Year of Projects 2 - an early roundup

The second Year of Projects comes to an end on the 30th June. Immediately afterwards, we will plunge recklessly into a third year! I'm rounding off my second year a few weeks early, as I want to have some time to carefully consider what to do with my list this time around. In the first year, I focused on a list of patterns that would push and challenge me, teaching me new techniques and skills to broaden my knowledge and experience as both a knitter and crocheter.

In my second year, I took a different strategy. I went through my stash, and put together a list of yarns I wanted to use. Now the year draws to a close, so it's time to see what that approach yielded.

These are the yarns that made it onto my list. A mix of fibres and weights, gifts and self purchases. A slightly broader colour palette perhaps than I am used to, but pinks and purples still dominate. I seem to be developing a taste for blue as well!

I think when I put the list together I was being very optimistic. My hope was, with so much to choose from, I'd never get bored of it. This is what I turned it into over the course of the last eleven months (well, more like eight months or so, as I've not got much crafting done in the last few months between the house move and the wedding!).

Nineteen finished projects, using eleven of the yarns I added to the list. In addition to these finished items, I have three projects still listed as WIPs in my project page which come from the list: Starlight, a beaded lace shrug using the gorgeously purple Fyberspates Scrumptious Lace, which is nowhere near finished, the Cwtch Shawl in the Natural Dye Studio Scheherazade, which needs to have its bind off undone and re-done in a stretchier stitch, and Peerie Flooers, in the Rowan Fine Tweed, which has been finished since Christmas but needs the ends weaving in and blocking. I hope to get that done by the time winter knocks on our doors again!

The other projects not displayed here represent my failed efforts. I tried to make a start on the Ishbel shawl once I'd finished the hat, but didn't get anywhere with it. I picked up the Artesano 100% Alpaca DK and tried to knit the Baskerville hat, but obviously wasn't concentrating well enough on it as I went wrong so many times I gave up in disgust. I still want to knit them though, so they might find their way onto the list for year three!

Nineteen beats my eleven from the previous year, although I think I was less distracted this year because of the way I designed the challenge for myself. Last year's list has so much revision, so many patterns crossed off and added, whereas this year I felt far less guilty about doing something else. A quick look at my Ravelry page shows thirteen finished projects alongside the above, completed since this second Year of Projects started, but most are small, quick distractions. The only things I did that weren't were the sofa bed afghan and our Christmas stockings, but that was ok because I'd planned for both of those to take time away from the list.

I'm not sure which is my favourite project from the year. I wore Phannie and Ishbel beret alternately almost every day through the winter and early spring. I can't choose between the three shawls I knit this year, as they are all fabulous, but I think the Lazy Katy just might win, on the basis that I knit it so quickly and it's such a quirky shape. I'm proud of knitting my first toe up socks, and the hot water bottle platypus was the difference between a good night's sleep and hypothermia when I went camping last November.

What I do know is that it would be a lot harder to stick to the challenge without all the other wonderful people who are challenging themselves right alongside me. Year two saw a lot of new folks joining the group and getting involved, and it's been great to share this journey with you all again. Looking forward to seeing you all back for round three!

Cook from a cookbook: Croque Madame Muffins

As we were stuck inside the house for most of the weekend thanks to the snow, we ended up watching a lot of TV. Jamie had the food channel on for most of the day, so we were subjected to an awful lot of food porn. On Sunday morning, we caught the beginning of an episode of The Little Paris Kitchen and watched Rachel Khoo make Croque Madame Muffins. Jamie immediately decided that he wanted them for lunch. Handily, we were given the cookbook from the series as a housewarming present earlier in the year, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to dig it out and give it a try.

I found the recipe inside and noted down the ingredients before we ventured out into the snow to get provisions.

It's a really simple recipe; the only complicated part is making the Mornay sauce, but as I have plenty of experience in making bechamel sauces, this wasn't a problem. Jamie had lots of fun preparing the bread (you have to cut the crusts off and then squash the slices of bread with a rolling pin, before slathering melted butter all over both sides), while I got to cover myself in egg white trying to reduce the amount of egg white that ended up in each muffin.

They were absolutely delicious. We left ours in the oven a bit too long, and the egg yolks had cooked through, so the next time we do them we will not cook them as long. A great side effect of cooking this dish is that we now own a muffin tray as well as our cupcake tray, so I can see lots of experiments in muffin baking on the horizon.

Year of Projects 2011-2012 Final Post

So this is it. The final day of the inaugural Year of Projects is here. It's been an absolute blast. Kudos to Keri for coming up with the idea in the first place and a massive thank you to everyone in the Ravelry group for getting on board and getting stuck in.

My original list has changed multiple times over the past twelve months, as you can see from my page! I started with 20 patterns, fairly evenly split between knitting and crochet. By the end, I'd added another five, and removed a total of 12. That leaves thirteen projects to have completed in the last twelve months...

