Autumn and Winter plans

If you are reading this on the day it is published - Saturday 16th September - today is the start of the Back to School Sweater CAL! The CAL runs from today until 17th November.

I hope you have been enjoying the accompanying blog hop. So far we've had;
Five reasons to make a crochet garment by Tamara at Crafty Escapism
Current trends and choosing a style to suit you by Jo at Jojotwinkletoes
Yarn Substitution by me

Today's stop on the blog hop is The Crochet Project, who will be talking about measuring, swatching and getting started on your garment. The perfect post for Day One of the CAL. Can you tell that Tamara and I like a good plan?!

It's been a busy time here at Number 14, but with the start of the CAL and the completion of some commissions I feel as though I have a moment to pause and plan my making up to the end of the year. Ideally I would like to knit and crochet ALL of the things but realistically I can't so I think a plan, with some flexibility built in would be a good idea.

Bretonbone Top
Obviously first on my list is my project for the CAL. I've talked about my plans to make the Bretonbone in a previous post. I have been doing a lot of measuring and testing this week...

Pheasant hat
We inadvertently seem to have established a tradition of me making my little boy a bird related Winter hat every year.

Last year I made him a blue tit hat using the West Yorkshire Spinners Aran Print yarn and this year he has commissioned a pheasant hat from the same range of yarns. He is a little disappointed that the yarn isn't as "funky" as it looked online but he's sure it will "look really cool". So I need to get knitting him a hat....

Mittens
We have a running joke in our house that the only part of our little boy that grows is his teeth and hair but apparently his hands grow A LOT too and so I need to whip him up a pair of mittens before too long. I haven't decided whether to knit or crochet - he's requesting matching hat and mittens because that's what I did last year!

Socks
I had earmarked some knitting time before Christmas to knit our little boy some more socks but the other day he announced that 'my' sock yarn is just too itchy. I use Opal and it's not itchy but I've decided that I'll allocate my sock knitting time to finishing my stripey summer socks instead.

Gifts
My parents read this blog (hello Mum and Dad!) so I can't say too much but I want to knit them a woolly hug each as a Christmas gift. I'll share glimpses on Instagram when they aren't looking!

I always make gifts for R's teachers/carers at Christmas. Last year I made these little stockings and filled them with sweet treats.

A hat for me
My copy of The Year of Techniques arrived recently; it's filled with stunning designs and step by step tutorials.

One project that has really captured my attention is the Ruschia hat by Woolly Wormhead. I have a skein of beautiful Aran yarn from Stranded Dyeworks that I am hoping I can turn into this hat. I do like a challenge!

Anything else?
Realistically these plans will keep me busy until Christmas (along with a few others quietly bubbling away) but I would quite like, if I can manage it, to start (and finish) another two skein shawl. I love my Missed Kingfisher shawl and am already wearing it on chilly mornings. One skein shawls are lovely as decorative pieces but two skein shawls really do keep you warm. I have four skeins of yarn in my stash that have been sat patiently waiting to be turned into two shawls and it would be really lovely to add to my two skein shawl wardrobe this Winter.

I have my birthday at the end of the year and my thoughts are also looking ahead to that and what pattern/yarn I might ask for as gift from my parents. I loved receiving the yarn for my Luna top as a gift last year and so I think I might have started a tradition of my own...

I love this time of year; wrapping up in woolly goodness, enacting old traditions, forging new ones and sharing handmade gifts. What crafting plans have you been making to see you through the Autumn and Winter?  I would love to hear x