A year of projects - week 6

And what a week of crafting its been :-)  Seem to have achieved lots this week despite working on a different project each day *raises eyebrows*!  I vow to work on only one project at a time once all the current projects are finished - ha ha ha!

From my YoP list I have done lots of work on Josie's Genevieve sweater.  Ali at Pixie Knits managed to match an extra skein for me so I now have enough to finish the full length version with pixie hood.  Still fuming that the yardage requirements are so out on this pattern.  The new skein is slightly less varigated than the original skeins so I am knitting 2 rows in the old, 2 rows in the new to try and blend it as much as possible.  Only another inch of the hood to go and the remaining sleeve.  Have tried to stitch the bodice to the skirt with mattress stitch as per the pattern but I've only ever used mattress stitch on vertical knitted stitches and not the cast off row to the cast on row.  I've tried a couple of times but it looks untidy so will go up to my local knit and knatter tomorrow night to get some expert opinion on neat finishing.

Now my other projects weren't on my original list but this week I have also been working on:

A Calorimetry headband for myself.  I actually made 2 but the first one was way too big.  Originally casted on 104 stitches on 4.5mm needles and worked up until 28 unworked stitches on either side of the middle.  Second time round I only used 88 stitches and worked up until 22 unworked stitches - it fits a treat and will be perfect for those 'ooops should have washed my hair days'!  Made in the lovely Noro Silk Garden

The kids and I made a wigwam :-) thanks to inspiration from summer holidays when I was little at my grandparents and my friend Helen who has recently made one for her little girls.  Had intended to follow this tutorial for a more professional job but it was a scorching day and the kids were happy with it just held together by pegs!!

 I'm making Josie a dress with a knitted bodice and ooga booga print skirt.  The knitted section is from the Milo pattern knitted with Rico Kids DK

After sitting on top of my wardrobe for a couple of months I decided it was time to tackle curtain making for the first time!  Unfortunately I brought the material on a whim before learning how to correctly measure up to include seam allowances and pattern repeats.  I was short of material for both our bedroom curtains and Josie's!!!  Thankfully Dunelm's still had the material in stock for our bedroom.  Very proud with my work so far.  I shall make a blog tutorial for 'curtain making for newbies'!

 And last but not least!!!  There are lots of tutorials in both the blog world and on youtube for pillowcase dresses.  Spotted some cheap cases on ebay and started on my own version with a bit of smocking!  It is slightly too wide for Josie so thought it might fit my sister as a top.  Sadly it is too narrow for my sister but now I have the correct measurements my next sewing project will be a grown up sized smock top and I shall rethink the design on the pillowcase dress.

I am off now to have a look at what everyone else has been up to this week over at the YoP blog-a-long