I present to you my eleven finished projects from the list! Clockwise from top left:

• Hypernova in Wollmeise 80/20 Twin
• Victorian Scarf in Sirdar Simply Recycled
• Jane Austen Shawl in Knit Picks Shimmer
• Sweet Pea Shawl in King Cole Bamboo Cotton
• 198 yds of heaven in Rowan Pure Wool Aran
• Free Rapunzel! in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky
• Thinking of You scarf in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK
• Leafy fingerless gloves in Knit Picks Palette
• Fern Cowl in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran
• Crochet Lacy Wrap in James C Brett Marble Chunky
• Alasse Miriel Hooded Cowl in Stylecraft Special Aran with Wool

The other two projects still on the list are not finished, but they are well on the way to being done. The Cherry Wrap is still waiting the time and space to be blocked and seamed, whereas Eleonora is progressing nicely and should be finished soon.

Lets not forget, that as the first Year winds to a close, a second Year of Projects will be starting tomorrow! I've already set up my new page and decided on at least half of the patterns I'll be using in the coming year. I'm hoping that this year I will not get too distracted with projects not on the list, and stand a better chance of finishing them all.

Year of Projects update - 24th June

Next week is the final Sunday of the Year of Projects. In a way, I shall be sad when it is over, but I am already looking forward to Year Two!

As next week's post will be saved for a run down of everything I made this year, I thought I'd use today's post to talk about my plans for next year.

I have been thinking about this for some time, and have created a new list and a new page for Year two, which you can find here. I've dug out all of the lovely yarn in my stash that I'd like to use in the next year, and started pairing it to patterns. So far, nine pattern/yarn combinations have been decided on, and I have ten yarns left to assign patterns to. I'm not going to rush into that, as I'm sure I will change my mind multiple times before I cast on! There is also one pattern I would love to knit that I don't have the yarn in my stash for, so I will need to make at least one yarn purchase this year.

In addition to the projects on the list, I will be working on my long term projects: sofa bed afghan, poncho resurrection, the daffodil filet crochet which is currently in hibernation, and the work I started last year when watching Game of Thrones first season, designing and crocheting a blanket based on the books. (I did just hunt back through the blog to find the last time I posted about it, but it's been so long I cant find it!).

In other news, I've hit another couple of awesome blogging milestones... this is my 300th post, and just recently I skipped past 30,000 page views. Both of these are pretty amazing, although the spike in views is entirely down to my crocheted uterus pattern, which is still driving most of the traffic to the site!

I will be organising some sort of giveaway in the next couple of weeks as a thank you to all my lovely readers, when I eventually get some time to myself again!

Year of Projects update - 19th February

I know, last week I said (in good faith, I might add) that if I really focused on them this week, I'd finish my fingerless gloves. Well, I didn't. I haven't knit on them all week. I'm that rubbish.

What I have done is finish 198yds of heaven!

Fresh off the needles

I got it soaked and pinned out on the blocking board on Friday evening. However, as I am spending my Sunday driving down to Wales and back, you'll have to wait for the big reveal!

One more project knocked off the list though, so I can turn my thoughts to what I should cast on next. These are the remaining unstarted projects on the list:

Ribbed Lace Bolero - I did start this, and really wasn't feeling it. I may cut this from the list, because I am just not inspired to try again with a different yarn. I have other plans for my Rowan Calmer now!

Eleonora - I still want to knit this. I think I need to buy the pattern and read through it before choosing my yarn though. Probably going to be the last thing I start.

Sojourn Falls Scarf - I'll be honest, I'm falling out of love with this. I'm having such fun with my fingerless gloves in Knit Picks Palette that I'm halfway to convincing myself to abandon this scarf and use the red Palette I've already bought to make more gloves. Or, buy another colour of Palette and try my hand at colourwork for the first time.

Alasse Miriel Hooded Cowl - I have the yarn and required needles, I just need to download the pattern and I can get started on this. I've got a new deadline for getting my costume knits finished, as the LRP season kicks off in earnest at Easter. A month and a half to finish my gloves and knit this hood!

Persimmon Pullover - Another pattern that was a good idea, but now I'm reconsidering. I may pull this from the list too. I just don't think I'd wear it.

Fern Cowl - I have everything I need to start this now, after picking up a 4.5mm crochet hook yesterday.

Pond Friend Stacking Toy - I still want to make this! Maybe I will get around to it in time for a Christening present for our niece.

So if we eliminate all the iffy ones, I've only got four projects left that I haven't already completed or started. This whole list thing is working out quite well!

Review of the Year part two - photography

I set myself three photography challenges at the start of the year. I have successfully completed two of them, but the third has been more difficult.

