May Madness

I was bored with WIPping Wednesdays so I have gone for a new alliteration. Like many potential posts, this one was written in my head at the beginning of the month but is only now making it into print.

We are almost halfway through the month and I am now writing about beginning of the month challenges. Place in context if possible.

The start of each month brings a new set of challenges. For me it is sock knitters, Operation Gratitude and tea cosies. Away from Ravelry it is the books of the month suggested by Amazon. But I'm just talking knitting/crochet challenges today. Firstly, I know that I do not have to take part in any of the challenges but I have pledged to myself that I will make something for Operation Gratitude each month, also as I want to use up all my sock yarn starting a challenge from the sock knitters group is a good way to go, and why not throw a tea cosy into the mix. Although I will only follow that challenge if I have yarn in my stash hence not making the last two.

The Operation Gratitude project I start straight away regardless of what else I have on the go. Once again the administrator came up with hats and I chose the crochet option using two colours that I bought last month specifically for this purpose. I can't count either of them as balls of yarn out but they are on their way. This hat is finished and will appear in a finished project round up soon.

Having finished a pair of socks at the beginning of the month I decided to dig into my sock yarn stash and start a pair to fit the current month's challenge:- Featured Techniques: Flora/fauna or Science/technology/geek: Featured Designers: Rachel Coopey and Nicki Miller. Looking through my queue and favourites on Ravelry I decided on this pattern, using yarn that I had purchased in Calgary to make gloves. Although the original purpose for the yarn does not matter as long as I use it. I have not got very far with these but the socks I did finish will appear soon.

Finally I decided to take part in the monthly tea cosy pattern. The pattern was for a small size and I do not have any cosies specifically for my small tea pot plus I had yarn in my stash. All the knitting and crochet is complete I just need to sew all the parts together.

And then we come to the projects that were already on the needle at the start of the month. Despite starting the other projects listed above, I have been working on the mittens, one is completed except the bind off at the cuff and the other needs a thumb and cuff but I haven't touched the cast off of the shawl.

And there is another project to throw into the mix. Last week I received an oddball blanket. I put my name down for this one at the beginning of January as it was to be worked in variegated yarn and I had some I could use up. I chose a simple pattern and started on my section last night and I should finish by the end of the week.

I do not record meters out until I have shown photos of finished items so meters knitted/crocheted has not gone up but yarn in has gone up because I was given some yarn. I won Operation Gratitude's group drawing at the end of April and chose yarn. I am hoping I will be able to turn it into projects for Operation Gratitude.