1) Knit one hat each week for The Innocent Big Knit.
2) Do something nice for me.
3) Choose a non fiction book from the library.
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I'm on track with my Big Knit hats. They're so easy to make and take less than an hour of my time. I'm really pleased that I've made this one of my challenges this year as I've been meaning to join in and knit hats for the last few years but just haven't got round to it, so this challenge is making sure that I get plenty made this year.
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My nice thing for January was to sit down and watch my Les Miserables dvd. I went to see this film at the cinema when it came out last year and couldn't wait for it to come out on dvd so that I could watch it again. I was given this for my birthday in September but just haven't got round to watching it until now. I chose a quiet afternoon when Mick was at work and Eleanor was at school, made sure I had plenty of tissues on hand to mop up the tears and snuggled down on the sofa and indulged. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
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My non fiction book this month was Scenes From East Leeds which I did a post about earlier in the month.
That's the first month of the year nearly finished already. I think this year's going to speed by again.
I like to idea about knitting a hat each week x
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased that I set myself this challenge, it will keep me producing them throughout the year.
DeleteI could start knitting some of those hats myself. If I remember correctly there was a simple pattern on the page, I'm sure it would be suitable for my lack of skills. I saw Les Miserables many, many moons ago as a theatre production in Florida pre kids that's how blinking long ago, I was never interested in seeing the film version no idea why not.
ReplyDeleteI picked up a leaflet about the Big Knit from an Age Uk charity shop and there are three patterns included for different abilities. If you can knit and purl, you can make these hats. I love Les Miserables, both the film and the theatre production. I love the music in it, in fact, I have the soundtrack and listen to it while I'm doing the housework.
DeleteI can't believe where this month has gone already. Well done with your challenges. Don't know about you but we had a slight fluttering of snow my side of the country.
ReplyDeleteI think 2014 is going to be another year which whizzes by. We haven't had any snow here yet, thank goodness. I'm hoping that we escape it this year.
DeleteYou've sure make a good start to the year. Flighty xx
ReplyDeleteI just need to keep it up now. I don't think there'll be any problems though, they're all enjoyable challenges.
DeleteLove the little hats, I am doing them too, mine dont have pompoms yet, could you tell me what size rings you used for yours as they look the perfect size. Thank you x
ReplyDeleteI didn't make the pompoms, I'm afraid I cheated and bought them, see this post:-
Deletehttp://www.jo-throughthekeyhole.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/brightly-coloured-balls.html
I'm rubbish at making pompoms so these have worked out much better and they come in so many different colours that I can mix and match them with the hats perfectly.
Thank you Jo thats an even better idea, I will look out for some of those....maybe ebay :-) x
DeleteI got these from The Range if that's any help. I think they were £1.99 per packet. I bought two, the first one contained more primary colours and the other more fluorescent ones. Each pack had a mixture of sizes, some small, some a bit larger. You can see the two sizes in my photo above.
DeleteIn case this helps anyone reading your blog Jo. The pattern I have been using is:
DeleteCast on 28 stitches on small needles (I've been using a 3 1/4) do two rows of garter stitch followed by 14 rows of st stitch (knit one row purl one row).
Next row knit two together 14 times (14 stitches left)
Next row purl two together 7 times (7 stitches left)
Then thread through stitches and pull tight and join the edges with a bobkin needle. (big eyed needle to those not as old as me)
and that's all there is to it.
Pom Poms - Pony make a pom pom maker that doesn't break the bank cost wise and I have been using the smallest circle.
Hope that helps one and all.
Thank you. There's lots of hat patterns on the Big Knit website:-
Deletehttp://thebigknit.co.uk/join-in
Love your choices - and the hats! xxxxx
ReplyDeleteThe hats are so dinky, they're really cute. I'm looking forward to the time when they sell the drinks with the hats on, I shall be looking to see if I can find any of mine.
DeleteThe hats look great. I've never seen Les Mis but Eden raves about it. She's sung quite a few songs from it at different concerts. I'm useless at pom poms, they just fall apart so I would but them too!
ReplyDeleteI love Les Mis and Eleanor does too. The youth theatre which she belongs to performed it at The Carriageworks Theatre in Leeds a couple of years ago and she played the part of a 'Lovely Lady'. The music in it is fabulous.
DeleteA good start to the new year of challenges.
ReplyDeleteI bet you really enjoyed your DVD time, It's been a long time coming!
Lisa x
It has been a long time coming. I find if I've got a spare afternoon, I end up doing something I should do rather than something I'd like to do. I really must make more time to sit and watch some films.
DeleteThe wee hats look great, Jo. You're going to have a ton of them when the time comes! Well done you! :o)
ReplyDeleteI'm aiming to have fifty ready for October when they have to be sent in. I should just manage it by doing one a week as I did a few to start me off so that I could catch up.
DeleteI love the second hat from the right, with its giant pom pom!! Lots of fun. You have had a great start to your challenges for the year. xx
ReplyDeleteThe pompoms come in different sizes so I though it would be fun to put a big one on. The colours are matching up well with the yarn I'm using.
DeleteCute hats, thanks for the lead for the pom poms, my son lives in Exeter and has a Range near him, will have to send him shopping! Well done on your challenges, can't believe the month has gone already.
ReplyDeleteI love The Range, it sells nearly everything you could ever want, I could spend ages looking around. The one near us has got quite a big craft section in it now, it's great. February tomorrow, unbelievable.
DeleteIt is speeding by isn't it ... January gone already! I seem to have lost the last month in a whirl of commitments outside blogland and it's such a relief to finally feel I can slip back into the bloggy flow.
ReplyDeleteCan you believe despite having seen the West End stage production three times I still haven't seen the Les Mis film ... I must remedy this, thanks for the reminder Jo.
Hope you have a lovely weekend.
I always think things will slow down after the rush up to Christmas, but January seems to go by quicker every year. The film is very true to the stage production of Les Mis, yet I do know people who aren't so keen on the film. I suppose we all have our own opinions.
DeleteI have been knitting innocent hats for a few years now. They do look better with pom-poms, and I did make some for mine, but they do take a long time! Last year I managed to make 200, so this year I said I would try to do one a day (ie 365) but did not start on time, so only have a handful done so far, none with pom-poms. I too may cheat and buy some, there is a Range and Hobbycraft not far from here.
ReplyDeleteI'm in awe, 200 is a great amount to send in. I've been meaning to join in for the last few years but I haven't managed it. I think making this part of my challenge for the year will help me reach some sort of goal. Good luck with what you're aiming for this year, I hope you manage it. Have you set up a blog yet?
DeleteLove those little hats, well done!
ReplyDeleteI really want to keep on track with this challenge so that I have fifty to send in when October comes around. They don't take much time to knit up so I'm sure I'll manage it.
DeleteOh Jo, When I watched Les Miserables, I cried and cried!! What an amazing film, all of the actors and actresses did a phenomenal job!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your hats! Those are gorgeous!
I hope you have a wonderful week my friend,
Much love,
Tammy
If you enjoyed Les Miserables, you'd love the stage production. I don't think you can beat musicals performed live, though the film of Les Mis does come very close.
DeleteYeah - your challenges are coming along nicely. I loving those little smoothie hats:0)
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased with the hats I've made so far. Time for a change though now, I'm trying a different pattern.
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