The easiest challenge to complete was the Four Seasons Challenge. Quite simply, one photo representing each season. I blogged about completing it here, once I'd taken the fourth and final photo for Autumn.

Autumn leaves

The longest challenge was the 52 Photos in 52 Weeks. Obviously, I only finished that yesterday! The full set of 52 photos is here on the blog, but you can also view them in their own set on my Flickr photostream. Quite a few of the photos turned out to be yarn related, as I found myself lacking in time and inspiration quite a bit through the year! 

Tusculum Cowl blocking - week 23

I did use it as an excuse to get out and about though, and managed to see loads of awesome places, like Beale Park, Whipsnade Zoo, London, Oxford and the Elvetham Hotel in Hampshire. I also spent a lot of time playing with all the settings on my camera, and getting to know how to use it better. I was very impressed with the fireworks settings!

Elvetham Hotel - week 14

Giraffe at Whipsnade - week 29

Newbury fireworks - week 45

Looking through the photos now, it seems Mr Fidget and my cooking also feature quite heavily in the weeks where nothing else interesting occurred!

The third and final challenge was actually quite challenging. It was the Object Photo Challenge, which involved taking a list of items and taking photos specifically of them. Some were fairly easy, and I was able to grab a suitable photo while out and about, but others required more forethought and as a result, are still not there! I will carry this over into 2012, and make sure I take the time to find the missing objects.

Year of Projects update - December 18th

I can't believe we're nearly half way through this project now! As next Sunday is Christmas Day, I suspect I will be too busy to write an update (and you'll all be too busy to read it), so this is going to be my last Year of Projects update in 2011.

I started out in July with a list of twenty knit or crochet projects that I wanted to make. I modified the list, taking four off and adding five more. In the last six months I have cast on/hooked for 11 projects from my list, which means I've started just over 50% of the list. Of those eleven, I've finished six. 30% complete!

Here's a round up of my finishes:

Sweet Pea Shawl - made for a wedding and now seeing daily use as a scarf

Crochet Lacy Wrap - now part of my LRP costume

Victorian Scarf - haven't worn it yet!

Jane Austen Shawl - worn to a wedding, and a couple of times since
as a scarf to brighten up an outfit

Thinking of You scarf - I have been wearing this
in the current cold weather

Free Rapunzel hat - I wear this a lot!

Maybe I would be further through my list if I hadn't managed to distract myself with so many other projects! According to my Ravelry page, I've completed 12 other projects since July, and have four non-YoP WIPs currently on needles/hooks alongside the five unfinished WIPs from the list!

I'm going to try my best to resist the urge to cast on things which aren't on my list, at least for the first few months of the new year. I may also have to revise the list down a bit, and cut some of the projects that are either going to be too expensive (like the Diamonds Shawl, which will require me to buy a book just for that pattern, and expensive yarn to make it from) or just wont get used/worn (such as the Pineapple Monokini, which was only on the list because it was so silly).

I am also hoping that I can take advantage of all these Christmas Bank Holidays to get some serious knitting time in. I reckon if I focus I should be able to finish the Cherry Wrap and make some very decent headway on the gloves and my latest cast on, the ribbed lace bolero.

Porcelain Berries

I feel like I should be using these gorgeous colours as inspiration for a piece of knitting or crochet or artwork. The green, blue and purple together looks amazing.

I have been quite lazy with my photography for the last couple of weeks, mostly down to the darkening evenings and being super busy with real life stuff. I am hoping that over the next few weeks I will be re-enthused, and start finding more interesting subjects for my weekly photos, as well as chasing down the objects for my object challenge. Starting this weekend, where I hope to test out my ability to take photographs of fireworks, as well as playing with sparklers and lighting effects.

Cook from a Cookbook - Steak Pie and Cornbread

A double dose of cookbook challenge for you today, as this weekend I have used not one, but two different cookbooks!

I'll start with the slightly cheeky one. I've had this Jamie Oliver book ever since the TV show first aired, because the recipes he featured on the show each week were all fantastic. 

I am ashamed to admit we've only ever cooked one of them, and it's the one I'm sharing today. Cheeky, because it's not a new-to-us recipe; this was the third or fourth time we've done it. But I don't think it's featured on the blog before.

Big pile of beef... packet of pastry.. can of Guinness....
what could it be?

It is, quite frankly, the most amazing pie we have ever cooked/eaten. Steak, Guinness and Cheese pie. You don't need the book to cook it, the recipe is available for free on Jamie Oliver's website here.

The cheese makes all the difference. You stir half of it into the beef stew before you pour it into the pie dish. The rest gets sprinkled on top to create a cheesey layer underneath the pastry lid.

I would recommend doing at least half again the amount of cheese.
You can never have too much cheese.

Mmmmmm pie.

As ever, it looks fab in the pie dish. Getting it to look fab on the plate is a different story. You end up with a pastry shape, and a plate covered in cheesey beef stew!

