Winter Haven KAL round up

Well, here we are in February!  How are you doing?  The Winter Haven KAL is over for this year now, but it’s been such a lovely thing to do that I wanted to write a round up post and show you some of the photos that I’ve seen, and share some of your thoughts about the KAL too.

OK, first up are the cosy spaces.  It’s been lovely to see where you’ve been finding to snuggle down and take some time to yourselves!

Debbie has the most FABULOUS chair – it looks like a great place to cosy in and get some serious knitting done!  (In fact, it looks like we could ALL get in there and get some knitting done! 🙂 )

Source: Debbie via Facebook

Elaine has got herself set up with everything she needs here.  There’s nothing worse than getting settled and then realising you’ve forgotten something!

Source: Elaine via Facebook

Janet looks as if she’s here for the whole of the Winter – and I don’t blame her at all!

Source: Janet via Facebook

Lisa moved into a new flat during the KAL and has already made herself a cosy space.  She’s feeling right at home!  “Taking time to get it sorted, it has been lovely to see it change as a haven,” she says.

Source: Lisa via Facebook

And here’s Angela’s space.  She said that thinking about creating a cosy space made her think more about how she used her crafting space; it’s been good that we’ve all been thinking more about our surroundings, isn’t it?

There’s a whole lot o’ stripin’ going on in this picture! 🙂

Source: @my.yarnunique on Instagram

Don’t feel that you have to give up your cosy spaces now that the KAL is over – you might feel that having created it, you want to keep it year round and you should!  Winter is coming in the southern hemisphere and the Haven spaces that you’ve had throughout the Summer might be just the thing as the weather grows colder, and in the northern hemisphere, there’s no guarantee that we’re going to get any sunshine at all so you might be glad of a cosy space over the summer months! 😀

I’ve been thrilled to see so many pairs of Sanctuary Socks being knitted (it’s not too late to cast on if you want a pair – you can always find the pattern on the blog here), and here are a selection of pairs on and off the needles …

Source: Allison via Facebook

Source: Amanda via Facebook

Source: Betsy via Facebook

Source: Els via Facebook

Source: Heather via Facebook

Source: Lisa via Facebook

Source: Helen Victoria via Facebook

And the modified pair I showed you last week … the heel has been changed and the cables run all the way to the toes.  Once you are comfortable with sock anatomy and how the sock fits your own feet, you can do this quite easily, so don’t be afraid to adapt a pattern if you need to – that’s what makes hand knits unique!

Source: @missuscolumbo on Instagram

This year, there were lots of other projects on the go too … lots of socks, as you can see …

Source: Colleen via Facebook

Source: Debbie via Facebook

Source: Fiona via email

Source: Hazel via Facebook

Source: Caroline via Facebook

Maribeth says that during the KAL, she focussed on finishing this WIP pair of socks, spending time contemplating (she’s in the process of buying a new home – it’s a stressful time!) and she didn’t bring any work home either.  That’s definitely self-care!

Source: Maribeth via Facebook

Nicky has gifted her Winter Haven KAL-made socks … they always look really special with a label to around them, don’t they?  You can find lots of free hand knit labels on the internet, just do a search!

Source: Nicky via Facebook

But there’s not been just socks!

Theresa had made a great start to her husband’s jumper the other week, and has finished the colourwork now … wow, doesn’t that look stunning?

Source: Theresa via Facebook

There were also hats …

Source: @islandknit17 on Instagram

And Vanessa started both socks and a hat … “I found my Haven in losing myself learning new things – toe up socks and a new cable technique,” she says.

Source: Vanessa via Facebook

“My hat will always be my Winter Haven Hat and it’s the first that fits me!”  It’s brilliant what we can do when we have some time to concentrate, isn’t it?

Source: Vanessa via Facebook

The end of the KAL doesn’t mean that it has to be the end of your knitting time, especially if you were clearing out WIPs!  Having started, do keep going and see if you can make yourself some space for new projects this year!

