FO Catch up

I've missed out on a couple of FO Friday link-ups now, mostly due to bad timing and being horrendously busy. So time for a catch up.

Secret Birthday Project is first up. I've been holding this one in reserve for an FO Friday for weeks, but I couldn't dare share until I had gifted it. Well, it was a birthday present for my mother, who turned 60 this week. I sent it last week, and spent days eagerly awaiting confirmation that it had been received, but of course, she didn't open it till her actual birthday, which was on Monday!

Pattern: Carisbrooke Stole by Deborah E. Burger (rav link)
Yarn: King Cole Zig Zag 4ply in lilac (749)
Hook: 5mm
Started: 10th February
Finished: 1st March

I really enjoyed making this. The pattern was great, the yarn was lovely to work with. It worked up quickly, and striped beautifully. The only modification I made to the pattern was to edge the whole piece with a basic sc border.

This was the first time I tried my hand at blocking. I pinned the ends out on my ironing board, sprayed them with water till they were fairly damp, and left them for two days or so. In terms of growth, it didn't have much impact, just a few inches wider and longer at each end. But it neatened everything up wonderfully, which you can see here:

Unfortunately I don't have the space to even consider blocking the entire piece, so this one just got the ends only. My next lace project is likely to be a shawl, so I should have more luck blocking a whole project in one go.

Avalon Top is another eagerly anticipated FO! Last time this featured, it was awaiting sleeves. Well, as I said last week, I started on the sleeve and decided about six rounds in that I didn't like them. Who wants a top they don't like? So I ripped back, and finished off the sleeves with a round of 9sc in each ch5 loop.

Of course, once the sleeves were done, all it needed was the ends weaving in and perhaps blocking. This is where we hit the real stumbling blocks to me finishing anything. I hate weaving in ends. So it sat for a while, all forlorn on my dressmaker's dummy in the corner of the living room. I swear it was looking sad on purpose, to make me feel guilty. I succumbed this weekend, and wove in all my ends on Sunday. I was so pleased, I decided to ignore the curling of the bottom border and sleeves, and wore it to work on Monday!

I'm very pleased with it.

Pattern: Avalon Top by Doris Chan (rav link)

Yarn: Wendy Mode DK in Vanilla

Hook: 5mm

Started: 6th February

Finished: 13th March

Fontana Scarf Mark II was a quick and easy project. I am so pleased with it. Almost as soon as it was off the hook, it was claimed by Jamie.

Pattern: Simple Textured Crochet Scarf by Andrea Lyn Van Benschoten (rav link)

Yarn: Zettl Fontana

Hook: 8mm

Started: 3rd March

Finished: 5th March

That's my FO's caught up with, time to catch up with everyone else! Lets see what Tami and the gang have on offer today...

Also, this week I'm hooking up with Fibers on Friday, another linky party hosted by Beth over at Visions of Sugar Plums.