Very tasty indeed. Although do not make the same mistake that we did. Start cooking it EARLY. We didn't have dinner till 9pm, because I didn't start making the pie until half past five.

One of the reasons I was delayed in starting on the pie was to try out a brand new recipe. New book, new recipe, food I'd never eaten before in my life.

I got this cookbook from the book club guy that comes to my office. When I saw it there, I thought "that looks awesome", and did some investigating online. Amazon told me the book wasn't available until next January, and it would cost me £18.75. I got it this week from the book club for £8. What a bargain. It's an amazing book. When I've done a few more of the recipes in it, I'll do a proper review because it's worth one.

The recipe we chose to test out this time though was cornbread. As I say, I've never had it before, but Jamie has been going on about making it for a while now, so when I saw there was a recipe for it in my new book I had to give it a try.

You have no idea how difficult it was to find that bag of cornmeal
in our local Tesco.

Nice and simple, it mixes up really quickly (well, it does once you've finished mopping up the broken egg from the floor after you let it roll off the work surface while setting up your ingredients photo).

It's wonderfully gloopy, and wonderfully yellow.

It smelled delicious as it was baking, and looks fantastic once it's done.

Is it cake, or is it bread? Sure looks like cake...

...but you don't eat cake warm, in slices and spread with butter!

Oh lordy, it was delicious. I can't wait to make this again, and to experiment with sugar levels to make it sweeter.

Four Seasons Photo Challenge

Now that Autumn has finally arrived, I am able to say I have actually completed one of the photo challenges I set myself back in December, when I started this blog.

Admittedly, I only needed four photos to complete it! One of each season. As I started the challenge in January, I took Winter as the first season to snap.

Ice had formed on the inside of the car windscreen, it was that cold.

Then I had a very long wait for Spring! Not just for the months to turn, but for the world around me to actually start looking like the season it was meant to be, and for the right photo to present itself.

I love the contrast between the white of the flowers and the blue of the sky.

At the beginning of April I managed to get this lovely shot of the blossom on a tree by my office, against a bright blue sky.

While I'd taken lots of photos over the summer, very few of them really represented what Summer was about. So, for Summer (even though I took the photo in September, since the weather has been so crazy it has still felt like summer until just recently) I give you this:

The Corkscrew track on display at Alton Towers

Summer to me always heralded the return of weekend trips to the theme park, and although we never went to Alton Towers when I was young, this represents all of those theme park visits I enjoyed in the summer months.

And finally, we come to Autumn. Despite our Indian Summer lasting well into October, autumn has well and truly arrived here in the UK. The temperatures have dropped, mornings are now frosty and all the trees are turning the most glorious shades of red and gold. So, for autumn, I have chosen this:

Autumn leaves have the most wonderful colour palettes, don't they.

Unlike all of my other photos, this one was taken with my iPhone camera, so I am rather pleased with how well it came out. I ran it through Instagram, but preferred the look of it on "normal" to any of the other settings! I can't wait to get my hands on an upgrade and get a better camera on the phone, so I can play with Instagram some more.

So there you have it, four seasons captured in four photographs. That's one photo challenge down. To see how I'm getting on with the others, check out the 52 Week challenge here, and the object photo challenge here.

Cook from a Cookbook - pizza burgers

After the partial success of the baked fish parcels, I wanted my next cookbook challenge to be good. Trusting the results from the last time we got it out, we opted to use the Burgers book again, and selected a likely looking recipe. Pizza burgers.

Yep, you heard me right. Pizza burgers. As soon as we saw the name in the book, we knew we had to make them.

See the traditional pizza flavours of tomato, basil, oregano and cheese. And ground beef, obviously.

We struggled a lot more with the American nature of the book this week. There may have been long discussions over how on earth I was meant to measure my cheese with a cup, and if tomato paste really did mean tomato puree, and if it did, would I need to half the measurement because I had double concentrate?

I may have looked rather foolish when I got this jug out to measure the volume of an actual cup,
before realising the jug itself had cup measurements on the side.

Like most home-made burger recipes, it really is just a case of chuck it all in a bowl and mix. In this case, beef, parmesan, tomato puree, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper and fresh basil.

I love how colourful it is.

It always seems to be me who ends up drawing the short straw, and getting stuck in with my hands, forming the burgers. These ones had an extra funky step though, because once you've formed the ball, you have to somehow get the mozzarella cheese into the middle of it!

Not the easiest of operations.

Somehow, I managed to form four perfect looking burgers.

I was very concerned that the burgers would fall apart once we got them in the pan, but they held together remarkably well, and tasted delicious! The mozzarella in the middle wasn't as melty and stringy as I would have expected, but it was nice nonetheless. Definitely be doing them again!

And I'm so impressed with that last picture, I'm using it as my photo of the week for this week.