A productive weekend

I managed to cross a lot of things off my to do list over the weekend which felt really good.  Although I didn’t run – which was really really bad of me!  I will have to make up for it this week and have already done 2.5 miles this morning.  I will have to fit in a longer run on Wednesday (easy – just get up at 5.20! urg!) and I will have to fit in a 2 hour run at the weekend which is already proving tricky as I have Ellie this weekend.  Hmm!  I’m hoping that I can fit in a small run on Sat before I pick her up and then maybe a gym session once I have dropped her home but we shall see!

However, back to crafting!

I have made a start on my blocks for the Africa blanket – I thought I would need to improve my sewing skills but my cutting skills are horrific!  I don’t appear to be able to cut in a straight line at all!  Not good.  My blocks that I have made so far are varying a bit in size but I am hoping that once I get 4 together in a square I can trim them down.  I can always add a boarder if my blanket turns out too small!  Hmm – I’m not sure what I am doing wrong.  I have borrowed my mum’s cutting matt and ruler and I still am having trouble.  Will keep practising and see what happens.  I have decided not to do all my cutting and then all my sewing – firstly because I sewed together my first block and I realised that I hadn’t provided any seam allowance so those pieces have been added to the scrap pile and secondly I find cutting really boring so I don’t want to use up all my interest and then not have enough interest to finish it!

I am also super happy that I am on the final stages of George’s scarf – yay!  I have done both top and bottom layers as well as the nose and started on the eyes.  Just have the mouth, tail, ears and another eye to finish off.  This is the time consuming part but I am preserving.  Will add some photos soon.

I have also done another 2 colours on my super-sized blanket.  Andy is very annoying and no longer feigns any interest when I show him how well I am doing.  To be fair there isn’t much difference as its 4 stripes of 11 colours.  However, for me, I have worked for 4 hours and done 2 lots of stripes which is a great achievement and then he is like I don’t care!  Which isn’t very nice!!  I am almost half way through my third set of stripes.  The end is starting to come into sight although it’s still a long way off.  It’s a great project to have in the background – if I’m really tired and cant be bothered to do anything else than I can always count on my blanket to help me.

So the January to do list is looking good after such a productive weekend:

1. Finish Fatty for Andy’s mum (18th Jan) 
2. Finish dog pencil case for Daisy (8th Feb)
3. Finish dragon scarf for George (8th Feb)
4. Finish Rebecca’s Fatty (8th Feb) 
5. Make 5 blood drops for NHS project (deadline 31st Jan) - 2 more needed
6. Make 12 crochet squares for the Children’s Society (deadline 25th Jan) - just sewing in needed
7. Finish Alzheimer blanket (18th Jan) 
8. Finish scarf for Patrick (8th Feb)
9. Knit a Christmas bauble REMOVED UNTIL FEBRUARY
10. Start Easter bunnies (Deadline April) REMOVED UNTIL FEBRUARY
11. Finish scarf for Nan (birthday 21st Jan) 
12. Make a spare scarf for Nan (birthday 21st Jan) 
13. Knit 3 charity chickens (Deadline Feb)  REMOVED UNTIL FEBRUARY

Only George's scarf is left and this will definitely be ready in time - its just a case of finishing it off.

I only completed 3 blood drops in the end which was disappointing but still better than nothing and it was quite a tight deadline which wasnt good.  The ends were sewn in and the package is now ready to be sent - yay!

The to do list for February has already began!  This is how it looks so far:

1. Manly Alzheimer blanket (got fabric and activity bits)
2. Charity blanket for the African hospital (got fabric and pattern)
3. Start crochet blanket for Fiona's baby (got all the wool and pattern)
4. 10 Chickens (28 Feb) (got fluffy yellow wool and pattern)
5. 2 (of 6) Easter bunnies (April) (got wool for 3 girl bunnies)
6. Bag for Sam's birthday (13 Feb) (got black and white wool, handles and pattern)
7. 3 crochet hanging hearts for mothers day (30th March) (got wool and pattern)
8. Finish girl's summer bags (birthdays - April/July)
9. 2 more Fattys for Mum and Nan (30 March) (got wool for Mum's.  See if have any wool for Nan's)
10. Finish red heart for Valentines day for Andy (14 Feb)