The Winter Haven KAL has most certainly given me the opportunity to be more thoughtful about lots of things that I’ve been doing, most notably about what I’m eating.  I have been very good at skipping meals if I’m busy and I’ve stopped that now.  I’ve remembered that I’m my own best friend and that means treating myself like a best friend!  For a long time now, I have refused to talk to myself in that nasty way that we do sometimes (have you noticed that we’ll say things to ourselves that are more horrible than anything we’d ever say to anyone else?) and now I’m focussing on making sure that I’m eating enough and more than that, enough of the right things.  I’m drinking more water and I’m definitely feeling better for it.

Mary Beth has written a Haiku for the KAL:

Winter Haiku

a quiet haven

knitting my woolen slaloms

sanctuary socks

I love that, thank you Mary Beth!

I’ve also been much better at keeping a note of what I’ve been grateful for, and I hope to continue that as the year progresses.  Su has had a great idea …

Source: @theconsciousknitter on Instagram

Isn’t that a good idea?  Easily made too, as I’m sure we’ve all got jars in the fridge or cupboard which can be turned into a gratitude jar when they’re empty.

So that’s us for this year.  Thank for you being part of the Winter Haven KAL with me!  I’ve certainly got the sense that we have all been connected through our yarn and our intentions, and I hope that if you’ve joined in, you’ve felt that too.

Shall we do it again next year?  I’d really like to!  I’ll remind you in November or early December and then you’ve got time to find your Haven space and gather your treats together before the Christmas madness starts, and then we’ll all be ready for that calm time in January.  I’m looking forward to it already! xx

 

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11 Responses

  1. Lisa says:

    Thank you for doing this. It has been just what I needed and being new to sock knitting your blog and Facebook community have been amazing ��

  2. Elizabeth says:

    So pleased to have my sock included in the pictures! The KAL was a learning process and my 2nd sock will come together more quickly. Thank you!

  3. happy hooker says:

    I've enjoyed yarning along with you and others. I'll be here in my haven next year. xx

  4. Karen - Quilts...etc. says:

    such an inspiring blog for a new knitter – I doubt I will ever be as good as all of you but I will practice – another quilter/knitter pointed me to your blog as having good patterns and I will be looking your blog over to see what you have

  5. Cathy says:

    This is so relaxing to see and read! I just bought your first book and have started a sock on a small circular, thanks to you. Thanks for helping us get through the winter!

  6. Cathy says:

    Hi, love your blog! I bought your book, Super Socks and have a question. I have no Math skills, so I am hoping you can help me. I cast on 56 sts on the 9in circular. I did some poking around and found where you advised someone else, slip one, P15, P2tog, P1, turn. But where do I start this? How many to pick up on the edge? Will the toe be a different number also? Thanks for your help!

    • Winwick Mum says:

      Hi, sorry to be late to see this! The Sl1, P15, P2tog, P1 is the set up row for the heel turn so you work that as the row after you've finished the heel flap. You'll pick up one stitch every 2 rows worked on the heel flap – that's easy to see as you've got a big slip stitch at the start of every row so that's the one to pick up – and you can still work the same number at the toe – it's only 4 stitches difference so it really won't matter much. And this is knitting maths so it's not the same as everyday maths – you can do this sort because it's fun 🙂 xx

  7. Susan Rayner says:

    I have really enjoyed seeing everyone's winter haven spaces and projects! Such a happy way to spend the longest, darkest, dampest month of the year!! We must do this again! Being grateful for this blog, the FB groups and kntting generally!

  8. Peg says:

    What a lovely post, great to see so many lovely special places and the creations that have been accomplished. I started a pair of cuff down socks but then both hubby and I have been ill so drs appts, resting and generally feeling exhausted I decided to pick them up again this past week to have my quite time in February. They were in a project bag and everything is there except the pattern and I can’t remember the name of it. �� I don’t want to unpick them because it’s 4ply yarn and I’ve got so much done, I counted the cast on at the cuff and there are 72 stitches so need to look for a pattern that uses that many stitches. Now I’m off to catch up on your other posts, they always cheer me up. ����

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