Project Planning: Outsourcing

JoRobinson

I read a blog this morning that made me think a little differently about how I think about my project queue. In this post  Lauren relined an old coat to give it a new lease of life. For a while now I’ve had a jacket in my project queue that desperately needs relining.In all honesty it has been needing relining since I bought it 11 years ago. It was cheap from George and upon its first wear the lining bled purple dye over the top I was wearing and my arms. It stopped transferring but think is mostly because armpits are non-existent.In her post Lauren was pretty honest with how difficult relining a jacket is. I am fairly certain that i could do it, but it seems like i won’t find it easy, might not do the best job and ultimately, do I want to? I’ve recently really started to appreciate how easily i become blocked with crafting. I haven’t sewn anything in 6 months, partly because of time but mostly because I was making some trousers which daunted the hell out of me and have essentially become my roadblock.

I really need to get this jacket relined because it’s a really nice fit and a black jacket is the main missing piece in my work wardrobe. But as I start to plan how i finish my projects it’s interesting to think about what i want to do and when to outsource to the professionals.

Project Knitting – Baby Jumper

JoRobinson 
02/03/2017

I have been knitting for around five and a half years and in that time I have tackled blankets, scarves, LOTS of hats, slippers and even a poncho! For some reason, a jumper has always eluded me. Recently I attempted to make this jumper from Drops:

For the first time ever, I even bought the intended yarn and all suggested tools. So heading into this I felt prepared and was ready to make my first ever jumper.

I should have heeded the warning signs when i put a twist in my neckband twice in a row, a mistake I haven’t made in a few years. Third time was the charm and I was steaming ahead in forming the shoulders. The nail in the coffin came when, after a few days of knitting, I realised that at some-point I had lost a stitch marker for one of the arms – meaning that I was making a one-armed jumper.

Disheartened, I gave up and cast around for a new project. As if determined by fate, that night I found out that TC and I were going to see his nephew for his first birthday. Project Baby Jumper was born!

Having just sorted out my craft room (post to follow) and realising quite how much yarn I have – I was eager to use my stash. Unfortunately I had very few baby-friendly yarns that can be washed time and time again. Impatient to wait until the weekend to go to the shops, I popped to Poundland on my way home and picked up some reliable acrylic that hopefully will be bullet baby proof.

I’ve decided on a super cute dog motif but with a few updated details to make it a little more contemporary. It’s going to be mostly in cream with potentially bright blue sleeves – but will make that decision when I get there.

Really not a fan of that collar and having never made a jumper before, I’m not 100% certain how to create a round neck – hopefully I can work it out. The little one is turning one a week on Saturday so a slightly stressful deadline but will hopefully be the impetus I need to get it done… Watch this space.

Update 12th March 2017

Job done! Phew after two weeks of very dedicated knitting I’ve finished the jumper.My first ever jumper. After going off piste with the neckline (that collar was a little gross) I was a little worried that it wouldn’t fit over his head, but salvation was found in the form of a watermelon which i was able to use to stretch out the neckline.

The project came pretty down to the wire, sewing it together this morning – the nephew’s birthday. Last minute knitting included TC driving the entirety of the 5 hour journey to his parents’ house, whilst i sat in the passenger with a head torch click clacking away.

I feel enthused now to knit a jumper for myself. I’m tempted with a cricket jumper, however, as yet i still haven’t found a pattern I like, let me know if you see one!

Too Many Ideas, Too Little Time

JoRobinson

Hello and welcome to my world. It’s a comfortable little world where I – a woman in her late twenties who is just starting to get her shit together – live in a cosy, comfy home with a smiley yet sensible boyfriend and two incessantly adorable rabbits. But as life is starting to fall in to place, I find myself yearning for the days when I had few responsibilities and all the time in the world to be creative and dedicate myself to the wonderful world of crafting, designing and general grand plans. As someone who was a student for eight years, I became accustomed to having an abundance of time on my hands – I didn’t realise the luxury until it was no longer there. I love working but all those grand plans have become unfinished projects on a very dusty shelf which I don’t seem to be able to clean nor complete.

 

And so, a blog was born. A place to organise my thoughts, put out into the world the myriad of half finished ideas and  to set myself the ultimate project… to finish all my projects.