy, and logically knitting flat and sewing them up should be easier. 

Today I decided to face that illogical fear and attempt it. I chose chunky yarn and huge needles. I also picked a super simple pattern so that I hopefully couldn't go wrong.

Also I really wanted rid of this ball of orange and blue yarn, it looks like an irn bru can but not in a good way.

The pattern called for eight rows been the ribbing at the bottom and decreasing at the top and I thought that maybe wasn't enough. I ended up tweaking the pattern and adding another two rows to the main section. Turns out this maybe wasn't enough.

Front

 Here's the hat all finished. As you can see it looks a little short.

Back

 And here's a photo of the back with the seem on it. I think it was having to sew it up that scared me. That part actually went really smoothly. See, nothing to be scared of.

And its way, way to short for me. In the hat (and the patterns) defense, I do have a crazy big head. Like super large. So that may have played a part in it.

Yeah, its teeny on me. But fear faced. I'm going to weigh it for the 2kg before Christmas project I have on the go right now (full explanation here) and then either donate it to a charity shop or  find out if Social Bite are looking for winter clothing donations again. Its really thick and snuggly and would most likely fit anyone that doesn't have a head as big as mine. 

XOXO Scruffy 

Enquiry? Message me ascruffyduck@gmail.com

Knitting and Crochet: Yarn Destash and Project Finish - 2kg before Christmas

So far this blog has been made up mostly of beauty reviews and thrift hauls, however when I started it a few months ago that was never all I wanted it to be. Theres more to me than liquid lipstick and second hand jumpers.

I've always been a really creative person, as a child it was drawing and as a teenager I learned to hand and machine sew. In my early twenties I taught myself to crochet, knit and needle felt and these activities have now became my biggest creative outlets.

 My job isn't a creative one, its very customer service based, which may be a blessing and a curse at the same time. The good days, when I really help someone, or get a lot done are great. On bad days I find myself dreaming of being anywhere else, sometimes with my friends, sometimes alone, either way I always have knitting or crochet close by.

Its at the stage now where I find it almost compulsive. I struggle to sit and watch TV without something in my hands and I've been known to take smaller projects to the pub on occasion. I find it calming after a bad day and it's a great activity to shut my brain off before bed. It's my jam.

Unfortunately (or fortunately *smooth*) a hobby like knitting requires wool, and when you have wool you've bought without a specific project in mind this goes into your stash. My stash is a little out of control and I need to reign it back in just a smidge.

As yarn is primarily measured in weight (then length, and there's also a yarn thickness measure) I decided it would be easier to create a weight based target for this project. 2kg might not seem like a lot, but that's over 20 pairs of hand knitted socks, 2 large blankets or over 300 crocheted flowers. 

What I'm going to do is weigh and photograph everything I finish. Then tally it up. I'll do an update when I hit a kilo and then again just after Christmas to let you know how I got on. If I find I hit it earlier than expected by tearing through the chunky stuff, I'll maybe extend it by 500g at a time.

I'm also going to start a separate destash bag I'll weugh separately at the end, everything in here will be of useable length and I'll probably try and pass it on to a local group or care home that could make good use out of it. I'm not going to set myself a target for this as all the yarn I own I bought for a reason and I don't think they'll be a huge amount I want to give away.

Wish me luck.

XOXO Scruffy

Enquiry? Message me ascruffyduck@gmail.com