Stitch this?

It's harder for me to find time to write about what I'm making than it is to do the making, but while of course it sucks for those of you hanging on my every word; I like me a lot more when I have lots of creating time as opposed to nothing better to do than blog time.

I'll open on a work in progress that's thanks to a surprise announcement.

It's been on the go for a few weeks, but I have started it over once, since as usual my approach to using a pattern is on the looser side and my initial start wasn't doing the business.

This is going to be a jacket for Will and I's very first nibling; who is due to arrive a week after our wedding. The pattern I'm starting from is this 'scrappy socky stripey cardigan'. I have a vision for this, inspired by the father-to-be (Will's brother), so there are of course many amendments being made. I shan't spoil the surprise of what exactly I'm going for until it's handed over, but I am very encouraged by the fact that everyone I've explained the concept to so far has assured me that I'll be the very coolest auntie if I pull it off.

In the winter break catch up section, let's return to my newest craft and look at some of the embroidered things.
One of the decisions I made about the wedding early on was that I wanted to give people a real incentive to join in. Pinterest and the wedding blogs are crawling with ideas for photo scavenger hunts to pop on your tables, but I got the impression nobody actually did them.
So why not offer prizes for completing those challenges?

A lucky dip seemed like the way to go - a mixture of things we'd made, things we've found, and little treats - and since I was in the throes of a stitching passion, embroidered brooches were just... obvious.

I'm sticking to the woodland theme but having all sorts of fun trying different stitches and techniques, and I don't think I can pick a favourite. Indeed, the more I think about continuing to write about them, the more I think I should pick out a few to go into detail about.
What do you think, readers, which of these would you like to read more about?

Catch up time then...

Well winter sure did kick my ass... The months since are totally my problem though.

I was having a lot of trouble arranging for photos of my finished things between the full time work and the dark months of winter, and then the light started coming back and I don't have any excuses for that, I've just been doing things that aren't this.

I did get a picture of the hat from the pink hand-spun yarns that I showed you last time I updated. Pattern is made up based on basic principles and a variation of the flower chart from here.

Sadly this is the best picture there is of this hat because since it was taken I left the bloody thing on a number 8 bus. We did ask lost property but they said nothing had been handed in, so I suppose someone out there got a new hat that day. I hope they're taking better care of it than I did.

I kept enough notes that I could make myself another though (possibly not out of hand-spun this time):
I started with 100 stitches in 2x2 rib for 15 rows, then increased every other stitch in stockinette for one row, then every third stitch for another, to give myself a repeat of 20 stitches.
If I do do it again I'll make the ribbing deeper so it stops falling off my ears.

Accompanying the hat in this picture, the project that immediately followed it - a pair of Gansey Wristers in Drops Alpaca. I have not yet left these on a bus, but one of them did spend a day in a puddle in the road when they fell out of my pocket. I was very grateful to find it again on my way home.

I made a pair of these for my brother's girlfriend as a Christmas present a few years ago, and have intended to make myself some ever since. Having started a job where I have hour-long lunch breaks their turn came around at last.


Next time: we'll start a little catch up, and a new project for a new member of the family!